' vr-"
MARCH 31905
The Commoner.
. i
.13
3
"whenever ho advocates anti-democratic
policies or republican policies. I will
support him whenever ho advocates
American policies, even though both
parties have been silent. I will oppose
him whenever he advocates un-American
policies, even though both parties
have been silent. I know no better
way of killing a party than by opposing
everything that "comes out of Nazar
eth." Then you add that "the presi
dent's method of getting at it is baa.
It is like himself headstrong, hot
headed, rash and prone to substitute
autocratic power for the orderly pro
cedure of law." If I had any complaint
to make of the Townsend bill, which is
now before the house, and heralded as
being therewith the president's appro
bation, it would be that it does not
give sufficient authority to enforce the
rates prescribed by a governmental tri
bunal. You add that the democratic
leaders "also should have brains
enough to ..formulate a policy of their
own, announce it and fight for it." I
have instructed my secretary to send
you by today's mail a copy of the bill
agreed upon by the democracy of the
house, to be offered as a substitute for
the Townsend bill. It is, in our opin
ion, a better and more efficacious mea
sure than that bill, but, if our substi
tute should be voted down, it is also
our opinion that the Townsend bill is
infinitely better than nothing and that
it is to the interest of the people
shippers and everybody, except those
who enjoy unjust gaina by railroad
favoritism to enact it, rather than to
put up with the present chaotic condi
tion and the present impotent law.
I agree with you perfectly that, the
democracy "ought to match every pol
icy on every public question with a
better, wiser,, nobler and more truly
popular policy of its own," and my
humble endeavor has been in that di
rection always, and that endeavor has
vbeen supported always with. a. unani
mity, with regard to vital and essential
points, somewhat rare in the history of
our party. I do not think there is any
danger that the democratic minority,
although somewhat "demoralized by an
overwhelming defeat," will follow re
publican policies or republican lead
ership, or surendef democratic princi
ples. This, however, is a totally dif
ferent thing from advocating democrat
ic principles and sticking .to them with
unfaltering allegiance, even though a
republican president and a large num
ber of republicans should finally come
to" see their justice and wisdom. If all
that "was necessary to prevail upon us
to desert a democratic position or
cease to strive for the enactment of
wise and just laws were that a repub
lican president should indorse them,
then that republican president would
have us truly at his mercy. I am, with
every expression of regard, very truly
yours, JOHN S WILLIAMS.
Wh is tbo Borrower?
Some observers are amused and more
are surprised by the sight of Mr. Bry
an and the democrats in the act of
holding up Mr. Roosevek's hands as
he labora for the enlargement of the
powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission and for government super
vision of railroad rates. The Hon.
John Sharp Williams and the demo-t
" cratic brethren in "the House of Rep
resentatives rally around the president
with a well stimulated enthusiasm.
They will be his shields against mon
opolistic republicans, if such there be
in congress.
In this lightning change comedy of
politics ha3 Mr. Bryan "flopped" to
Mr. Roosevelt or has Mr. Roosevelt
'flopped" to Mr. Bryan? ' Have the
democrats become republicans or the
republicans become democrats?
The best way oi answering these
questions is to consult ,the republican
national platforms and the democratic
national platforms, beginning with
1896, the first year of Bryanization.
wnat am the republican platform of
189G say upon this now all-obessing
uuu Buyreme suoject or government
regulation of railroad rates?
Nothing.
Turn now to the democratic book3.
First the democratic platform of 189G:
"The absorption of wealth by the
few, the consolidation of our leading
railroad systems and the formation of
trusts and pools requiro a stricter
control by the Federal Government of
those arteries of commerce. Wo de
mand the enlargement of the powers
of the Interstate Commerce flomm fu
sion and such restrictions and guaran
tees in tne control of railroads as will
protect the people from robbery and
oppression."
In 1900 the democrats called for laws
"providing for publicity as to affairs nf
corporations engaged in interstate com
merce," and requiring these to "show
before doing business outside of the
state of their origin," that their stock
is not watered and that they are not
trying to monopolize. More specifi
cally as to railroads:
"We favor such an enlargement of
the scope of the Interstate Commerce
law as will enable the commission
to protect individuals and communities
from discriminations and the public
from unjust and unfair transportation
rate3."
The democratic national platform of
1904 repeats the cry of 1896 and 1900:
"We demand an enlargement of the
powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, to the end that the trav
eling public and shippers of this coun
try may have a prompt and adequate
relief from the abuses to which they
are subjected in the matter of transpor
tation." Three times the democratic party
was beaten. Three time3 its nlatform
was rejected. Three times the republi
cans showed by their silence that they
did not want the powers of the Inter
state Commerce Commission enlarged.
