The Commoner.
Sept. 9, 1'poa
5
m
Trumbull
on
Imperialism.
' The advocate of Imperialism are respectfully
fcommended to the words of Lyman Trumbull, once
a conspicuous figure in tho re
publican party, but later one of
the most consistent and earnest
democrats of the nation: "When
freemen unsheathe the swdrd it
should be to strike for liberty, not for despotism
or to uphold privileged monopolies in the oppres
sion of the poor."
In his Dalton (Mass.) speech Mr. Roosevelt
paid: "When I talk to you of my own executive
duties, I can teii you definitely
what will and what will not bo
done." Well, as a starter, Mr.
Roosevelt might say whether
he intends to bring criminal
proceedings against the violators of the federal
anti-trust laW. So far ho has maintained a signif
icant silence on this interesting topic.
It is said that the Michigan Central railroad
is threatening to demand of the stato of Michigan
j 4
Just
a a
"Starter."
Want to
Handle
Both Sides.
a large sum because of the re
peal of its special charter. This
may account for the activity of
the road in trying to secure a
governor who will be under
obligations to It if the road presents a claim.- But
how would the voters of the stato like to have
the railroad control both sides of the case in
such a controversy?
In spite of the fact that the republicans in
sist that our retention of the Philippine Islands
is purely benevolent, the return
Stories lng soldiers continue to tell of
of cruelties that would shock any
Cruelty. one not thoroughly enamored
with the doctrine of force and
conquest The school teachers, too, who have
been sent over there are finding conditions very
different from what they expected. When they
come homo we shall have some disinterested ex
pert testimony.
When Congressman .Newell said that the demo
cratic party stood for "domestic development as
opposed to Philippine expansion
and conquest," he provided a
hint to those who may have
overlooked the fact that it re
quired the greatest effort to-per
suade the republican congress to pass the irriga
tion measure whne no effort was necessary to per
suade the republican congress to appropriate mil
lions of dollars for the purpose of carrying on its
policy of conquest in distant lands.
Domestic
Development
and Conquest.
A
Candid
Confession.
The St Louis Globe-Democrat makes a can
did confession when it says: "The result of the
fall elections is considered to be
so certain that Mr. Babcock of
the republican committee is
having trouble in raising money
for the usual expenses." While
it is generally conceded that the situation from
the republican standpoint is decidedly gloomy, it
has not, until now, been generally known that a
democratic victory is so certain that the republi
can committee is having trouble in raising money
for the usual expenses.
Abusing
the
Flag.
The Dominion, a bi-monthly publication Is
sued at Brooklyn, NT. Y., Is authority for the state
ment that a poor Italian rag
picker of Boston was recently
fined $20 for a "contemptuous
use" of the flag. He was using
a weather-beaten piece of bunt
ing as a bag in which to put the rags he picked up
on the street This ought to be conclusive proof
that the American flag cannot be desecrated by the
poor, but what of the republican leaders who are
using the American flag as a bag in which to put
the findings that are picked up by exploiters in
the Philippine islands? Are they to be fined?
The petty offender is sure to bo punished, but
the big offender isn't in so much danger.
NVV
There Is a marked difference between tho
opinion entertained for Oliver Wendell Holmes,
the new supreme court justice,
A Difference among his friends in Massa-
' of chusetts and the statement made
' Opinion. by a politician who claims to be
close to the administration. ThW
politician declares that Justice Holmes was ap
pointed to the supreme bench because it was "ac
curately known" that his views on the Philippine
and Porto RIcan question were in line with the
administration policy!' and this politician adds:
"If these had not' been the views of Judge Holmes
her would not have been'' appointed, another man
with those vlows would have been selected for tho
place." It is to bo hoped that this politician did
not know what ho was talking about. Tho Ameri
can people would prefer to adopt the opinion en
tertained by the people of Massachusetts who
know Justlco Holmes well and who do not bo
lieVo that ho would repudiate his well known
views as to tho importance of adhering strictly
to the constitution.
A Rochester, N. Y., dispatch, under dato of
August 31, to tho Chicago Tribune, says: "Light
ning struck jeltcher Cayward of
Where Lightning the Phelps, N. Y., baseball team
Has no this afternoon as ho was in tho
Terror. act of delivering the ball. The
players rushed to Cayward and
raised him from tho ground. They found that
the ball, which ho held in his right hand, had
been torn to shreds by the bolt Cayward re
gained consciousness, and after rubbing his eyes
finished tho game." Lightning has no terrors for
a man whoso life has been spent in contention
with baseball umpires.
In one of his speeches Mr. uoosevolt said: "I
believe firmly that in tho end there will have to
be an amendment to the consti
tution of tho nation conferring
additional power upon the fed
eral government to deal with
corporations. To get that will
be a matter of difficulty and a matter of time."
