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The Commoner.
BTJLT 7, 1908
CCUREeNT
THE Colorado supremo court has ousted a num
ber of democratic officials and the Denver
News refers to the decision as "the most extra
ordinary and indefensible the court has ever
rendered." The News says that the effect of the
decision is to deny the right of the people to amend
the constitution except as the supreme court may
see fit to approve popular action. The News de
scribes the peculiar situation in which things have
shaped themselves as a result of the various rul
ings recently made by the supreme court in this
way: "The people of Colorado are living under
the administration of a governor who was never
elected. Lawsswere enacted by the recent legis
lature by a senate, a portion of which was never
elected. Laws are now being interpreted by a
supreme court that was not, except for three of
its members, elected. The three members of the
old court of appeals were all appointed, and the
two new members of the consolidated court were
also appointed. The citizens of the city and
county of Denver are now to live for the next
few years under the administration of a govern
ment, a large proportion of which wis not elected,
but simply adjudicated into office."
BY THE ACTION of Colorado's supreme court
the following nained democratic officials are
adjudicated o.uk of office: Henry V. Johnson,
county judge; Robert J. Byrne, cleric and record
er; Hamilton Armstrong, sheriff; C. B. Elder,
treasurer; Schuyler H. Alexander, assessor; Miss
Emma Herey, county superintendent of schools;
Coroner W. P. Horan, two democratic justices of
the peace and constables ; and the following repub
licans adjudicated to fill their places: A. K.
"Vickery, county clerk and recorder; Alexander
Nisbet, sheriff; R. P. Rollins, coroner; C. W.
Badgley, treasurer; C. C. Gird, assessor; Miss L.
A. Field, superintendent of schools, and republi
can justices and constables, and three county com
missioners, William. Lawson, Eugne McCarthy and
Thomas Uzzell.
THE FACTS leading up to the suit are pre
sented by the News in this way: "The
controversy arises out of the Rush amendment
and the city charter adopted under it. By'tho
terms of the charter the offices of sheriff, clerk
and recorder, treasurer, assessor, coroner, county
superintendent of schools, justices of the peace
and constable were filled for a term of four years
at the spring election of 1904, and the offices of
mayor, city council and other city officers were
filled at the same time. In pursuance of the pro
visions of the charter, each of the political par
ties nominated full tickets for the city and county
of Denver embracing the offices above named,
which were voted for at the spring election of
1904, in May. "On the face of the returns the demo
cratic ticket was declared elected. Both parties
were perfectly satisfied with the legality of that
spring election, except that some members of both
parties claimed that the office of county judge
could not be filled except at an election when
county officers were voted for in all the other
counties of the state. The democratic candidates
were duly inducted into office, and were filling
them without protest or controversy of any kind,
when it became necessary to nominate candidates
for the offices to be filled at the fall election of
the same year. "It was agreed by the managers
of both political parties of the city and county of
Denver that the only offices to be filled in the
fall of 1904 were legislative and the district attor
neyship, and both the republican and democratic
conventions met and nominated only candidates
for the legislature and the district attorneyship."
THE PRESIDENT of the New York. Central
and Lake Shore railroads has announced
that an investigation of the wreck that recently
occurred at Mentor, Ohio, shows conclusively that
the accident was not caused by the speed of the
train, and tjhat it has therefore been decided to
resume the schedule of eighteen hours between
New York and Chicago. The Twentieth Century
limited train was wrecked by running into an open
switch at Mentor, Ohio, and n temporary order was
made reducing the eighteen-hour schedule. In
spectors report that some one "maliciously and
intentionally" opened the switch and caused the
wreck.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT has issued ordors
directing a more liberal interpretation of
the Chinese exclusion act, saying that "tho pur
pose of the government of tho United States is
to show the widest and heartiest courtesy toward
all merchants, teachers, and students who may
come to the- United States, as well as all Chinese
officials or representatives in any capacity of tho
Chinese government." The president says that
all individuals of these classes "are allowed to
come and go of their own free will and accord,
and are to be given all the rights, privileges, and
immunities accorded the citizens and subjects of
the most favored nations." Tho president says
that while the laborers must bo "strictly exclud
ed" the law must be enforced "without harsh
ness." WASHINGTON dispatches say that Mr. Roose
velt took this step to "prevent tho threat
ened Chlneso boycott against American manu
facturers," and it is pointed out that the value of
American exports to China and Hong Kong in
1904 amounted to more than '$23,000,000. Some
Pacific coast people say that this order means tho
beginning of the end of the Chlneso exclusion
act.
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STREAMS of immigrants continue to pour into
Now York through Ellis Island, breaking all
previous records. A New York dispatch to tho
Record-Herald says: "More than 72,000 immi
grants have landed at Ellis Island since June 1,
and the official estimates up to tho end of the
month is 84,085, as against 51,731 in June of last
year, an even larger proportionate increase than
in May this year, bringing 94,712, as against 70,
417 in May, 1904. The high water mark in immi
gration is usually reached In May. Tho census
office approximates the total immigration for this
fiscal year at 1,061,659, which indicates a record
breaker, the high water mark being 857,046 for the
year ending June 30, 1903. For the fiscal year of
1904 the figures were 812,870. There has been
little change in the general character of the Im
migrants in the fiscal year about to close. Lithu
anians and Bohemians have been rushing hero,
mainly to work in the coal mines; Poles and Rus
sians come and scatter throughout tho country,
many settling in sweatshops. Italians crowd in
to do. manual labor. Swedes and Greeks find their
way "to the northwest. There are fewer Germans
than of former years, and Ireland seems to have
been pretty thoroughly drained. More than 900 of
the would-be immigrants have been rejected so
far this month, against 460 last month."
