The
M liV
Commoner.
Vol. i. No, 37.
Lincoln, Nebraska, October 4, 1901,
$1.00 a Year
Dolliver on Anarchy.
Senator Dolliver of Iowa made a speech at
the Memorial Services held in Chicago on Sun
day, September 22d. In the course of his re
marks he took occasion to discuss two phases
of the question of anarchy, or rather two rem
edies. Some seem to think that anarchy can
not be suppressed without limiting the free
dom of speech and the freedom of the press.
It is refreshing to find one so eminent in the
republican party as Mr. Dolliver challenging
this dangerous doctrine. He says:
"A government like ours is always slow to move,
and often awkward in its motions, but it can bo
trusted to find effective remedies for conditions liko
these, at least after thoy becomo intolerable. But
these remedies, in order to becomo effective, must
not evade the sense of justice which is universal, nor
the traditions of civil liberty, which wo have inher
ited from our fathers. The bill of rights written in
tho English language, stands for too many centuries
of sacrifico, too many battlefields sanctified by blood,
too many hopeg of mankind reaching toward tho
ages to como, to bo mutilated in tho least in order to
meet the case of a handful of miscreants whose namos
nobody can prononnco.
Anarchy can be overcome without impair
ing, the liberties of the "people 'or trenching
.upon those-rights which are essential to the re
public. His suggestions go further than tem
porary suppression of anarchy. He deals with
some of the causes which lead up to an,d de
velop tho spirit of anarchy. He says:
"It ought not to be forgotten that conspirators,
working out their nefarious plans in secret, in tho
dens and caves of tho earth, enjoy an unconscious
co-operation and side partnership with every lawless
influence abroad in the world. Legislatures who bo
tray tho commonwealth, judges who poison the foun
tains of justice, city governments which como to
terms with crime all those are regular contributors
to tho campaign fund of anarchy."
There is food for thought in what Senator
Dolliver says. Lawlessness in high places
breeds lawlessness among less conspicuous in
dividuals, and it will be difficult to teach the
humbler members of society respect for law
and government if there are men or corpora
tions so great that they can with impunity defy
the law and! the authority of the government.
Tho senator also refers to the burnings
which have taken place in several sections of tho
union and declares that they do not contribute
to the safety of society. Lynch law is either
a reflection upon the government or it is an in
dication of unrestrained passion upon the part
of the mob. If the government is efficiently
administered there is no occasion to resort to"
lynch law, and if it is not efficiently adminis
tered it is better to reform the government
than to set aside its authority.
But when the mob, not satisfied with tak
ing the life of the victim, adds torture, it be-,
trays a brutality that shames bur" 'civilization.
The assaults upon women which havo been tho
cause of most of tho burnings, arc indescrib
ably wicked, but it is enough that tho guilty
party should atone for tho deed with his life.
The taking of a human life, even in tho en
forcement of the laws of society, is a grave
and serious thing. To torture a human being
to death amid shouts of revenge is debasing
and cannot but result injuriously to society.
The assassination of tho President will
bring about a discussion of lawlessness and lead
to an investigation of the influences, which lead
to lawlessness.
Senator Dolliver has gone deeper into the
subject than many of the republican editors
who have sought to hide their own responsi
bility behind columns of partisan abuse. Ho
is to bo congratulated upon the courage which
he has manifested and the breadth of view
he has shown.
Senator Cockrell's Position.
Senator Cockrell of Missouri is one of tho
many Democrats whose position on public
. questions has been misrepresented by the Re
publican and gold Democratic papers which .
attempt so persistently to create the impres
sion that the gold standard has been accepted
by tho American people. The senator takes-,,
occasion to correct certain statements that were -attributed
to him, and says:
"I never said tho silver question was dead. On
tho contrary, I said I believed in bimetallism as
firmly as over, but it was now impossible, in a prac
tical sense, to make it a vital or living issue, as long
as wo were having a constant increase in tho volume
of money, tho main object wo had in advocating bi
metallism, and which incroasohad established our
principle, that an increase in tho volume of monoy
would tend to restore prosperity and revive business,
and proved wo woro right. Notwithstanding tho in
creased production of gold, still I do not believe that
gold will provo sufficient in production and volume
to meet tho demands of the world's business. When
that time comes, bimetallism will again bo a practi
cal issuo, and I shall bo for it at 1G to 1, the only
practicable ratio, in my judgment? I shall oppose in
in the future, as I havo in tho past, all attempts to
demonetize tho silvor dollar, or to take away its
legal tender, or to transfer tho issue of our paper
currency to tho national banks, or to cancel tho
greenbacks.
W
President Roosevelt on Trusts.
In his speech at Minneapolis on Labor Day,
President Roosevelt said:
""More and more It is evident that the state,
and if necessary tho nation, has got to possess tho
right of supervision and control as regards tho
great corporations which aro its creatures, partic
ularly as regards the great business combinations
which derive a portion of their importance from
the existence of some monopolistic tendency."
Mr.- Roosevelt was then Vice-President
and as such had little influence in shaping tho
policy of his party. Ho is now President and
in a position to give forco and effeot to his
views on the trust question. As tho Chief Ex
ecutive it is his duty to enforco tho law as he
finds it. If tho present Attorney-General is
not willing to carry out his instructions ho can
demand his resignation and appoint a new Attorney-General.
Ho can givo no excuse for a
failure to enforco tho law. When he was ex
ercising authority in New York City ho took
the position that a law ought either to bo on
forced or repealed. It is to bo hoped that ho
will take the same position now.
Not only is ho in control of the Executive
Branch of the government, but ho has a Senate,
House and Supremo Court in political harmony
with him. If existing laws are not sufficient,
he has the power of recommendation and can
propose measures sufficiently severe to givo to
the people the protection which he admitfl to
bo'necded. It will be interesting to watch tho
neVPresidjnt and see whdther'thb hostility to
trusts manifested oy, hini 'wnen he was layinp:
his-plans tar capture the ,next republican con
vention is incrctiscd'orlwaiinQdbjiko.TeH'p'oTi'
sibiliti&lbMhctoflic ' -
W
- -'- - The New Party.
The new party, recently organized at Kan
sas City, presents the following platform for
the consideration of the public:
"First, wo demand tho initiative and referendum
and tho imperative mandato.
'Second, wo favor tho public ownership of all
public utilities as tho peoplo shall from time to time
elect.
"Third, tho land, including all natural resources,
tho heritage of tho peoplo, should not bo monopo
lized for speculative purposes, and alien ownership
should bo prohibited. All lands now hold by rail
roads and other corporations in excess of their ac
tual needs, or hold by aliens, should bo reclaimed
and held for actual settlors only.
"Fourth, wo favor scientific money, based upon
tho entire wealth of tho nation, and not redeemable
in any specific commodity, but to bo full legal tender
for all debts, private or public, to bo issued by the
government only and without tho intervention of
banks, sufficient 'in quantity to meet tho require
ments of commerce.
"Fifth, we believe in just and natural taxation.
"Sixth, wo demand the election of the president,
vico president, federal judges and senators by the
people.
Seventh, we favor tho creation of a cabinet offica
of the department of labor and equitable arbitration.
"Eighth, wo favor tho establishment of postal
savings banks.
"Ninth, we favor the adoption of such constitu
tional amendments as may bo necessary to mako the
abovo laws,"
It will be noticed that the platform entirely
ignores a number of questions which are of
immediate and vital importance, and enlarge