IMK PIP M&il
VOL. XIII.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, APRIL 3, 1902.
NO. 4G.
FUNSTON CAUGHT IN A LIE
-
The Committee Astonished bat the Asso
ciated Press Says Not a "Word Brother
Zlbner and the Danish Islands
Trust Man on Democratic
Committee
Washington, D. C, March 31, 1902.
(Special Correspondence.) Represen
tative Richardson, the democratic and
minority leader of the house of repre
sentatives, made the republican mem
bers of the house look "kinder pale"
on Thursday last, when he arose in
his eeat and asked to be allowed -to
introduce a privileged motion. He
was recognized by the speaker and
immediately introduced a resolution
providing for the appointment of a
committee of seven to investigate the
charges made by Captain Christmas
formerly agent of the Danish govern
ment to negotiate the sale of the Dan
ish West Indies. The ' speaker put
the Question and it was immediately
objected to by Representative Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, a bitter republican.
But the speaker, finding no grounds
upon which to base his refusal, put
the Question and it was passed unani
mously. Uncle Joe Cannon of Illi
nois, in one of his characteristic
speeches marked by humor, but not
by logic, vigorously opposed the pass
age of the resolution, although he did
not dare when the measure was put
to a vote to still pursue this course.
The speaker thereupon appointed a
committee of four republicans and
three democrats to investigate the
charges.
The charges made by Captain Christ
mas were the result of certain state
ments made by him, and presented by
him to his government in the form of
a secre message involving the char
acter and corruptibility of certain
members of congress and other men
of position and preference. But the
affidavit was seen by another Dane,
who is now an American citizen, and
its contents were presented to Repre
sentative Richardson. This man
Christmas made application to , his
government for 10 per cent of the to
tal receipts from the sale of the isl
ands, as his share of the deal. He
was promised that he would be given
10 per cent of five million dollars, if
he. could negotiate the sale of the isl
ands to the United States. He then
came to America as agent of the Dan
ish ministry and aided by many men
of position and influenced, succeeded
in saddling some more islands on us.
He charges that he was oblige to make
promises to legislators and to give
many of them "wine suppers, dinners,
etc.," at theRaleigh hotel, one ; of
Washington's celebrated' hostelries."
He was aided in this scheme by a
man, whom the affidavit charges, is. a
personal friend of Senator Mark Han
na and by "Richard P. Evans, an in
timate friend and adviser of Repre
sentative Gardner (rep. N. J.)." He
also charges that he had complete en
tree to the White house, which was
secured by Abner McKlnley, the presi
dent's brother, and a man named
Brown, who is McKinley's adviser and
friend. He mixes Abner McKinley in
some pretty ugly charges and there
are many willing to believe that the
man who was the president's brother
and who was mixed up in some ugly
coal deals, and the man who at the
beginning, of his brother's term wa3
almost penniless, yet today is worth
many millions, knows more about the
charges of Captain Christmas than he
cares to have investigated.
It is not very probable that the com
mittee appointed by the speaker to in
vestigate the charges made by the
Dane, will be able to gain much head
way. All information must come
through the state department, which
is also charged by the .document, and
this information the secretary will re
fuse to furnish. The committee has
no power to call witnesses and then
to enforce their testimony. But the
committee will be able, if they care
to, to air the charges made to a con
siderable extent, and their verdict is
awaited with much interest. The
charges came with such force and
from a source so entirely unexpected
that they completely eclipsed all other
business and they have been the . prin
cipal topic of conversation during the
latter part of the week. Captain
Christmas was a little too anxious to
pay his bills to pay those whose aid
he had secured with the promise to
pay out of his share of $500,000 and his
haste got some men into trouble. The
republican members . - are trying to
make light of the question, and are
ridiculing each of the charges con
tained therein ,but at the same .time
there is no doubt that it is causing
them to lie awake nights and wonder
if the committee can find out every
thing. I certainly believe that Brother
Agner sits up and wonders.
The democratic congressional com
mittee met in the rooms of the minor
ity in the capitol on last Friday and
selected Representative James M.
Griggs of Georgia as chairman of the
congressional campaign committee.
They also filled the vacancies caused
by the absence of delegations from re
publican states and appointed James
L. Norris as the representative of the
District of Columbia.