But in the mean time tho president might instruct
his attorney general to enforce tho criminal clause
of the federal antitrust law. That will not be a
matter of difficulty and need not bo a matter of
any great amount of time.
But
in the
Meantime.
"WN
The Chicago Tribune reports that at Sparta,
111., on the evening of August 31, a mob over
powered tho jail guard, seized
Where a negro prisoner and placed a
Indignation rope around his neck and pre
is Reserved, pared for a lynching bee. In tho
confusion among tho party tho
negro" slipped out and escaped. It was not tho
fault of this mob that the negro wasn't lynched;
and yet we have not observed that any republican
papers have condemned this "outrage against hu
manity.'' Probably the republican papers are re
serving their Inuignation for tno first similar in-"
stance that happens in the south.
"Settling"
the
Strike.
Senator Piatt of Now York announces that
the coal strike will be ended perhaps within two
weeks, and in such a way that
tho democratic party will not
obtain any advantage. Can it
be possible that Mr. Morgan has
finally been persuaded to settle
tho strike for campaign purposes only, and in or
der that the republican party may not suffer? In
that eyent, wo presume that after tho fall elec
tions the miners will be required to renew their
strike and when 1904 rolls around and as election
day approaches, Mr. Morgan will perhaps again
come to the front and "settle" the strike in the in
terests of the republican party.
The Philadelphia North American says: ."It
is some new measure for the regulation of the
trust evil that the people de
, Try the mand. They have confidence
Old in President Roosevelt's integ-
Measure. rity of purpose, but they have
already seen his recommenda
tions Ignored by party leaders who would permit
no bill affecting the trusts to get past them In
committee room." But why not try tho old meas
ure? Why not undertake the enforcement of the
criminal clause of the federal anti-trust law?
Party leaders may ignore Mr. Roosevelt's recom
mendations, but the attorney general would not
dare Ignore Mr. Roosevelt's order to cause the ar
rest of the trust magnates and to hold them as
strictly to account to the criminal law as less in
fluential violators are held.
..In a newspaper interview referring to the pro
posed combination of all the packing houses into
one great trust, Judge Day, tho
Judge Day's special attorney for the govern
Rash ment, says: "If a combination
Threat. is formed that in any way tends
to show collusion among the
packers in restraint of trade or to foster monopoly,
or in the way of fixing prices, I shall take steps
to have the parties cited for contempt. There is a
temporary injunction In effect restraining the so
called beef trust from doing anything contrary
to the provisions of the Sherman anti-trust law,
and such a combination as that talked of might
easily be in violation of the law." There is also
a law in effect providing for the criminal prosecu
tion of those who conspire In restraint of trad.
Why do these federal attorneys content them
selves with mere citations for contempt? Why
not resort to that moat effective of weapons, the
criminal Indictment?
'Not Every
One Who
Sayetli."
President Mitchell of tho miners' union mad
a pointed reforonce In his Labor Day speech to
tno complacont philosophy of
Railroad Magnate Baor, who
rocontly doclared that tho Lord
had wlnoly entrusted tho rights
ana interests of tho laboring
men to the proporcy owners of tho country. Mr.
Baer has unintentionally given tho strikers an
argument which they are likely to uso with tell
ing effect Nothing Is moro calculated to arouse
the Indlguatlon of tho public than tho arrogance
of a few capitalists who consldor thomsolves di
vinely ordained to control the resources of tho
earth and dolo out bread according to their per
verted idoas of justlco.
Tho frlonds of Senator Turner of Washing
ton aro urging his re-election, and if merit Is rec
ognized along tho Pugot Sound
A Good ho will win with votes to spare.
Public Senator Turner has made an
Servant. admirablo public servant
Strong in mind, resolute in will,
puro In purpose ana dignified in bearing, ho has
been a valiant champion of tho interests of his
people. Ho Is by all odds tho boat representative
that his stato has over had in tho scnato and a
failure to'ro-elect u m would bo more of a reflec
tion upon tho judgment of his constituents than
upon him. Of all tho senators who aro seeking
re-election not ono has made a hotter record or Is
more entitled to the commendation of his con
stituents. In ono of his speeches Mr. Roosevelt said: "I
say to you hero from this platform nothing that 1
nave not already stated, and
notning that I would not say at
a private table with any of the
biggest corporation managers, of
tno land." well, so far as we
have been permitted to observe, Mr. Roosevelt
has not said anything from the platform with
relation to tho trust question that need seriously
disturb the trust magnates. Ho has lightly re
ferred to trust evils, but ho has saved his indig
nant criticisms for those who condemn tho trust
system. So far as arraignment of tho trusts Is
concerned, tho president's speeches have, to uso
the president's own phrase, been built of "straw
less bricks."
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