Commoner
-J-
$ 'J-V.. . Extracts from W.
Who Wrote It.
"These are words of weighty import.
They Involve consequences of the most
momentous character. I take leave to
say that if the principles thus an
nounced should ever receive the sanc
tion of a majority of this court, a radi
cal and mischievous change in our sys
tem of government will le the result.
Wo will, in that event, pass from the
crtf constitutional lilcrty gnarded
and protected by a written constitu
tion into on era of legislative absolut
ism. Here is a serious charge brought
against the majority of the supreme
couri of the United States. The court
is accused of bringing about a "change
in our sybtem of government" not
only a change but "radical and mis
chievous" change. It is charged that
in the event of that decision and the
decision was made "constitutional
liberty" would be lost and "an era of
legislative absolutism" ushered in.
What graver indictment could be
brought against our highest judicial
tribunal? Who wrote it? Who is
guilty of thus reflecting upon the pa
triotism and purpose of the court? Let
the republican papers ferret out the
culprit and visit condign punishment
"upon him. Let him feel the righteous
wrath of those pure and immaculate
souls who always bow to a court de
cision (when it is on their side), and
never utter a reflection againt a judge
unless he decides against them).
Who wrote the words above quoted?
Tid they emanate from a demagogue;
was this the wail of a defeated candi
date; was it the speech of some disturb
er of the peace some stirrer up of dis
content? Xr, the words will be found in a dis
senting opinion of a justice of the su
preme court of the United States of
America. A democratic justice? No.
A populist justice? No. A silver re
publican justice? No.
What then? They are the words of
-a republican justice of the supreme
court Justice Harlan appointed by a
republican president.
Hereafter, when republican papers
desire to condemn those who criticize a
-supreme court decision, let them begin
at the top and assail Justice Harlan
first. After they have administered to
him the rebuke which he, from their
standpoint, deserves, they will be too
much exhausted to attack those who
quote Justice Harlan againt the court.
Ite Vlellant.
Several states hold flections this fall
and these elections will have an im
portant tearing upon the party as well
&s upon the nation.
The reorganizing element is seeking
to secure control of the party; it does
not openly proclaim its hostility to
the Kansas City platform, nor does it
propose a platform for the considera
tion of the voters,
Its plan of operation is to put for
ward candidates for the party organiza
tion who are not in harmony with the
principles or purposes of the party.
ILcv work under cover of a desire for
harmony; but it is the harmony the
burglar desirts when he hopes that the
members of the family will not awake
"until the valuables arc removed from
the house. The democratic party has
no reason lor existence except as it
champions the rights and interests of
the masses.
It has made its recent campaigns,
beginning with iy.0, almost without
money and yet the party has polled a
larger vote than it ever tolled when it
bad a larrre campaign fund. It can se
cure a large campaign fund again
whenever the leaders of the party make
secret pledges to the corporations, but
these pledges will not le made by lead
ers whom the people trust.
If the men who deserted the party in
1S&6 or in HMX) are put at the head of
the party before they give evidence of
A change of heart they will drive more
voters away from the party than they
will bring to it.
The rank and file of the democratic
party can respect an honest republican
who calls himself a republican, but
they will not respect a dishonest re
publican who calls himself a democrat.
The democratic party has adopted a
patriotic platform; it has asserted the
right of the American people to have a
financial policy of their own, to have
industrial independence among the
people and constitutional government
wherever the flag floats. If the party
will stand firm it can expect victory
whenever the people realize the dan
gerous tendency of republican policies.
Uut if the democratic party passes
under the control of men who are in
harmony with republican ideas the
party will re in no position to appeal
to the confidence of the people. If re
publican policies are good the republi
can party has a right to administer
them, and it should be permitted to
enjoy the protection of its copyright.
Those who believe in democratic prin
ciples as set forth in the Kansas City
platform must be vigilant and that
vigilance must legin with the prima
ries. Do not allow a man to be placed
upon any committee, precinct, county,
state or national, unless he is a believ
er in the Kansas City platform. If a
man opposed to the Kansas City plat
form is sent as a delegate to any con
vention he should le bound by instruc
tions and should have associated with
him a sufficient majority who are sound
on the platform. If a man objects to
instructions, leave him at home; no
democratic delegate will object to an
expression from the voters whom he
seeks to represent.
A republican speech would not sound
well at a wool-growers' banquet this
year.
Mr. DeLima is one man who under
stands the decision in the 1'orto Eican
case. Mr. DeLima gets his money
back.
