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The Commoner.
- WILLIAn J- BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
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Vol. 3. No. 52.
Mr. Knox on Trusts.
On another page will bo found the abstract of
Attorney General vnox's anti-trust recommenda
tions recently given to the public. "While they go
farther than he has gone before, they come far
short of what was reasonably expected of the law
officer of the government. He seems worried lest
there may be unnecessary severity and says that
"it is not nearly so important to act quickly as to
act wisely," assuming that it is impossible to do
both. He recommends action along four lines:
First, the prohibition of rebates and discrimina
tions by railroads. This is good as far as ic
goes, but the legislation should be even broader
and prevent extortionate rates as well as discrim
inating rates. His second recommendation is that
corporations should be prohibited from making
discriminations in prices for the purpose of de
stroying competition. This also is worthy of trial,
but does not go to the cause of the trouble. Mr.
Knox is trying to cut off a few branches, but ho
does not lay the ax to the root of the trust tree.
He does not declare the principle of private mo
nopoly to be bad and undertake to make such a
monopoly impossible. He would attempt to strike
at some of the methods of the monopoly instead of
seeking Its entire 'extermination.
His third recommendation" is so reasonable
-that it ought to meet with universal approval,
namely, that anti-trust cases should be given
precedence by the court and tried at once. Surely
a case involving all the rights of all the people de
serves a more speedy hearing than a case in
which only a few persons are interested. The
Con.,oner has already discussed this phase of the
subject, Ting in the issue of Decomber 12, 1902:
"He (the president) grossly exaggerates the work
of the department ol justice, when hr says that
it has done 'very much in securing the enforce
ment of the anti-trust law.' It could not well hav?
done less. He suggests that it could have done
'more' if a special appropriation were made for
tho purpose. By all means, let the special appro
priation be made, and while it is being made let
the courts be instructc to give immediate atten
tion to suits brought by the government for the
violation of the anti-trust law. Certainly an of
fense by a corporation against an entire country
should be given precedence over suits of minor im
portance." Tho fourth recommendation is publicity and
this, as has already been pointed out, is only val
uable as an aid to other legislation.
On the whole,-his communication must be dis
appointing to those who expected vigorous action
on the part of tho administration, but there i3
some consolation in tne fact that public opinion
is forcing some action, even though the officer of
tho law advances with slow and hesitating step.
Mr. Knox does not explain why ho fails to
enforce the criminal section of the existing law,
but that is another matter.
JJJ
Initiative and Referendum.
The Chronicle (Chicago) has had another op
portunity to Bhow its leaning toward capitalism
and it has hastened to improve it. Tho people of
that city having aj: the last elecun declared for
tho initiative and referendum and both Mayor
Lincoln, Nebraska, Jan. i6, 1903.
Harrison and Judge Dunne having spoken In favor
of tho reform, the Guroniclo at onco proceods" to
castigato them for taking sides with tho people.
"Political lunacy" is again called into service to
describe tho movement, Harrison is accused of
"pandering" to it and Judge Dunne of "playing"
to those who voted for it It substitutes epithets
for arguments and declamation for facts. Why?
Because it cannot oppose either tho initiative or
the referendum without denying tho capacity of
the people for self-government. The initiative
makes it possible for the people to compel the sub
mission of a question and tho referendum enables
the people to pass upon a measure after the legis
lative body has acted certainly no one can rea
sonably object to so democratic a reform.
What is the secret cause of the Chronicle's op
position? It is to be found in another column
of tho same issue in an editorial condemning
municipal ownership of municipal franchises. It
professes to see great dangers ahead if the peoplo
undertake to own and operate tho natural mo
nopolies now farmed out to private corporations.
It seeks to scarce tho people into subjection to the
syndicates that corrupt city councils and prey
upon the public.
