The Commoner.
Vol.af No. 20.
The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY.
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
' ..'
Tho Kansas democrats havo also indorsed the
Kansas City platform.
Tho beef trust got an injunction; it also con
tinues to got tho money.
Thoro is als6 a criminal clause in tho Sherman
anti-trust law, Mr. Knox.
Thoro is Captain Freeman of tho Britiih ship
Roddam. Anothor horoic flguro on tho bridge. '
"Would the same amount of evidence convince
Mi. Knox that thero is such a thing as a steel
. trust?
,0n. Memorial Dajr the president devoted on
Doubtless Mr. Lodge will score Mr. Hoar's
speech in the "too hot to handlo" column and let
It go at that.
Speaker Henderson might try tho water cure
on those republican insurgents in tho congres
sional jungles.
Some pooplo can never see "the hand of God
in it" unless thoy also see a chance to make'
xnonoy out of it.
Mr. McLaurln's "commercial democracy"
eeoms to havo accomplished most of its thunder
ing in tho prospectus".
It will bo many years ore Filipinos will gladly
unveil a statue of an American in tho chief city
of their islands.
Senator Allison is against the popular election
of senators, and yet the leglslaturo of Iowa has
declared for tho reform..
Mr. Spoonor, however, is not the only re
publican who has switched opinions during the
past fivo or six years.
Doubtless Captain Oberlin M. Carter regrets
that ho did not lay off from building wharyes long
enough td locate a few tomplo pillars.
Senator Hoar made a , speech and General
Funston never oven made a move to grab a rope.
Is something r.iling tho redoubtable Kansan?
Tho eruption of Mount George Hoar covered
a lot of republicans with molten rhetoric and de
etroyed a vast amount of republican pretense.
Hannibal Btrippod three bushels of rings from
the fingers of onemies slain in ono battle. But
Hannibal never talked about "benevolent assimilation."
The Memphis Morning News is a newcomer
in th newspaper field, but it has already taken
rank among the leaders. Tho News is a demo
cratic newspaper, preaches democratic doctrine
and stands firmly by democratic principles. The
Commoner wishes it abundant success.
. Of course Mr. Itold had no desire to officiate
as a "special representative" at the inauguration
of such a commonplace ofllcial as tho president
of a republic.
President Roosevelt's friends will not point
with pride to his recent Memorial Day speech. It
was a little more partisan (if possible) than his
stump speeches.
Tho best evidenco that Senator Carmack
preached a great truth is found in tho fact that
tho administration organs are frantic in their de
nunciations of him.
Tennessee leads off with an indorsement of
tho Kansas City platform and the nomination of
a strong ticket, headed by Hon. J. B. Frazer, ono
of the best democrats in tho state. Next!
Mr. Lodge says ho will answer in his own
time. Of courso Mr. Lodgo would protest against
tho administering of tho water cure for the pur
pose of making him speak before ho is ready.
Mr. Root's idea of "just and humane" treat
ment of tho Filipinos recalls tho lament of tho
lover: "It is all very well to dissemble your
lovo, but why did you kick mo down stairs?"
In view of the action against the beef trust
of courso the remaining trusts will slide over into
tho frying pan and submit without a protest.
Tho fat-frying process is in tho hands of a g. 0. p.
export.
President Roosevelt says that it is all right
td punish tho men who have been guilty of cruelty
in Ihe Philippines, but he intimates that he would
much rather punish tho pooplo who have critic
cised them.
,Hft
The next issue of The' Commoner will contain
Mr. Bryan's article "'(reproduced from Collier's
Weekly) rtes'cribing the inauguration osf President
Pala and the hauling down of tho American flag
m Cuba.
Tho fifteen million dollar combination of sheet
lead pipe and shot concerns is the latest thing
in tho trust lino. Tho attention of Attorney Gen
eral Knox is called to the item merely as a mat
tor of form.
Republican organs now boast of the increase in
tho per capita circulation. When a democrat
talked about such an increase in the circulating
medium every administration organ called him an
"inflationist."
Senator Clarko of Montana assures his con
stituents that ho is in favor of the popular elec
tion of United States senators. Tho senator Is
rich, but the corporations do not control his action
on public questions.
Yes, wo assisted in the organization of a re
public, but let it not bo forgotten that we havo
also connived at the destruction of two republics
and prevented tho establishment of another. The
books do not yet balance.
Even a cursory reading of the Red Wing
(Minn.) Argus will demonstrate that the democ
racy of Minnesota is alive and ready for the
fray. And the Argus is so interesting that no
ono stops with a cursory reading of it
"Who will haul down the American flag''"
shouted tho republicans in 1900. Well, since that
time a republican administration has hauled down
the flag in Cuba and in China. The sooner it is
hauled down in the Philippines the hotter.