The truth of the old adage that
'reading maketh a full man" was nev
er better shown than after a reading
of all the diverse opinions of the su
preme court on the 1'orto Kica.ii ques
tioa.
4.
Comment.
J. Bryan's Paper.
They "Iilstrost" a Cuban ratrlot.
Now it is reported that the adminis
tration politicians propose to take a
hand in Cuban politics. They are op
posed to the election of the Cuban pa
triot, Maximo Gomez, to be the first
president of the new republic It is
said that these adminstration politi
cians "distrust" General Gomez, and
the present mayor of Havana, acting
under the inspiration of Governor-
General Votd, is now organizing a
party to accomplish General Gomez
defeat.
It will be interesting to have some
of these administration politicians ex
plain to us by what authority they in
terfere in the political affairs of Cuba-
It is interesting to be told that these
politicians, who properly have no con
cern in Cuban affairs, "distrust" the
man who imperiled his life in defense
of Cuban independence.
Is It True?
The New York World is authoritj
for this statement: "The World is also
in a position to announce on unim
peachable authority that two days be
fore the Porto Rican cases were decid
ed the court had unanimously agreed
that the constitution was in force
wherever the United States exercised
sovereignty. Bat immediately before
the court met to make its decision pub
lic, Justice Brown changed his attitude
on the question."
If we accept this as a correct state
ment, it would seem strange that Jus
tice Brown could on so short a notice
make so material a change. Justice
Brown's opinion was a most radical
one. It is to be hoped, however, that
the World's "unimpeachable authority"
may be successfully impeached. The
character of J ustiee Brown's opinion,
bad as it is, is not so bad as would be a
condition wherein Justices of the high
est court in the land flopped on a mom
ent's notice. In the income tax decis
ion we had one instance of a judge
changing his mind between sessions,
and that instance did considerable
damage to the supreme court.
Corporations Should Fay for Privileges
The supreme court of New Jersey has
held that the towns of that state
may tax the road-bed and appurtenan
ces of street railway and other compan
ies using public thoroughfares. This
decision is in support of a franchise
tax law enacted in 1900. Under this
law New Jersey towns may collect two
per cent on the gross receipts of cor
porations enjoying the privilege of
using the public streets. To be sure
the corporations object to this tax, but
it is strange that all the municipalities
of this country have not required cor
porations to pay for the high privileges
they enjoy.
Money In Circulation.
The Washington correspondent of
the Chicago Record Herald says that
an indication of national prosperity
is to be found in the large volume of
money in circulation. This now
amounts to SC.1S3.3TO,S90, a gain of
more than Sloo.ooo.ooOover the amount
in circulation a year ago. In the last
twenty-two years the gain in circula
tion amounts to the tremendous sum
of S1,3GS.310,1G9. The circulation per
capita is now the largest in the coun
try's history, amounting to $28.13.
One year ago it was S-6.71."
Can it be possible that the large vol
ume of money in circulation is any
basis for national prosperity?
Can it be possible that the bimetal
lists were not wholly wrong when they
insisted that the country needed a lar
ger volume of oney in circulation?
The Abuses of Despotism.
"For good or for ill," says the Phila
delphia Ledger, "the principle has
been declared that the United States
may. through congress, govern subject
peoples. It is unlikely any abuses
will be committed unkerthis principle,
but it is a principle that admits of the
abuses of despotism."
The Philadelphia Ledger is to be
congratulated on its sublime confi
dence. The Ledger should, however.
know that already great abuses have
been committed under this "principle,'
the very abuses, in fact against which
our own forefathers relelled, and for
the destruction of which they took up
arms.
A principle that admits of the abuses
of despotism has no place in a free
country.
Eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty, and no people can safely depend
for their liberties upon the pleasure or
generosity of one man or set of men.
The government that sanctions '
principle that admits of the abuses of
despotism" has already taken on the
elements of a monarchy.
When any men seek to establish, in
a free country, "a principle that ad
mits of the abuses of despotism," it is
time for men who love liberty to make
effective protest against the innova
tion. The courts have recently been called
upon to restrain market speculation.
In this case the judge held that the
dealers could not legally sell stocks
which they did not own. This would
seem a very simple proposition, and yet
if the principle were firmly established
it would go a long way toward pre
venting stock market gambling.
Mr. Morris K. Jessup likes to prate
about the "bonds between Great Brit
ain and the United States." If the
boaIs stopped drawing interest would
i!r. Jea&uD take so much luWrest?
BANES AND PANICS.
