l-T- WVfffn
The Commoner,
9
s -m -r
(
Hill typo, but .they arc about all In tbo republi
can party. Again, Tho Commoner reminds its
readers that now is the timo to organize. Tho
soonor this organization is comploted tho sooner
tho flght will bo won.
If tho reorganlzors find that they cannot steal
a march on tho pcoplo they will hot carry their
light to tho convention. Tho sooner tho Kansas
City platform democrats are aroused tho more
harmonious tho convention will be.
Initiative and Referendum.
In a recent Issue of Tho Commoner the editor
called attention to the principlo involved in tho
inltiatlvo and referendum, and criticised tho Chi
cago Chronicle because of its attempt to defeat
tho will of tho pcoplo oh this question. On an
other pago will bo found an argument recently
mado against tho initiative and referendum by
ono of tho citizens of Chicago. It is published be
causo it shows tho standpoint from which tho
opponents begin to reason. Tho writer of this
artlclo asks tho question: "Is it reasonable to as
sumo that tho placing upon tho masses this, great
responsibility of making or selecting laws, is logi
cal or safo?" Horo is tho secret of all tho opposi
tion. The oppononts of the inltiatlvo and referen
dum distrust tho masses; they assume that tho
pcoplo as a wholo aro incapablo of passing judg
ment upon their own affairs; they must select
officers to think for them and to act for them.
Tho democratic idea is that the pcoplo think for
thomsolves and select representatives to carry out
thoir thoughts. Tho democratic idea is that the
people think for thomsolves and select representa
tives to carry out their thoughts. Tho democratic
Idea is that tho representative is a "necessary evil
necessary because tho people' aro too numerous
to act directly upon all que'stloiis, hut an evil slilV
because tho representative is oft6n.ledby 'hisr6wn
Interests to sacriflco tho interests' of' tho pcoplo.
In tho article referred to; wo1 aro told .that
tho making of laws Is a scionco calling for tho
tilghost talent Hero, again, tho opponent of tho
Initlativo Ohd referendum is trying to get tho gov-
ornment out of tho reach of tho people. Jefferson
said that tho art of government was simply tho
art of boing honest, and that tho principles of right
and wrong were so easily discerned that they re
quired not tho aid of many counselors. Is it be
causo they aro skilled in tho scionco of govern
ment that tho members of city councils voto away
valuable franchises ,to corporations, ,or is it be
cause the members of such councils soil for a price
that which thoy themselves do not own? Thero
Is a great deal more danger that representatives
will not do as well as they know than there is
that tho peoplo themselves will not know enough
to protect thoir own interests.
Tho writer of tho article referred to lectures
tho people for not selecting "broad-minded, honest
ahd courageous representatives." The admonition
Is often needed, but tho trouble is that men are
often selected who have not been dishonest be
fore election, hut who bocomo dishonest when
eub ected to the temptations that surround their
position It is not always easy to detect corrup
tion in legislators. Very few confess, and con
c us ivo proof is often hard to secure. If tho peo
ple have a right under' reasonable restrictions to
pass upon a law, temptation will bo removed be
cause it will be of no advantage to a corporation
Sm a 1,Gei8laturo If th0 pc toSSS
to sit in judgment upon tho law afterward And
so a corporation cannot bribe a legislature m
avoid a subject upon which tho peopt thr0Ugh
tho initiative, havo demanded action
Tho initiative and referendum do not snn
paht representative government; they simply pur"
Ify it and perfect it. If the reader of S Cnm
- faith strength 2
It is neither necessary nor desirable that the
peoplo should attempt to decide all questions by
tho referendum, but when any considerable pro
portion of them desiro a question submitted it is
only fair that it should bo submitted. Likewise,
whon a proportion of tho peoplo desiro to voto
upon a law passed by tho legislature they should
havo a right to do so. Experience has shown that
they do not havo to avail themselves of tho right
very often, because the mere fact that they havo
the right makes tho legislature more obedient to
thoir wishes, thus giving the protection of tho
inltiatlvo and referendum without the cxpenso
of it.
JJJ
Getting Rich Quick.
Tho recent exposure of several "get-rich-quick"
concerns shows both how many people can
bo fooled and also how certain those are to be
fooled who take up with short-cut schemes for
making money rapidly. It is hard to sympathize
with people who lose money in this way, and yet
it is due to an ignorance of tho fundamental prin
ciples of morality, and this Ignorance can only be
cured by education. Modern commercialism has
led too many of our people to measure life by
tho amount of money accumulated rather than by
tho amount of service rendered. The man whose
highest aim is to "get rich" is apt to violate tho
moral law, if not tho statutes of the state, in his
effort to secure the object of his search. It is
useless to preach honesty or equity to such a man.
As long as tho purpose remains it is likely to
break all the restraints placed upon It When
money becomes the master tho man who pos
sesses it is really possessed by it and is in bond
ago unto it. It is not even necessary to possess
money- to become a servant; a poor man who re
gards money as the measure of success can bo
as subservient to' Mammon as tho most opulent.
