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The Commoner.
APRIL 28, ifflll
3
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Ollie James on "Democratic" Senators
Ollie James of Kentucky, who Is a candidate
for United States senator against Senator
Payntor, an Aldrlch democrat, challenged tlio
senator to a. joint debate. Senator Paynter de
clined on the ground that such a debate"would
disturb tho "harmony" of the democratic party.
Following is a statement made by Congress
man James in answer to Senator. Paynter:
"When I read Senator Paynter's letter, pub
lished recently, I was forced to exclaim, 'Oh,
harmony, how many excuses aro perpetrated in
thy name!' Senator Payntor could have epito
mizeU in a single line his real reason for not
meeting men in debate by saying HIs official
record as Senator could not be defended.'
"The proud history of tho Kentucky people
is that her lawmakers, especially should meet
them faco to face and explain and defend their
official record. And Senator Paynter occupies
the unique and solitary distinction of being tho
only democrat who was ever sent to the senate
that admitted he was afraid to undertake that
task.
"The senator says we think, alike 'upon the
cardinal doctrines of our party'.' We may think
alike, senator, but we do not act and yoto alike.
Your record as- our senator is a proper sub
ject of discussion. You surely would not want
to cover it up with 'harmony' for if you suc
ceeded in unloading upon the democratic party
of the state a record you were unwilling and
unable to defend before your own party fol
lowers, how on earth would you expect tho
democrats to defend such a record before all
the people of the state in the final battle of
ballots?
"Nothing of a personal nature will be said
by md to offend the sensibilities of even Sena
tor Paynter. I will show to the democracy that
Senator Paynter's record has in it too much
Lorimer, too much whitewash, too much Gug
genheim, too much protectionism, too much
stand-patism and too much Aldrichism.
"Tho Kontucky peoplo admiro an open, frank
fighter, one who can defend his record and
that of "his party againBt attacks in his own
party and that of tho common enemy. Senator
Paynter cannot and has never done oither.
"But when did Senator Paynter got so much
in Jove with democratic success and harmony?
When our democratic brethren in Louisvillo
were in a battle for their very life in 1909 ho
was called upon to aid. Did ho do It? When
our party there was attacked from without and
within, when we needed him, 'our senator,' to
speak for us, for tho democracy of Louisvillo,
where was ho then? Why did ho not como to
their aid? Harmony and success were not so
dear to hira then. Tho success of tho party In
the metropolis of tho state did not appeal strong
enough for him to aid that struggling democ
racy there, and ho was occupying again the lonox
distinction of being the only leader from tho
entire state who refused and failed to lend a
helping hand.
"Come along, senator. I promise to bo as
good as the facts of your official record will
allow me.
"Af full discussion hurts only those whoso
record will not stand. Do you fear this? Come,
senator, let us agree upon a list of joint de
bates covering the entire stato in each con
gressional district. We can draw big crowds.
We can expound the true, old-fashioned demo
cratic doctrines. We can help cheer tho boys
in the trenches onto a glorious victory in re
deeming our state - from the misrule of re
publicanism. 'T have nothing personal against Mr. Payn
ter; wo are good friends, but it is Senator Payn
ter, the official, whoso record I wish to discuss
and which the people aro entitled to hear dis
cussed. I welcome, invite the senator to criticise
my record as a nfember of congress; he has
that right; I invoke no protection of 'harmony'
to shield it; I stand ready to defend it."
TOM L. JOHNSON
-Kansas City' Star: "It is the unique thing 1n
the life of the great civic leader, Tom L. John
son, that, when he had attained wealth ''and
power, he relinquished the chase for more money
and gave his best years to hard and ceaseless
work in the service of the plain people,
'"Jom Johnson's life battle was a fight to give
the masses of the people so square a deal that
they would need no charity or philanthropy. He
had- the clear and honest comprehension that
what the community, the city, could do to make
life cheerful and pleasant for its people was
simply the fulfillments of an obligation. He
saw that the wealth accumulating in varying
degrees of possession was in chief part of the
product of the thrift and toil of alL-the people,
and that to conserve for the public use tho
wealth which the public indisputably created
was not paternalism, but plain honesty.
"It may have been the very fact that in the
first period of his busy life ho was a beneficiary,
of special privilege . which made him; the more
clearly see and feel- the injustices of privilege.
Benefits received do. not often have that effect.
They are usually 'benefits forgot.' It adds luster
to the character and the work of Tom Johnson
that his own experiences were utilized for the
common good, that no sneering suspicion of
his integrity could swerve him from obedience
to his beliefs and that In his life and services
he proved that moral ideals, based on human
fellowship, are quite as potent for getting man
kind along as any material incentives.
, "In, the future histories of the American
people it seems probable now that largest credit
for the. raising of American municipalities to the
plane they must occupy in American' affairs will
be accorded to this truly great mayor of Cleve
land. In the adjustment of manifold intimate
relations of a city's life Mayor Johnson de
veloped a1 field of usefulness as great and as
honorable as any service 'reserved to the larger
state or nation. In that field he labored in
cessantly. The more spectacular of his efforts
those for street railway regulation and munici
pal ownership gained widest attention, for they
hit at the root of the evil of special privilege.
TYet his less dramatic insistence upon, jp.)i
taxation, upon humanely sensible correc
tion of delinquents, upon the development of
civic beauty as a handmaiden to civic helpful
ness to all the people this stout struggle for
equal opportunity stirred and encouraged a vital
civic consciousness throughout all the Ameri
can cities.
