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The Commoner.
Vol. a, No. II.
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i Whether Common or Not. I
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THE "GREATEST AMERICAN.
Wo'vo had somo mighty big mon In our nation
Since tho fathers fought and won the revolution;
But after somo long days of cogitation , '
Wo'vo found tho big one of tho Institution.
Ho Is oily, suavo and cuto,
Ho's a schomor, too, to boot;
Ho's possessed of pull and might and giant will.
Ho can make tho blade look white,
And can provo that wrong is right,
And ho bears tho lovely namo of Shipping J3I11.
Shipping Bill's a plum Jo Dandy, don't you know,
' , And in point of worth and true benevolence '
Washington, John Adams, Jefferson, Monroe,
A rosemblanco truly boar to thirty cents.
They thought only of tho good '.
Of tho human brotherhood, ' '
Whllo Bill is out for business and for trade.' 'I
And he thrusts liis dirty' paws, ' ..
Backed by scheming robber 'aws ,
Into tho treasury to tho shoulder blado.
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Bill has got a strangle hold on Undo Sam, '
Ana proceeds to givo tno equine cachinnatlon; - . .
For ho knows this easy nation Is a clam ...
xiuui'u uuu Hurvuu iur ompping w imams tieiectauon.
Ho is ruler of tho roost,
And wo kIvo his schemes a boost. '
Shipping Bill is out for money with his knife. .
When you see him heave in sight,
You should tremble with affright,
For with Bill it's, either money or your life.
Once wo listened to tho warnings of the saces
Men who yearned alone to perfect human rights ' "
Who left words of wisdom that might guide tho ages t
Words to servo as blood-bought Freedom's beacon'iights.
But slnco Bill heaved into view &? -
With his mind made up to "do" , . k-
Evprythlng and ovorybody that he sees; . iy . ""
Wo'vo forgot tho warning word. . J lti3Wrt&
That our hearts once quickly stirred, ZZm -" '-
And who'n William takes his snuff wo "have to' sneezeT-"
. - -
Men llko Lincoln should go way back and bo seated, """ "". ,
For their ideas of tho right are antiquated.
Bill has got his daisy graft about completed, ''
And the ancient rule of justice renovated.
For tho rights of those who toil
Making goods or tllUng soil, .
Shipping Bill does not the least attention pay." " "
At the mpn who fought his graft ' '' ' -
Shipping Bill has merely laughed "" -; K . '.. . ,: -Is
ho riot the greatest ruler of today?
tj i
Senato File No. 334-453.I87.
A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR MUD
STREET MAIL SERVICE BE
TWEEN THE DEPOTS IN EV
ERY OLD VILLAGE AND THE1
POSTOFFICE, TO PROMOTE
DRAYAGE, AND TO ENCOUR
AGE ANY OLD THING THAT
NEEDS IT, AND HAS GOT A
PULL.
Bo it enacted by tho senate and
house of representatives of tho United
States of America in congress assem
bled. TITLE. Mail Convoying Vehicles.
Section 1. Tho postmaster general is
hereby authorized and directed to enter
into a contract for a terra of not less
than five years nor more than fifteen
years, with American citizens pos
sessed of any old kind of a vehicle
drawn by any species of live stock, for
tho carrying of malls between tho
depots of all American railroads and
tho postofflces of tho government by
tho nearest route.
Section 2. That vehicles so employed
in the mall service shall bo owned by
American citizens and drawn by live
stock as follows, to-wlt: First two
years of such contract, by at least one
mule and any other animal; during
the next succeeding three years by at
least two mules, and during the re
mainder of the time by at least one
horse and one mule or. two horses,
bald animals shall bo sound in wind
and limb with tho exceptions that they
may bo nfflicted with spavin, ringbone,
glanders, stringhalt or blindness, but
not more than three of said diseases
at one and the same time. Tho vehicles
snail have cither wimnio m.
best suits the season, and in the case
of unusually muddy roads they may
may be operated as scows.
It shall be stipulated in tho contract
that said vehicles may carry passen
gers with their baggage upon giving
bond to pay faro and relievo the gov
ernment from liability in caso of
wreck, runaway or failure to reach
destination in time for dinner.
TITLE II. General Subsidy.
Section 1. That from and after the
1st day of June, 1902, the secretary of
the treasury Is hereby authorized and
directed to pay, subject to the provi
sions of this title, out of any moneys
not otherwise deemed the property of
the syndicates and corporations, to the
owner or owners of any dray, 'wheel
barrow, farm wagon or dump cart
owned by a citizen or citizens of tho
United Spates, and being engaged at
the time in hauling, transporting or
carrying any old thing between points
within tho United States, one cent per
hundred pounds for each one village or
city block so hauled.
That compensation under this title
nbe alIowed in respect.of any
of the following named vehicles: "- ,
, A vehicle that is so badly greased
that it squeaks.
A vehicle that has not been painted
at least onco in its whole existence.
A vehicle that has neither shafts
nor tongue.
A vehicle that has been foreclosed
under chattel mortgage.
A vehicle which is driven by any
other person than a -white man, black
man, brown man, yellow man, sun
burned man, blonde man or brunette
man, or a wife or daughter of said
man in case the aforesaid man is too
lazy to work for his own living
That the blockage to be decided on
under the title shall bo determined by
tho nearest direct route around all
mud holes, chuck holes, stumps and
hog wallows. If during the trip the
vehicle shall be stopped at two or
more points to permit the driver to
secure liquid refreshments or give the
motive power of said vehicle a bag of
oats or a wisp of hay, said stops shall
be counted as a part of the distance
traveled.
