at T,V:"Kn
"v rti LniQU THAT rjp
- WHO WOULD UO
HOTHIN(, INWARD d. ,
Does his right
Commoner
FORWARD. MARCH!
Mow will the democratic party meet
the present issues? Or, rather, how
will the democratic party meet the pre
sent Issue, for there Is in reality only
one Issue, and that Issue runs through
all questions? Tho great and over
shadowing question presented by all
Issues discussed is, Shall the corpora
tions or the people control the gov
ernment of the United States? Today
the corporations are In absolute con
trol. Bvon when the supreme court
decides that the government has power
lo destroy the trusts, the attorney gen
eral rusues forward and assures the
combination that the administration
has no intention of disturbing them.
The rule of these corporations Is un
limited and complete. The president
refuses to enforce tho law as It stands,
and the republican congress refuses to
enu't new legislation. Tho govern
ment is being used for the enrichment
of the few at the expense of the many,
olhVitils are making money by the sale
or thir Influence, and corruption Is
rampant in city, state and nation. The
public conscience has been stupefied
by commercialism until the grossest
offences against liberty and good gov
ernment do not awaken the protest
that ought to be made against even
trivial departures from the path of rec
titude. The government Is used as p.
business asset by those who can control
It and enormous campaign funds are
contributed by the financiers of class
legislation and distributed as bribes to
the people. Republicans as well as
democrats recognize the menace of
such a condition, but when confronted
with the acts of their own party, make
but one reply: "Hut will the demo
cratic party, if entrusted with power,
do any better?" And to give force
and reasonableness to their inquiry,
they point to the administration of
(irover Cleveland. Whenever an at
tai I; is made upon republican wrong
doing, there is always a response from
sume republican, and that response Is
always the same: "You had your
chance under Cleveland and you did
the same." It Is vain to point out
the inconsistency of such an answer,
vain to point out that the republicans
rather than tho democrats ought to
shoulder the responsibility for Mr.
Cleveland's administration. To the
ordinary republican. Cleveland stnnda
for democracy because he is the only
democratic president we have had.
They overlook the fact that his assist
ance gave the country a republican
administration (hat followed in his
foot sttps as he followed in the foot
steps of his republican predecessors.
Secretary Sltnw, In a recent speech,
emphasized the fact that Mr. Cleveland
did nothing on the trust question. That
is no justification of the inaction of
the picsrnt administration, but it is a
taking reply and imposes upon the
li mocratic party the necessity of mak
ing democracy mean something entire
ly different from either ClevelandUm
or icpuhlli ar.lsm. The fact that the
great dailies which bolted In 1S96, but
which still claim to be democratic,
prevent Cleveland and Clevelandism as
if'.iiesenting democratic principles and
dcmo ratic ns'piraliima. Is a great em
barrassment. It remains for the con
vention to tiiow. as It has twice before,
that these papers controlled by the
intl'iencp that controls the republican
Mirty. do not speak for the democratic
masses.
Just now the republicans are making
U'errv over the merger decision, out
ulial Is there in it to cause exultation
among rep'blicans? Why docs not the
president enforce the law if the law !s
tood? Why are the numerous groat
trusts ni lowed to continue inisincwt..
A Chicago business man makes the
startling announcement that avarice
Is the basis of grnft. This demands
Hie attention of those who imagined
'hat charily, or love, or patriotism, or
something like that, was the real basis.
The time has gone by when 'the
democratic, party will nominate for
president a man whose sole qualifica
tion Is that nobody knows where he
s ands on the great Issues of the day.
King Sully and King Schwab might
flock together for a time and swap
i ondolences.
The democratic pint form will stnnd
for something. The republican plat
torm will be passed around ns an argu
ment for a cheerful compliance with
Hie requirements of the frying-pan.
President Roosevelt fears that ho will
he unable to attend the St. Louis rx
I'ositioii. There will be no bear limit
ing there, and the visitors will be loo
busy to talk politics.
The republicans of Minnesota have
de, hired In favor of tnrlff revision, but
they still seem willing to entrust the
work of revision to the people win
profit by high duties.
MrtMIMlYTF fHMFR
mo f0(JR yA.?s m
CLEVELAND. RKHMU)
0 WPV OS?'N km
HP TUT
f,0 nnuiMTA
ivj
DEFECT,
4.- I I V tf I 1.1A
i..
hand know what his left hand doeth?