The appointment of James L. Nor
ris on the committee will probably be
made an issue against the party In the
coming elections for congress. The
democratic party cannot be expected
to ngnt tne trusts wnen it nas such a
man on its congressional committee.
Norris is Oorman's man Friday and
no work is too low for him. He was
seated by a secret vote cf the commit
tee after a few minutes hearing of
the charges made against him. The
placing of a notorious tool of the
trusts like Norris on the campaign
committee of the party pledged by its
platform to fight the trusts is so sus-
Liberty Building; Site
.ujiHj'V.'jui
1328 O Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Where it is Proposed to Construct Liberty Building A
Home For The Independent
About two months ago The Inde
pendent decided to take its readers
more closely into its confidence, ex
plain to them what It needed most
and ask their co-operation in securing
it. A newspaper without a home can
not be as independent as the nature
of its business demands. We do not
enjoy the patronage of plutocrats. On
the contrary,, we enjoy their unrelent
ing opposition. We live not for them,
but in spite of them. We are opposed
to the system of governmental favor
itism that makes the already too rich
richer and the poor poorer. Rather
than bargain with the money chang
ers and sell part or parcel of our soul
to them we have preferred to ask the
co-operation of our readers, the plain
people whose cause we champion as
best we can. They have responded
most generously to our building plan
and we have felt justified in taking
an option upon the vacant lot shown
in the illustration above. It is five
feet narrower than we had originally
contemplated, but with, a two-story
brick building will be ample for our
needs for a long time. It is 25x142
feet, about the middle of the block
between - 13th and 14th on O street,
and will be numbered 1328 O street.
It will be erected between the two
large brick blocks shown in the cut.
The three story building on the west
is known as the Smith block, one of
the finest buildings in. the: city, and Is
occupied by the Keystone Grocery Co.,
the Lincoln Hardware Co., and the
lodge room of the Elks. On the east
is a three story double building occu
pied by the Dr. Bentley Sanitarium,
J. C. Cox gas fitting and plumbing
store, the J. W. Mitchell wall paper
store and others.
A most desirable location in every
way. The architect estimates that
the lot and building finished in the
most economical manner possible con
sistent with safety will cost between
$9,500 and $10,000. As before stated in
these columns we do not propose to
put in any expense that can be. avoid
ed. Only the office room will be
plastered and all other luxuries will
be counted out. When it is enclosed
to keep out sun and rain we will move
in, quit paying rent to plutocracy and
give our readers a better paper than
ever before. We can then devote our
undivided attention to the business of
making trouble for mullet heads. Will
you help by disposing of at least one
block of five Liberty Building postals?
If you want to try let us know and
we'll send them by first mail. You
need not pay for them until you. have
sold them. The state campaign is close
at hand, delegates to be chosen, nomi
nating conventions soon to be held, a
full state ticket and congressmen to
be elected this fall will make It easy
for you to find buyers for the cards
at the low rate which you can. offer
them. There is no work you can do
that will bring such telling results at
election time as to increase the circu
lation of The Independent. Men who
read it soon come to know the facts
and men who know the facts do not
vote the republican ticket. -The- Inde
pendent is as deadly to mullet; heads
as strychnine is to gophers. Why not
plaht a few kernels in your neighbor
hood and see if what we tell you isn't
true?
- Shall we send you five?
(See Page 3 for report of Liberty
Building Guards.)
crecy attached to the proceedings. The
anti-trust league of this city proposes
to have the fullest publicity possible
in regard to what influences were be
hind the seating of Norris in opposi
tion to three-fourths of the democrats
of the District of Columbia, and after
the Kansas City convention voted to
unseat his delegation headed by him.
The league Is taking steps to secure a
poll of the members of the congres
sional committee as to how they voted
on the seating of Norris. They have
a record so far as to how two of the
members voted one for and one
against the seating of this trust agent.
As soon as the poll is complete the re
sult will be sent out through the press
for the information of voters in ev
ery congressional district in the union.
The league considers that this act of
the trusts in forcing a man like Nor
ris into a seat in the democratic con
gressional committee . should" be
watched by the voters of the country.
