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The Commoner.
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 23
4
The Commoner.
1SSUETD WEEKLY.
WlIXIAM J. llnYAK
Kdllornml Proprietor.
HICHAM) I Mktcai.fk
Arrecluto Editor.
CiunutB W. Hryam
Fubltohw.
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nob.
Mr. Nagle seems to have Director of the
Census North going south.
Anything familiar ahout those declarations
from tho heart of the African jungles?
If tho tariff is to he revised downward thero
wiil hlivo to bo an awful slump pretty soon.
'-'My policies" seem to bo getting it in just
about tho same place no thoeo South African
lions.
Some of the speeches that have been made
in favor of the lumber tax have the odor of
pine forests.
Thero are some hides on the freo list tho
consumers', for Instance. Everybody takes a
whack at them.
The Roosevelt game bag in three woeks con
tains more slain lions than it did slain trusts
after seven years of furious trust "busting."
A now constitution has been promulgated in
Turkey, but the chances are that in a year or
two it will bo shot as full of holes as another
constitution we know about.
An eastern paper declares that New England
Js investing $54,000,000 in new mills and fac
tories. It is barely possible that a goodly por
tion of this immense sum is being invested in
probable tariff schedules.
An Iowa man whoso eyesight is failing has
beon. sentenced to a term in the penitentiary
and is rejoicing at the thought that state treat
ment may save his eyes. Ho will not be the
first man who has gained a new point of view
by serving a sentence.
Admiral Taussig has abolished the "9 o'clock
evening gun" at the Portsmouth navy yard, ex
plaining that it wakened the navy yard babies.
Portsmouth people protested, but the admiral
stood pat. Tho man who stands by tho babies
Is a pretty good man to depend upon in timo
of need.
One of the democratic senators tried to just
ify his refusal to be bound by tho free lumber
plank of tho democratic platform by saying that
it was made by a handful of men at mid-night.
But he neglected to say it was ratified by a
national convention and supported by 6,400,000
voters. He also neglected tho handful of pine
land owners who furnish the platform which
he does consider binding.
THE TARIFF IN THE SENATE
Defending his course In repudiating . the dem
ocratic national platform Senator Bailey, speak
ing in tho senate, said:
"Tho convention goes to the full extent or its
authority when it names a candidate and adopts
a platform declaring the principle of the party.
That has been generally accepted by men of all
parties, and this acceptance has found a very
distinguished exemplification in the gentleman
who now criticises the democrats and whose
criticism the senator from Missouri has echoed.
"In 1892 the national platform expressly
and emphatically declared without reserve or
qualification in favor of a law to repeal the tax
of 10 per cent on the issue of state banks the
tax of 10 per cent on institutions which put out
tho notes of state banks, which was in effect,
the same thing. At that time there sat in the
house of representatives William J. Bryan, rep
resenting a Nebraska district, and, when the
democratic party in the house of representatives
attempted to fulfill tho pledge of the national
convention, Mr. Bryan refused to be bound by
it, and voted against that specific, direct and
positive pledge which the democratic party had
made to the people of the United States and
on which it had won a great triumph.
"I have no criticism to make of him, further
than to repeat against him and his friends, tho
criticism against us in which they now indulge.
"You will find, upon an examination of the
record, that Mr. Bryan not only refused to
be bound by that declaration, but asserted the
doctrine that a congressional district had the
power to bind its representative against the
authority of the party in national convention
assembled; and, although Mr. Bryan voted and
spoke against tho redemption of that pledge,
he has been three times nominated by the dem
ocratic party since then for the presidency of
the United States.
"Mr. President, to illustrate the folly of al
lowing a convention to instruct legislators as
to details, I only need to call attention to the
fact that that platform pledged us to put logs
on the free list, when logs were already on ther
free list. Obviously, they did not know what
it was necessary to do, and I do not think they
knew what ought to be done."
Following are extracts from the report of
one day's proceedings in the senate:
Senator Nelson W. Aldrich "got a rise" out
of Senator Beveridge of Indiana by expressing
to the senate his pleasure and encouragement
over the fact that the Indiana senator seemed
inclined to support an amendment of the senate
committee on finance regarding the duty on
window shades. "Of course," said Senator Aid
rich, "he has never quite gone far enough with
us to vote with us, but I still hope he may vote
with the committee soon."
"I am sorry the senator made that remark,"
said Senator Beveridge. "I know it is true of
himself, and I believe it of every other senator
here, that we prefer to vote with the finance
committee if it is possible to do so. No senator,
however, can afford to vote with the committee
when the facts upon which its position is based
are wrong. Neither the judgment nor the con
science of any senator will permit him to do
that. I do not think the senator from Rhode
Island or anybody else has a right under these
circumstances to administer a rebuke or make
an appeal."
