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The Commoner.
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palgn of 1000 various suggestions wore -toeard to
the effect tlint wo should have a chairman who
could approach the men of -wealth and secure
tholr contributions. Tho democrats who are Inter
ested In good government more than they are In
holding ofllco or In tho distribution of patronage,
might as well know that tho failure of tho demo
cratic party to secure largo contributions from
rich mon and corporations Is duo solely to the fact
that tho democratic party during the last two cam
paigns has refused to mortgage Itself to those who
Book to use tho government for private gain.
It Is now known that the democrats had more
than half a million dollars to spond In tho state of
Now York In 1892, and that ono trust contributed
ono hundred and sovonty-flvo thousand dollars to
the fund. As a result of tho contributions made
by corporations in that campaign tho administra
tion which followed became tho pliant tool of
"predatory woalth," and because of the subserv
iency of tho administration an odium was brought
upon tho party that was tho main cause of demo
cratic defeat in 189G and 1900. The domocratlc votr
era could not lndo::o tho administration that had
betrayed tho party into tho hands of tho syndi
cates, and when tho party Invited the people to fol
low tho domocratlc banner it had to moot tho op
position of repudiated democrats as well as the
hostility of thoso who blamed tho domocratlc party
for tho sins of an undemocratic administration.
In 1900 the republicans contrasted tho im- '
provod conditions which existed under a republl- '
can administration with tho conditions that ex
isted under Mr. Cleveland's administration, and '
this argumont had weight with those who did not
Investigate far enough to know that Mr. Cleve-'
land and tho republicans joined in supporting thej ;
policies that had made Mr. Cleveland's admlnistna- i
tion unpopular. If tho democratic party has to1
appeal to tho masses of tho people It must .be hon:
est with thorn and it cannot be honest with them
if it mortgages itsolf to corporations which are
violating existing laws and preventing tho pass
age of laws needed for tho protection of the public.
Senator Jones acted In the interests of the
democratic party when ho refused ,to make terms
with tho element that controlled tho govornmont
under Mr. Clovoland's administration. He saved
the organization from disgrace, even if ho did not
save it from defeat. No amount of money could
havo olected the democratic ticket if the money
had been secured from tho sources upon which
the republican party drew, because no campaign
fund could havo purchased republicans enough to
offset tho democratic vote that would havo been
lost by such a course. It is fortunate for the party,
however, that Senator Jones was restrained by his
conscience, his judgment and his obligation to tho
party from making the attempt.
Mr. Whitney's skillful use of campaign funds
contributed largely to Mr. Cleveland's election in
1S92, but that was before tho democratic party waB
regenerated and beforo the democratic voters un
derstood tho methods that were being employed.
The lamentable failure of tho Palmer and Buckner
ticket shows tho folly of attempting to run the
democratic party on corporation lines after tho
democrats have becomo informed as to tho situa
tion. Reference is made to the subject at this time
because throughout the country the corporation
olemont is endeavoring to regain control of tho
democratic organization. In Illinois tho attempt
has been successful and Mr. Hopkins, who was
high in tho counsels of tho Palmer and' Buckner
democrats in 1890, is chairman of the state com
mittee. Ho claims to havo returned to the demo
cratic party in 1900, but instead of coming back
to support the party's principles he began at onco
to plot and plan to put the party organization in
he control of the corporation and money-worship,
ing element. .The damnnmifo J .?..
will find it necessary to nurtro ti,Q
sanitation of this element and select men i
tall support democratic princLes beets? their
interest In those principles. Tho attempt whidh '
has been temporarily successful In Illinois is being
made everywhere, and democrats must be on the
alert or tho party will lose the confidence that two '
honest campaigns have given it.
Tho republican party has no policy that looks
to the permanent good of the people at large, and
tr-oroforo experience must sooner or later lead to
the overthrow of that party. But the democratic
party cannot take advantage of republican errors
unless it shows a steadfast devotion to the Inter
ests of the people. When it begins a flirtation
with corporate wealth it will. lose its hold upon
the masses. Instead of considering plans for se
curing largo contributions from those who make
a profit out of tho favoritism of government, it
is better that the democratic party continue its
advocacy of the doctrine of "equal rights to all
and special privileges to none," and then labor
for legislation which will prevent the collection of
largo campaign funds to be spent in the corrup
tion of voters. The democratic party can better
afford to run its campaigns entirely without
money than to borrow of those who loan only on
condition that their money shall be returned with
usurous interest out of the pockets of the people.
JJJ
Advertising Patrons Pleased.
The proprietor of The Commoner acknowledges
his indebtedness to the readers of the paper for the
support which they have given to the advertisers
rtvho patronize the paper. One book publisher says:
"Outside of tho regularly recognized indis
Ronsible book mediums The Commoner ranks first
for results."