If the democratic party is really op
posed to the trusts and their commit
tee is not trying to curry favor and
campaign subscriptions from them,
the action . in seating Norris cannot j
be 'understood. But the result in seat- ;
ing him against a protest of the real
democracy of the District of Colum
bia and aided by the central commit
tee, is certainly a bit of circumstan
tial evidence that the party as now
constituted is not as much opposed to
the huge combinations against "trade
as they shout. The democrats of the
country should look into the matter
and demand that Norris be unseated
and that the District's place on the
committee be filled by a true demo
crat or left vacant as it should be for
the District has no vote upon any
thing. The very Cact that the commit
tee made a place for Norris when none
existed to which he could be eligible
certainly adds Insult to the injury
and affects the issue strongly.
Pension Commissioner Henry Clay
Evans has resigned and he is to-be
given a lucrative position by the ad
ministration. The administration is
trying hard to secure a renominatlon
and although they want the vote of
the old soldier, they cannot afford to
lose the - influence of Evans. . The
Grand Army of the Republic long ago
demanded the withdrawal of Evans
from his post as commissioner of pen
sions, but the administration could
ill afford to lose him. Now they have
it fixed. He has been compelled to rer
sign. That much Is settled. They
then will give him the post of envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipo
tentiary from the United States to the
kingdom of Spain. That is his re
ward for hi3 cruel treatment of the
old soldier, who has been made to suf
fer by the regime of Evans. Verily,
how the sinners do heap up their
profits! The man who . the Grand
Army opposed so bitterly, whose res
ignation or removal they demanded,
Army swallow it? That's the ques
tion. Now that it has been definitely de
cided to turn over to the new republic
of Cuba the administration of her own
affairs on May 20th the judiciary down
there have decided that it is about
time to meet out punishment to those
men who filched her treasury. Rath
bone, Neeley and Reeves are each to
serve ten years in the penitentiary and
to pay a fine equal to the amounts they
stole. Neeley is the man whom Perry
Heath recommended to Rathbone as a
"fine fellow and a man whom you can
take into your closest confidence;"
and Rathbone, who was manager of
the campaign of Senator Hanna for a
seat in the senate and through whose
dirty work Mark Hanna is now a sen
ator, are to serve their terms. The
man who told the republicans that if
they punished him, that he would tell
all he knew about the election of Han
na, has been sentenced.
The senate was chiefly concerned
with the discussion of the oleomar
garine bill, which passed the. house
some days ago and during the debate
they were treated to a discussion of
the question by Senator Jonathan P.
Dolliver of Iowa. His speech is cer
tainly the ablest speech made in the
senate in defense of the bill, while
that of Representative Ashton C.
Shallenberger of Nebraska was eas
ily the best one made in the house on
the same subject. Today the senate
will hear that gifted young statesman,
the baby of the senate, Joseph Weldon
Bailey of Texas, whose speech in op
position to the bill is expected to be a
masterpiece. "
While in session the other day the
senate committee caught the crafty
Funston in a deliberate lie. Funston
had stated in his testimony that In
capturing Aguinaldo he had but three
or four men in the Insurgent uniform.
Senator Patterson immediately read
an article from a magazine written
by Funston in which he stated that
there were twenty men wearing the
uniform of the Insurgent forces. He
said in this account in the magazine
(Everybody's, ? published by Jolin
Wanamaker) that he would have so
uniformed the whole of the spies, but
he knew that there were really very
few of the insurgent uniforms worn
by Filipinos and that a whole force of
a hundred men so uniformed would
create suspicion: Senator Patterson
used this with terrific effect and its
impression upon the committee was
noted.
The house unseated Representative
John S. Rhea of Kentucky and in his
stead seated J. Mackenzie Moss, a
former gold democrat, but who now
allies himself with the republicans.
Rhea's speech in his own defense was
one of the gems of the session and so
great was its . effect that many re
publicans withdrew from the chamber
could whip into line against Rhea
were ten solitary votes majority.
The presidenttwill send to the sen
ate the nomination of James R. Gar
field as civil service commissioner, to
succeed William A. Rodenberg, re
signed. J WM. W. BRIDE.
Populist Editors
In. a letter to The Independent, Sec
retary Mcintosh of the populist edi
torial association says, that a meet
ing of the committee on permanent or
ganization, will' be held in Lincoln.