AN INSURANCE TABLE prepared by Walter
Wellman for the Chicago Record-Herald
shows that more than half tho Insurance of tho
country Is taken., out in companies having their
headquarters in New York City. Tables of bank
clearings for the last week gave the figure for
New York City $1,407,148,113; for the rest of the
country, $901,818,102. A glance any day at the
transactions in stocks and bonds, which cover
every variety of industry, proves that Wall street
is chief dealer, for the United States.
COMMENTING upon Mr. Wellman's showing
the Record-Herald editorially says: "Cor
porations which control and manipulate railroad,
mining and manufacturing properties all over the
west draw millions upon millions to the eastern
metropolis, and as the work of combination goes
on the drain increases. Meanwhile surplus is
added to surplus and general officials have every
inducement to take off the cream. It has been
shown recently how generously the officers of the
Equitable Life helped themselves. It is known
also that the case is typical. When the west sends
its earnings to New York it attends to the wants
of numerous great men of affairs who find that
salaries of from $50,000 to $100,000 a year are an
indispensable first reward for their valuable ser
vices. It gives them the necessary means for
relaxation from their oppressive cares in yacht
ing, coaching and othor amusomonts at which
one individual spends tho incomes of thousands.
But tho salaries aro only a partial recognition
of genius. Tho vast funds that aro accumulated
furnish tho ammunition for those mighty conflicts
of financial giants which aro tho wonder and ad
miration of tho world. Thoy aro turned to tho uso
of companies within companlos. Thoy multiply
tho wealth of Now York banks, which profit also
from a custom that makes thorn general agents
for tho receipt and distribution of tho people's
money. This is said not in complaint of Now
York, but In explanation. Tho United States is
its oyster, which it opens with as nice a con
science as ovor tho noble Pistol had."
A WRITER in tho London Daily Mall, in tho
issue of Juno 16, writes an interesting art
iclo entitled "Tho Tragedy of tho English Watch
Trade." In this article It is said that Amorican
watchmakers began such a campaign In dumping
their product in England that tho total extinction
of tho watch-making Industry In that country Is
threatened. The Mall explains: "Tho American
comblno of watchmakers can fix practically what
price It likes in its own country, for It is pro
tected against foreign competition thero by an
elaborate series of customs duties ranging from
35 to 65 per cent. In England there Is no import
duty. The American makers have adopted a
plan of systematically dumping a percontago of
their stock on tho English market at a price about
two-thirds what thoy ask in America. Thus the
works of a watch sold In America Tor 15s. 5drtaro
sold here at 10s. Tho makers reckon to soil 25
per cent of their output at tho reduced prices
in our markets. This means that for overy four
sets of works of that kind sold by them they
receive 5Cs. 6d., while the English maker who
wishes- to compete must sell tho whole at 10s.
each, or 40s. for the four. This systematic dump
ing is so simple and so safe that Jts final outcome
must seem to tho men who dovised It a mattor
of mathematical certainty. Whou thoy have suc
ceeded In stamping out tho English trade if they
do succeed they can run prices up again as they
will, and can make us pay for our present cheap
ness. From the American makers' point of view
there is only one drawback to this arrangement
Their watches are being sold at so low a prlcp
hero that it pays buyers to secure stocks of them,
send them back to America, and resell to tho
trade there at less prices than the regular Ameri
can rates. This can be done safely if the stocks
are to bo had, for the English price is so much
less as to ensure a satisfactory margin of profit
on the transaction. Of course, being Amorican
made, tho goods would pay no duty when carried
back there."
THE MAIL WRITER says that this reshipment
has actually been made, and that the Amer
icans are" putting forth their best efforts to stop it.
Tho Mail writer adds: "I have before mo aa
I write a copy of a letter from one of the largest
American houses to a wholesale English dealer.
'Someone Is traveling around in England trying
to buy our watches and ship them back to tho.
United States,' this firm says. 'He pays castt
and pays a commission of 5 per cent over above
cost to the factor. We turned down an orde?
for 5,000 recently, and we aro turning down or
ders constantly. Wo consider the acceptance of
such orders an unfriendly act.' "
NOT ONLY does the speaker of tho house o
commons, says the London Chronicle, enjoy
the material benefits of a lordly residence afc
Westminster palace, a salary of 5,000 a year,
100 a year for stationery, and two hogsheads
of claret and 2,000 ounces of plate on election,
but ho enjoys the less substantial advantage of,
taking precedence of all other commoners. By ar
act of 1689 It was provided that the lords commit
sloners of the Great Seal not being peers "shalX
have and take place next after the peers of. tha
realm and the speaker of the house of commons.'
JAMES W. ALEXANDER, late president of tho
Equitable "Life Assurance society, has mado
restitution to the society of his share of tho
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