RECENT FLURY ON WALL
STREET NOT OVER.
Banks Have Called the Millions of Lows
So Aid Their Resources Withdrawal
of Vast AnoMt from Legitimate
Business to Aid Stock Gambling.
A systematic effort is being made to
impress the country with the idea that
the panic was entirely confined to
Wall street and has had no disasterous
effect on the finances of the country.
It is very difficult for outsiders to
grasp the real condition of affairs for
the banks of New York are members
of the Clearing House which is a close
corporation and the weekly statement
they give of their united transactions
is arranged on a system of averages
and will seem to be made to fit con
ditions and gull the public into believ
ing everything is lovely when the op
posite may be the case. For instance
the report for the week after the panic
gave an increase of the surplus re
serve of $5,172,450. This on its face
would indicate that the banks had lots
of money on hand over and above the
legal reserve requirements though the
total reserve had decreased over a mil
lion. But during the week the banks
had called in loans to an immense
amount so that on the average the
loans had decreased over twenty-four
millions and deposits had decreased
over twenty-five millions. The de
crease in loans and deposits are the
largest on record and show a wonder
ful shrinkage of business and indicates
that the boasted confidence tnat there
will be no bad effects from the panic
is not shared by the bank managers
or their customers to any great ex
tent.
So unfavorable is this statement
that the Financier -rhich is a noted
financial publication, says of it: "The
current statement, however, seems
widely at variance with known facts
and that the week before, the bank
totals conflicted in several particu
lars." This is in fact saying that the
statements are "fixed" to suit the pur
pose of those who are at the head of
the Clearing House Association and
are not to be relied on. If this is so,
their other statements which are given
to the public in the form of articles
In the newspapers controlled by the
money power and the trusts and cor
porations must be received with the
some doubts that the Financier casts
upon the official statement of the
banks themselves.
There is no doubt that the banks
are holding a large amount of the wat
ered stock Issued by the trusts as part
of their security for loans to favored
customers and if these stocks are not
unloaded on the public before long
there will have to be another record
breaking statement that will be even
more unsatisfactory than the present
one.
THE LATEST WAR CLOUD.
There is doubtless much unrest
amongst the nations of Europe and if
it ever suits the great financiers a gen
eral European war would be in prog
ress. Mr. Stead, the Englishman who
is a peace at any price man, is now
afraid that a war is impending be
tween the United States and England
Mr. Stead, who dwells in the midst of
alarms, says the Philadelphia Times
lays in a new one every few days. His
latest is that when Congress meets the
Clayton-Bulwer treat "will be torn in
to shreds and flung in our faces and
It will be necessary then to choose be
tween fighting and eating humble pie."
As he thinks John Bull will prefer to
fight, he throws out this hint of a
gathering storm as an encouragement
to the Boers to keep in the field.
The Boers show no disposition to
leave the field, but we should not ad
vise them to count too much upon Mr.
Stead's alarming prophecy. Whatever
may become of the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty, there Is not going to be any
war over it or any serious disturbance.
It will not even be thought worth
while to tear it into shreds, since
there is scarcely more than a shred of
it remaining, and as to throwing it in
anybody's face, it is rather our British
friends who have been inopportunely
throwing it in our faoes. And yet we
have not been very mad about it at
least, not fighting mad.
There is really much more feeling
in this country against Great Britain
on account of the war with the Boers,
whose defense appeals to our sym
pathies, than on account of an obso
lete treaty that nobody clearly under
stands or greatly cares about. The
negotiations for the abrogation of the
treaty were bungled last year, but it
the time comes when it appears to be
actually in the way of any practical
purpose, we have no doubt that it oan
be properly disposed of without re
quiring anybody to eat humble pie.
The disturbance in South Africa
would be a more serious menace to
international relations if we were not
ourselves so complicated with our col
onies and dependencies as to be fear
ful of having our own record flung iu
our faces. So the Boers will have to
fight on unaided.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Democratic newspaper writers and
orators have for years declared that
the public acts of the Republicans be
lied their platforms and pointed to
the legislation enacted by them and
their rapid change of front on political
ana economic questions as a sure
proof that such a party was not to
be trusted to administer the govern
ment. It is seldom ho waver in poli
tics that the claims of a rival party
can be substantiated by a conspicuous
advocate of the policies of their op
ponents. There must be something
radically wrong when thlj is the easa,
especially the adrocato Is the
editor of a publication that receives its
support from the party who it feels
the occasion demands it to decry.