In his message to congress Dec. 6,
1904, Mr. Roosevelt said:
"The government must, in increas
ing degree, supervise and regulate the
workings of the railways engaged in
interstate commerce and such in
creased supervision is the only alter
native to an increase of the present
evils on the one hand or a still more
radical policy on the other. In my
judgment, the most important legisla
tive act now needed as regards the.
regulation of .corporations Is this act
to confer on the Interstate Commerce
Commission the power to revise rates
and regulations, the revised rate to
go at once into effect, and to stay in
effect until the court of review re
verses it."
Thus Mr. Roosevelt complied with
the democratic "demand for an en
largement of the powers of the .Inter
state Commerce Commission. Natur
ally the democrats, like Moliere, take
their own where they find it New
York Sun.
to bo expended to 'turn at least fivo of
tho doubtful states.' and
"Whereas, During tho campaign of
nineteen hundred and four It was di
rectly and emphatically charged by
Judge Alton B. Parker, a prominent
candidate for the office of president,
and by other citizens of great promi
nence and high repute, belonging to
both tho republican and democratic
parties, as well a3 by many important
and responsible journals, that largo
sums of money had been contributed
by, extorted from, numerous trusts and
corporations, to be used to influence
the election then ensuing for president
and vice president of tho United
States; and
"Whereas, Tho president, in his last
annual message, sent to congress on
December r'xth, nineteen hundred and
tour, took official cognizance of tho
growing tendency to corrupt tho elec
torate, and did in direct terms recom
mend tho enactment of a law against
bribery and corruption in Federal elec
tions: Now, therefore, bo It
"Resolved, That the judiciary com
mittee of the senate be, and 13 here
by authorized, empowered, and directed
to make inquiry into the matters stated
in the foregoing preamble, and also,
genorally, Into tho subject of tho uso
of monoy in fcdoral elections, so as to
ascertain as far as possiblo tho oxtcnt
of tho ovil, and to report to tho senate
at Uio first session of tho fifty-ninth
congress, by bill or otherwise, tho leg
islation said commlttco may deem nec
essary to prevent or suppress bribery
and corruption in such elections S'aid
commlttco may sit during tho vacation
of tho senate, and shall havo authority
to send for persons and papers and to
compel tho attendance of witnesses.
Hear Plants Grow
Two Germans havo discovered a
method by which thoy can hear plants
grow. In tho apparatus tho growing
plant is connected with a disk, having
in its center an Indicator which moves
visibly and regularly, and thi3 on a
scalo fifty times magnified denotes tho
progress and growth. Both disk and
indicator are metal, and when brought
in contact with an electric hammer,
tho electric current being interrupted
at each of the divided interstices of
tho disk, the growth of tho plant is as
peroptlblo to the ear as to tho eye.
Kansa3 City Journal.
Plant tmprorod varieties of seed corn this seasons they
aland at the head of all varieties whoroYcr nlanted. will
not disappoint any one whoplanu ttieia. Pride of Nlflhna (yellow), Iowa flllver Mine, Imperial
(whlto) win make larger yields of good, sound, won matured corn than any other Mown varieties.
Prlco 11.35 per bu; 10 bo. or over, It.a5 per Ira., bags free.F. O. B. carsSbenandoah.Ia, Order shipped
samo day rocolvod. Catalog describing all farm, garden and flower seeds, freo. Always address
JUtcltln's Seed IIoHse, Bex 88, Bheaaadaak, la. The Largest Seed Corn Growers in the WorUU
Paint with WEIR'S BAVARIAN WHITE LEAD
THE MOST DURABLE LEAD MADE
and Save Usual Cost of Painting
Booklet mailed free, telling bow and why you make this saving, for the names and addresses of five bouse owners.
Dm T. WEIR WHITE LEAP CO., ST LOUIS, MO.
Th Stoum Resolution
Senator Stone of Missouri on Janu
ary 4, offered the following resolution
in the senate, and it was ordered to lie
on the table subject to" call and to be
printed:
"Whereas, Thomas W. Lawson, a
prominent citizen of Boston, Massa
chusetts, and a capitalist of reputed
largo fortune, in a signed article pub
lished in Everybody's Magazine, a re
sponsible and widely circulated pub
lication, has specifically charged that
be conspired with certain other well
known capitalists to raise a large cor
ruption fund to be used to promote the
election of the republican candidates
for president and vice president in
eighteen hundred and ninety-six, and
that they did raise five million dollars
I CURED MY RUPTURE
I Will Show You How to Curo Yours
FREE.
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Uox 719, Watertown, N. Y.
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