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VOLUME 11, NUMBER 24
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hood. Wo Boom to liavo hero a bunch of shifty
politicians who talk ono thing boforo olection
and soinothlng ontiroly difforont afterward. That
tlioir double dealing forced an indignant protest
from Mr. Bryan is a fact that history will al
ways treasuro to his credit and to their dis
grace. Torro Hauto (Ind.) Star.
BIIYAN IS RIGHT
Of courso Mr. Bryan is right in his demand
for froo wool. It Is an indofonsiblo outrago
upon our ninoty millions of people to compel
thorn to pay higher prices for their short wool
and Bhoddy clothing than the poople of England
pay for tholr'long wool clothing, merely to givo
a few hundred sheep raisers a theoretical in
17visoof profit at their oxponso, on the wool
" i produco in this country. Wo say
tlieoiw.. 'profit, because, whilo tho sheep rais
ers are Mod to charge higherr prices for their
Inferior wool, tho owners of tho sheep pastures
lncroaso their ground rents ?, absorb tho in
crease of profit in tho wool an'd tho poor de
luded, though "protected," sheep raisers are as
badly off as tlioy wore beforo. Besides, tho
short wool clothing stretches and becomes baggy
and ill fitting in four or flvo months, whilo tho
long staple woolen materials which tho tariff
on tho raw materials provonts us from manu
facturing hero, wear for years without becoming
unshapely.
Of course, wo realize that Mr. Undorwood is
in rather a delicate position in tho matter, bo
causo tho groat steol and iron producing and
manufacturing interests of his state (Alabama)
require a high protective tariff' on their com
modities, to enable them to pay high wages to
their unorganized negro laborers, and the votes
of tho sheep men aro needed to maintain the
protective system; but ho should realize that
it is bettor for a protectionist to vindicate his
principles by staying at homo as a republican,
than to come to congress as a democrat and
thero support republican policies.
Mr. Underwood's retort, that Mr. Bryan voted
for tho Wilson biU containing tho same wool
schedulo which he presents, is a non-sequitur;
all democrats, except tho pro-tariff filibusters,
voted for o Wilson bill on its final passage,
as it is to bo hoped, all democrats will vote for
tho Undorwood bill, on its final passage, how
ever earnestly they may, in tho meantime, urgo
tho amendment of some of its schedules.
Again, it will bo well for some of our lead
ing democrats to remember that Mr. Bryan has
a right to bo heard, even in criticism of tho
august "ways and means committee;" and also
that democratic leaders who seriously disagreo
with Mr. Bryan's well-known views on the tariff
question aro likely to find themselves without
support or following, in tho near future. San
Francisco Star.
FREE RAW MATERIALS
Mr. Bryan's powprful and impressive warning
against any concession to a protective tariff on
wool, derives double forco from tho ftfet that
tho country from Maine to Georgia and from
tho east to tho far west put itself on record last
fall against a tariff on raw materials. Mr.
Underwood says in effect that tho wool schedules
proposed In tho houso are not what Mr. Bryan
thinks them, and wo hope Mr. Underwood is
right in his belief that the schedules do not
recede from tho free raw material principle.
They should confirm and emphasize that prin
ciple. Buffalo (N. Y.) Times.
NECESSARIES AND LUXURIES
Mr. Warburton of Washington, one of tho
now republican insurgents in tho house,- scoffs
at tho Undorwood contention that the wool tax
was needed for revenue. "If tho goyernment
would put a reasonable tax on tobacco, which
may bo considered a luxury," said Mr. War
burton, attncklng the Underwood bill on tho
floor, "it would let in woolen goods, cotton
goods arid sugar without any tariff whatever.
If this country taxed tobacco as England or
Prance does, we could close the doors of all
the customs houses except as to the importa
tion of liquors and tobaccos." Going further,
ho said:
"The American poople are paying six times
as much to tho government on sugar as they
are on 5-cent cigars, 12 times as much on sugar
as on 10-cent cigars, 30 times as much on sugar
as on 2 5-cent cigars and 60 times as much on
sugar as on 50-cent slgars. Tho rich man who
smokes a 3 5-cent cigar pays cent tax on
each dollar's worth of them, while his gardener,
who smokes 5-cent cigars, pays 6 cents tax on
his dollar's worth, and his washerwoman who
The Commoner.
buys a dollar's worth of sugar pays 86 cents
tax on it."
This discrimination In favor of the rich Is not
exceptional; it is tho rulo, AH tho way through
the Taft-Aldrich schedules, as all through tho
Dingloy schedules and all though tho McKinley
schedules, tho same injustice runs. Tho high
ratos of duty aTo always on those articles which
aro consumed by the poor; tho low rates aro
always on those articles which are consumed
by tho rich, tho duty on Mrs. Astor's diamonds
being 15 per cent as against 100 per cent on
the cotton hosiery worn by the Astor chamber
maid. Johnstown (Pa.) Democrat.
)
POPULAR GOVERNMENT
Tho following letter is self-explanatory:
Lincoln, Neb., Juno 9, 1911. Mr. Frank
Wright Burr, New York, N. Y. My Dear Sir:
The answer to the World's editorial Is not diffi
cult to find If ono believes in popular govern
ment. The argument made by the World at
tacks the theory of popular government. It
seems to draw of distinction between popular
government and constitutional government. As
a matter of fact constitutions are made by the
people and always set forth methods by which
they can be amended, and the tendency is to
make tho amendment of constitutions easier
than It used t6 be. The initiative and referen
dum is an amendment to the constitution, and
so Is tho recall. The poople can not have the
initiative and referendum unless they vote for
it, neither can they have the recall unless they
want it, and they can abandon the recall when
ever they get tired of It just as they can the
initiative and referendum.