Courtesy of The Commoner.
Comment.
If- the governor of a state enforced
the law against one horse thief In ten
or twenty or one hundred, could he ex
cuse himself for not enforcing It
against tho other nine or nineteen or
ninety-nine? The reason for the re
publican Inaction is plain to be seen.
The party receives campaign contribu
tions from trusts. Trust officials and
financiers lend to the republican lead
ers their power to coerce employes
and to Intimidate borrowers. Will the
democratic, party imitate republican
methods and Invite confidence only to
betray it, or will It take a firm and
strong stand against the commercial
ism of the day and make a resolute at
tempt to restore the government to its
old foundations and to purify politics?
The democratic party has two paths
before it. It can follow the republican
party lipon the downward path or It
can take the path leading to higher
ground. In the last two campaigns the
party has made a-strenuous light for
higher Ideals, but Its way has been
obstructed and mnde hard by the per
fidy of men once high in the party's
councils and by the betrayal of men
of whom it had a right to expect
nought but fidelity. It must continue
Its struggle or forfeit Its tinlm upon
the conscience of the country. There
is every Inducement to a righteous
course. It cannot only secure to Its
members the satisfaction that comes
from noble effort, but It can lay the
foundation for permanent and over
whelming success. Indications point
with increasing clearness to the control
of the next national convention by the
democratic democrats of the party, bin
to mako the certainty sure, every be
liever In democratic principles, every
fearless exponent of the rights of the
people, ought to work incessantly until
the convention meets. This is no time
for over-confidence or Idleness. If the
party would realize the hopes of its
founders and prove an effective instru
ment for the improvement of govern
ment and the betterment of political
conditions, the order must be no com
promise, concession or surrender, but
forward, march!
HARMONY AS IS HARMONY.
The Cedar Rapids (la.) Gazette ha;
been making notes of tho harmony ex
isting In republican ranks. Involving
"abutting rights at the pie counter,
and finds some Interesting things. In
Ohio It is Pick vs. Koraker. In New
York it Is Odell vs. Piatt. In Delaware
it Is Addlcka vs. the Field. In Wis
consin it Is La Toilette vs. the Ma
chine. In I'tah it Is Smoot vs. Kale,
and in the Capital City of the republic
It Is liristpw vs. the Republican Con
gress. The Gazette sagely concludes
that "the only thing Involved, is the
salvage sale of patronage, and that
the people "will he pardoned if they
retain a large measure or sett-com
posure."
And now the republican prpers are
calling attention to the fact that Mr.
Cleveland did not prosecute the trusts
during his second administration. It
Is exceedingly unfair to blame the
democratic party 'R' ,he slns of Mr
Cleveland. As thry took him away
from us and used him to elect their
president. It Is cowardly in them not
to assume responsibility for hU oflldal
acts.
"Republican Missouri Is on the way!"
gleefully shouts tho St. Louis Globe
Democrat. And so Is the day of Judg
ment. Tho Globe-Honor. -at will have
to be patient and wait, for the Indica
tions are that the two will arrive sim
ultaneously. If Mr. Hill persists in continuing the
merger be will be lined. The trust
hr mnl-es millions a year
out of his trust schemes will not worry
a great deal about fines amounting to
a few hundred dollars.
Attorney General Knox wants It un
derstood thnt he does not feel as exult
ant over the . merger decision as he
ought to feel.
The latest Ralfour vindication looks
terfcillv like a congressional dis
claimer of undue Interference in postal
affairs.
Mr. Knox says, "The administration
will not run amuck." Of course Mr.
Knox makes a mental reservation in
favor of the frying-pan.
Mr. Hill Is quit" confident that he
can evade the merger decision as long
as the criminal clause of tin Sherman
law In not enforced.
The man who endeavors to under
mine the foundation is not the man to
entrust with the work of building the
superstruct ure.
A girl considers It much more vulgar
to speak of corns than to have them.
TDIDF AO
yj U3WPIIHUV)0 V
OnHOMOREOIW
WHY INEOMCNCE PREVAILS.