Monday. April 7 He hopes to have, a
number ot new embers before that
time. , isvery; popuiist editor in tne
state should ; lose no time In sending
his name to the secretary, H. F. Mc
intosh, 1511 Jackson st., Omaha, and
become a. member. Even if no ma
terial good shoutd.be effected, no harm
can come of Itand there is no doubt
that a properly conducted associa
tion will prove helpful to every pop
ulist editor in the .state.
; WAHTSJIIE PRIZE
. .. v. - 11 "' - .''
Mr, Scheiier Thinks lie Haa Dlicorered
, a Smteg-g-ler and Cilaims the Reward
Editor Independent; I saw in the
newspapers that Prince Henry made
some costly presents, richly orna
mented with diamonds and rubies, to
Princess Roosevelt,; the chief of the
New York police, "and others.
' Rubles are the crystallized blood
and diamonds vtlW! crystallized tears,
squeezed from tne common people by
taxes, and pay atfcigb, tariff when they
enter this country, Now, " I wish' to
know how much, tariff Prince Henry
paid on these diamonds and rubies.
Can you find it out for -me, or shall I
ask Mr. Burkett? '
Our government i pays a high pre
mium for detecting, smugglers, and if
these diamonds, wef e smuggled, I claim
that premium. The law, does not . ex
empt prince or ' peasant ; from tariff;
and the constitution", forbids - officers
to accept presents from princes. It is
only sneaking around ; the constitu
tion when a prince makes a present to
the president's daughter.
F. SCHWEIZER.
Woodlawn, Neb. k .
(Better ask Mr. ISurkett. The . In
dependent has no Information as to
whether ' duty was fcaid or not. Ed.
Ind.) '
EVERYWHERE FAITHFUL
A COINCIDENCE
M mn i botiEjidiruireLrat w. fh n YQtpp gainst him. With
Land Commissioner Follnier Makes School
" Xand Leases Sjld by Land -v
Agent Fellmer
G. D. Follmer & Son, Oak, Nebras
ka, do an extensive real- estate and
farm loan business, with headquarters
at Oak and a recruiting office at Lin
coln. G." D., the father of H, R. Foll
mer, is commissioner of public lands
and buildings and as such officer has
charge of leasing the school lands of
Nebraska. . - . ;
Last week's Nelson Gazette contain
ed, a boast that that paper had closed
the largest advertising contract ever
made in Nuckolls county for; two
whole pages. The Independent's cu
riosity was aroused and the Gazette
was . carefully inspected. It wasn't
hard to find , the ad. Follmer ; & Son
had bought and furnished a supple
ment, sixteen of those extremely long
columns in the Gazette, and filled
about fourteen of them with solid bre
vier reading matter in regard to sev
eral hundred bargains in real estate
they desire to dispose of for sound
money. The Independent will chance
giving Follmer & Son a little free ad
vertising by referring to some of the
bargains they: offer.
No. 58 Blaine county cattle ranch;
20,000 acres tinder fence; 2,080 acres
deeded land and 640 acres SCHOOL
LAND, etc.
No. 114-Blaine county ranch. . . .
320 acres SCHOOL LEASE. ,
No. 48 Blaine county ranch. . 560
SCHOOL LEASE, 23 years at $36.24, per
year.
No: 116 Cherry county cattle ranch.
. . .1,400 acres LEASED SCHOOL
LAND.
No. 52 Cherry county ranch. . .
1,640 acres SCHOOL LEASE.
No. 65 Cherry county cattle ranch.
. . . 640 acres SCHOOL LEASE.
No. 127 Loup county ranch. . .
Some SCHOOL LAND.
No. 43 Wheeler county ranch. . .640
acres SCHOOL LAND LEASE.
No. 21 Brown county ranch. . . 640
acres SCHOOL LAND. .
Now, all this army be only a coinci
dence, but in the same paper George
Lyon, jr., advertised two columns of
real estate bargains, but was unable
to show up a foot of schol land. How
ever, George has no public office, but
G. D. Follmer has, and it's the sort of
an office that requires him, on behalf
of the state, to make leases of school
land, it could happen that Real Es
tate Agent Follmer might have a
"dummy" following Land Commis
sioner Follmer to lease the lands that
Real Estate Agent Folmer thinks
would prove profitable. At any rate the
whole transaction looks suspicious.
There is no good reason why a state
officer should give up his business dur
ing his term of office, but the practice
of making state treasurers out of bank
ers, land commissioners out of real
estate sharks, and state officers gener
ally out of corporation material, i3
one that some time must go. At pres
ent the people seem to like it, but they
may learn something by and by.
