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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 16, 1902)
The Commoner. May 16, 1903 THE WEEKLY PRESS FORUM. PRESERVE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES Carrollton (0.) Chronicle: The beef trust has the republican administra tion by the throat and the working man by the stomach. Tamaqua (Pa.) Recorder: In trying to harmonize the two factions' of the democratic party wouldn't It be easier for a few thousand to come over than for over six million to go over? ' Furgus Tails (Minn.) Weekly: If We do not want our naturally fine sense of honor and righteousness to be vitiated; it is evident we must get out of the Philippines as soon as pos sible. St. Anthony (Idaho) News: The power of the ship subsidy bill as a vote repeller is so .generally recognized that the republicans are not anxious for its adoption until after the fall elections. Lawrenceville (Ga.) News-Herald: If the combinations of capital for rob bery of the public cannot be -broken up'and stopped by legislation, the time will come when the people will put an end to it by revolution. Mankato (Kas.) Advocate: England professes to believe that the end of the Boer war is in sight. Judging from the progress made since the first gun was fired, John Bull ought still to be in sight of the first end of it. Gunnison (Colo.) News-Champion: "Atrocious cruelty," is what the aver age American is beginning to call our policy in the Philippines. At last ac counts the administration still pro nounces it "benevolent assimilation." Oneonta (Ala.) Democrat: Paying more for every necessity and getting no more for their labor is one of the sorts of "prosperity" that is helping to malcethe election 'of a democratic 'house this year and a president in 1904 a certainty. Alliance (Neb.) Herald: At the present rate of trust formations, what will the result be in a few years? Why, there will be nothing under heaven that these cursed monstrosities will not control. Surely there is a limit somewhere. Woodland (Cal.) Democrat: It is a puzzle to the average American to think why our protectionists' continue to fight bitterly for existing high tariff rates, while at the same time boasting of their ability to sell American manu factures largely in foreign markets. Omaha Western Laborer: Ordinar ily sensible eastern editors are still cackling the "don't eat" cure "for the increased price of meat. If those monkeys could only take a peep into the acres of cold storage rooms in tne packing houses they would quit their silly talk. Eureka (111.) Democrat-Journal: Senator Piatt, better known as Boss Piatt, made a frisky speech to a swell club in New York the other evening, in which he glorified and gloried in the trusts and monopolies beyond measure. And why shouldn't he? They furnish the money by which he rules New York and by which he got into the senate; or his own political trethren have done a deal of lying about him. . Ramsey (111.) News-Journal: The moment the democracy shows the White feather in repudiating the plat forms upon which they went before the country in 1896 and 1900, and upon which they polled more votes than the democracy ever polled before, that soon will disintegration set in and a repetition of the reverses consequent upon' Glevelandism as ' In :1891- .will "come" Tvith- such- power as to'-crush" out everything-ilenominatgd democracy. Clarksburg (Mo.) Review: In or der to maintain the demon of destruc tion in South Africa England now proposes to tax every loaf of the poor man's bread, and our war in the Phil ippines is but little less expensive. It costs a republic as much to play the tyrant as It does a monarchy. Winnenucka (Nov.) Silver State. The announcement by the president that ho will not retire General Miles shows that, contrary to general opin ion, Roosevelt sometimes changes his mind, and that all his boasted inde pendence does not prevent him from putting his ear to the ground occa sionally. Washta (la.) Journal: The Sioux City Tribune is terribly shocked over the account of a fight between a bull and a lion that recently took place in a Mexican arena, and yet another col umn on the same page 01 the Tribune contains an editorial excusing and apologizing for the crime of that In human wretch, Major Waller, wno was four days torturing a Filipino prisoner to death. Charlestown (Ind.) Democrat: And the democracy of any newspaper or of any man who advises the placing of the democratic hosts under the leader ship of a deserter, is subject to tho gravest doubt. Instead of bringing harmony into the Democratic ranks such a man or such a newspaper Is a disorgariizer of the most unbalanced type and knows nothing about the honest convictions which guide the great masses. Pipestone (Minn.) Farmers' Leader: And n5v it is reported that proceed ings have been ordered against the beef trust by- Attorney General no;xfJ The administration would cover a, multitude of its past sins' in the eyes of the people if It would enforce' the Sherman anti-trust law in earnest, but reports to the effect that a republican attorney general of a republican ad ministration will prosecute a trust arc generally received with incredulity. Cottonwood Falls (Kas4) Courant and Reville: General Funston has been ordered by the president to cease talking. This is an inhuman act on the part of the president. It is as if confiscating one's stock in trade. The president should countermand the or der. Funston was valuable to the space writer and amusing to the gen eral public. Of course it was all right to make General Miles close up he has to.p. many battle scars and is too high in the estimation of the world as a soldier to be allowed to talk; and Admiral Dewey is too good a naval officer to have an opinion; Dut Funston should not be stopped. And just when he had discovered that Sen ator .Hoar was a fool, and that every one who wished to know what was go ing on in the Philippines was a traitor. Don't steal the child's cracker! Escondido (Cal.) Times: The great daily newspapers are just beginning to tell the truth about the torture of the Filipinos by American soldiers, and publish pictures of the "water cure,' as if it were something just come to light; but thousands of men and women in America have long known about these cruelties that .were practiced by our soldiers, and for months past the press of Europe has exploited these outrages upon civil ized warfare. As long as