Thp Financial Aep New York, talks
Interestingly on the subject of the
merger decision. "The decision of the
supreme court was not unexpected,"
says the Financial Age, and then It
continues: "It cannot bo doubted that
some plan satisfactory to the present
controlling Interests will be devised
wherebv the ownershiD of the road will
rest where it does at present. In ad
dition to the plan for a liquidation oi
the company through a pro rata dis
tribution of Great Northern and North
ern Pacific stock to Northern Securi
ties holders, there Is now" under ad
visement a further plan which would
leave the Northern Securities company
In existence. In accordance with this
plan, tho Northern Securities company
would continue to hold either tne
shares of the Northern Pacific or the
Great Northern and would give up to a
trustee the shares or tne roan wnose
stock it decided to part with. Under
this plan. If the company decided to
hold Northern Pacific chares, the
shares of the Great Northern would be
turned over to a voting trustee and
vniine trust certificates would be dis
tributed to Northern Securities stock
holders. This nlan. it was believed,
could be carried out without infringing
on the terms of the supreme courts
decision." This sort of evasion Is to be
expected under existing circumstances.
Rut If a few of the Insolent violators
of the anti-trust law were imprisoned,
as the law directs, there would be less
insolence and more regard for the
rights of the public.
REDUCING THE DINNER PAIL.
One hundred and ninety thousand
miners in the soft coal district have
voted to accept a wage reduction.
Whllo they have no legal causo oi ac
tion against the republican leaders,
thev can iustlv complain at this reduc
tion in the size of the dinner pail. In
the face of present business conditions,
they were probably wise to accept a re
duction rather than strike, but can
they be deceived again by the prosper
ity nreument? With shrlnKing kiocks,
decreasing dividends and falling wages
the republican campaign ammunition
Is likely to run short.
The pass question is being discussed
in congress and some or the members
are denying that such favors influence
representatives. Why do the railroads
give passes ir they do not expect a
legislative return? The Commoner has
already shown by the testimony of
railroad officials that they expect pay
in legislative favors. In some In
stances they have demanded a return
of the pass when the holder has shown
his Independence. The railroad pass
is one of the most demoralizing as
well ns insidious of all the means em
ployed by corporations for the cor
rupting of officials.
Tim dnmnrnts of Nemaha county.
Kansas, im. ructed their delegates to
the state convention to vote lor no mnn
oo tiattnn nl ilelesnte who did not un
qualifiedly support the Kansas City
platform, and who win not vote nrst,
last and all the time for the reaffirma
tion of t lie Kansas City platform
After the convention tney organized a
strong .leiierson ciui).
Mr. Knox kindly tells the trusts that
the administration "will not run
amuck" with its prosecutions. Tho
tniFts would feel better If Mr. Knox
would assure them that, the "frying
pan" would also be held i;i abeyance.
Governor Cummins is laboring under
the hallucination that republican prom
ises mean something. This will ex
plnln the hon.se hoots that greet the
governor's animadversions on current
political affairs.
The York (Neb.) Democrat, after lis
tenlnir lo the chorus of the reorgan
Izers, figures out that It is about a
thousand croakn to one frog, hven
though this be true, loyal democrats
should nid be less active.
That confirmation having been land
ed, General Wood will probably find it
unnecessary to pacify any more of the
already pacified I lllpinos.
Republican Newspaper to the Trusts
Cease your extortion on print paper
and we will overlook your oppression
of the general public!
Reorganization will hardly lie left to
the eminent gentlemen who have been
actively engaged In trying to spread
demoralization.
No wonder the dusts would like
"four more years of drover. " A cor
poration Justice in place of Hmiiin
could reverse ti e ni"lger decision.
Men' eternal punlshmint for the
eating of the forbidden fruit was hav
ing to pay for the clothes women wear
because c f it.
You can always tell a Imly by the
way she doesn't have to leil you to.
TJil'STS I'ONTKOL ALL
IMMENSE POWER OF THE TARIFF-
FOSTERED MONOPOLIES.
With a Combined Wealth of Over
$2O,0C0,00O,0CO -They Practically
Direct the Business of the Country
Are Mostly tlleal Combinations.
When Congressman Littlefkid. last
year, had printed in the Congressional
Record his list of 300 trusts, with
nearly f M.uoO.OOO.ooo of capital, the
country was startled at the exhibit.