The special commission of Canada
has submitted Its report in the Chi
nese exclusion movement, and it prac
tically agrees with the position taken
in the United States. A $500 head
tax is recommended on Chinese enter-
The Rank and File of the Peoples Party
are Independents and Fight Only
for Principles
Perhaps the political manipulators
of this country will finally come to
understand populism and populists.
Acting upon the theory that populists
were actuated only by the same mo
tives that inspire the leaders of other
political parties, a desperate effort, has
been made to get the populists to dis
organize and give up their party or
ganisation. The effort has been fruit
less although most of the men whom
populists have elected to office have
succumbed to the blandishments of
party leaders. The populists have four
senators whom they have elected by
their votes who are now members of
the upper branch of congress and eight
or nine members of the lower house.
All these have left the party except
two, but that had no influence upon
the populist voters. They still stand
as before, willing to co-operate with
any party that will aid in enacting
their views into law, but positively re
fusing to give up their party organ
ization. Victor E. Lawson, chairman of the
tate committee of the people's party
of the state of Minnesota has recent
ly issued a statement that it would
be well for party leaders of all par
ties to read. It is as follows:
When the first people's party plat
form was promulgated some of the
measures proposed were intended as
preventatives of evils to come. The
populists' predictions were scoffed at
and their measures ridiculed. But
the evils they foretold came, even
sooner than had been expected, and
there is no . intelligent person today
who will deny i that had at . that time
the populistic doctrines been enacted
into law and enforced, the concentra
tion of wealth into a few hands would
have been checked and every citizen,
rich" or poor, would now have pos
sessed more equal opportunities in the
struggle for "life, liberty and the pur
suit of happiness." The fundamental
populistic doctrines are today recog
nized as the only final solution of the
great questions before the people.
But while populistic principles have
won recognition in the minds of mil
lions of citizens the giant force of
greed has been intrenching Itself in
the power, of the government by
means of special privileges with an
arogance that is appalling. The prac
tical question of dislodging this power
and restoring the full measure of in
dustrial freedom to the citizens of the
republic is apparently no nearer- its
solution now than it was ten years
ago".- : "
It is in the practical organization
of the awakened citizenship into a po
tent and disciplined force, capable of
fighting political battles and doing
execution against the cohorts of greed
where the . problem presents itself.
Human frailties, prejudices and jeal
ousies unite in rendering an other
wise simple proposition into a
tangled skein of difficulties.
Were it not for the hopeful assur
ance that "truth crushed to earth
shall rise again," and for the knowl
edge that a just God presides over the
destinies 'of men, one might well de spair
of the potency of any honest ef
fort for political reform in these de
generate days of an arrogant usurp
ing power and a sleeping people.
Small wonder that so many yield to
the seductive blandishments of cor
rupting "social conditions and with
the cry, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
join in the feverish chase after the
dollar even to the dwarfing of soul
and stifling of conscience.
What is the duty of the populist at
the present time? "How can he best
make his influence felt in these mo
mentous "times? How to preserve the
leaven, maintain the strength of the
salt and keep the light shining? These
are questions that present themselves.
" A committee, appointed at a pre
vious meeting of the state committee,
in an address issued in September of
last year, made this declaration:
"For the mistakes of past cam
paigns it is idle now to apologize. It
was an honest effort to put an honest
man in the White house. We had
confidence in William J, Bryan and
still have. More than any other man
in the old parties he represents
Americanism as it was exemplified in
the lives and teachings of Jefferson
and Lincoln. It was co-operation for
the purification of government, with
no thought of being absorbed by the
democratic party, many of the so
called leaders of which are enemies of
equal rights as expressed in the dec
laration of independence. The peo
ple's party was not obliterated. Prin
ciples never die, nor will the peopls's
party while it represents true repub
licanism the voice of the whole peo
ple. It still lives an educator and a
warner against the despotism of the
money and trust oligarchy that cov
ets the pomp and circumstance of an
empire."
