W OVEMBER 2, 190t
The Commoner.
- &
corrupt and Infamous republican political ma
chine." But what about the facts Mr. Cleveland
might havo told about the reorganization of the
Equitable under Ryan? The World said that
Grover Cleveland's testimony was important, but
Mr. Hughes did not call that witness, and so far
as Mr. Hughes' efforts are concerned the Ryan
management of the Equitable remains today, in
the very language of the New York World, "a
public menace" even as Its predecessor, the Hydo
management, had been "a public scandal."
But the World tells us that "Mr. Hughes'
investigations destroyed Piatt politically, Depow
politically, Odell politically, and utterly wrecked
the old, corrupt and infamous political machine."
-We believe the World refers to the Odell politi
" cal machine in New York state, which was al
ready wrecked by being superseded by an even
more dangerous machine because it parades under
a guise of respectability which the Odell affair
hardly dared to assume.
Hughes' investigations did wreck Dopew po
litically. They might have affected Piatt, al
though he was politically wrecked beforo the
committee began its sessions. But, granting that
they wrecked Odell, Piatt and Depew politically
they loft unharmed Cortelyou, chairman, and
Bliss, treasurer of the republican national com
mittee and Root These republicans were not
even put to the humiliation of being required to
take the witness stand and testify as to the part
they had played in the misappropriation of funds
belonging to the widows and orphans in whose
behalf republican managers are wont to shed
so many tears.
Piatt and Depew and Odell were "wrecked
politically" but we read in the Washington dis
patches of recent days that Cortelyou, who is
now as ho was at the time of the misappropria
tion of these trust funds chairman of the repub
lican national committee, is to bo given the treas
ury portfolio as a reward for his "fidelity to
duty!" He has not been "wrecked politically."
On the contrary the man who should havo been
driven from the cabinet because of the part ho
played in the misappropriation of these trust
funds, is to be advanced to, perhaps, the most
responsible position in the cabinet a position
: which has to deal with the money of the nation.
Does any one imagine that if Mr.. Hughes
had discharged his duty in accordance with the
. suggestions made to hlra by the New York World
calling George B. Cortelyou ia the witness
stand the man who acted as chairman of the
republican national committee at the time the
stolen money was traced to the republican party's
treasury, would be advanced to the most respon
sible office in the president's cabinet, while Piatt,
Depew, Odell and others who were not Bhlelded
are destroyed? , ...ru .. , j
WHOM?
, - ..W
rf - -
The Wall Street Journal, which is opposed
to Mr. Hearst, printed the following editorial:
"The taxpayers of New York are concerned in
the pending campaign more deeply than usual
on account of the vast amount of funds that are
going into public works. In the form of canal
'construction $100,000,000 is to be spent, tho
v earliest contracts for which have been awarded.
, Besides this $50,000,000 more is to go to improve-
- ment of highways. Whom are you going to put
in charge of these funds?"
Yes, "whom are you going to put in charge
of these funds?"
Will you put ? these funds in charge of the
candidate who has the enthusiastic support of the
, money gamblers and the trust magnates, or in
charge of the candidate who is bitterly opposed
by these elements, because they fear hB will en-
, force the laws of the state?