Another renews his advertisement,.saying:
"We think your paper one of tho best adver
tising mediums we have ever tried. We received
double the replies from your paper that we re
ceived from papers claiming five times the cir
culation that your paper claims."
Nor does the commendation come from the
book publishers alone. A manufacturer of gasoline
engines Inserted an advertisement a short time
ago, and before tho term for which the advertise
ment was inserted expired, asked that the notice be
temporarily suspended until he could catch up with
the orders that it had already brought to him. Hte
letter reads:
"You may discontinue our ad. for the present.
Wo are so crowded with Gasoline Engine trade that
we will hardly be able to take care of all the trade
that seems in sight through our ad. in your paper."
The widespread response which has been made
to Commoner advertisements is largely due to tho
fact that this paper does not accept advertise
ments until assured of the honesty and responsi
bility of the advertisers. Therefore, the readers
can deal with our advertisers without any fear
that they will be swindled. Many advertisements
are turned down every week because they are ob
jectionable or because the references given are
not satisfactory. The value of advertising space
iu a paper must ultimately depend upon the re
turns received by advertisers, and those returns
are increased as tho patrons have confidence in
the paper's determination to exclude frauds and
shams.
The proprietor of Tho Commoner, in thanking
the readers for the .help they have -given, renews
his request that they will give him notice if any
dishonesty or unfairness is attempted by thoso
who advertise their wares in the columns of this
paper. '
JJJ
Gov. Cummins' Plain Words.
Governor Cummins of Iowa, in his inaugural
address, gave the republican politicians of the
country a severe shock. Governor Cummins de
clares that the tariff is oppressive and-responsible
for he trusts, and he boldly places himself in
antagonism to Mr. Roosevelt's trust remedy
'Competition," BayS Governor Cummins "i5
the paramount law of industrial' life. ' It'",may and
very often does destroy, !but in liny judgment it
must exist in full vigor -if we do
not desire the government to assume
the power of fixing the price of industrial
products." Then the governor declares "The most
manifest evil of these tremendous aggregations is
their effects upon competition." "Every consolida
tion, even though it does not draw In all tho prod
ucts in which it deals," according to Governor
Cummins, "narrows the field of competition." He
admits that "there may be sharp and effective com
petition with two competitors. It is, however, not
sc likely as with a greater number;"
The governor admits that a perfect remedy is
not within our reach "for much must be remitted
to natural laws of individual enterprise," but ho
declares that "interference on certain lines is., not
only permissible, but demanded." He thinks "tho
motives for organizing such corporations could be
and should be limited to the natural desire to make '
profit from the business in which the corporation
is to engage." He believes that "many of the
larg industrial combinations would not have
been proposed or effected had it not been for the
knowledge that the promoters or organizers could
make stupendous fortunes in the mere operation of
consolidation." .
"I believe," says Governor -Cummins, 'that
the question is a national one and that the 'time
has come to nationalize it." And then the gov
ernor disposes of Mr. Roosevelt's remedy in this
way:
"I am unable to agree that we can cure
whatever evils may exist in theBe organiza
tions by publicity. Their affairs are already
sufficiently public so that every intelligent man
understands in a general way of what they are .
composed, what they are doing and wjiat they
are earning. It is well enough to. require
them to make statements and snhmff tri PYnm1. ''- -1
inations, but if we are to limit our re'gula"- '
tion to mere publicity the outcome will not
justify the attention wo are bestowing upon
the subject."
One of the most striking passages in the gov
ernor's address was that wherein he says, ".Wo
must see to it that if wo cannot artificially induce
competition, we can at least be certain that we do
not artificially exclude it." He declares that it is
plain "that whenever a consolidation of manufac
turers with respect to any commodity stifles com
petition at home, or so restricts Its operation that
its force is not fairly felt, then it is the. impera
tive duty of congress to immediately remove the
artificial restraints we have created."
"I regard," says Governor Cummins, "the con
sequences of a monopoly or substantial monopoly,
in any .important product as infinitely more dis
astrous than the consequences of foreign importa
tions." When one reads these Statements and learns
that they come from a man who has recently been
elected governor of the republican state of Iowa
he is not surprised when he Is informed of the
further fact that Governor Cummins is without
material influence in the national councils of his
party. It is gratifying, however, to find a con
spicuous republican boldly speaking his senti
ments even though in doing so he must array him
self as Governor Cummins has, against his party's
national policy.
J J
Roosevelt on Colonies.
Theodore Roosevelt, now president of the United
States, once issued a book entitled "American
Ideas and Other Essays." In this book Mr RooW
velt had considerable to say concerning colonies
Mr Roosevelt's books may be obtained at any
book-seller's counter today, if any one is into
ested in .obtaining the opinion of Mr Roosevelt
the citizen, let him read the book xSTSfl
he will find therein the following "
the establishVnrocSy $$$
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