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DECEMBER 30, 1904
scribed educational and property qualifications for
their voters.
There is no likelihood of legislation upon the
race question at the present session or in the next
congress. The south can therefore devote Itself
to the consideration of national reformsreforms
in which the whole country is interested reforms
for the proper solution of which the Intelligence
and patriotism of the south as well as of the north
are required,
J J J'
President Loses First Bout
In the president's fight with the stand-patters
"ho nas lost the first bout. We were informed by
the newspaper dispatches that the president waa
going to recommend tariff revision. The announce
ment caused a commotion among the manufactur
ers and pressure was at once applied. As tho
time approached for the message we were informed
that the president had decided not to refer to tho
matter in the message but to deal with it later in
a special message. Now we are informed that the
president has decided not to call any special ses
sion of congress, which means that tho matter
goes over till next fall. By that time the manufac
turers hope to stem the tide ana prevent any con
sideration of the tariff question. "While they would
have little to fear from the appointment of a
commission, still they probably think it better
to exercise the influenco that they have to prevent
any stirring up of the question. Not being able
to defend the present schedules they do not want
the matter discussed, and in their first bout with
the president they have scored a victory.
How will it bo with the effort to amend tho
Interstate commerce commission? Will tho rail
road managers be as successful as the manufac
turers seem to have been?
JJJ
t
"Democratic Opportunity' ' '
The Milwaukee Daily News, one of the most
loyal democratic papers in tho northwest, in speak
ing of the election says:
The lesson is plain enough. There is no
"democratic opportunity" unless there is a
democratic party to meet it. The name demo
" cratic does notmake the democratic party dem
ocratic. To be democratic, it must be demo
" cratic in principle, democratic in purpose, and
" democratic In Its acts, and have democratic
leaders at tho head and not corporation law-
- yers and railroad company directors.
When it compromises its principles, when
7 it appeals to special interests, when it con-
templates the betrayal of the people, it cease3
to bo democratic and invites its own destruc-
- tion. Unless the democratic party of Wiscon
sin shall rid itself of the men that are now
nslncr it. as a nersonal convenience, a trading
stock for their own personal advantage, uh
Irss it shall nurce and rehabilitate itself, its
days of usefulness will have ended and its utter
extinction will follow as surely as decompo
sition follows death.
The News is right and what it says of tho
fcarty in Wisconsin can be said of the party in any
state in the Union where it Is willing to abandon
its principles, and the Interest of the people. The
News well says that there is no democratic oppor
tunity unless there is a democratic party to meet
it The republican party gave the democratic party
opportunity enough this year, but the democratic
party did not take advantage of the opportunity.
Another opportunity will bo presented in 1908 and
whether the party takes advantage of it or not will
depend upon the manner in which the party risaa
jto the occasion.
JJJ
Even at the Hub
Thomas W. Lawson, who has recently mad
Contribution to the gaiety of nations, has exploded
a bomb, which, according to the Cincinnati En
quirer: "landed so near to the Boston state house
that the detonation when it went off must have
shaken the- sacred codfish from his perch." Mr.
X.awson says: .
The Massachusetts legislature Is bought
and sold as are sausages and fish at the mar
kets and wharves. That tho largest, wealthiest
and most prominent corporations in New Eng-
land, whose affairs are conducted by our most
representative citizens, habitually corrupt tho
Massachusetts legislature, and the man of
wealth among them who would enter protest
against the iniquity would be looked on as a
The Commoner.
vni f V? ?nB,and a man of io typo of
" ovir fl. l8auri " ho found who will give
!nS nnffintha. tUrn,ng up th0 lostalntlvo
S. n munlcilml S0(1 of the lost ton years,
who does not expose to tho world a condition of
rottenness more rotten than was ever before
S?rl i iV m D? communIty in tho civilized
world, it will bo because he has boon suffocated
by tho stench of what he exhumes.
Mr. Lawson, as is pointed out by tho Enquirer.
5.TX T?? ' ?at0B and detal13 t0 establish the
truth of his statement. After relating how tho
legislature was bribed to carry through a bill tho
purpose of wnich was defeated by Governor Wal-"P-
Lawson concludes his narrativo
with tho following interesting story:
Early next morning there came to my ofllco
two wild-oyed, desperate creatures, Towlo and
Mr. Patch. When I looked upon the big, power
ful man, who had always seemed Jn any light
in which I had heretofore beheld him to fear
neither man nor Godwhen I looked and saw
his plight I pitied him deeply, sincerely. Ho
carried a large traveling bag, and Mr. Patch
two others.
Lawson, for God's sake don't do what they
are all doing don't upbraid me! I've got to
get out into tho world and bo dead to all I
know family, friends, every one. If I stay
it's state's prison or worse, and Whitney says
I must go. I've got all the papers together, and
Whitney has given me what cash ho had on
hand, and this check of $10,000. Do mo ono last
favor get mo gold for it. I know I have no
right to ask any favors o- you, but think if you
were in my place. I have a wife and children
. " and the great, strong man wept like a
child.
I called my secretary, and in a short time
George Towle, with tho $10,000 in gold and
bags of "evidence," faded out of my life and
into tho gray mist of eternity.
A few days after a vessel dropped anchor
off tho island of Jamaica. Georgo Towle's body
was carried ashore a .d buried, and Mr. Patch
was escorted back to the ship. A few days
later, with weights of lead to carry it to its last
resting place on the ocean's bottom, tho latter's
dead body was dropped over tho vessel's side.