Now conies Mr. Jchn Moody, a Wall
street publisher, with a new book en
titled "The Truth About the Trusts."
which gives us even higher fit'ures.
Mr. Moody gives a classified list of
tho leading trusts in tho United
h.ates. He gives us 318 important In
dustrial trusts. Controlling fj"38
plants, having a total capitalization
outstanding cf J7.246.342.533. Ho
enumerates 111 Important franchiso
trusts (telegraph, telephone, gas, eU'c
trlc light and street railway consolida
tions), controlling 1.33C plants, and
having a total outstanding capitaliza
tion of !3,733,456,07!. He discusses
tne six great steam railroad groups
with a total capitalization of $9,017,-
086,907, and tho ten allied Independent
railroad systems having a capitaliza
tion of $330,277,000.
The great total of the capitalization
of all the trusts considered In this
book, industrial, franchise and trans
portation, Is $20,3711,162,511.
After mentioning the fact that there
Is in this country about $SO,000,000,000
of wealth outside of the trusts discuss
ed In Mr. Moody's book, tho Wall
Street Journal of March 17th, makts
tho following very significant state
ment: "It should not be overlooked that
the trust wealth Is the most Import
ant, in that it largely controls all
other wealth. The trusts are In con-
, With falling wages and the cost of
position of the workingman is not an
trol of the transportation facilities of
the country. They are practically In
control of its banking facilities, and
they control its main Industrial sys
tems. Through control of the banks,
the railroads and the leading Indus
trial companies, the directors of these
trusts practically direct the business
of the country, and when it is said
that of the $20,000,000,000 of trust
capital In the tJnited States, upwards
of $1,000,000,000 is held by one fam
ily, and that the greater amount Is
represented by a group of perhaps a
dozen capitalists, one gets some con
ception of the Immense power which
Is wielded in this country by a fev
capitalists."
The fact that the Wall Street Jour
nal, and to some extent, also, Mr.
Moody, attempts to justify the exist
ence of these trusts is of no conse
quence. It Is of groat Importance
that nearly every one of the trusts,
with over $20,000,000,000 of capitali
zation, are Illegal combinations and
would probably be so declared, if they
were brought to the bnr of justice. Our
easy-going attorney general, however,
got frightened when he won a suit
against one of tnem, really begun by
the governor of Minnesota, and has
tened to tell them that the govern
ment was not going to "run amuck"
In Its opposition to trusts. Wall street
Interpreted this statement, and other
assurances that were said to como
direct from tho White House, to mean
that there would be no moro suits be
gun against these illegal and crimi
nal trusts this year, and proceeded to
put up tho prices of trust stocks. The
Supremo Court decision was given on
Monday; on Saturday the prices of
these trust stocks closed higher than
they had sold for mnny weeks before.
It Is perfectly safe to say that the
present occupant of the White House
knows full well on which side of his
Republican bread Is the trust butter
niMi that he will not do anything to
greatly disturb the harmonious rela
tions which havo for many years ex
isted between the Republican party
md these hundreds of tariff-fostered
ind franchise trusts. Certainly not
.'his year, If these great criminals
;how their appreciation for favors, as
hey usually do, by fattening the Re
oubllcan campaign fund.
I1YRON W. HOLT.
Robbery by the Steel Trust.
A beautiful object, lesson In tho
iniiff f r the American people Is In
the contract of a steel mill In the
United States to deliver nt Montreal
0,omi tons of lulls for the Canadian
Pacific railway at $2i.2."i n ton. This,
lllowing for cost of delivery, Is $1S a
rn nt the mills, or Sio n ton less
ban thv cost to American purchasers
.f sleii rails ut the mill. The con
vnet price to the Canadian Pacific
nllway left a n.argin tf fair profit for
he manufacturers nnd all that l.i
hove thl'i price l an Iniquitous exlor
Ion upon American consumers which
in be j rartleeil only under cover of
ulininciViiy c):;;';:urt t'lrlf. I'blla
lphln Reccrd.
FOOLING THE. VOTERS. I
Republican Promise Tariff Reform,
but Do They Mean Itf
Tlu Republicans of Minnesota have
declared for tariff reform In a uillJ
way. At the state convention to eieel
delegates to the Chicago convention
the platform adopted declared "for
modification of the tariff schedules to
suit changing conditions" and "in
favor of reciprocity treaties with othei
countries for mutual Interest and to
extend our markets." No doubt Iowa,
Wisconsin and other Western states
will make similar declarations, and
Massachusetts and some Kastern
states may declare for reciprocity, but
all will declare, as did the Repub
licans of Minnesota, "for tho protec
tive policy of the Republican party."
