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The Commoner,
VOLUME -11 DUMBER 49
SHALL THE PEOPLE RULE
The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY
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Bntcrod at tho Postofilco at Lincoln, Nebraska,
kh second-class matter.
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PASS IT ALONG
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WlXXTAH J. BXVAM
Kdltor and Proprietor
XUCIIASD Ii. Mjctcalfk
Attoclato Editor
OlIAJUJH W. BUT AH
Publisher
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Office, 824-330 South 12th Street
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
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RECEIVED IN SILENCE
An Associated Press dispatch says: Chicago,
0 f A ffpr OHPJinlrn th rlfrnnf nttnnlra nf
' . ) Burrage Farwell, head of the Chicago
temperance forces, the Christian Endeavorers
and a score of temperance societies, the brewers
In attendance at the second international brew
ers' congress received a shock at the closing
banquet, when one of their own number attacked
breweries and delivered an excoriation of them
little short of the best efforts Mr. Farwell might
have put forth had he had a chance. Tho
speaker was H. Hamilton, president of. the
Houston Brewing company, of Houston, Texas.
He had heard a resolution submitted for adop
tion, reading: "Resolved,, that public drinking
places, which are the haunts of vice, are dan
gerous and should be eliminated."
"I have waited for some brewer to arise and
tell what he knows of this truth," Mr. Hamilton
said. "There can be no doubt that the sale of
liquor in disreputable places should be stopped.
What Is tho use, however, of adopting resolu
tions like these when it is well known that most
of the improper places in large cities are in
some way owned or controlled by breweries. If
tho brewer does not own the license, he owns
the building or business or is in some other
way In control. Some of you think the fight
against the prohibition wave has been won, but
it has not; it only has begun. Tho owning of
these disreputable places and the protection of
them bUhe brewing interests is what gives us
a black eye. The anti-liquor interests take these
facts and make capital of them,,, as they justly
should. A few yearB ago it was this way in
Texas, btft'we cut ourselves off from such in
stitution and we have won our way back. I
know wtiat I say is true, because I have visited
every large city in America and found out for.
myself." '
His remarks were received in silence.
"GIVE THE VOTERS A CHANCE 1"
Editorial in Chicago Record-Herald: Tho
president's secretary,, Mr. Hilles, announces
that his chief, as candidate for another term,
is entirely willing to submit his candidacy,
along with La Follette and others, to a popu
lar presidential primary in Ohio.
In that state, as in many others, a presiden
tial primary can b arranged by the voluntary
action of the party organizations. In six states
only New Jersey, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North
Dakota, Oregon and Texas does the law pro
vide for a presidential preference primary, It
Is as certain as anything can be, however, that
the presidential primary- idea la gaining favor
every day. Why should not the voters express
their preference as to Mthe people's office" par
excellence in the national sphere as they express
It .with reference to governors, mayors, legisla
tors and all sorts of minor officials?
Mr. Taft's acceptance of the presidential pri
mary for his own state la significant and impor
tant. It should remove much opposition and
cause the idea to march. "Give the -voters a
chance!"
The democratic precinct club organization
work is now proceeding ininf encouraging way.
Every Commoner reader ought to help in this
work. Tho headquarters of this movement has
prepared a pledge to which it asks the signa
tures and address of all democrats who want to
keep the democratic party true to its great mis
sion. The Commoner prints herewith a copy
of this pledge and asks every reader to clip
tho same and forward it to Senator Robert L.
Owen, chairman Federation Democratic Precinct
clubs, Washington, D. C. ' The headquarters will
send out on request printed copies of this
pledge. Here it is:
$
Shall the People Rule? is the
Overwhelming Issue"- Democratic
National Platform, 1008.
PLEDGE
The Presidency in 1012.
Organize
Let Us
I believe in The Rule of the People, and the party and tho legal mechanism to make it effec
tive; an Honest Registration and Election Laws, a thorough going Corrupt Practices Act and
in tho Election of Senators by the direct vote of the people.
