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The Commoner.,.
VOLUME 7, NUMBER fct
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that tho tariff barons shall havo all that the
traffic will bear all that the patient, long-suf-1
faring consumers among tho rank .antf Ale of
'the republican party will submit tov.
' The tariff barons aro supremo in the repub
lican party. Because this is so the republican
ways and means committee refused to givo re
publicans like Loveriug even the small conces
sion they asked; because this is -so President
Itoosovelt failed to heed tho warning given by
Governor Guild of Massachusetts when ho told
Mr. Roosevelt that tho republican party had a
narrow escape in Massachusetts and all on ac
count of the tariff; because this is so Iowa-republicans'
who several years ago demanded that
tho shelter which the trusts find in the tariff bo
destroyed found it necessary to rovise their plat
form; because the tariff barons are supremo Mr.
Taft who is now seeking the republican nomina
tion" for the presidency announces that he is
not in favor of tariff revision until after tho
presidential election of 1908.
And only two years ago Mr. Taft issued an
order to the effect that Panama canal supplies
would bo purchased abroad in order to protect
the-government from the greed of the tafiff
barons. And only a few months ago, in a speech
delivered in the state of Maine, he declared him
solf so strongly in favor of tariff revision that
tho tariff reformers in the republican party in
terpreted his remarks to mean "immediate re
vision, "hand hailed him as a new leader -who
would surely aid in the deliverance of the help
less consumers within tho republican party.
But because the tariff barons are supreme
in the republican party Mr. Taft's "free trade
order"' proved of no avail and the government,
like the individual consumer, '-continued' to be
hold up by the greedy beneficiaries of that tariff
system which in the very language of Theo
dore Roosevelt political economists have pretty
generally agreed to be "vicious in theory and
harmful in practice."
oooo
OKLAHOMA'S FIRST POLITICAL BATTLE
The first political battle in tho new, state '
of Oklahoma promises to beconae as historic
as those campaigns many years ago in. which
Kansas and Nebraska played such an important
" part, and whlcli had such a great influence upon,
- the'na'tlon. ...
The Oklahoma battle is being waged upon
the issue of freedom from corporate domination
and the right of a people to govern themselves.
The constitution of the new state, which was
written by democrats, covers the advanced
ground that has been gained by a century of
experience, and safeguards the interests of the
people at every point. Naturally' 'this arouses
the resentment of the interests that have so long
preyed upon the people, and those interests are
using the political party that" has always been
friendly to them to defeat the party that has
stood for the Tights of the people and has
offered them the largest measure of protection
In -their civil rights.
The attitude of the republican organization
in Oklahoma towards statehood, tfhd towards
tho new constitution is showii in the following
editorial fror. the Oklahoma City Oklahoman:
"The attitude of the republican party
toward statehood is illustrated -'very aptly
by the plank in tho Tulsa resolutions which
relates to the course it will pursue in cer
tain eventualities. In it the party is
pledged to the extension of the territorial
form of government over Indian Territory
and a demand upon congress for & new
enabling act.
"It appears very evident from this that
the g. o. p. is not going to permit itself to
sweat any blood in securing statehood. It
boldly declares that the constitution should
be defeated, thereby defeating statehood,
and then pledges the party to the exten
sions of the territorial form of government
to Indian Territory.
"In the light of these facts it will have
to bo admitted that our republican friends
are going to find some difficulty in posing
as the champions of statehood. Their ex
pressed opposition to the constitution and
anxiety for a new enabling act gives the
lie to any such professions. If Frantz and
the republican ticket is elected, statehood is
dead. We are back to where we were more
than a year ago, with another long siege of
waiting in store for us."
Oklahoma now has a territorial form of
government, and while the opposition to the
new. constitution claims to base its objections
thereto upon the grounds that it hv socialistic
and revolutionary, it is really based' upon the
fact that statehood will deprive the present ter
ritorial machine of its power and give the, whole
people a voice in the management of Oklahoma
affairs. The opposition to tho new constitution,
which mqans the republican, machine, is growing
desperate in its endeavors to defeat the will
of the people. It has resorted to a "certificate",
scheme to raise money. It makes a specious
appeal to republicans everywhere. to contribute
to "the first campaign in Oklahoma," and every
contributor of $5 receives a certificate setting
forth that fact.
The democrats of Oklahoma have offered
to the voters of the new state not only the best
state constitution ever written, but a ticket that
is, from top to bottom, worthy of the support
of all men. The ticket is as follows: ' , r
United States Senators Robert L. Owen,
Thomas P. Gore. "
Justices Supreme Court1 Jesse J. Dunn, S.
W. Hayes, R. L. Williams, Matthew J. Kane5, J.
B. Turner.
Governor iC. N. Haskell.
Lieutenant Governor George W. Bellamy. ,
Attorney General Charles West. ?' "
Secretary of State William M. Cross. " ''
Treasurer James Mqnefee:
Auditor M. E. Trapp. ;; ' l
Clerk of Supreme Court W. H. L. Camp-,
bell." '"'
State Examiner Charles Talylor. " v"'
Superintendent Public Instruction E.' T)V
Cameron.
Mine Inspector Peter Hanraty.
Commissioner of Charities Miss Kate Bar
nard. Labor Commissioner Charles. Daugherty.
Insurance Commissioner T. J. McComb.
Corporation Commissioners J. J. McAles
ter, A. P. Watson, J. E. Love. ' . ,
This ticket was selected by primaries and
is representative of the will of the majority.
It makes direct appeal to every good interest
in the new state, and its election will mean
that the provisions of the new constitution will
be put into practical operation, and that Okla- ,
homa' will enter upon her statehood career -vyith
every interest of the people safeguarded, and
the rights of every citizen guaranteed.