The address mentioned met with fa
vor from all districts where the peo
ple's organization r still maintains a
separate existence. In localities where
the exigencies of a dual campaign
caused the merging of the organiza
tions, there are populists wno are un
decided whether to try and continue
a populist organization or to aban
don the same and thus compel the
members of the party to seek a politi
cal home as best they may. This
class of populists fear to assert the
right of their party to live because
they believe such a course would
weaken Bryan's strength with dem
ocracy. They would enter into the
contest raging with ths democratic
party to assist in the purging of de
mocracy of its corrupt elements. This
they honestly believe to I be the best
method of expressing their loyalty to
reflection will convince any one con
versant with conditions that this po
sition is not tenable. In the states
where populism has its strength-Bryan's
ideas also dominate democracy.
In the sections where the gold trust
democracy is strongest populists have
developed little strength. If the Bry
an democracy cannot maintain its con
trol of the party in the west without
the aid of populists, then pray what
hope is there that they can do so in
the central and eastern states? All
populists sympathize with the Bryan
wing of democracy in its struggle to
maintain its control of the party, but
they are powerless to assist it, even
should they wish to enter the demo -ocratic
party for that purpose. Tho
populists will be wise if they stand
aloof and allow their late allies to
settle their own family difficulties
among themselves. His own party of
fers the populist a congenial political
home, where he can make his influ
ence felt in the nation and state far
more effectively.
With populists in the legislature and
populists in congress the party can
co-operate in the halls of legislation
with all who wish to enact populistic
principles into law. A third; aggres
sive party in a country -with so va
ried interests as the United Etates
would be no menace to its progress.
Indeed, the conviction is growing that
such a party would compel a reason
able degree of purity In national af
fairs. No true reformer needs to hesitate
to assist in the maintenance of the
people's party. Its existence will b
a guarantee that populistic principles
will live and be enacted into law.
Whatever the future has in store, the
populist that stands by his conviction.,
will have no cause .for regret.
Let us not forget that a determined
minority that knows ; what it wants
and will fight for it will accomplish
results where a majority that is hope
lessly divided is impotent to accom
plish anything. ;
Let us, therefore, go forward as
men, without guile and with pure
purpose, uncompromising in the sup
port of the principles we hold ear.
And if we do so, we may trust to Di
vine Providence for the guidance thf.t
will achieve the results that we be
lieve are necessary for the future wel
fare of our beloved country.
VICTOR E. LAWSON, .
, . State Chaimman.
COLOSSAL STEALING
Mr. Steag-all Gives Independent .Readers
an Insight Into Railroad Stealing
, : In Texas '
Editor Independent! I have read
your report of how Vaaderbilt got his
fortune; of Jay Gould's exploit about
the Kansas Pacific railroad; and your
quotation from Benjamin Kid's late
work, in your Issue of the 6th of
March. With your, permission I will
give your readers an insight into one
or. two other ways that millions are
stolen, and I wish to emphasize the
word stolen, for no other word fills
the bill so exactly.
In the beginning let me say that the
state of Texas, with its millions of
acres of land (which the state re
served when it came into the union in
1845) furnished the finest field ever
found in which to steal colossal for
tunes, and it Is not strange that the
man who picked up 15 millions in the
Kansas Pacific deal in fifteen minutes
should have found his way into those
green pastures. Now, don't forget that
the state gave 16 sections of land In
alternate sections for every mile of
road built in the state as long as the
supply lasted and the result was that
there was a mighty rush of adven
turers to Texas to build railroads.
After Mr.Jay Gould got there, thou
sands of miles of these roads were
leased by him, and as is usually the
case the roads were eventually
"wrecked" and went into the hands
of receivers. By a strange coincidence
one of Mr. Gould's "dummies' was
always appointed receiver. Of course
this was a mere coincidence, and I
only allude to it as such. Well, while
in the hands of receivers the earnings
were used to put the roads in good
shape, with new rolling stock and of
ten with new rails. Eventually these
roads were all sold, and by another
strange coincidence one of Mr. Gould's
"dummies" was the purchaser, usual
ly at $3,000 to $5,000 per mile, al
though the average cost of a railroad
in Texas is about $6,000 to $13,000 per
mile. The constitution of the state
said "not a dollar of stocks or bonds
should be issued on any railroads ex
cept for money actually expended on
said road," but Mr. Gould being, as
all railroad men are, above law, pro
ceeded to stock these roads at $25,000
to the mile. Then, being a member of
the New -York stock exchange (that
modern gambling hell, by th side of
which Monte Carlo and all. lottery
swindles pale into Insignificance) , he
proceeded to bond these roads at $60,
000 to the mile and put the proceeds
deep down into hia capacious pockets.