And somewhere floating the high seas is a ven
turesome sailor captain and a crow who, when
in their cups, 'tis said, tell straugo tales of bags
of gold and queer documents.
Simultaneously the members of tho great
and good court of the old commonwealth of
Massachusetts for the year of our Lord 189C
received, none of them could tell from where,
'their promised vote money In the form of a
yarn that the "stuff" belonging to them had
been delivered to Georgo Towle, but that Towlo
had decamped with It to foreign shores, where
he was living in luxury with Mr. Patch.
I sent two police officials to tho Island of
Jamaica and had tho contents of tho coffin
marked "Georgo H. Towlo" photographed. I
could not photograph the contents of the
ocean's bottom.
Whenever an anarchist's plot is laid bare, tho
people are shocked and yet tho stories of the brib
ery of public officials and tho debauchery of legis
latures may be told and retold and many intelli
gent people are not in the least stirred, evidently
accepting these deplorable features as part and
parcel of the "destiny" that shapes our ends.
JJJ
France Discussing Income Tax
The prers dispatches announce that the French
chamber of deputies has under consideration a
bill establishing an income tax. At present there
i3 a government tax on doors, windows and other
eVldences of personal property, and the sum of
$40,000,000 is raised from this tax. The new
measure removes such taxes, provides for the rais
ing of about $20,000,000 by a tax on individual
incomes and $12,000,000 by a tax on real estate
rentals. The income tax is a graduated one. The
incomes under $500 are entirely exempt and Ifie
rate gradually increases on incomes up to $4,000
a year, tl e rate being 2 per cent on incomes above
that amount. The tax applies to foreigners having
furnished residences in France.
The dispatches announce that "strong oppo
sition to the measure is developing on tho ground
that it will drive out capital." It seems from tho
last sentence that "capital" is about as timid
in France as it is In this country, for this is tho
argument always mado against .compelling capi
tal to pay its share of tho expenses of tho govern
ment. Nearly all tho other nations of Europ
have an Income tax, and the fact that tho present
administration in Franco la presenting this meaa
uso' is a good sign. It is only a question of time
when tho Incomo tax will bo a part of our fiscal
system in spito of tho fnct that "capital" opposes
It hero aa It does overywhoro,
JJJ
Two Friends Dit.
The editor of Tho Commoner is called upon to
mourn tho loss of two highly oatoomod .friends,
Hon. Ohauncey Black of York, Pa., and Judge W.
T. Moonoy of St. Marys. Ohio.
Mr. Ulack was a son of Judge Jerry Black,
thaJTamoiis Pennsylvania democrat, and was him
self a man of great learning nnd culture- In 1890
he was president of tho asiioclntlon of democratic
clubs in tho Unltod States, and has taken nn active
part in politics for many years. His fidelity to
democratic principles and his ability in presenting
them mado hm a conspicuous figure In the party.
Ills place will not bo oaslly filled.
Judgo Mooncy was a man of great forco of
character and of commanding Influenco In his
state. Il6 was ever at his placo and ready for
every political task laid upon hlra. Ills election
to tho judgeship was a deserved recognition of his
piofessional ability and of his political standing.
Tho democratic party in Ohio has lost ono of Ita
pillars by his death.
JJJ
An Iowa Idea
A very busy lawyer living in Iowa wrltctf'to
Tho Commoner tho following self-oxplnnatory let
ter: "Yours containing subscription cards num
bering from G9,G7G to 59,725, Inclusive received, and
I -beg to say that I have placed a few In circula
tion, I have now thirty-one of them sold, I sold
thorn to my friends here at tho same rato you are
to receive, sixty cents each, and I herewith encloso
tho thirty-one cards numbering from 59,G7C to 59,
700 inclusive, with each subscribers name thereon
and present postofflco address, also draft No. 11G,
334 for the sum of $18. GO in full payment of said
subscriptions for ono year. I hope to secure sale
for tho remainder of tho fifty cards I received In
a few days. Best wishes for success of the cause
which you are advocating."
This may provide a hint to others who de
sire to enlarge Tho Commoner's sphero of influ
enco by Increasing its circulation.
According to tho terms of this offer, cards,
each good for one year's subscription to The Com
moner, will bo furnished in lota of five, at the
rato of $3 per lot. This places the yearly sub
scription rato at CO cents.
Anyone ordering these cards may sell them
for $1.00 each, thus earning a commission of $2.00
on each lot sold, or ho may sell them at tho cost
prico and find compensation in the fact that he
has contributed to the educational campaign.
These cards may be paid for when ordered, or
they may bo ordered and remittance made after
they have been sold.
Tho coupon Is printed below for the con
venience of those who desire to participate In the
effort to ncrease The Commoner's circulation.
THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER
AtpllcaMtJt far Subscript! Crds
Publisher Commoner; I am interested la In
creasing The Commoner's circulation, and dr
aire 70a to fend me a snpply of subscription
cards. I agree to nie mj utmost endearor to sll
the cards, and nUl remit for them at the rate of
CO cents each, when sold.
Kama
Box, or Street No..
P.O....
...Mate..
Indicate the noirber of cards wanted by mark
IngX opposite one of the numbers printed oa
end ol this blank.
you believe tht paper it doing a work that merit
encouragement, fXL out the above coupon and matt it
to The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb,
m
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