AUGUST 25, 1911
I
THE ARIZONA CASE
The readers of The Commoner will pardon
Mr. Bryan if he derives a large amount of satis
faction from the action of congress on the admis
sion of Arizona. The plan adopted by congress
was suggested by Mr. Bryan last February.
In its issue of February 17 just after
Arizona ratified her constitution The Com
moner contained the following editorial:
"The people of Arizona have ratified their con
stitution and await the approval of the authori
ties at Washington. That approval can not be
withheld; the constitution suits the people of
the new state and does not violate the federal
constitution that is all that can bo required.
The people of Arizona think it good, but
whether the Washington authorities like it or
not they have no reasonable excuse for delaying
statehood. If there is any provision in the con
stitution which is objectionable to the people
of Arizona it can be easily removed through the
initiative and referendum what more can
President Taft ask?
"During the recent campaign some of the
officeholders, who are about to lose their
salaries; some of the corporations that do not
like to be regulated, and some of the news
papers that are controlled by foreign capital
assumed to speak for the president and threaten
disapproval, but it would be a reflection on the
chief executive to believe that he would permit
these self-appointed mouth-pieces to speak for
him. Mr. Taft has read the constitution; if he
had intended to disapprove it he should have
said so and pointed out the parts to which he
objected. It is hardly good faith certainly not
generous to keep silent until the people speak
and then withhold statehood because of personal
objection to one or more provisions.
"IF HE THINKS THAT ANY PROVISIONS
ARE OBJECTIONABLE LET HIM POINT OUT
THOSE PROVISIONS AND ASK CONGRESS TO
AUTHORIZE A SEPARATE VOTE ON THOSE
PROPOSITIONS AT THE TIME STATE AND
LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE ELECTED.
"This will give the peple a chance to vote
on those particular propositions, and he would
hardly take the position that the people should
not be allowed to have them if they desire
them."
The next week's issue, February 24, contained
the following open letter to the president:
"To President Taft: Arizona' stands at the
door and knocks will you admit her to the
sisterhood of states? She deserves well at the
nation's hands. Her people are the bravest of
the brave, and they are as intelligent as they
are brave, and as industrious as they ore intelli
gent. They have forced the mountains to give
up their wealth of mineral treasure; they have'
converted vast stretches of desert into gardens
and fields; and, they are patient, too. They
have desired statehood for years and they have
deserved it, too, but hope has been deferred.
At last, an enabling act was passed, and a con
stitutional convention was elected. That con
vention prepared a constitution and that consti
tution has been ratified by an overwhelming
majority. Will you extend the hand of welcome
or will you use your position to deny them the
recognition that they crave? A corporation
controlled press and some ambitious office
holders seemed to speak for you and threaten
the people of Arizona if they dared to adopt such
a constitution as they desired, but they did you
honor to believe that you would have spoken
to them directly, rather than through such
agents, if you had desired to warn them. It
ought to be gratifying to you to know that they
have shown an independence which proves their
capacity for self-government. If their constitu
tion contains anything repugnant to the consti
tution of the United States, the supreme court
can be trusted to nullify it. Can you ask more?
If, however, there is any provision which, while
not a violation of the federal constitution, is so
objectionable to you that you wish it submitted
separately, ask congress to authorize a vote upon
it where state officers are elected. If there Is
any provision so objectionable as in your judg
ment to justify you in rejecting the constitution
unless amended, do not put the people to the
delay and trouble of writing a new constitu
tion, ask congress to make the elimination of
such provision a condition precedent to admis
sion. They can eliminate it when they hold
their state election. Make any conditions you
please, but do not reject their constitution. Let
them come in, and the career of the state will
be such that you will find increasing pleasure hi
the fact that you proclaimed Arizona' a state.
W. J. BRYAN.
The plan was adopted and it satisfied the
The Commoner.
objections of those who personally opposed tho
recall as applied to judges.
Tho application of tho idea in tho case of
Arizona gavo an opportunity to release Now
Mexico from the bondage which hor corporation
constitution had fastened upon her. Welcomo
Arizona and Now Mexico.
TWO GOOD BILLS
Mr. Boehno of Indiana has introduced in tho
lower house two particularly good bills. One
of these measures seeks to prevent Intimidation
or coercion of a membor of congress and the
other seeks to prevent intimidation or coercion
of employees by employers during political cam
paigns. Both these measures ought to pass.
Read them carefully and thon write your
congressman urging him to take interest in theso
measures and help Mr. Boehno enact them into
law. Tho bills follow:
Houso Roll No. 11176. A bill to prevent tho
intimidation, coercion, or undue influence of a
member of congress in tho performance of his
official duties.
Bo it enacted by the senate and houso of rep
resentatives of tho United States of America in
congress assembled:
That it shall bo unlawful for any" person or
persons, firm, association, co-partnership, or
corporation, or any director, manager, superin
tendent, officer, or agent of any such person or
persons, firm, association, co-partndrship, or cor
poration, to cause a suspension of tho business
of such person or persons, firm, association, co
partnership, or corporation, in whole or in part,
or to threaten to cause such suspension for the
purpose of or with tho Intention of coercing, in
timidating, or unduly influencing any member of
either house of congress to perform or to not
perform any act or to pursue or to not pursue
any policy in his official capacity as a member
of congress.
Section 2. That any person or persons, firm,
association, co-partnership, or corporation, or
any director, manager, superintendent, officer,
or agent of any such person or persons, firm,
association, co-partnership, or corporation, found
guilty of a violation of this act shall bo fined not
more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned
for not more than five years, or both, in the dis
cretion of tho court.