A twenty million dollar pie bill passed tho
senate in forty minutes. A measure of simple
justice to a people struggling for liberty cannot
secure an introduction to tho senate. Pie not
justice, is what the majority party is after 'now.
The delay in filling our orders for "Commoner
Condensed" is caused by the publishers requiring
more time than they at first thought would ba
necessary. Tho books aro expected any day and
delivery will be mado immediately upon their
receipt
Ollie James, a big-bodied, big-brained and Mp
hearted Chicago platform democrThas been
nominated for congress in the Paducah Kv rii
trict. Ho will be heard from in Washington ' ,25"
like Wheeler, ho will be on the peoffi Bfde of v'
ery publlo question, y pie s Bltle of ev" '
Alphonso XIII., Spain's young king, is said
to havo expressed himself as opposed to bull
fighting. This is encouraging. If. ho will show his
disapproval by refusing to attend tho bull fights
tho aristocracy at, least will follow his example,
and thero will soon bo a public sentiment strong
enough to enable him to secure tho prohibition ot
this brutal sport.
Senator Bard writes to a constituent that ho
is opposed to the election of senators by direct
vote of the people, but that he has not yet decided
how he shall vote upon the resolution submitting
such an amendment. The people of California ono
time voted on this proposition, and thoy wero
overwhelmingly in favor of the popular election
of senators. If Senator Bard does not care to
give expression to their wishes, whom, pray, does
ho desire to represent?
The state department informs an inquirer that
"while some complaints have been brought be
fore the department regarding the shipment of
horses and mules from the United States to South
Africa, no evidence of the violation of the neu
trality laws of the United States has been pre
sented by the complainants, nor has the de
partment been able to discover any." This is tho
first intimation we have had that tho investigation
made in Louisiana resulted in nothing. If noth
ing was discovered, wliy has the report been held
back?
For years it has been customary for the gen
eral commanding the army to officiate as secretary
of war in the absence of the secretary. When
Secretary Root prepare to leavo Washington the
old custom was abrpikted and a bureau official
designated to act ft- his place. Why? Because
General Miles is thiT general commanding the army
and would have performed the duties of the sec
retary during Mr. Roofs absence. Such action,
however, does not lower General Miles in tho es
timation of just men, a statement of fact that does
not apply to some others whose names might be
mentioned.
President Palma's first message to the Cuban
congress breathes a spirit of deep gratitude to tho
United States and expresses profound apprecia
tion of the services rendered by the American
people. He alls attention to the necessity for
sanitary regulations that will continue the excel
lent system established by the Americans; he also
points out the needs of agriculture, and urges tho
liberal provision for the education of the chil
dren. In these three measures he shows a broad,
comprehension of the needs of the island. He lias
started in well.
The Commoner takes pleasure in calling at
tention to a splendid bust of Washington recently
put oh sale by Wilson MacDonald, sculptor, 6 West
102d street, New York city. It is Intended for uso
in school rooms and is an excellent reproduction
of the life cast bust modelled by Houdon at Mt.
Vernon in 1785. Mr. MacDonald furnishes this
colossal bust with bracket for $25,00; smaller sizes
in proportion. Arrangements are being made for
the production of similar busts of Jefferson, Lin
coln and McKinley. Frank Tilford of New York
has presented ono hundred and fifty of these busts
of Washington to the various schools on Man
hattan island.
Hon. A. B. Randel of Mississippi, who is tem
porarily residing in Washington, D. C, made a
visit to Europe not long ago, and while thero had
an interview with Baron Rothschild. In tho
Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., ho quotes
Rothschild as saying that hut for the recent dis
coveries of gold in South Africa, Mexico and
Alaska, bimetallism would have been necessary to
carry on the commerce of the world. The advo
cates of the gold standard are now willing to
admit that but for conditions which they did not
foresee in 1896 their financial system would have
brokon down and yet they aro as arrogant as if
their theories had been vindicated.
The press dispatches report that a member of
the Cuban congress left the hall and declared that
he would not return because congress would not
adopt a resolution which he favored. It Is to bo
hoped that the report is not true, but even if It is,
Americans should be slow to criticise. A member
of the United States senate resigned once because
he was disregarded in the appointments of hi
state, and another senator resigned because his
colleague did. And yet no one will say that Senator
Conkling was unfit for self-government, and some
republicans think that the other senator, Mr.
fiatt, Is capable of governing others as well as
himself.