"Cleveland shared Tom Johnson with all its
sister municipalities. Not another city entered
a franchise fight, or planned an extension of
activity for the general well being, or sought a"
squaro deal in any form, that It did not receive
help and inspiration from Cleveland's public
servant. If there was no other aid given, there
was the splendid example of dauntless courage
and supreme good humor and good cheer in
the fighting.
, "And so Tom Johnson, mayor, and then just
private citizen, of one of the lesser of the big
American cities, lived his public life, and closed'
all his earthly life, filling a place in the national .
sense of public affairs as big and hopeful and
controlling as the place filled by one whoso
direct concern had been the national business.
Ho leaves thus for all the American people a
heritage of many things accomplished, and, more
than all, of high ideals of manhood and citizen
ship brought closer to fulfillment by his life."
SENATOR MARTIN, "LEADER"
. "The division of the democrats over the elec
tion, of a' senate leader indicates that reactionary
and progressive are terms which may be applied
to factions of both the great political parties.
Senator Martin, who was finally selected leader
by a small margin, was looked on at the last
session .as being one of Mr. Aldrich's right
hand aids. Hia choice doesn't argue that in
tho senate the democratic management will bd'of
a character to impress the country that the
democratic party is worthy to lead the way for
progressive measures. Mr. Bryan will, no
doubt, be roundly berated for his fight on Mar
tin. Mr. Bryan usualy comes in for sharpv
criticism because of the fearless expression of
his views. But Mr. Bryan is right. Tho democ
racy will not do anything for the country so long
as it is a weak 'me too' to tho republicans
of the Aldrich type. In the house there are evi
dences of effective work. Champ Clark has the
country's confidence. But with MaTtin and
Bailey in the saddle in the senate real tariff
reform or any other reform does not seem
probable, unless it is brought about by the
union of the insurgent forces of both parties."
Knoxville (Tennessee) Sentinel.
GOOD FOR UNDERWOOD
The steel trust is trying to coerce Represen
tative Underwood by suspending work on, its
plant in Mr. Underwood's district. The Com
moner congratulates Mr. Underwood. It is
"Vplaln that ho is rendering such faithful service
to the pcoplo that tho trust resorts to old Umo
coercion methods in tho hope of bringing him
into lino. But Underwood is faithful to tho
public Interests and ho will not bo frightened
by tho steel trust nor porsuadod through local
prcssuro brought by those of his constituents
whom tho trust has frightened.
Congress ought to investigate tho profits of
tho steel trust, it should do more. It should
pass a law providing" for tho punishment of
thoso who seek to browbeat members of con
gress and influenco their voto on legislation
through a suspension such as tho steel trust has
now made In tho Underwood district. This law
should also provide punishment for any attempt
on tho part of great corporations to coerce its
employes in their votes upon candidate's for
federal offices.
A BEGINNING MADE
Tho passage of reciprocity through tho house,
is encouraging. Tho voto was so largo that it
can not fall to have an influence on the senate.
Reciprocity is good, not so much because of what
tho agreement actually contains, aa because it
MAKES A BEGINNING, and "beginning is half
tho battle." Tho fanners' free list bill will pass
next week that Is made possible by reciprocity,
and Woo to tho senate If it defeats it, and to tho
president if ho vetoes It! It will not only bring
relief if It passes, but It will sorve to disclose
tho-protectionlsts In tho democratic party. Wo
have some democrats who have just as much
love for protection as republicans have, but lack
the courage to admit It. They want a "revenue
tariff" but thoy want it so carefully drawn as
to give protection to certain favored industries.
They want to' reduce the tariff, of course, but
they always oppose the specific reduction pro
posed. They are like tho business man who
subscrlbod towards building every church pro
posed, but fought tho location so as to delay tho
call for the subscription. The man wjio really
wants tariff reduction will take any ho can got,
and then use that as a basis for securing moro.
Tho ratification of reciprocity is a beginning.
PROGRESSIVES IN THE SENATE
Republican standpatters in the United States
senate havo rejected tho request made by tho
republican progressives for one-fourth , of tho
republican membership of all committees. Tho
progressives declare they will carry their de
mands to the floor of tho senate. Democratic
senators ought to help them to win a fair repre
sentation in senate committees.
FEDERAL INCORPORATION
Secretary Nagol of the department of Com
merce and Labor delivered a speech at Cham
paign, 111., advocating national incorporation in
place of the creation of corporations by states.
He said that the business interests of tho coun
try havo a right to demand protection. That
is true but the people create corporations and
the creator is entitled to some protection from
its creature. Tho corporations rush to federal
courts for their injunctions and show a decided
preferance for thoso courts In all their litiga
tion. They have persistently championed all
schemes to centralize corporation authority in.
tho federal government. But Jt is true that
relief from corporation abuses has come only
from state government. Being nearer the people
the state govornmont is more responsive to the
people's will. Federal incorporation is an end
greatly. desired by men who wish to perpetuate
corporation abuses and those who are-concerned
solely in the public interests should fight tho
proposed change with all possible vIgor
ELECTION OF SENATORS
The democratic house of representatives has
the thanks of men of all political parties for tho
promptness with which it passed the resolu
tion providing for the election of senators by the
people. .In the senate the resolution has been
referred to the committee on judiciary. - This
reference was made after a hot fight by the
friends of the measure.
ASSISTANT REPUBLICANS
"The American Protective Tariff League
doesn't need to waste any time on Texas; its
part of the discussion is ably looked after by
tho Houston Post, the San Antonio Express, the
El Paso Times, the Beaumont Enterprise, the
Corpus Christ! Caller and tho Fort Worth
Record." Waco (Texas) Times-Herald.
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