- Section 2. That any vehicle, before
receiving compensation, under this ti
tle, shall have with it on each trip at
least one spotted purp for each cubic
yard of vehicle bed capacity and any
other old kind of. a purp for each ad
ditional half yard cubic measurement
of said bed.
Section 3. That the owner of said
vehicle, before receiving compensation
under this title, shall, agree in writing
to turn over said vehicle to the'govem
ment of the United States whenever
it is deemed necessary for the govern
ment's safety.
TITLE III Any Old Kind of Fishing.
Section 1. That from and after the
1st day of June, 1902, the secretary of
the treasury is hereby authorized and
directed to pay out of the public treas
ury any money not already mortgaged
to J. Pierpont Morgan or the Standard
OH company, bounties as follows:
To any owner of said vehicle who
shall carry friends to.tttie, nearest fish
ing resort, two dollars per passenger,
provided that each passenger furnishes
his own bait and gives bond to tell
the truth about his catch.,
TITLE IV General -Provisions.
Section 1. The president of the
United States shall from time to time
enforce this act if he is not too busy
'hanging his ccbin'et.
The Miles Plan.
In accordance with the request from
the house that the correspondence be
tween the administration and General
Miles, relative' to 'General Miles' plan
for establishing peace in the Philip
pines, was made' public on March 29.
The correspondence follows:
"I have the honor to invite atten
tion to a subject that I have had under
consideration for several months, and
to request that this letter be laid bo
fore tho president.
"It is now three years since th
opening of hostilities between the
United States' forces and those in the
Philippines and this warfare has been
conducted with marked severity. More
than 120,000 United Slates troops have
been at different times sent or are now
under orders to go to the Philippines,
and more than 40,000 still remain on
duty there. . . .
"During the last century thousands
cf Indians have been called to the cap
ital for consultation and council, and
I have, under authority, sent to Wash
ington many red-handed representa
tives of different tribes of Indians, the
result of which has been a reconcilia
tion, a restoration of confidence, tho
prevention of war, and tho establish
ment and continuance of peace within
the states and territories.
"Our friendly relations with the peo
ple of Cuba and Porto Rico have been
largely promoted by consultation with
tho representatives of those islands
?F in Washington, both before hos
tilities began, during the Spanish war,
and since; and I havo never found any
people, whether savage,, semi-civilized,
or civilized, who were not benefitted
by candid, frank and honest consul
tation and council.
"In view of tho above considerations,
I make te request that I be authorized
to proceed to tho Philippine islands,
taking with me ten men whom I nay
select frbm Cuba and Porto Rico,
whose assistance has been found use
ful in promoting friendly relations "be
tween tho people of .those islands and
the United States, and who .could
properly explain to the Filipinos tho
benefits their people havo derived
through friendly relations with this
country, and while there to givo such
directions as I may deem advisable
and judicious for the best disposition
of the United States military forces to.
the end that they may occupy tho
most healthful and strategic positions.
. . . Also to take such measures, as wlil
tend to restore, as far as possible, con
fidence to the people of those islands;
and demonstrate- that the purpose of
Our government is prompted by the
highest sense of justice; and that,- on
returning, I be authorized to bring to
the capital such number of representa
tive Filipinos as I may think advisa7
ble, in order that they may see and
know the advantages of our civilizaT
tion and realize the disposition of tour
government toward them, at the omy
time affording an opportunity for a
f-ill consultation, whereby intelligent
and definite action may be taken con-,
cernlng their future destiny.-. . .' " '
"Should this request be approved, -l
am confident it would result in a-better
condition of our military forces in
that division, in the cessation of hos
tilities within a reasonable time,
thereby permitting the return of a
large number of our troops from those
remote and unhealthful stations, and,
I should hope, in an amicable adjust
ment of affairs in those islands, which,
would be satisfactory to the inhabi
tants thereof, as well as to the peopio
of the-United States." , ,
, Secretary Root forwarded. this letter,
to tho president marked "disapproved?'
and with the following comment: I-
"The conduct of military affairs in
tho Philippines by General Chaffee
and his predecessors and the conduct
of civil affairs by Governor Taft and
his associates in the Philippines havo
been able and successful. Much more
rapid progress has been made toward
the complete acceptance of American
sovereignty, the restoration of pea'ce
and the establishment of civil govern
ment than we had any right to antici
pate when the treaty of Paris was rati
fied. The plan proposed in the within
paper involves practically superseding
the officers mentioned in the control
which they now exercise. Not only. is
this wltiiout justification In tho! mr,.
Lduct, but I should regard it asa most
uniortunate interference with the
present satisfactory progress. Thero
have been exceedingly full, extended
and long-continued consultation and
counsel between the government cf the
United States and the leaders of opin
ion among the insurrectionary j.Mli
pinos, resulting in a full uhderstanding
and most friendly feeling between by
far the greater part of the Filipino
people and ourselves, and, a participa
tion by many members of the Aguln-'
aldo government in tho m-ihl ,,,..-
ment under American Lovereignty. . . .
ii i "w " vuu mat any addi
tional benefit would be obtained by
taking delegations of Cubans and' Por
to Ricans to the Philippines, or by
bringing delegations from the Philip
pines to the United States in advance
of official delegates provided for by
the bill now pending in congress. On
the other hand it would be very diffi
tvrL kxQp ,such a Proceeding frea
ESS fctacular and sensational fea
tures, which would be injurious.
i r,,n the fact that the warfare
In the Philippines has been conducted
!!. ma,rked severity; on the contrary,
thq warfare has been conducted with
marked .humanltv n,i ,nitr.x"?
Jthe part oi the 'tWteolSS SmF
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