Tho frauds that have been perpetrated by the
turf investment companies and similar swindling'
gangs can be turned to a useful purpose if they
lead parents to Impress upon the minds of their
children the viciousness of all schemes that prom
ise profits out of proportion to the investment,
or profits to be secured by chance or luck.
There is only one honest and honorable way
of accumulating money, and that is to give to so
ciety a service equal to tho compensation re
ceived. If young men are taught that it is bet
tor to bo underpaid than overpaid, better that
thoy give overflowing than scant measure, they
will be proof against all kinds of deception and
fraud. If a swindler, when he offers something
for nothing, is met with tho reply that the person
addressed is not willing to accept something for
nothing he will go away in search of greener
pastures. It is possible to render a child im
mune to the gambling disease that seems to be
epidemic at present, but it must be done by in
culcating a proper view of life. Manhood and
womanhood, not money, must be mado the stand
ard and the child must be taught that ho amount
of ill-gotten wealth can make a person worthy of
respect much less of envy.
JJJ
"Wall Street Knows." """
It may be instructive for those who imagine
that tho members of tho republican congress really
intended to provide any effective measures against
trusts to read, in tho lightof the loud boasts now
made on anti-trust lines by republican organs, an
aitice written by a republican correspondent for a
republican newspaper.
In a dispatch to the Chicago Record-Herald
under date of Washington, January 15 Walter"
Wellman said: "There Is no more easin!t
Wal street as to what congress is to do ih the
trust-busting line. Wall st-eet knows "
According to this republican correspondent
tho representatives or tho trusts recently held a
secret meeting in Washington and in conference.
VOLUME 'NUMBER 8,
with republican, leaders reached an- agreement)
calling for these provisions: . ,
1. Publicity of tho operations of inter
state trusts through reports to a government
department.
2. More drastic law against discrimina
tions and tho payment of rebates by common
carriers; shippers who receive rebates to bo
punishable, tho samo as transportation com
pany officials who pay them.
3. The administration of the trust law
to be turned over to a new department of com
merce, to be created by congress, and that
department to have a bureau of insurance and
corporations to deal directly with -true re
ports and publications.
- Mr. Wellman said that it dffl not matter
what the judiciary committee or the sub-committee
of the house might do. That sub-committee was
just then very active; but Mr. Wellman said "tho
president, the attorney general, the house judic
iary committee and the house itself have not
power enough -to put through anything which
the trusts object to. In trust legislation as in
almost everything else the senate is the court
of last resort"
Mr. Wellman cannot relievo the president of
the entire responsibility nor persuade his readers
that Mr. Roosevelt is at all "strenuous" in his
famous anti-trust campaign until he can explain
how it happens that Mr. Roosevelt's plan for curb
ing the trusts is not a bit more radical than tho
plan herein referred to, which plan, according to
Mr. Wellman, tho representatives of the trusts
cordially- indorsed.
Theopening paragraph in- Mr, Wellman's
dispatch deserves a place in the scrap-book of
' every republican wjio imagines that the people
have any reason to hope for relief from trust im
positions at the hands of the republican- party.
In the beginning Mr. Wellman said: -
"Anti-trust legislation so-called, but leg
islation which the trusts arewholly wijling
to have, is likely to be passed "by tho present
congress. In fact, what amounts to an agree
ment or understanding has been reached be
tween the leaders of the republican party in
Washington, as the party of the first part,
and the representatives of some of the most
P?Wurful trU8ta Ia the country as the party
of the second part Tho agreement is to pass
a nominal anti-trust bill, but to take good care
that nothing shall appear in it which tho
trusts havo any objections to." -
Referring to'the visit of the representatives of
the trusts, Mr. Wellman said:
"They declared that they had ho objec-
p2?m f t? publlcity suggestion mado by
S11 Roosevelt. In fact, some of the
DOtab!y the Unitea ,States steel
icv of X IZ'Jll V? untarily adopted the pol
n tllfi S thpublic fuy into confidence as
Who are at0?011?' , Tbe Passive men
' St cornoraHnLbead f a,numer of the great
nublinitv n Sno S1? anxIoua t0 have as ch
Pah es yhHM?ibe aS t0 tno affair of com
aTweli asr&i18 Potion for investors
He policy?" G n otner ? ounds Pub-
as aTnT,t?n(lent gaVG the formation that
armP: this Pre the bill to create a de-
Mi Corttlvo Cmmf rC WUld be Passe a that
Mi. Cortelyou would be at the head.
closurGfnr,Vtranf' in tbG 1Ight of s dis
teZZZ 2T' that SinCer and conscientious
republicans who realize that the trust system is
soth?nC to f 'h republin Party will do
poSf t0 PrteCt th PG01JlQ trust im-
JJJ .
The Foreigner Does Not Pay.
SSJSSS 8ituaH0n tSeMI1-
is tho people who nilv ?JS ysi As usual Ifc
Castro has clipped an pvtS8t? ? warj Resident
on all imporfe to Sai?sfv tifn d?ty of 30 Per cont
lies." And I yet tho MnLJS? demands of the al
sin is a republican X U&80,. enln Wisc011
foreigner pays the tal" ' StI11 insIsts "
J
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