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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
Vol. 5. No. 19
Lincoln, Nebraska, May 26, 1905
Whole Number 227
CONTENTS
A WORD WITH YOU
The Deficit
The Teue Pulitzer
Taft's Free Trade Order
Municipal Ownership
The Higher Tests of Manhood
TnAT Famous Heifer
Democratic Editors Take Hold of
the Towline
General Grant's Statement
Comment on Current Topics
The Primary Pledge
News of the Week
THE DEFICIT
The deficit is increasing. For ten months
ending with April the treasury deficit was about
$34,000,000, the month of April showing over
$9,000,000.
What is the administration going to do? ThG
deficit last year was charged to the Panama
canal purchase. "What are they going to charge
it to this year, and what is to be done about it?
The republican leaders abused the Wilson bill
shamefully because (after the income tax was
eliminated) it did not raise enough revenue to
run the government. What about the Dingley
bill? Must we raise the tariff, which is already
nearly prohibitive, or will the republicans be
driven to a reduction of the tariff in order to in
crease the revenues, or will they attempt to cut
down expenses, and if so, where? Will they re-
duce the army? If so, they will adopt a demo
cratic policy. Will they reduce the navy appro
priations? If so, they will adopt a democratic
policy. Or will they be forced to favor the Income
tax as a means of supporting the government?
If so, they will adopt a democratic policy.
Having been forced to accept the democratic
position on the trust question, and on the ques
tion of railroad regulation, will they now be com
pelled to adopt the democratic position on tho
question of taxation? Surely the democrats have
reason to rejoice at the vindication of their
principles.
JJJ
THAT FAMOUS HEIFER
Mr. Bryan is again the victim of misrepre
sentation. He recently bought a hornless Jersoy
calf at the very reasonable price of $50, but be
fore the calf could reach Fairview by freight, the
republican editors had changed its sex and mul
tipled the cost by ten. It is now represented as a
$500 heifer, and one of the cartoonists has gone so
far as to portray the democratic donkey as object
ing to the "golden calf" and saying that either
the "$500 heifer" or it (the donkey) "has got to
go!" It is a pity that a farmer must be thus
ridiculed when he attempts to Improve his stock.
It is only a short time ago that he was heing
held up to public scorn because he, in a jocular
mood, said that he had' left his plow in the
field and hastened to a democratic banquet. This
statement, was made the text for several sermons
on the carelessness of farmers who left their
farm machinery exposed to the weather. This
was really a just criticism, and the editor of The
Commoner has taken it to heart and will in the
future be more careful with his plow, but there
is no excuse for the gross exaggeration as to the
price of the calf. '
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Which Speaks for. the Administration?
A WORD WITH YOU!
The Commoner circulates throughout tho
Union; its readers are to be found in every state,
if not in every county, and they embrace all
classes, from the richest to the poorest, and in
clude every legitimate occupation.
Let me address a word to tho readers.
We have the best country in the world; its
natural resources are unsurpassed, and within
its borders can be found all that Is necessary for
the support, and the highest development, of tho
race. We have a population selected from all
other nations and commingling of the various
European bloods ought to. give us the highest typo
of man thus far produced. We have tho best form
of government ever conceived by tho human mind
not only the best but tho strongest for, in tho
language of Bancroft, "discarding the implements
of terror it dares to -rule by moral force and has
its citadel in the hearts of men."
With such a country, with such a people and
with such a government, we not only enjoy a
greater opportunity than has ever fallen to any
other nation, but we' carry a greater responsibility
than any other people have borne. Are we making
the most of the opportunity and discharging as
we should the obligation imposed upon us? If not,
is it not time for careful investigation with a view
to applying a remedy for any disease which may
afflict the body politic? We find that the natural
resources of the country are gradually passing into
the hands of a smaller and smaller percentage of
the people. The trusts not only plan to extermi
nate the small competitor, but they are tightening
their grip upon the wholesale and retail dealer,
binding him by iron-clad contracts and throwing
upon him all of the uncertainties and contin
gencies of trade, and, while they are oppressing
the dealer and extorting from tho consumer, they
are conspiring to destroy the organizations formed
by tho laboring man for tho protection of his
rights.
Municipal corporations have obtained, often
by corruption, control of valuable franchises and
privileges through which they reap an enormous
annual profit, while they monopolize the growth
and development of our cities.
The anthracite coal mines are In the hands of
a few, and the most conspicuous member of tho
-group brazenly announces that tho Creator has
made him and his associates trustees for the peo
ple. The bituminous coal mines are not yet
monopolized to the same extent as the anthracite
mines, but tho tendency is in that direction.
Nearly all of the great lines of Industry are
being absorbed by tho trusts and the lines of
transportation are being consolidated until a hand
ful of men practically control the freight and pas
senger traffic of the nation. Tho trusts and the
railroads have become so powerful that they do
not scruple to put a vast amount of fictitious
capital upon tho market, and then Impudently
demand that they be permitted to collect dividends
upon their watered stock. The Interstate com
merce commission, which was appointed to pro
tect tho public against unfair rates and discrimi
nations, has been seeking for years to secure an
enlargement of its powers, but the railroads have
so many of their attorneys in the United States
senate that this reasonable request has been thus
far denied.
With the closing of the door of opportunity to
the wage-earning class, with the denial of legisla
tive relief and with the partiality of some of tho
federal (jourts toward organized wealth, have come
arrogance on the part of the plutocratic element
and desperation on the part of those who feel
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