"Bossism" Again the Issue in Ohio
Columbus, Ohio, October 2D. Tho sensation
of tho week in political circles was tho handing
down by tho supremo court of tho stato of its
decision in what is known as tho Cincinnati Loxow
case. Tho republican houso of representatives
in the last general assombly refused to join with
the democratic senate in tho creation of a com
mittee charged with an investigation into tho
affairs of the city of Cincinnati and county of
Hamilton, so long under tho absolute domination
of Boss Cox. Tho refusal of tho republican houso
of representatives to join vftth tho democratic
senate in this movement Is directly chargeable
to tho republican speaker of tho houso of repre
sentatives, Carml Thompson, who is now tho re
publican candidate for secretary of state and
as such heads tho republican Btato ticket in Ohio
tills year. His nomination for that place was pro
cured by Boss Cox of Cincinnati as a reward for
Thompson's preventing tho passing of a joint
resolution creating an investigating committee
The Drake committee, appointed by tho sen
ate, consisting of throe democrats and two repub
licans (tho latter two declining to servo) sat in
Cincinnati eleven days. Moro corruption and
graft were never uncovered by any committee in
tho same length of time. Tho henchmen
there wero so frightened that In less than two
weeks they voluntarily confessed that they had
stolen $211,000 and returned it to tho county
treasury. The cashier of a Cincinnati bank had
been subpoenaed to appear beforo this commit
tee and testify as to tho amount of graft his
bank had turned over to the official henchmen
in return for tho uso of public funds. Tho cashier
refused to testify. Ho was arrested and officers
of the senate started to convey him to tho bar
of tho senate on contempt proceedings. The Cox
courts got busy and ho was rescued from tho
senate officers on a writ of habeas corpus. The
matter was taken beforo a Cox judge and that
judge discharged the cashier on tho ground that
tho senate committee was illegally constituted
and had no power. This judge was shortly after
wards nominated for a judgeship in a higher court
to succeed a republican Judge who had testified
beforo this investigating committee that Cox had
attempted to dictate his decision in a case be
tween tho city of Cincinnati and a public service
corporation Involving a quarter of a million dol
lars. A bill for the rent of the room in which
this committee had sat eleven days was present
ed and a warrant drawn upon tho stato auditor
for the amount The state auditor declined to
issue a warrant upon the "state treasurer for tho
same, 'basing his action upon tho decision of tho
Cox court in Cincinnati. Tho case was immedi
ately taken to the supreme court and argued last
spring. The court adjourned for its summer vaca
tion without handing down a decision. Tho fait
torm began and dragged along two or threo weeks
boforo tho decision was rendered. On Tuosday
of last wook, by a voto of four to two, tho supreme
court uphold tho decision of tho Cox judgo and
tho Cincinnati Loxow commlttco was put to
sleep. It Is needless to Bay that this action of
tho court did moro to dispel apathy In tho minds :
of voters than anything olso that could havo been
dono. Tho court has boon criticised from ono.
end of tho stato to tho othor. Not a slnglo nows-'
paper In tho stato is there which speaks lean
mildly than to rogrot that tho court took such
action, and tho majority of tho nowspapors have
called attention to tho fact that there is not a
judgo on tho supromo bonch of tho stato today
who does not owe hla nomination to tho place to
tho Cox voto in Cincinnati.
Aftor forcing tho return of $211,000 that had
been stolon from tho people, after but oloven
days of investigation, this commlttco la declared"
without power or authority. If an illegal com-;
mitteo can forco tho return of $211,000 In olovoa
days, what would a legal commlttco be nblo to do
if thoy woro to bo permitted to sit, say thirty daysrj
That is tho question tho doctors of Ohio nrs
asking of each othor. If an illegal committor,
forced thorn to dlsgorgo $211,000, havo not thoy a
right to Insist that tho plunder bo restored to
them. That is another question that tho voters of
Ohio are asking each other. Granting that tho
decision of tho court may bo a Just Interpreta
tion of tho law, tho question arises, who prevent
ed a legal commlttco from doing tho work that
tills illegal committee has dono; and tho answer
is givon above Speaker Carml Thompson is the
man. Ho prevented tho appointment of a Joint
committee which tho supremo court says would
have been legal, and forced tho appointment of
' a senate commlttco which the supremo court gays
is illegal. It was his technical maneuvering that
saved Cox from making complete restitution to
the people of Cincinnati. Is there any wonder
that ho should bo rewarded by Cox with th nonv
ination which ho sought?