Later in the debate, Senator Aldrich "got
back" at Senator Beveridge, following a long
colloquy -with Senators Dolliyer and Beveridge
as to what credence should "be given evidence
on the tariff schedules. Senator Aldrich had
announced his unwavering allegiance to the
testimony of American manufacturers as against
all others, while Senator Beveridge cited the
testimony of an admitted representative of the
cotton industry who had declared himself sat
isfied with the old Dingley cotton rates. In the
course of his remarks, Senator Beveridge inti
mated that protective duties were added to the
price paid by consumers, which sentiment Sen
ator Aldrich hastily grasped.
"This speech shows the dangers of associa
tion," he began. "I have heard that sort of ar
speech from democrats; rarely from republi
cans, and never from protectionist republicans.
All the privates in this controversy seem to be
on tho democratic side, while all the brigadiors
are over here."
"They think thoy are over there," interpolated
Senator Bailey.
"A free-trade tariff reformer would have used
the precise language of the senator from In
diana," continued Senator Aldrich. "Those who
would destroy the whole system of the protec-
tive tariff would say that the. cost to the con
sumer was increased by the amount: of protec
tion given. So far as I am concerned the in
terests represented by the manufacturers of this
country will continue to have more weight with
me than those of the importers, who, while thoy
are Americans, serve, nevertheless, intercrs
which aro not American."
Tariff reformers were greatly encouraged
when in a speech delivered in Chicago Sat"r
day night, Secretary of the Treasury MacVeah
advocated tariff revision downward. Mr. Mac
Veagh's speech was interpreted as meaning a
warning from President Taft. Later, however,
an Associated Press dispatch announced that
Speaker Cannon, Senator Aldrich and Repre
sentative Payne had had many conferences with
Mr. Taft, and had been assured by him that
he would not veto the tariff bill. Another
Washington dispatch states authoritatively that
Secretary MacVeagh's speech had not been read
by Mr. Taft before it was delivered, and that
Mr. MacVeagh did not reflect 'Mr. Taf t's senti
ments on the tariff question.
The following are the extracts from one day's
proceedings:
During an acrid colloquy between the senators
from Wyoming and Wisconsin, Mr. Warren
asked what had been the net result of the efforts
of the Wisconsin senator in enlightening con
gress on "the interests they were serving."
This inquiry followed a declaration by Mr.
LaFollette, in which he said: "I want to be
lieve that there aTe men on this floor who do
not know the interests they are serving."
Asked as to the results of his campaign of
enlightenment, Mr. LaFollette, showing much
Seeling, said: "They have been pretty good.
When I came here I stood alone, and now thero
are a dozen who stand with me."
The gavel of the presiding officer kept time
' with applause in the galleries. Order was re
stored and Mr. LaFollette continued:
"And the results will be better, let me tell
the senator from Wyoming. The lines will be
broken not only in the middle and the extreme
west, but in the east as well. I think I know
what I am talking about.''
Senator Culberson in a statement to the pub
lic called attention to the democratic attitude
in relation to an income tax. He said:
"At the beginning of the discussion of tho
tariff at this session, the democrats met twice
in conference and the tariff generally, as well
as an income tax, was fully discussed. There
was comparatively a full attendance and the
decision was unanimous upon the subject.
While no formal resolution was adopted or
agreement entered into, it was formally agreed
to support the income tax amendment which
had been prepared by Senator Bailey, and was
to be introduced by him. So far as I know or
believe there has been no change in sentiment
and I have no doubt, therefore, that all demo
crats will support the amendment and will in
sist upon a prompt disposition of it tomorrow."
LaFollette and Aldrich clashed in the senate
when it came to the amendment of the wool
schedule. In this Aldrich had his way as usual,
and the twenty-four amendments offered by the
Wisconsin senator were defeated by a vote ofi
32 to 44. Following are extracts from the As
sociated Press reports:
"I would like to know," said the senator from!
Rhode Island, "how my friend from In
diana' (Mr. Beveridge) and my friend from
Iowa (Mr. Cummins) will explain their votes in
reducing the protection which probably afford
ed the wool growers of the United States, 40
and 50 per cent, by their action in this matter."
"It will keep us much busier," interposed
Mr. Clapp, "in explaining somebody's else
votes."
This declaration called forth applause from
the galleries, which was quickly suppressed by
Vice President Sherman. "My votes need no
explanation," responded Mr. Aldrich, "either to
myself or to my constituents to whom I am di
Tectly responsible."
As he was speaking-, Mr. Aldrich produced s
telegram which he had just received, quoting
tho Liverpool price' of merinos at 13 cents.
That, ho said, would mean a duty of 6 centg
a pound on. these merinos, the woolen goods
that come more severely in competition with
those of the United States than others.
No sooner had Mr. Aldrich taken his seat,
than Mr. LaFollette was upon his feet. "That
statement of the senator from Rhode Island,"
he said with impetuous language, "is an im
peachment of the leadership of the senator from
Rhode Island. The want of confidence which
has come to some republican members in this
body would find justification in his course hera