House Roll No. 11177. A bill to prevent tho
intimidation, coercion, or undue Influence of
employees of individuals, firms, associations, co
partnerships, or corporations during political
campaigns or at elections.
Be it enacted by tho senate and houso of
representatives of the United States of America
in congress assembled.;
That it shall be unlawful for any person or
persons, association, firm, co-partnership, or cor- '
poration, or any director, manager, superinten
dent, officer, or agent of any such person or
persons, association, firm, co-partnership, or
corporation, to attempt, either directly or in
directly, to influence the political actions or
views of any employee of such person or persons,
association, firm, co-partnership, or corporation
during any political campaign preceding any pri
mary election at which representatives in con
gress or presidential electors, or both, are to be
nominated; or preceding any general election at
which representatives in congress or presiden
tial electors or both, aro to bo elected; or at any
such election, by paying such employee any
salary or wage due him In any form of pay
envelope "upon which there Is written or printed
any political motto, device, or argument con
taining threats, express or implied, intended or
calculated to influence the political opinions,
views, or actions of such employees; or by ex
hibiting or causing to be exhibited In tho estab
lishment or place where any such employee is
engaged in labor any handbill, placard, or notice
of whatever nature containing any threat, notice,
or Information that If any candidate for repre
sentative In congress or presidential elector, or
any ticket upon which is borne the names of any
candidates for representative In congress or
presidential electors, is elected or defeated, work
in such establishment or place will cease, in
whole or m part, such establishment or place
will be closed, or wages of such employees will
be reduced, or other threats express or implied,
or any intimidation or coercion whatsoever, In
tended or calculated to influence the political
opinions, views, or actions of such employee
during such campaign or at such election.
Section 2. That any person or persons, as
sociation, firm, co-partnership, or corporation,
or any director, manager, superintendent, officer,
or agent of such person or persons, association,
firm, co-partnership, or corporation, found
guilty of a violation of Litis act shall bo fined not
moro than five thousand dollars, or niny bo
imprisoned for not more than flvo years, or both,
insthe discretion of tho court. Any Individual
found guilty of a violation of this act may In
addition bo disfranchised for any period of tlmo
not to exceed ten years.
TIIHHH QUESTIONS
First Why do tho republican papers tako
so much Interest In the democratic nomination?
BecauBo they want tho democrats to nominato
their weakest man. They pralso tho democrat
whoso nomination will givo tho republican party
tho best assurance of buccohh whom aro tho
republicans praising most?
Second Why do tho big railroad attornoys
tako so much intorest in tho democratic nomi
nation? Becauso tho president has tho appoint
ment of interstate commorco commissioners, and
United Statos judges. Tho commissioners rogu
late rates and tho Judges suspend state laws
it is desirable, therefore, from a railroad stand
point that tho president bo " a friend." Whom
aro tho railroad attornoys supporting?
Third What interest does Wall street havo
in tho democratic nomination? Wall street
always has irons in the fire. Wall atreot always
wants some bills passed giving favors or other
bills defeated and Is, therefore, always In poli
tics. Whom is Wall street urging Just now?
When you find out whom the republican
newspapers and Wall street aro supporting for
tho democratic nomination you can oppose that
candidate with confidence. By tho way, what
do tho republican papers, the railroad attornoys
and Wall street think of Governor Harmon?
WOOL TAX RAISES TARIFF
Thoso who think that a tariff on WOOL is a
tax on the MANUFACTURERS aro invited to
read tho following from Mr. Underwood's speech.
"I sny that if tho raw material that tho manu
facturer must use is taxed, and his competitor
gets his raw material free, It is not protection,
but Justice, to put such a tax on tho competitor's
finished product as will equalize tho tax placed
on tho homo manufacturer's raw material.
Therefore, when tho tax Is put on tho raw wool
as a moro matter of justice to tho American
manufacturer, you aro compelled to lay that
much tax, at least, on the foreign competitor
who gets his wool free. I do not think tho
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Cannon) will differ
with me In that."
This shows that the tariff on wool is ADDED
to the tariff on the manufactured article. In
other words the rato would havqj been mado
lower than it is if wool had been -put on tho
free list.
0
AN ARKANSAS SUGGESTION
F. H. Layman, Magazine, Ark.,
Tho culmination of the sixteen
years' campaign that has been waged
by the democracy of these United States
under the peerless leadership of Mr.
Bryan will reach fruition in 1912.
Democracy will then win out nation
ally and in most places locally. But I
have a suggestion to make that precludes
the necessity for any considerable cara-
palgn funds for next year. It is this:
Resort now to the necessary means to
get Tho Commoner into the hands of
most of the voters. Let this bo done at
once. I would suggest this plan. There
are at least 400,000 wide-awake demo-
cratic patriots that would give $5.00 each
for' assured success next year. Let them
now select five men each of another poli-
tical leaning, republican, socialist or
mixed, whom they know to bo honest and
send their names and addresses with
$5.00 to The Commoner for a subscrip-
tlon to run from now until after next
year's election. This will obviate tho
necessity for a campaign fund for educa-
tional purposes, for no honest man can
regularly read The Commoner and fail
to indorse with his voto true democracy.
But when the time arrives for the voto
we must have a democratic platform and
a democratic ticket. Not a Joe Bailey
platform and a Wall street ticket. And
this plan will also assure the right kind
of platform and ticket.
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