How can the tariff schedules he modi
fied "to suit changing conditions" if
the policy of protection is to be up
hold? The Republican organs of pro
tection are constantly denouncing
thoso Republicans who even favor
reciprocity, lot olotie tariff reform, and
have been powerful enough to defeat
tho ratification of the reciprocity trea
ties that have been before the senate
since 1S99 and expired by limitation
in 1892. Does that look like favoring
reciprocity?
The protectionists and the trnsta
combined control all the Republican
numbers of Congress, so that no bill
for tariff reform has even been re
ported from the committee on ways
and means. Does that look like fav
oring a "modification of the tariff
schedules?" Those Republican mem
bers of Congress who promised in
tho last nampalgn they would favor
tariff reform on those schedules that
gave the trusts a monopoly havo
made no effort to redeem their prom
ises, but have "stood pat" with tho
ultra protectionists and concluded that
their political salvation depended on
"letting well enough alone."
The Protective Tariff league, backed
by trust Influence and money, has
living the highest ever known, the
enviable one. New York Herald.
whipped those members Into line who
promised tariff reform by threatening
to fight their renomlnation or defeat
them at the polls. How long the vo
ters will continue to be fooled by
promises and pay high trust prices,
knowing that the trusts are exporting
their products to foreiKu countries
and selling those products for much
less to the foreigner, remains to be
seen. The platform promises of the
Minnesota Republicans Indicates tho
voters are tiring of trust extortion nnd
may become weary of promises that
are not redeemed.
, More Rotteness.
The Republican leaders are gradu
ally being caught in the net Ret for
grafters. Over one hundred Republi
cans were included In tho Rristow
report, a majority of whom will hard
ly succeed In attaining a coat of white
wash. When the Hristow report wns
under discussion, the Democrats made
a motion for an investigation of the
wnole postoffice department, which
was defeated by the Republicans, who
claimed that there was nothing wrong
except In the first assistant postmas
ter general's department. It now
appears, from evidence produced,
there Is even greater rottenness In
the department under the second as
sistant, postmaster general. This was
brought out in a speech by Hon. Rob
ert. Raker of Brooklyn, which will be
found In tho Congressional Record of
March 18, on pages 3003-4, in which
he quotes from the Milwaukee Kreo
Press, charges against Hon. J. W. flab
cock of Wisconsin of collusion to de
fraud the government by padding tho
amount of the official weighing of tho
mails. The charges are supported by
affidavits of those government em
ployes who carried the malls nnd
makes a very clear case against Mr.
Uabcook.
This Is a very serious criminal
ohm-go and tho more so as the news
paper printing It Is Republican nnd
Congressman Itabcock cannot afford
to allow It to puss without demanding
an Investigation. If ho does not take
that step, the Republican members
of the House of Representatives will
havo to Inaugurate it nnd expell him
or thomsolvoj bo classed with tho
grafters.
Congressman Rnbcock being tho
chairman of the Republican 'Congres
sional Committee stands forth ns a
shining light of the Republican party
f.nd ns the acts charged against him
were committed when In comiu.'.nd of
the party Interests, the whole Repub
lican party is Involved, If It does not
clear Its skirts of him.
It would prom to lie an admirable
time to re-echo the Democratic cry of
IS. Ml "Turn the rascnls out,
Will Not Bo Overlooked.
It's going to take something r.K.re
than a statement from the white
lio;uo to uccouiit for tli o crlmlnnl care
lessness displayed In the failure to
blue-pencil that part oi ;he nrlslow
report tcuchln' on nnd appertalnln' to
the shortcoiulnr.s or 191 members of
the lu tHC I.ruhivlllo Tbms.
mm!
liia i' r in
"DO EVERYTHING
j! PRESIDENT OF
Everything worth doing is important,
slble position until you are promoted.
The photograph nnd sketch are por
traits of Benjamin L. Wlnchell, the
newly elected president of the Chi
cago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad.