Judges have no power except as that power
Is conferred by the law or by the constitution,
and tho people who make the laws and who
make the constitutions have tho power to pre
scribe and limit the jurisdiction of Judges. The
idea that the liberties of the people are not safe
in the hands of the people is abhorrent to those
who believe in popular government. The objec
tion to the recall of judges is based on the
theory that the judge is regarded different from
other officials. If that be true, would that not
protect a Judge against an unjust use of the
recall?
If the World Insists upon sufficient time for
deliberation and regulations which will Insure
deliberation, it will be able to' defend its posi
tion, for no one desires to have an official
removed In a gust of passion, but when the
World attacks the right of the people to recall
an official, It disregards the theory upon which
our government is built, namely, that the official
is the servant of tho people and is useful only
as he reflects their wishes. Very truly yours,
W. J. BRYAN.
IN INDIANA
An Indianapolis dispatch to the Cincinnati
Enquirer, says: "The Indiana delegation to the
next democratic national convention will be in
structed to vote for Governor Marshall for the
nomination for president."
Tho foregoing statement was made by Wil
liam H. O'Brien, state auditor, in a manner
that caTried conviction. O'Brien is an acknowl
edged leader of tho party and is in close
touch with what is being done by the democracy
of Indiana.
"There will be no doubt about Indiana being
for Governor Marshall for the nomination," said
O'Brien. "He may not be nominated, but his
state delegation will vote for him. no.t only on
tho first ballot, but on every other ballot."
O'Brien said that the question of second
choice will not be considered for the reason that
the delegation will bo chosen to stick to Gover
nor Marshall from start to finish. He said that
there is practically no doubt but that this plan
will bo adopted.
CULTIVATING THE APPETITE
A reader of The Commoner sends in the
following letter from an employe:
"Dear Sir: I deem it my duty to write you
a few lines, that I am going away to the coun
try on a farm; away from temptation, and where
no drink is sold. I have tried and tried to stop
drinking. I never was like I am now. Years
ago when I built the Solar oil works in this
city, I was a very sober man, and took care of
my people. I know drink has got a hold on mo
and I think by going away in tho country I will
learn to forget It and make a man of myself
again."
And yet there are -many who think that it is
. "legitimate business" to cultivate the appetito
for drink. Is not this hatred of brother?
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THE NEW SHERMAN ACT
Every contract, combination in tho
form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy
in (unreasonable) restraint of trade or
commerce among the several states, or
with foreign nations, is hereby declared
to be illegal. Every person who shall
make any such contract or engage in any
such combination or conspiracy, shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and,
on conviction thereof; shall be punished
by fine not exceeding five thousand dol
lars, or by imprisonment not exceeding
one year, or by both said punishments, in
the discretion of the court. From Lit
erary Digest.
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BREATHE IT IN, WOODROW1
Woodrow Wilson left the far east opposed
to recall of the judiciary. He got as far west
as Denver, when he said: "I would not say
that I am absolutely against recall of judges. I
would rather say that I am unconverted to the
principle."
"While the lamp holds out to burn, the "
but, we'll put it in a more respectful way by
saying that we're mighty glad to see Woodrow
"on the mourners' bench," willing to absorb the
truth and evidently not atall suro that he
hasn't been a great sinner In respect of that
recall..
Mr. Wilson, you have come from the other,
the older side of the nation, where there is
pretty unanimous worship" of property, whore
the hoary old age of antiquated precept and
precedent and principle gets respect no matter
how many fleas there aro in its whiskers, where
millions vote for party simply because it is
party, where even able men don't always trust
in tho people.
YoU come out here into the west into a
different atmosphere. Our great plains, our
towering mountains, our mighty rivers, even our
vast deserts teach enterprise, courage, freedom,
self-reliance, fearlessness of purpose and love
of country, because it is our country.
You come where men have conquered the
worst that nature had to offer and have learned
to do and to dare, men who lynch a wrong when
they find it as thoroughly as their ancestors
lynched a scoundrel in '49. Cowardice, subser
vienco to political fakirs, worship of judicial
dignity and other evil disguises don't cut much
figure in our atmosphere, Woodrow, and we sure
want you to breathe into your very soul a whole
lot of the man-making, nation-lifting oxygen
of our environment.
Woodrow, the bigness of our great west breeds
bigness of heart, bigness of purpose. Take it
in. Inhale it. Give .your New Jersey lungs
full play! Wichita (Kan.) Beacon.
CONCENTRATED CONTROL OP WEALTH
Speaking at Harrisburg, Pa., In a gathering
of democrats, Governor Woodrow Wilson, of
New Jersey, said:
"The plain fact is that the control of credit
is dangerously concentrated in this country.
Tho money resources of the country are not at
the command of those who do not submit to
the direction and domination of small groups
of capitalists who wish to keep tho economic
development of the country under their own
eye and guidance. The great monopoly in this
country is tho money monopoly. So long as
that exists our old variety and freedom and
individual energy of development are out of the
question. Our system of credit is concentrated.
The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our
activities,. are in the hands of a few men, even
if their actions be honest and Intended for the
public interest, aro necessarily concentrated on
the great undertakings in which their money is
Involved and who Necessarily, by every reason
of their own limitations, chill and check and
destroy genuine economic freedom. This is
the greatest question of all and to this states
men must address themselves with an earnest
determination to serve the long future and the
true liberties of men."
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--V.MhMWMIU Ui W lU ,J -
farm journal of national scope, will be
sent to all Commoner subscribers who
month of June at regular rates, if this
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