Nothing better illustrates the attitude of most
of the great dailies. They are either owned by big
financiers, as the Chronicle is, or are controlled by
mortgagees who use their Influence tp defend all
kinds of exploitation. If tho Chronicle will pub
lish the name of its principal stockholder and
state tho amount of stock he owns in corporations
holding municipal franchises and tho amount ho
and his bank hold as security for loans, the peo
ple can tell whether the editorial advico given in
that paper is disinterested. A witness is always
questioned as to his interest in the case because
the influence of interest is always recognized; why
should financiers hide behind an impersonal news
paper corporation in order to advance their pe
cuniary interests? The opponents of tho initia
tive and referendum may bo divided into three
classes, those who do not understand tho subject,
those who distrust tho people, and those who have
pecuniary interests adverse to the public but the
reform will yet triumph through the education of
the first class.
JJJ
A Wall Street View.
The attention of the editor of Tho Commoner
has been called to an utterance of tho Now York
Financial Record in its issuo of September 24. It
is so candid a statement of tho views of those who
speak for Wall street that it is reproduced for tho
edification of the readers of Tho Commoner. It
wild be well to mark this passage and show it to
a republican neighbor occasionally, just to con
vince him of tho real sentiment that prevails
among the financiers.
Most of tho republicans do not belong to the
"wealth" mentioned by the Record, and while they
nro intelligent they do not belong to tho "intell -genco"
to which the Record refers. That "inte li
cence" is very limited in numbers and doesn't in
dude the ordinary man who works on the farm,
?i tho country store or in the workshop. It only
ScSdoftiSSImen who have that special form of
IKleenco which manifests itself in the corner-
g of markete and in tho exploitation of tho
wealth-producer. Tho Record's interesting article
may bo found on another page of this issue.
Whole No. 104,
Christian Citizenship.
Rev. S. M. Johnson of Chicago has started
out on a crusade to arouse the Christian conscience
to an appreciation of tho duties of Christian citi
zenship, and has formulated what ho calls "Tho
Creed of Christian Patriotism," which roads aa
follows:
I believQ that human governments aro or
dained of God, aro bound in all Ihclr acts by
His law, are essential to humanwelfaro and
aro, therefore, to bo loyally upheld.
I believe that o.irist's law, ' Kondor unto
Caesar tho things that aro Caesar's," binds
me to tho intelligent and faithful perform
ance of my full duty as a citizen.
I believe that that duty includes tho fol- ""
lowing:
Tho payment of all taxes 'justly assessed -.
against me.
The study of the questions to bo dccldod
at the polls.
The knowledge of the several political dis
tricts in which I reside, and the records of tho.
various candidates.
To register and vote, and to exert a posi
tive influence at every general and primary
election, so far as I may, for tho triumph of
righteous men and measures.
To take an active interest in public af
fairs and in my country's history and wel
fare. Thus believing, everywhere and always,
tho first affections of my -heart and the--first -labor
of my hands, next to that due to Christ's
world-wide kingdom, shall be my country's."
It is worth our while to consider for a moment
tho civic dutios of tho followers of tho Nazarene.
Too many have considered religion as a matter
relating to 1110 future life or to one's self inde
pendently of his relations to IiIb fellows; too many
have been so absorbed in the contemplation of tho
rewards and punishments beyond that they havo
ignored tho rewards and punishments which, as a
part of the divine jaw, are enjoyed or suffered
here.
Christ in reviewing the ten commandments
condensed the six which refer to man's duties to
his fellows into one great commandment, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" a command
ment which, if fully lived up to, would solve every
problem economic, social, political, and religious.
Is it not wiso to give more emphasis than wo
have to the man ward part of Christ's teachings?
, James Gowdy Clark, whose songs have been such
an inspiration to reformers, puts the question into
poetic language wnen he asks:
"How long, 0, Lord, how long,
Shall creeds conceal Thy human side,
And Christ the God be crowned in song,
While Christ the man is crucified."
How easy It would be to adjust quarrels with
in a church If each member entered tho contro
versy with Christ's commandment fresh In his'
memory; how little friction there would bo be
tween different branches of the Christian church
if that commandment was at all times uppermost
in tho thoughts of all the members!
Mr. Johnson includes among the duties of the
Christian citizen "tho payment of all taxes justly
assessed." An observance of tho commandment,
"Thou shalt lovo thy neighbor as thyself," would
go even farther, and lead tho citizen to return hia
property for assessment according to some just
rule in order that he might be so assessed as to
bear his fair sh;.re of the burdens of the govern-