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The Commoner.
Vol. 2, No. 3p.
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News of the Week
REPUBLICAN "HARMONY" ON THE TARIFF.
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(Continued from Pago 12.)
coedlngs looking to tlio onforcomont of
the Interstate commorco act against
the companlos and criminal proceed
ings against their officers; petitioning
tho governor of Pennsylvania to call a
spocial session of tho legislature of that
gfato to condemn all tho coal-carrying
railroads and sufficient of tho mines to
supply tho demands of tho people. Fur
ther, tho resolution petitions tho pres
ident to call a special session of tho
house of representatives and to recom
mond to thorn the appointment of a
committeo with full powor to investi
gate tho causo of tho striko and to
place tho blamo therefor. A supple
mental resolution, offered by Judge
Frank B. Garvin of Indianapolis, was
also ordered attached to tho main res
olutions. It urges that tho president
at onco institute proceedings "to pre
vent a combination of tho coal opera
tors" and to have a receiver appointed
to oporato tho mines. Tho supple
mental report urgos a special session
of congress if it is impossible at pros
ont for tho president to take this action.
Later advices from Paris as to tho
progress of tho coal striko there indi
cate that tho disturbance is increasing,
60,000 men now being out, and tho de
partments being affected are the Nord,
tho Pas do Calais, tho Loire and tho
Carmeux coal fields.
A dispatch from Washington, dated
October 7, says: The monument to
the lato General Horatio White, late
commander of tho Sixth army corps,
was dedicated at Arlington today. Tho
speakors were: Generals Warren Kel
fer, J. M. Latta, W. H. Seward, Tho
mas M. Vincent, John M. Wilson,
William P. Craighall and Major H. J.
LaRowe. Secretary Root attended the
exercises.
,.TKe national Irrigation congress,
which has been in session at Colorado
Springs, Colo., adjournod on October 9
after electing officers and selecting
Ogden, Utah, as the place of next year's
meeting. Tho following officers were
elected: President, Colonel Edwin F.
Holmes of Ogden, Utah; first vice pres
ident, Governor L. Bradford Prince,
Santa Fe, N. M. ; second vice president,
Anson J. McCune, Denver; third vice
president, B. H. Libby, Clarkston,
Wash.; secretary, Colonel H.'B. Max
eon, Nevada. Resolutions were adopted
acknowledging the valuable assistance
of President Roosevelt In the cause of
Irrigation. Also recommending tho
protection and preservation of forests.
One interesting episode In tho gath
ering of the Grand Army of the Repub
lic at Washington recently was thoalr
ing given to tho case of tho pension
commissioner, H. Clay Evans, who re
signed last year. Tho reports of the
Grand Army show tho causo of his
resignation to have been his attitude
toward applicants for pensions. Gen.
Thomas J. Stewart of Pennsylvania
was elected commander-in-chief of the
organization for the coming year.
Courtesy of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Evening Gazette.
or religious organizations, is forbidden
by tho constitution of this state."
Tho coal operators headed by Presi
dent Baer had a conference on October
10 with Governor Odel of New York,
Senators Piatt, Quay and Penrose. It
developed that the coal barons refuse
to recognize the existence of the min
ers' union. Governor Odell proposed
that the miners be given 5 cents a ton
increase and recognition of their union
and declared to Mr. Baer that he will
do all in-his power to bring matters
to a head. The arbitrary position be
ing taken by tho operators has roused
prominent officials and it is hoped that
something may bo soon done. The
striko leaders are firm and are making
efforts to hold their men in line,
trusting to cold weather to bring tho
operators to terms.
DEMOCRATS,
would you liko to know more about tho Peo
ple's Independent Party (Populist), and its co
operation in the central and western states with
tho loyal Demooracy? If so send your name and address and we will
send you the leading People's Party paper FREE OF CHARGE FOR
THREE WEEKS. Sample copies three weeks ABSOLUTELY FREE
no conditions. Address THE INDEPENDENT, Lincoln, Nebr.
On October 9 a decision was rendered
in the supremo court of Nebraska in a
case brought by a citizen of Gage
county to prevent the reading of tho
Biblo and 'the singing of songs and of
fering of prayer In tho public schools.
Tho doclsion hinged solely on whether
or not tho oxerclses wero religious and
sectarian, and the court holds that
they are both. The syllabus Is as fol
lows: "Exercises by a teacher in a
public school, in a school building, in
school hours and In the presence of the
pupils, consisting of tho reading of
passages from tho Bible and in the
singing of songs and hymns and of
fering .prayer to tho deity, in accord
ance with the doctrines, beliefs, cus
toms or usages of sectarian churches
A bold train robbery took place on
the outskirts of Lincoln, Nob., on Oc
tober 11, when a Burlington train
was held up and by the use of explo
sives the safe was wrecked and $50,000
was taken. Most of tho booty consisted
of gold coin.
They Do Us Good and Plenty.
President Roosevelt's position on the
trust question is summed up in his
Providence, R. I., speech, in which ho
said:
"Much of the complaint against
combinations Is entirely unwarranted.
Under present day conditions it is as
necessary to have corporations in the
business world as it is to have organi
zation among wage-workers. But we
have a right to ask in such case that
they do good and not harm. Tho great
captain of industry is a factor with
out which the country could not long
maintain its present industrial posi
tion in the world. Good, not harm,
normally comes from the piling up of
wealth through business enterprise.
Probably the most serious harm re
sulting to us, the people of moderate
means, is when wo harm ourselves
by lotting the dark and evil vices of
envy and hatred towards our fellows
eat into our natures."
There is a homily that ought to
touch the hearts of us common plugs
tho protelariat When the coal trust
pinches us, for example, let us not
let the "dark and evil vices of envy
and hatred" enter into our systems and
spoil our digestions, but let us read
our republican campaign text book
and find new hope and courage in its
blessed promises, remembering all the
while that whom President Baer
and the Lord love they chasten. Let
us have no feelings of malice and hat
red towards those beneficent institu
tions, the trusts, who do us good
and plenty ovey day, and desire to
do so forever and ever, Amen! St
James (Minn.) Journal.
Be Careful of the Trusts.
The most notable characteristic of
President Roosevelt's trust speeches is
his oppressing fear that something
may be done to injure the trusts. He
would lot them go on in their career
of criminal combination in restraint
of trade; ho would permit them to
continue their criminal extortion from
the American consumer; he would let
them go unpunished for these things
which are, according to the laws of
the lanJ, crimes, rather than hurt the
feelings of one of them. He would give
them a soothing syrup where they
need a physic; he would rock them to
sleep where they need a spanking, all
because it would hurt him politically
to do otherwise.
When the trusts control the markets
of the country; when they can and
do fix arbitrary prices for the things
the American people must buy; when
they continue tlieir criminal opera
tions in open defiance of the law, is it
not time to use heroic remedies? Do
we refuse to hang the murderer be
cause it would hurt his feelings? Do
we refuse to punish the thief because
he had some good trait?
The time has come when we must
curb the trusts, or the time will come
when we cannot curb them. If the
only cure is heroic treatment, then let
.it be heroic treatment But President
Roosevelt is strenuously opposed to
any heroic treatment, and he is equal
ly in favor of continuing all tho ben
efits the trusts receive from the tariff.
He wants to keep on supporting the
old trusts,' and building up new ones,
while" he prosecutes his search for
some remedy that will be entirely
harmless to the trusts. Indianapoli
Sentinel.
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