It is last year's fight over again. It Is a. ,
fight against bossism and grafters. Tho accident
of death and ono branch of tho loglslaturo lost r
by a vory slender margin provontcd tho peop'
from reaping tho rowards which thoy claimed last
year. Tho work is all to bo dono over again;
and even tho casual observer in Ohio today is
convinced that a determined electorate Is ready
to repeat Its action of last year. The only thing
that can possibly forestall a triumph of tho people
is a lack of interest amongst democrats. If dem
ocrats will take advantage of tho opportunities y
presented this year there is no question but what
victory awaits them. J. G. H.
Serving God At The Ballot Box
In a sermon delivered several years ago, Rev.
II 'A. Crandall, of Chicago, said: "Duty is not
transferrable. We can not worship God by tele
phono or fight the battles of righteousness by
substitutes. Religion reaches into every detail
of life, and includes our duty as citizens. Wo
may serve God at tho ballot box as certainly as
in the church. The man who evades his duty by
leaving tho conduct of affairs in tho hands of tho
professionals is guilty beforo God. Suffrage is
not only a privilege, but an obligation; and tho
'& man wno holds himself too good to voto is too
', ' ,'i bad for tho kingdom of heaven.''
' I t It must be admitted that the reverend gentlo-
i man stated the case in very vigorous fashion;
'At Alexandria, Ind., on the night of Soptpn J and yet who will contend that he did not speak
Der, lo, lyuo, congressman Jiiraa xn. waxson,
"MARK THE PREDICTION J
"republican, of tho Sixth Indiana district, said in
a public speech: "Mark my prediction; beforo
' the end of the Roosevelt administration the
,. trtrong jarm of the United States will reach out and
take over Cuba, as we did in the Philippines."
' Ask tho fathers and mothers whose sons
Eavo been sacrificed in the Philippines on tho
tdtar of imperialism and sordid commercialism
If they want the sons of other fathers and moth-
- Tors similarly sacrificed in Cuba' for the benefit
of the sugar and tobacco monopolies. Do tho
.with authority?
' With evils existing and growing all about us,
Svho will say that we can not serve God at tho
ballot box as certainly as in the church?
Tho man who, on the Sabbath day, elnga
Lead, kindly light," and then, on election day
casts his ballot in support of policies advanced
in the interests of those who oppress the weak
and tho helpless, is by no means discharging his
fluty.
Doubtless there arei many conscientious Chris
tian men who voto with tho trust magnates
people of the United States want to annex an- through Ignorance;- and yet as much as It Is the
tother bunch- of trouble in violatton of solemn duty of the Christian to search the scriptures In
hedges and in violation of common lustiest . order that he maynot be misled, so it is his duty
to observe carefully tho events of tho day andt
study thoughtfully tho policies advanced by po-
lltlcal organizations calling for his voto.
As much as it Is tho duty of the Christian:'
to refrain from doing evil In tho ordinary af-v
fairs of life, to withhold his indorsement front?
questionable transactions, to hurt nobody and tov
give every ono his Just duo, it Is also his duty,
to withhold his indorsement from political parties
or political candidates "who would so arrange tho
policies of tho government that tho few may liva'
in luxury while the many must struggle for baro
existence. It is not only his duty to voto, but itfc
Is his duty to vote right; and voting right means
that ho must make an Intelligent and patriotic
Btudy of tho principles and policies advocated by
tho respective political parties and, without re-t
gard to the prejudices of tho past, cast his vote
with those who seem most willing and most
likely to bring about tho best government and
,to establish policies that will result in the great-
.est good to tho greatest number.
Wo may, indeed, serve God at tho ballot box.
as certainly as in tho church; and when the macT
Jority of the-American people come to appreciate
this clear-cut statement, whenever God Is as
faithfully served at the ballot box as Ho is In
the church, it may bo depended upon that the erj
of trusts, of imperialism, of spoliation and of
corruption will bo at an end, and the probability;
of evils In our public me wiu De reaucea 10 uiw
minimum. ,
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