Prof. George Gunton has been a con
sistent Republican and protectionist,
yet in the May number of his maga
zine he publishes an article from
which is condensed the following:
Political parties come Into existence
for the purpose of incorporating cer
tain ideas into the public policy of the
nation. So long as a party is vitalized
by an idea, whether in the majority
or not, it Is usually clean and aggres
sive. On the other hand, it is as nat
ural as for the seasons to follow each
other that political parties will ster
ilize and decline In character and in
fluence in proportion as moral Ideas
and vital principles cease to be their
controlling motives.
The Republican party appears to be
nearing, if it has not already reached,
this stage. When it was born, in 1856,
it came with a mission. Inspired with
the moral and political righteousness
of its policy, it neither wavered nor
weakened, but rose to" the occasion
with every increase of responsibility.
It then commanded the endorsement
and admiration of the best minds of
every race and nation, and earned the
title of "the party of moral ideas."
It saved the union, blotted out slavery,
and made the United States a nation.
Under its leadership for a quarter of
a century the nation experienced un
paralleled industrial development and
prosperity.
Here the Republican party reached
the end of its program, and instead of
dt eloping in ideas and statesmanship
commensurate with the progress of the
country, it began to fossilize. It be
came self-satisfied and indifferent to
the high principles it had made his
toric, and began to bask in the sun
shine of office and to rely on the favor
of patronage for euccess.
On every hand the evidence Is ap
parent that the Republican party has
practically outlived its reputation as
"the party of moral ideas" and is de
teriorating into a party of moral in
difference, political drift, and "boss"
manipulation. It i3 rapidly losing the
confidence of the nation. Republican
cities have already begun to elect
anti-Republicans and even revolution
ary administrations.
A PHILIPPINE FARCE.
The Taft Philippine commission has
reported to the war department a form
of civil government for the archipel
ago. Judging from some of the clauses
the commission evidently intends to
be the "whole thing" itself, though it
will allow the Filipinos to imagine,
until they discover their mistake, that
they are electing their own officers. It
may be as the commission claims "a
form of civil government" and it
would appear to be "a form" only, for
there is not a vestige of civil liberty.
The commission "is expressly empow
ered to veto any action taken" is one
of the provisions, and it would seem
that that alone would make a farce of
the whole system. They also reserve
the right "to remove any official at
any time when in the judgment of the
commission this is desirable, and in
cases wherein an official elected by
popular vote does not suit the mem
bers of the commission his election
can be declared void." If the Fili
pinos, after they understand the mat
ter, put themselves to the trouble of
holding an election and voting, they
are much greater fools than they have,
been represented to be. Taft should
remember that "you can fool some of
the people all the time and all the
people some of the time," but you
can't fool, even all the Filipinos, all
the time.
POLITICAL COMMENT.
General Chaffee's remarks about ttoe
Anglo-American alliance have raised
up a storm of protests. His friends
are trying to explain that it was only
an after dinner speech and the gen
eral should not be taken too literally.
Negotiations are still proceeding tor
the purchase of the Danish West India
Islands, but the trouble now is that
the inhabitants no longer are willing
that we should annex them. The tar
iff on Puerto Rico and the repudiation
cf our promises to Cuba have opened
their eyes.
The Nicaraguans are now ready to
concede anything if we will build the
canal. They fear the Panama scheme
will be taken up, which it will likely
be, if there is a chance for Hanna and
the Wall street attachment of the ad
ministration to make the French pay
a good round commission.
Senator Cullom aims to be chairman
of the foreign relations committee of
the Senate and is making a special
study of reciprocity. Don't waste your
time. Senator, on reciprocity but ex
amine the tariff schedules, with a
view to reforming the most outrageous
of them and -study to be a statesman
and not a servile follower of Hanna
and the trusts.
The Manila scandals do not seem
to lessen as they are probed, but one
thing is strange that civilians and
subordinate officials are the only ones
that so far have been punished. This
result is to be expected where a free
press is made a criminal offense, since
the deportation of Editor Rice for ex
posing a few minor frauds in the cus
toms service.
A Democratic panic was predicted If
Mr. Bryan was elected, but a sugges
tion that a Republican panic might
also come if Mr. McKinley was re
elected would have been scoffed at by
Hanna and Co. and yet the Republican
panic has occurred and about the worst
one Wall street has ever known. The
much vaunted financial legislation of
the protective tariff, or great exports
do not ensure prosperity and yet we
were told either would ensure iL
It is estimated one-third of the dwel
lers upon earth are habitual users of
tobacco.