The drawing was made by a staff art
ist of the Chicago Examiner, and
shows the man who has just been ex-
Knows Much of Russia.
Dr. Edward A. Steiner, professor
of applied Christianity at Vowa col
lege, Grlnnell, who wrote tho author
ized American biography of Count
Lyof Tolr.toi, Is credited with knowing
more about Russia and the Slavic
world generally than any other living
American. He is a native of Vienna,
where he began his education. Iater
he was at Ixjipsic and Heidelberg, re
ceiving from the latter the degree of
doctor of philosophy.
FRANK D. ARBUCKLE OF
ILLINOIS CHAMPION GUNNER,
Frank D. Arbtickle, who now has
the distinction of being the champion
gunner of the world, was born April
19, 1S85, at Kingston, De Kail) county,
111. He worked on his father's farm
and attended the district school until
his sixteenth year, when he entered
the United States navy as an appren
tice, where he served two and one
half years. At present he Is on the
cruiser Newark. He was In the re
cent engagement nt Santo Domingo
Feb. 3. in a recent target practice
v Kaiser Decorates American.
George W. lloyd, general passenger
agent of the Pennsylvania railroad,
has received from Kmperor William
the Order of the Crown In recognition
of various special acts of kindness to
Prince Henry of Prussia, who visited
this country two years ago. The dis
tinction was conveyed to Mr. Iloyd
through the medium of Ambassador
Huron Von Sternborg. The Order of
the Crown was Instituted in 1S6I by
William I to commemorate his coro
nation ns king of Prussia.
Dose Should Cure Anything,
Congressman La coy of Iowa has
made n great medical diacovery and
lie loses no time In presenting it to
the world. "It's u cure for pneumo
nia," says Mr. Liteey, "and It's n sure
thing. Take six drops of nsal'etldu,
mix It into a drink of whisky and
take It before filing to bed. To bo
sure, you'll i mell rather emphatically,
but no pneumonia germ that ever
came down the truck can stand the
fumes. They vacate In a hurry, and,
really. I can't help admiring their
judgment."
WELL." SAYS jj
C. R.I. AND P.ROAD J
Don't think you haven't a respon
Do everything well.
Benjamin L. Wlnchell.
alted to the headship of one of the
world's greatest transportation sys
tems discussing tho days of his $10
a week clerkship and telling how he
rose from a humble country lad to tho
position of eminence which he now
occhpies.
Women to Make Statue.
Miss Caroline Wood, daughter of a
prominent St. Iiuis judge, has re
ceived the commission to make a
statue of "The Spirit of Missouri"
to surmount the dome of the Missouri
building at the world's fair. Tho Mis
souri statue is her first large effort.
Another woman sculptor whoso work
will be prominent at the fair Is Miss
Janet Scudder, a Terre Haute girl.
Her work for the exhibition Is a statue
of President James Madison.
for championship he fired a six-Inch
gun twelve times in one minute and
fifty-four seconds, hitting the target
eleven times, thus breaking all pre
vious records. Tho world's champion
ship was heretofore held In England,
the best record being tho firing of a
six-Inch gun twelve times In two min
utes, hitting the target nlno times.
The I'lnted States championship was
held by a gunner from Wisconsin, but
young Arhuckle, only 18 years of age.
has given to Illinois the world's cham
pionship. Judge Once a Factory Hand.
Judge C. V. Raymond, recently ap
pointed chief Justice of the Linted
States court of appeals In Indian Ter
ritory, was a factory hand In nn In
terior town of Illinois twenty-five
years ago. Joseph G. Cannon, now
speaker of the house of representa
tives, became Interested In the young
man. Induced him to study law and
has remained a helpful friend. Judge
Raymond was appointed to the federal
court at Muskogee by President Mc
Klnley in lflul.
American Professor Honored.
Pror. W. W. Campbell, director f
the Lick observatory In California,
has been elected a foreign member of
the Kocleta degll Spellroscoplstl Hall
nnl. This society consists of thirty
Italian members nnd thirty foreign
ers. Prof. Campbell has been renuet
I'd to serve on an honorary commit
tee, presided over by the minister of
public Instruction for France whose
purpose Is to forward the project Tor
erecting a monument to the eminent
astronomer. Jerome Islamic, at Hours,
tin; place of his birth.
'