I favor the election of party committeemen and of party delegates to the Democratic National
Convention of MEN who are KNOWN to favor the People's Rule Program as above indicated and
the progressive principles of the Jeffersonian Democracy.
It is of the utmost importance to the masses of the people that a man be nominated as candi
date for the presidency who is Democratic from Principle, who is Identified with the Progressive
Movement to bring the government closer to the people and make it responsive to the peoples'
will and one who is Courageous Enough to lead a fight for such, principles.
I will endeavor to attend all Caucuses, Conventions and Primary Elections of the party and
will assist in organizing a Democratic Precinct Club in my precinct as a part of the National
Federation of Democrat Precinct Clubs and will assist in making effective the principles above
set forth in seeing that the Democrats are registered and attend the primaries and elections.
Name '. . P. O,
County ..-.,, R. F. D.
NOTE If you favor the above principles and desire to see them enacted into law kindly sign
this slip and mail it to R. L. Owen, Chairman Federation Democratic Precinct Clubs, Washing
ton, D. C. ,
(SEE OTHER SIDE) '
On the reverse side of this pledge the following appears:
T"
AN APPEAL
The time for action is at hand and we appeal to progressive democrats to Imr
mediately" write for copies of the constitution, by-laws, organization blanks, and
literature for use in organizing precinct clubs that will affiliate with the State. and
National -Federation of Democratic Precinct Clubs in an effort and determination
to have the Democratic platfoum declare for progressive principles and to nominate
candidates who are in sympathy with and who will wage a fight in behalf of the
principles set forth In the platform. .AddreBS
THE FEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT CLUBS
Bliss Building, Washington, rD;C
MR. TAFT'S NEW JUDGE
President Taft must soon assume the duty
and responsibility of appointing another su
preme court judge. It will make the fifth mem
ber of that great tribunal ho has appointed dur
ing the short period of two and one-half years.
Whether it is a good court or a bad or indif
ferent one, the present one will bo as emphati
cally Taft's court as it can be through the
power of appointment. No president, since the
court was first established, has exerted so tre
mendous an influence upon tne supreme court;
for tho time has gone by when one believes that
a president of the United States doesn't know
how a judge he is about to appoint will stand
on certain great fundamental questions that are
Involved In pending litigation or litigation Boon
to bo brought.
Taft'a appointments have been Charles E.
Hughes, Horace Lurton, Joseph R. Lamar and
Willis Van Devanter. In addition, he promoted
Justice White, a democrat, to be chief Justice.
' As tho last appointment .was really a promo
tion It didn't Involve the appointment of an
additional judge.
In the important cases Involving Standard Oil,
the Tobacco trust and other great commercial
combines, upon which the court has taken action
since Taft became president, these four judges
as well' as Chief Justice White have stood to
gether without a single difference. They helped
write the word "unreasonable" Into the Slier
man anti-trust law, and are accepted by the
interests as "safe and sane" as contrasted with
judges who might be in sympathy with the ris
ing tide of reform that is developing through
out the country.
Unless President Taft is careful in his selec
tion to fill tho vacancy Judge Harlan's death
made, his nominee will be met with an organized
reform opposition in the senate when it comes
to confirmation. It is doubtful if a majority
in the senate can be brought to stand for an
other "conservative," such as any ono of the
tour judges Taft has already appointed. Pro
gressive republican senators will particularly
fight the confirmation of such a judge, and the
great bulk of the democrats will be likely to
become comrades with them in such a struggle.
Since the supreme court has gone into tho busi
ness of making laws the majority of the senate
will be justified on Insisting that the new judge
shall either make such laws as the public wel
fare requires or stay out- of the law-making
business altogether, and leave that governmen
tal function to congress.
The encroachments of the federal judiciary;
upon the legislative department of the govern
ment has arouaed the people the country over.
It is these encroachments that have given th
impetus to Judicial recall that Taft was con
fronted with In California. The people dont
propose to permit Judges, whether state or
federal,, to assume the powers of legislation
without taking effective means to check their
ambitions. They will no more stand for a judi
cial oligarchy than they will for money oli
garchy. Denver News.
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