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The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 9, NO. 3
Lincoln, Nebraska, January 29, 1909
Whole Number 419
CONTENTS
THE SALARY QUESTION
THE OREGON PLAN VINDICATED
STUDY COURSE FOR COMMONER
READERS
. A WORD OF WARNING
PAYING CAMPAIGN BETS .
EDUCATIONAL SERIES NO. 1 ALIEN AND
SEDITION LAWS
WHAT OF DEMOCRACY'S FUTURE?
PROTECTION FOR. THE INSANE
THE FUTURE OF SILVER
COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS x
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT '
NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE OREGON PLAN VINDICATED
Governor George E. Chamberlain, of Oregon,
has just . been elected United States senator
from that state. He is the first senator ever
elected "according to -the Oregon eplan, and ho
being a democrat, elected by a republican legis
lature in pursuance to 'pledges made to
the people by the candidates for the legis
lature, his election is a vindication of the Ore
gon plan, and the Oregon plan is a long step
toward the" popular election of senators. In
fact, it goes as far as the state can go without
an. amendment to the federal constitution.
In the last issue of The Commoner attention
was called to this plan as it is embodied in the
bill presented in the Nebraska house of repre
sentatives by Hon. Fred B. Humphrey. It is
commended to the attention of the democratic
legislatures now in session in the various states.
(The bill is reproduced in this issue, page 5.)
The Nebraska legislature will undoubtedly en
act a law substantially like the one in Oregon
and thus bring to the people of the state the
benefits of the popular election of senators. In
the close states, where such a plan is most
effective, it is quite certain that enough candi
dates will agree to abide by the result of the
popular vote to assure the election of the peo
ple's choice.
This plan is especially commended to the
legislatures of Colorado, Nevada and Indiana,
where democratic governors occupy the execu
tive office and can act in harmony with the
democratic members in securing the adoption
of the Oregon plan. In Ohio, Minnesota and
North Dakota, the democratic governors may
have influence enough with the republican legis
latures to secure the adoption of the plan, and
in other states like South Dakota, Iowa and
Kansas, the reform element in the republican
party may be strong enough, when its vote la
added to the democratic vote, to secure this
measuro of reform. In Missouri there ought
to be sufficient co-operation between the demo
crats and the reform republicans to secure the
passage of a law submitting the Oregon pledge
to candidates for the legislature.
These states are mentioned especially because
they are contested states. In the states that
are considered sure one way or the other, the
adoption of the Oregon plan might not ma
terially affect the result, but the principle is
right and the plan ought to be adopted every
where. It will not only help to coerce the sen
ate into consent to the election of United States
senators by the people, but it will give the peo
ple of the states which adopt it the nearest
approach that can be made, as. the federal con
stitution now stands, to popular election.
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IN AMERICA?
THE SALARY QUESTION
A bill is before congress for the increase of
the president's salary to $100,000, and an
increase in the salary of the federal judges is
also contemplated. It may be well for our
legislators to consider the effect of the increases
proposed. Until Grant's time the president's
salary was $25,000. It was then raised to
$50,000, and now it is proposed to double it
again. There has already been a largo increase
in the allowance made for the expenses of the
White House, and with each increase in the
expenditures of the chief executive, the country
makes a nearer approach to the court customs
of the old world. Is it impossible to resist the
temptation to ape monarchical institutions? Is
the sentiment which -led our forefathers to es
tablish a republic and to frame it with a view
to simplicity and economy is this sentiment,
after all, too weak to stand against the pressure
for the show and tho ostentation that accom
pany authority in the Orient and in Europe?
Must the president live so far above the people
who pay the taxes, and so far from the pro
ducers of wealth as to be thrown entirely with
the richer members of society? There is a
tendency, seemingly irresistible, to live up to
the salary, no matter how large it is, and .a
doubling of the president's salary would mean
an "Increase in the complexity and in the ex
pensiveness of life at the White House. It is
proposed to withdraw tho $25,000 traveling al
lowance, in case the president's salary is in
creased, but that would not be permanent; in
a very short time the new standard of life
would absorb the president's salary and. there
would be the same clamor for traveling ex
penses. Is it not time to consider whether such
expanding expenses are in harmony with the
spirit of our government and with the ambitions
and aspirations of our people?
There is talk also of an increase of tho
salary of federal judges, but is there not also
another side of the question? The judge, too,
lives up to his salary, and the amount that ho
receives largely decides in what social circle
he will move. Give him $5,000 a year and his
summer vacations will be spent whore he comes
in contact with those who, In taking a brief
respite from the routine of life, seek some quiet
and inexpensive resort. Make the judge's salary
$10,000 and he will select a new summer re
sort where he will be thrown into association
with those who spend a larger sum upon their
summer vacations. Raise the salary to $15,000
and he will make another move and enter a
hew class; and he is naturally more or less affect
ed by the opinion of the class with which he as
sociates. Public opinion Is a potent influence
even with .. judge. Dooley says that whether
the constitution follows the flag or not is a dis
puted question, but that there is no doubt that
the supreme court follows the election returns.
Not only does the result of an election uncon
sciously influence the mind of judges, rut the
conversation which he is in the habit of hear
ing and the opinions that are expressed in his
presence, imperceptibly mould his thought. If
a judge's salary Is such that his association is
with those who enjoy large salaries, and he is
shut off from contact with those who struggle
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