FEEDIKGTfi ELEECHES
HOVT PRODUCERS SUFFER FOR
IDLE WEALTH.
A F slice Court Dialogue That Explain
the Situation Every Worker's Wages
Is Confiscated, Kot by the State, bat
by the BJcb.
Recently, during a" trial in ono of
our courts, it became necessary for the
judge himself to question a witness,
and the following colloquy took place:
Judge Are you a married man?
Witness No.
J. Have you any one depending on
you for support.
W. Yes; a large number of them.
J. Are they disabled 'physically or
mentally from supporting themselves?
W. No; they are fully as able as I
to support themselves
J. Then why do you surport these
able-bodied persons?
W. Because the customs and ar
rangements of our present state of so
ciety force me to.
J. These persons, doing no manner
of useful work, and you a poor man,
having but your labor, are compelled
to give part of it to them?
W. Yes; I am forced to divide by
giving them three-fourths of what I
produce.
J. Is there no way to get rid of
these human leeches?
W. Not at once; for nearly all so
ciety especially these leeches, as you
call them, insist that this is a natural
state of affairs, and has always exist
ed; they are eternally ding-donging in
my ears that, were it not for these
leeches, I could not work at all, and
death would immediately overtake me.
But in the near future we'll be able to
rid ourselves of them, when they'll
have" to live off their own sweat.
J. If you should die would not the
leeches have to work
W. Oh, no; they hold in reserve a
vast number who are about to be over
taken by death from enforced idleness
and they would think it a God-sent
privilege to toil in support of these
leeches.
J. Would you please give me the
name and address of these leeches?
W. Though it Is solely from my
labor that their lives are made a con
tinual round of pleasure, still they
have the brutal ingratitude to refuse
to live in the same locality as myself,
and often they will not condescend to
ilve in the same country; and as my
constant toil enables them at their
pleasure to change their climate, scen
ery and society, I can not give you
their permanent address. For apparent
reasons they do not want to be known
by their real nasies, but Insist on be
ing known by their nom de plumes.
J. But what are their names In
fact, I am going to have them ar
raigned before the bar of justice, these
ravagers of society.
W. Their names are CAPITAL
ISTS. J. Mr. Sheriff, hustle this witness
out of the court room; he's a Populist.
Missouri Socialist.
CUBA LIBRE.
When sailed from Tampa Bay,
(Cuba Librel)
And our ships got under weigh,
(Cuba Libre!)
As we floated down the tide,
Crowding to the steamer's side,
You remember how we cried:
"Cuba Libre!"
When we 6pied the island Ehore,
(Cuba Libre!)
Then we shouted loud once more:
"Cuba Libre!"
As we sank Cervera's ships
Where the southern sea-wall dips.
What again was on our lips?
"Cuba Libre!"
These are foreign words, you know-
"Cuba Libre!"
That we used so long ago;
(Cuba Libre!)
And in all the time between
Such a lot of things we've seen.
We've forgotten what they mean,
"Cuba Libre!"
Let us ask the president,
(Cuba Libre!)
What that bit of Spanish meant,
(Cuba Libre!)
Ask McKinley, Root and Hay
What on earth we meant to say
When we shouted night and day:
"Cuba Libre!"
But alas! they will not speak,
(Cuba Libre)
For their memories are weak,
(Cuba Libre)
If you have a lexicon.
Borrowed from a Spanish don.
Send it down to Washington,
(Cuba Libre!)
, Ernest Crosby, in Life.
THROWINO AWAY LAND.
A contemporaryrips up the entire
land system of the country, especially,
the practice of endowment by dona
tions of land, in the statement that
the State University was endowed by
the proceeds of the sales of 82 sections
(160 acres each) of lands granted to
the state, which having been Bold, yield
an income of but $135,000, whereas the
university requires $510,000.
Our contemporary adds that had
these sections of land been leased in
stead of sold, they would now yield an
income of $524,000. In other words,
values which would have supported
the university and left a surplus of
$14,000, have been, to the extent of
nearly three-fourths, given away to
speculators. Had this city, at the be
ginning of American occupation, leased
Its public lands. Instead of throwing
them away by sale, there would now be
an income from them of more than
triple the amount of our taxes, w hich
would have enabled the city and coun
ty not only to have constructed, owned
and operated all it public utilities, but
to have done so gratuitously, or at an
almost nominal charge.
TRUSTS SUPPRESS INVENTIONS
A man living in Chicago has Invent
ed a lubricator In which water is a
principal If not the chief ingredient.
