''rwnr,"w'TVY :
The Commoner
NOVERffiER, 1913
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WRITE YOUR SENATORS.
Do not permit your senators to be misled into the belief that the bankers
reflect the sentiment of the masses of the people as to currency legislation. The
senators are entitled to a communication from the rank and file of the demo
cratic party so that they may know what the consensus of opinion may be.
The President's Policies Approved
The elections of 1913 give an emphatic ap
proval of the Democratic administration. The
result can not be accepted otherwise than as a
distinct endorsement o the policies of the Presi
dent as thus far announced. New Jersey, his
home, rolls up a majority of over 30,000, for
Governor Fielder, who succeeded to the office
upon Governor Wilson's elevation to the Presi
dency and who has carried out the reform pro
gram of his predecessor. The Democratic party
polls a larger percentage of the total vote than
it did last fall and secures control of both the
Senate and the House. Essex County, the home
of Smith and Nugent the leaders of the re
actionary element went for Fielder, thus end
ing the division in the state and unifying the
party on the side of progressive legislation. It
was a great taBk that President Wilson, then
Governor, took upon himself when he started out
to put New Jersey, the home of the trusts, in the
reform column. The success that attended his
offort focused national attention upon him and
he went from Trenton to the White House to
continue his reform work. It is gratifying to
the Democrats throughout the nation that his
home state Is still on the firing line and ready for
the conflicts yet to come.
Maryland gives an additional reason for Demo
cratic rejoicing. The Democratic majority is
big enough to satisfy the most exacting; and,
what is more, Maryland, in the election of Blair
Lee to the United States Senate adds one to the
working majority in that body where a few more
Democrats can be used to an advantage. Lee is
u. pioneer among the progressive Democrats of
the east. He was active in the campaign of 189 G
and his activity has constantly increased.- He
was nominated for the Senate without opposi
tion aud elected by a record breaking vote. He
Their Faith Justified
Below will be found the resolution adopted
by the Philippine assembly expressing its grati
fication for the promise of ultimate inde
pendence. The resolution deserves careful
reading. The Filipinos have waited, some of
them impatiently, for an authoritative decla
ration of our nation's intention to recognize
us "binding .upon us the principles of the
Declaration of Independence. That declaration
has been made. The United States can now
stand erect, looking the world in the face, and
Tepeat the fundamental doctrine that "Govern
ments derive their just powers from the consent
of the governed."
The fulfillment of this promise will not ba
difficult; the working out of the subject 'ill be
easier than it looks, because we will have a
definite purpose and an end in view.
The President has not been in his office long,
but he has already had time to make his ad
ministration illustrious by applying to the pres
ent day and to new conditions the time-honored
principles of Jefferson and Jackson.
Resolution of the Philippine Assembly in
answer to the President's Message Delivered by
Governor-General Harrison in his Inaugural Ad
dress We, the representatives of the Filipino people,
constituting the Philippine Assembly, solemnly
declare that it is evident to iis that the Filipino
people have the right to be free and independent,
so that in advancing. along the road of progress it
is the second senator to be elected by popular
vote under the new amendment to the constitu
tion and the first chosen as a result of u contest.
Senator Bacon of Georgia was elected by the
people, but he had no candidate against him.
Lee had an opponent a former Republican
congressman who made the mistake of saying
that Maryland should send a senator to Wash
ington "to tie the President's hands." "Mary
land, my Maryland" is likely to becomo still
more popular as a musical number at Demo
cratic gatherings.
And what shall we say of Massachusetts?
The landslide for Walsh is very s'gnificant in
view of the fact that the Democratic conven
tion endorsed the new tariff law. Walsh wan
personally popular but personal popularity will
not account for the result in Massachusetts.
The Democrats not only elected every state offi
cial but made large gains in the legislature.
The Bay State is breaking away from protection,
and when the Republican party can not defend
its pet theory in Massachusetts, to what state
can it look for comfort?
There were local contests in many places and
the returns show a distinct leaning toward the
Democratic party. The tide is still rising and
the President has reason to feel that tariff re
duction and currency reform are approved by
the voters.
The election of Mitchel in New lork can not.
be taken as a Democratic reverse. Mitchel was
the President's appointee for Collector of the
Port at New York and held the office until he
resigned to enter the campaign. The victory
cannot be so interpreted as to put New York City
in an attitude of opposition to the administration.