The Wall
OOOO
reassured
Street Journal
says:
Wall
Street should not forget that Taft is really the
president's candidate for the -presidential ' sue-.
cession, and that he is the inheritor of the presi
dent's policy. Nevertheless Taft id Taft, and not
Roosevelt, and his treatment of the Roosevelt
policies will be Taft-wise, and not Roosevelt
wise. That is the only difference."
A few days later Wall Street read in the
New York World's report of an interview with
John D. Rockefeller the following: "Mr. Rock
efeller was unstinting In his praise of Secretary
Taft and Charles E. Hughes, governor of New
York. 'Both of them,' he said, 'are deliberate
men, safe men.' Secretary Taft, Mr. Rockefeller
said he beHeved to be a man who would do as
his conscience dictated, and that he would not
be guided by the beliefs and policies of a pre1
decessor." Since Mr. Taft delivered his "revise-the-
tariff-after-election speech" Wall Street does!
not appear to be greatly distressed by the Taft
boom,
,oooo ;
ANOTHER QUESTION
The New York World says: "Never was a
democratic party more needed jn the country
than today. But what is democratic policy?
Who are the democratic leaders? What is a
democrat?"
But long ago the Worfd failed to solve that
problem at least to the World's satisfaction.
The more timely -question is "what is the New
York World?" and many careful readers of the
World's editorial page are unable to give the
answer,
OOOO, i
THE FIRST ECHO
The first echo of the president's speech in
favor of "national incorporation" comes from
President Stickney of tho Chicago Great West
ern,, He1 is interviewed in Europe and says he
is a firm, believer in federal supervision and adds
"It will be by federal control that we will be
able tp escape the pettifogging methods of the
pot-houSe. politician who now Is attracting con
siderable attention to himself in the various
states."
President Stickney's comment shows that
the object of national incorporation is to help
the railroads not the people. The state legis
lators who passed, the two-cent rate laws are
the "pot-house politicians" referred to and tho
railroads are very anxious to get rid of these
troublesome creatures. A United States senate
filled with railroad attorneys and trust repre
sentatives would suit the railroads much better
the control would be mild and gentle.
But what do the people think of a scheme
which the railroads endorse so heartily? The
more national inc&rporation is considered the
more objectionable it will be found. .'
i oooo
ONLY XASHES OF LOVE
An interesting discussion is going on be
tween the Omaha World-Herald and Mr. Henry
Watterson. It is well known tha,t Mr. Watter
son has" found much fault in Mr. Bryan, and
out of the goodness of his heart he has been
kind enough to mention these evidences of
weaknessin the hope, of course, that good
may come to the country even though improve
ment be not- noticeable in Mr. Bryan.
' Mr: Watterson has frequently complained
that Mr. Bryan has expressed himself too freely
and openly on living questions. But the Courier
Jourrifll of August 13 printed one editorial that
did' not fin-d fault with Mr. Bryan perhaps that
was because it did not relate -to Mr. Bryan.
In that editorial Mr. Watterson criticised those
republican's who insisted that Mr. Taft should
not define his position on the tariff. In that
editorial Mr. Watterson said that these repub
licans were afraid that Mr. Taft would "be so
unwise as to dwell upon the expediency of a
tariff- reduction." Mr. Watterson said that in
the view of these republicans: "This would be
terrible. It would hurt the party and weaken
Taft as a political chief.' The World Herald
directed attentipn to this editorial and particu
larly to the following extracts:
."Secretary Taft is one of those strong
minded men who, being for a thing, do not
hesitate .to say so; therefore, being a tariff
revisionist, the chanceB are that he is not
apt to make any effort to conceal the fact.
It may weaken him with the party man
agers, who like to" see the campaign- funds
roll in, but the people the independent
voters who know something about the' evils
.of. that tariff are likely to be pleased.
"It is a great trick of politicians now
adays to do what is technically known as
'playing both ends against the middle.'
Now, if Mr. Taft could or would resort to
the trick he might get the lofty and hon
orable fame of being a brilliant, cunning
and successful politician. To hear some
folks talk nothing could be more splendid
than to be a smooth politician, no matter
what sort of public official such a politician
may be.
"7e trouble- with Mr. Taft, however,
is that he seems to be one of those peculiar
persons who dare to prefer to be' honest
rather than shrewd who would rather be
a statesman than a politician."
The World-Herald asked whether the
Henry, Watterson who wrote this editorial ap
proving Mr. Taft is the same Henry, Watterson
who has. been "querulously scolding!1 Mr. Bryan.
In another column The Commoner repro
duces another editorial from the World-Herald
which editorial deals with Mr. Watterson's effort
to explain. .
'. xJE1 &, in?eed, a very interesting discussion
but the World-Herald must not be too hard on
the t great Kentucky editor. Mr. Bryan is not
the only democrat with whom Henry Watterson
has habitually found fault even though the criti
cism was more painful to Henry Watterson than
to the one condemned. Like others who have
bared their backs to the Wattersonian lashes of
love Mr. Bryan will "bear it calmly, , though a
ponderous w6e, and stiil adore the -hand that
gives the blowV and well we know for he him
self has Intimated as much that, iiT paraphrase
of the poet of, old: - i ,
"Henry is hot alwavs nncrv xvVmnk cS.n;0
But most chastises those whom most life likes."
OOOO
.1 i
BO YOU BELIEVE IT?
With Aldrich and Foraker opposing tariff
revision in the senate, "Uncle Joe" Cannon with
his ways and1 means committee opposing tariff
revision in the house, and with the tariff bene
ficiaries providing the campaign fund for the
republican party does anyone imagine that the
tariff will beurevised "after the presidential
election" in the event the republican party wins?
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