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The Commoner.
8
.VOLUME 6, NUMBER 3G
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THE SITUATION IN Cuba seems to be grow
ing more and more serious. Dispatches say
that the Cuban government views with suspicion
not only its old time enemies but also many of
those whom it has hitherto trusted as friends.
Tho United States government has several cruis
ers in readiness for emergencies, the cruiser Des
Moines being ordered to report to Havana. Wash
ington dispatches say that no effort is made by
public men to conceal the impression that it may
be necessary for the United States to intervene.
SAILORS FROM THE cruiser Denver were
landed at Havana, while sailors from the
gunboat Marietta were landed at Cienfuegos. A
Washington dispatch, referring to the landing of
sailors, says: "It was officially announced here
late tonight that the sailors who were landed at
Havana from the American cruiser Denver have
been ordered to return to their vessel, save for
a small guard, which will be left at the American
legafion. This action followed the receipt of an
official report by Acting Secretary of State Bacon
from Mr. Sleeper, the American charge d'affaires
at Havana, regarding the landing. The report
was not made public, "but it was announced offi
cially shortly afterwards that the sailors were
landed from the Denver solely for the protection
of the lives and property of American citizens;
that such action was in pursuance of a discussion
between Mr. Sleeper and the naval commander
with the belief that it was a wise provision look
ing to the protection of the lives and property of
Americans. There was no intention, it is stated,,
to do otherwise than to safeguard American in
terests and the services of American sailors were
to be utilized only in case of disorders within the
qi'ty. which, threatened such interests. That the
landing in any way contemplated the protection
of either the Cuban government or the insurrec
tionary government, or President Palma, or any
other person than American citizens was dis
claimed officially and it was pointed out that this
fact could not be emphasized too strongly." Later
the American sailors were withdrawn to their
vessels and it is announced that the United States
government will undertake to act as peace maker.
REFERRING TO THE result in Maine, Chair
man Griggs of the democratic congressional
committee says: "The only explanation I have
seen offered by our republican friends for the
slump in Maine Is the whisky question. My
understanding is that the Maine people have had
the liquor question with them at every election
for a great many years, and, with the same can
didates for governor and congress and with the
same question as four years ago before the vot
ers, it seems strange that in this election pro
hibition arose in its might and smote them hip
and thigh, and it Is mora tlmn frno- ,. .
the election they 'switched their bob' and de
clare tho whisky question was the main issue
when so many of the republican big guns who
were imported into Maine, declared to the con
trary. The Issues they discussed before the vot
ers of Maine were not prohibition, nor wore they
the indorsement of republican policies as exem
plified by the present congress, but the standpat
doctrines and tho Indorsement of the president.
If the small majorities received by the republi
can candidates, which are the smallest since 1864 '
are satisfactory to these gentlemen, they ought
to be to the democrats. In the last election the
republican candidate for governor received a ma-
ony.of over 27'000 and at tnis election only
8,000 to 9,000. Our average gain In each congres
sional district is approximately 5,000. If the ratio
of republican loss in Maine holds throughout the
country, the next house will be largely democratic.
it j tmuum nut iviaine be a weather vane this
jvui an uiwuys in the past"
AUMuuKATS find GREAT encouriement in
x luu returns irom the Maine elecWon, which
took place September 10. Cobb, the tepublican
candidate for governor, received a plurality of
about 9 000. Representative Littlefield against
whom the labor organizations made a special
light, was re-elected by a plurality of aboht 1,300.
The republicans elected the governor, four con
gressmen and secured control of the legislature,
but all by greatly reduced majorities. The re
publicans suffered losses very generally in the
cities and towns. The Associated Press says that
Cobb lost his homo town, Rockland, and that the
democrats carried Augusta, the capital of the
state, and that sixteen out of the twenty cities
in the state went democratic, Hallo well, Gardi
ner, Eastport and Calais being the only one3 to
remain republican. Two years ago when the can
didates for governor were the same as this year,
Cobb carried eighteen of the twenty cities, Water
villo and Lewiston being the only cities to re
main Jn the democratic column,
REPUBLICAN' LEADERS claim that the pro
hibition question was solely responsible for
the slump in Maine, and while it is admitted by
the democrats that that question played an im
portant part, they insist that the marked reduc
tion in the republican pluralities show that the
tide has turned against the republican party; Some
Idea of the change in the Maine situation is ob
tained by a glance at the election returns of for
mer years. In 1890 the republican sandidate for
governor had a plurality of 18,883. In 1894 the
plurality was 38,978. In 1898 the plurality was
24,769. In 1900 the plurality was 34,132. In 1902
the plurality was 27,490. In 1904 the plurality
was 25,800. This year, as before stated, it is
about 9,000. The vote on candidates for congress
as compared with two years ago is as follows:
In the first district Allen, republican had a plur
ality of 4,989 in 1904. This year the plurality is
2,000. In the Second district Littlefield, repub
lican, had two years ago a plurality of 5,419. This
year the plurality is 1,300. In the Third district,
Burleigh, republican, two years ago had a plur
ality of 6,863. This year it is 2,000. In the Fourth
district Powers, republican, had two -years ago, a
plurality of 8,901. This year it is about 2,000. '
A PORTLAND, MAINE, dispatch under date ot
September 3 says: "Cyrus W. Davis, the
democratic candidate defeated for governor, ' stat
ed today that the election will be thoroughly in
vestigated and the investigation carried to the
ballots If necessary. His personal organ, the
Waterville Sentinel, today published an item say
ing information is at hand indicating the demo
crats will have a majority of the legislature to
insure its control and elect a senator to succeed
Mr. Frye. A careful revision of the lists in the
light of belated returns indicate the democrats,
will have eight of the thirty-one senators and sixty
of the 151 representatives in the next legislature.