He has demonstrated its value. He baa
proven to the satisfaction of several
railroad managements that it it not
only the cheapest but the safest lubri
cant known to industrial science.
These roads are willing to buy this
product and use it to the exclusion of
all others, at least until a better is dis
covered. But here steps In the Standard Oil
Company and says to the railroad:
"If you use this lubricant and cease
buying those manufactured by us, we
will retaliate by refusing to ship over
your lines.
The business of the Standard Oil
Is so large no railroad company dare
withstand the demand, hence the mak
er of the new and cheapest lubricant
experiences extreme difficulty in mar
keting his product.
Were the railroads in the hands of
the government the Standard Oil Com
pany could not enforce a demand so
out of harmony with the laws of legit
imate production and distribution.
East Oregonian.
NOT POPULISTS.
Mayor Johnson made a proposition
to buy the Cleveland Terminal &. Val
ley railroad for $2,340,000. The prop
osition was made to J. IL Wadsworth,
representing lie Valley road at the
meeting of the auditors.
"Think of it," laughed the mayor,
"twenty-nine locomotives returned by
the Valley railroad for less than $1,000
each."
"Do you want to buy the Valley road
for what it has been returned for tax
ation?" "You bet I do!" cried Mayor John
son, "and I'll give you 40 per cent
more than that. Yes, I'll give you three
times what you value it at in your tax
return."
"Will you take it?"
"IU make a big cash deposit right
here."
"Oh, don't be In such a hurry," said
Wadsworth. backing away. "I'll think
about it. I don't own the whole road."
"All right, think it over." laughed
the mayor, turning away. "I'll take it
at those figures." Plalndealer.
The leaders of the real Democratic
party today are men who are doing
for America what the Hebrew prophets
did for the Jewish nation. "These
prophets," says the great Jewish
scholar, Darmesteter, "were men to
whom justice was an active force. The
idea of right was converted by them
into a fact before which all other
facts pale. By virtue of believing in
justice they advanced it to the rank
of a factor in history. They taught
many to live and die for the right with
out the hope of Elysian fields. They
taught the people that without ideals
'the future hangs before them in tat
ters.' That the ideal alone is the aim
of life, and that it consists not in the
glory of the conqueror, nor in riches
nor in power, but In holding up as a
torch to the nations the example of
better laws and of a higher soul."
"There is nothing in this world."
said the president in a speech at San
Francisco, "that so promotes the uni
versal brotherhood of man as com
merce." What could Mr. McKinley
have meant by saying that commerce
promotes the universal brotherhood of
man? That is not protection doctrine.
It Is free traie doctrine. And what
does he mean by encouraging com
merce? Would he abolish the protec
tive tariff, which hangB like a millstone
about the neck of universal trade?
Has Mr. McKinley become a free
trader, favoring open markets and un
restricted commerce? If not, what kind
of universal brotherhood it is that he
would have us aspire to? The Public.
King Edward's wages have been
raised to $2,350,000 a year. Some
Americans will wonder what Edward
does to deserve such a large salary.
When they have satisfied themselves
on this point they might begin to fig
ure on what John D. Rockefeller does
to earn some $50,000,000 or more a year.
We elect a president ostensibly to be
our chief executive and pay him $50,000
a year. But our real executive Is Mr.
Rockefeller, and he doesn't have to
take the trouble to be elected. Helena
Independent
The Insolont assumption of John D.
Rockefeller that the wages paid by his
oil trust during the past thirty years
were a "gift to labor," has caused
great amusement among those who are
prompt to see the humorous side of
things, and aroused the Indignation of
the serious-minded. But all know that
without labor Rockefeller's money
would have produced nothing, and that
his "gift" was merely an exchange of
money for labor, and not a fair ex
change on hla part at that, if the truth
were known.
Will oa Qreebophoae CyliaAar.
A wealthy land owner near Smol
ensk, Russia, died not long ago, and
after the funeral his heirs looked vain
ly for the will, but without success. A
few days later a young man. seeing a
graphophone on the table In the li
brary, put into it a record which be
supposed was that of a popular Rus
sian song. To his amazement and ter
ror, instead of a song he heard tne
dead man'8 voice recite the word" of
the missing will. The heirs were noti
fied of the discovery, lawyers were
summoned, and the question then
arose whether a will left on a grapho
phone cylinder would be deemed valid
by the courts. Yhia question is now
before the supreme court of EL Petersburg.