two years ago we saw and read a letter written by a San Diego county toy, then serv ing in the United States army in the Philippines, describing the "water cure" in detail, but had we then pub lished the better -it -would -only -have beenref erred- to as a"campaigh' lie" to-influence votes. - The time for holding primaries for the purposo of selecting delegates to congressional and state conventions is drawing near. The congress to bo elected this year will have to deal with the most momentous questions that have arisen during the history of the republic. The Fowler' bill, con templating a complete surrender to the money power; the ship subsidy bill, contemplating the enrichment of a few ship owners at the expense of the whole people; and other scnemes calculated to fasten more securely upon the people the evils of special legislation all these matters ana many more are being held in abey ance by the present republican con gress. If the people shall again en trust the republican party with con gressional power that party will deem it a. vindication . of the principles in volved in the Fowler bill, ship sub sidy, tariff exactions, imperialism and trust domination. In 1896 the repub lican party denied that it stood lor gold monometallism, but immediately after the election insisted that the result was a vindication of the gold standard and proceeded to make the gold standard effective. In 1900 the republican party disclaimed any in tention of permanently adopting the policy of imperialism, but after tne election of that year claimed a vindi cation of the policy of imperialism ana entered upon an imperialistic career that has resulted in adding untold shame to American honor. So it will important that the rank and file of the party understand thoroughly tno Issues that present themselves or will present themselves during the coming campaign. Many of the Issues dro sharply drawn. On the one side are democrats who stand firmly by demo cratic principles. On the other side are some who would make the demo cratic party so like the TOpublican par ty that a victory for tho democratic ticket would bo a victory for tho mori who control tho republican party. On the one side are tho men who opposo imperialism, Fowlerism, trusts, col onialism, redemption of tho silver dol lar, .branch banks, asset currency and gold monometallism. On the other side are those who advocate these things, aided and assisted by men who pose as democrats, but who aro willing to accept their orders from the trust magnates and banking syndicates if only they be allowed to control the democratic party and hold the public offices. Honest democrats should bo aroused to tho dangers that confront the party and tho nation. Tho battle about to open is for the preservation of tho republic, and tho safety of tho republic lies In the application of democratic principles. The Commoner discusses Issues and questions as they ariso, am? applies to all questions that arise true demo cratic principles. It refuses to be mis led by expediency, insisting that a de feat for principle is better than a vic tory through compromise with ovn. With a national circulation it is the connecting link between democrats in Subscription Card. LOTS OF FIVE. No. , 3 'd v 3 fl .2. "2 8 Pw4 O H -H This' card, wheii'propcrly' filled put with subscriber's name and address, is good for one year's subscription to THE COMAIONER. T, W, J. IJryan, Editor and Proprietor. Name of Subscriber POStofllCC .'..... . . 7...1 k County.;..; State Place tilts card In envelope, stamp and address to The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb. (Tho abovo is facsimilo of Subscription Card and is not to bo used,) be with Fowlerism, asset currency, branch banks, redeemable silver dol lars, retirement of the greenbacks, subsidy schemes and trust exactions if the republican congress is elected. Democrats who are interested in the preservation of democratic principles, and who aro opposed to the republi canizatlon of the democratic party, should be on their guard. They should particularly guard against any move to appoint delegates to congressional and state conventions. The essence of democracy lies in giving every man a voice In the management of tho party; Democratic principles and democratic traditions are only to be preserved by rigid adherence to democratic meth ods. To that end democrats should demand tho right to a voice in the se lection of delegates to congressional and state conventions where party platforms are to be promulgated and democratic candidates nominated. Democrats, who believe in democratic principles should go to the primaries. Delegates should be selected who stand firmly for democratic principles and refuse to be led astray by the promise of spoils. There can be no victory for democ racy if democratic principles are be trayed or ignored in the work of se curing that victory. Democrats should arouse themselves to -the' dangers "threatening the prin-; i ciples of 'democracy dangers- within asr -well aswithout- the -party.- - It-Is all sections of the country, and Is en abled to keep them in close touch with one another. It seeks to arouse demo crats to a sense of their duty, as well as to point republicans to the mis takes of their party. Because of these facts it is tho best campaign literature that can be placed in the hands of vote.rs best for democrats because it arouses their enthusiasm, and best for republicans because it points tho error of their ways. The Commoner should be a visitor In tho family op overy democrat who is desirous of pre serving democratic principles. It 13 with the desire that it be thus widely circulated that the plan of selling sub scription cards in lots of five has been inaugurated. Thi3 plan places The Commoner within the reach of all. It enables democrats to send The Com moner to their friends at a small cost, or provides working democrats with an easy and profitable occupation, Theso subscription cards, each gootl for one year's subscription to Tho Commoner, are sold In lots of five at $3 per lot. This is at the rate of- GO cents each. The purchaser of a Jot of five may sell the cards at 60 cents each and thus extend' the Influence and circulation of The Commoner; or h& may 'Sell them at the regular price, ov $1 each and be well remunerated for his services, or he may send The Com moner to five "friends for $3. BveT7 "democrat should' take hold and help -ta'mttke-th'is-plana success. - - -