This is a gain for the minority party of four sen
ators and thirty-four representatives."
THE OHIO REPUBLICAN convention, which
met at Dayton, September 11, attracted
more than ordinary attention because of the con
test between the Roosevelt and Foraker-Dick
forces. It wiU be remembered that several weeks
ago Representative Burton issued a statement
throwing down the gauntlet to Senators Foraker
and Dick, insisting that Dick should not be re
elected to the chairmanship of the state executive
committee and that the two senators should not
be endorsed. Senator Foraker replied in a spirit
ed way making no effort to dodge the issue, while
Senator Dick kept right on in his fight for con
trol of the state committee. The result was a
complete victory for the Foraker-Dick forces. The
committee re-elected Dick chairman by a vote of
fifteen to seven.
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AT THE FntST SESSION of the convention
Senator Foraker delivered a speech. The
temporary chairman, former Governor Herrick,
had in his address spoken in favor of tariff re
vision. Senator Foraker said that if the conven
tion stood by Roosevelt it would not stand for
tariff revision, because "he himself has deter
mined it, has spoken it and has proclaimed it,
not alone as to the official result of the Oyster
Bay conference, but in his somewhat celebrated
letter to Mr. Watson." Mr. Foraker made no
effort to dodge his record in the senate. He said'
he thought it was the province of a senator to
speak for the people-.and he added: "I pursuo
that policy. If that is not right; if, on the con
trary, a man is to be rebuked because he exer
cises the qualifications with which he is blessed,
then you take all the honor away from the office,
and, so far as I am concerned, you can take tho
office with it."
ON THE SECOND DAY of the session the Ohio
republican convention gave enthusiastic en
dorsement to Senators Foraker and Dick. Al
though many republican delegates insisted that
an endorsement of the senators and the endorse
ment of the president would be inconsistent,
these warnings were ignored. And while the con
vention "most heartily approved and endorsed
Theodore Roosevelt and his administration of
public affairs" it "most heartily and without
reserve approved and endorsed our distinguished
senators." It rejected the plank favoring the
nomination of senators by popular vote, and the
plank favoring tariff revision. But Representa
tive Burton, who favored these planks, says they
will yet be adopted by a republican convention
in Ohio.
THE PLANKS IN THE Ohio republican plat
form which, while endorsing Mr. Roosevelt
and his policies, endorsed also Senators Foraker
an'd Dick who very generally opposed Mr. Roose
velt's policies, are as follows: "We most heartily
approve and endorse Theodore Roosevelt and his
administration of public affairs: True to the prin
ciples of the republican party as enunciated at
Chicago in 1904, he has more than met and ful
filled our high expectations. His sagacity, patri
otism, commanding honesty and courage, his
lofty ideals of public duty and of private citizen
ship, have won for him a unique place in the con
fidence and regard of the American people. We
express our renewed confidence in, his ability, his
patriotism, his pure and high-minded devotion to
the interests of the whole people. To him be
longs the principal credit for the long list of
beneficent laws enacted at the last session of con
gress, and we are proud of his leadership and
pledge him our loyal support in the future as in
the past. To carry out the policies which mark
his administration and to enable him to complete
the mission the American- people entrusted to
him two years ago, it is imperatively necessary
that he be aided by a republican congress. A
hostile house of representatives would thwart his
high aims and embarrass the policy to which
he is committed. We most heartily and without
reserve approve and endorse our distinguished
senators, Joseph Benson Foraker and Charles
Dick. Ohio's representatives in the senate have
ever held a commanding position among the
statesmen of the nation, and we glory in the con
spicuous and effective work of Senators Foraker
and Dick in legislative accomplishments and re
publican leadership. We dispute no rights to de
votion, to honest conviction of duty in all matters
of legislation, believing it In harmony with a rep
resentative foVm of government and a necessary
safeguard of constitutional liberty."
SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS have printed an in
terview with W. R. Stubbs of Kansas, in
which interview Mr. Stubbs suggests plans for
attacking the trusts. He advises the elimination
of the watered stock and compelling corporations
to obtain federal license before doing business
outside the state of their origin. Mr. Stubbs'
interest in these reforms is commendable, al
though ho is several years behind the times.
The Kansas City platform made suggestions sim
ilar to those advanced, by Mr. Stubbs, while in
January, 1903, Mr. A. C. Shallenberger, then a
member of congress from the Fifth Nebraska dis
trict, and now the democratic and populist nomi
. nee for governor, introduced in congress a bill
which sought to enact these provisions into law.
For instance section four of Shallenberger's bill
provided: "That any corporation or association
of individuals which may have been formed be
fore the passage of this act or which shall be
formed subsequent to its passage under the laws
of any state or territory of the United States
for the manufacture, production, sale, or disposal
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