W. J. BRYAN.
will, on its own responsibility, work out its pros
perity .and manage its own destiny for all the
purposes of life. This was the aspiration of the
people when it took up arms againi. Spain, and
the presence of the American flag, first on
"Manila Bay and then in the interior of the Archi
pelago, did not modify, but rather encouraged
and strengthened the aspiration, despite all the
reverses suffered in war and difficulties encount
ered in peace. Being called to the ballot box,
'the people again and again ratified this aspira
tion, and since the inauguration of the Philippine
Assembly, the national representative Uody has
been acting in accordance with the popular will
only. Thus, in the midst of the most adverse
circumstances, the ideal of the people never
wavered, and was respectfully tnd frankly
brought before the powers of the sovereign
country on every propitious occasion. On the
other hand, our faith in the justice of the Ameri
can people was as great and persistent as our
ideal. We have waited in patience, confident
that sooner or later all errors and injustices
would be redressed. The message of the Presi
dent of the United States to the Filipino people
is eloquent proof that we have not waited In
vain. We accept said message with love and
gratitude, and consider it a categorical declara
tion of the purpose of a nation to recognize the
independence of the Islands. The immediate
step of granting us a majority on the commis
sion 'places in our hands the instruments of
power and responsibility for the establishment
of a stable Filipino government. We highly ap
preciate and are deeply gratefil for the confi
dence reposed in us by the government of the
United States. We look upon the appointment
of the Honorable Francis Burton Harrison uh
Governor General as tho unmistakable har
binger of the new era, in which wo expect the.
attitude of the peoplo to bo one of decided co
operation, and finally we believe that happily
the experiments of imperialism have como to an
end, and that colonial exploitation has paused
into history. Tho epoch of mistrust has boon
closed, and tho Filipinos, upon having thrown
open to them the doors of opportunity, aro re
quired to assume the burden of responsibility
which It would be Inexcusable cowardice on thoir
part to avoid or decline. Owing to this, a few
days have sufficed to bring about a good under
standing between Americans and Filipinos,
which it has been impossible, to est"bllah during
the thirteen years past. Wo arc convinced that
every onward step, while relieving the American
government of its responsibilities in the islands,
will as fully demonstrate the present capacity of
tho Filipino poople to establish a government of
its own, and guarantee in a permanent manner
tho safety under such government of tho life,
property and liberty of the residents of the
islands, national as well as foreign. We do not
wish to say by this that there will be no difll
pultles and embarrassments, nor do we even, ex
pect that the campaign, open or concealed, of the
enemies of the Filipino cause will cease soon,
but we feel sure that through a conservative use
of the powors entrusted to uh, the Filipino peo
ple will with God's favor and the help ol America
emerge triumphantly from the teat, however
difficult It may be.
Carefully compiled statistics show that the
prices of all commodities in the United States
havo risen 40. 7 per cent slnco tho Dlngloy law
was passed in 1897. Equally reliable statistics
all compiled by tho government show that
wages increased but 28.8 per cent during the
same period. The 27 per cent tariff tax of the
new democratic tariff law, which replaces the
4G per cent tariff tax of tho Dlngley law, will
materially reduce the gap between wages and
prices that now exists, just as the 40 per cent
tax of tho Dlngley law widened that gap.
THE THIRD MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT
The Springfield (Mass.) Republican of Novem
ber Cth, has the following Interesting comment
on the election returns in the Third Massa
chusetts district (a Worcester county district):
"The Third district is the heart of the com
monwealth and contains many manufacturing
towns precisely the kind of district, one would
suppose, to be affected by the new tariff law- A
year ago, tho late Congressman Wilder carried
tho district for the republicans by a plurality of
3,203. His republican successor this week was
elected by a plurality of but 155. Examining
the returns for the district more closely one
finds that the progressive congressional vote thla
year was just two votes less than last year, or
5,285 as against 5,287; that the republican vote
fell from 12,945 last year to 11,027 this year.
The gain of 1,090 votes for the democrats, im
mediately after the new tariff law went into
effect, in an old-time republican district as likely
as any in Massachusetts to revolt against tariff
revision downward, can not but be accepted as
convincing evidence that thus far there has been,
no popular uprising against the one important
achievement to date of the Wilson administration."
Mr. Roosevelt has laid himself open to the
charge that he is not so much interested in chili
welfare as he was last year. He has gone off to
South America leaving his progeny, the progres
sive party, to struggle along as best It may.