He then had $85,000 to the mile in
stocks and bonds on roads that cost
him $3,000 to $5,000 per mile and which
were worth about $13,000 to the mile,
and on this vast stealage he asked the
state railroad commission to allow him
to tax the consumers of that state
high enough to give him a reasonable
rate of Interest on $85,000 to the mile.
Now, Mr. Editor, having be!n a rail
road director, and In connection with
six other gentlemen having owned and
operated a railroad in Texas, and hav
ing spent one-third of a cetitury in
that great state. I think I have had a
good chance to know something about
what I am writing. i
. A; H. STEAGALL.
ADAMS VS. BRYAN
This Degenerate Son of a Family ef States
"tnen Wants te tiet Bid of
W. J. Bryan
Editor Independent: Mr. Charles
Francis Adams having been Invited by
the New York Journal to take part
In a "Discussion by Prominent Demo
crats of the Best Methods of Estab
lishing Democratic Harmony and ot
the iBsues Upon Which the Democratic
Party Can Elect the Next President,
said:
"First, let our government get out
of the Philippines, bag and baggagr,
just as soon as we can do exactly
what we did under similar conditions
in Mexico fifty-six years ago create
a government to treat with.
"Next, put out of the way Bryan and
his penny tin whistle, tooting tho free
silver refrain.
"Then let us set our faces toward
tariff reform." (N, Y. Journal, MarcU
8, 1902.) ; .:
Mr. Adams intimates that we can
soon create a government in the Phil
ippines to treat with and that we can
soon get out, but we never have had
a case like the Philippines and theie
is no reason for believing that tho
Filipinos will organize a stable gov
ernment in less than ten years, lit'
sides, we have agreed with Spain to
stay there ten years and protect h?r
commercial Interests. Mr. Adams can
convince himself of this -by reading
the 4th article of the treaty made at
Paris and ratified in the spring ot
1899. The ten years commence to run
from the date of ratification.
As to putting away Bryan. Mr.
Adams will find this still more ditti
cult than getting out of the Philip
pines. He Will find that Bryan rep
resents about 90 per cent of the demo
cratic party and that Mr. Adams stands
for not more than 10 per cent. It
will therefore be much easier for
Bryan and his friends to put out
Adams and his friends than for tho
latter, to put the former out. -
The difficulty, according to Adams,
is all about silver. If it were not for
this Bryan could keep company with
Adams. (
Mr. Adams says that free and un
limited coinage of sliver is wrong. If
this is true, then free and unlimited
coinage of gold must also be wrong:.
Men of Mr. Adams's way of thinking
have been trying to prove that fre
coinage of silver la wrong without
recognizing the fact that they have
been proving free coinage of gold to
be equally wrong. Mr. Adams be
lieves in a gold "standard." If he i
corect, then Mr. Bryan must be cor
rect In r3!iving in a silver "stand
ard." tt needs very little argument
to show that either one of these met
als is just as much of a standard a
the other, or would be if they wera
treated alike. The truth is, however,
that it has never been proposed to
make either one of them anything
more than a basis for the currency.
Gold cannot be a standard of value,
until we use it exclusively for money
and abolish all other kinds of cur
rency. Nor can silver be a standard
of value, until we use it exclusively
for money and abolish all other kinds
of money and currency. This has
never been proposed, because there is
not enough of either metal to go
around and sustain the present price
level. What is really proposed by
Mr. Adams and the people of his way
of thinking is to have a little gold for
the bottom of the currency and to
make up for all deficiencies by bank
notes and other forms of credit cur
rency, such as bank checks. This is
to be done by keeping the mints open
to free and unlimited coinage of gold,
and the banks open to free and unlimited-coinage
of bank-notes and the
mints closed to free and unlimited
coinage of silver. Mr. Bryan would
keep the mints open to free and un
limited coinage of silver (as well as
free and unlimited coinage of gold),
make up all defliclencles of currency
by issuing greenbacks instead of bank
notes. Very little objection has been
made to so much of his plan as cou
templates stopping the further issue
of bank notes and substituting green
backs (or legal tender treasury notes.)
The battle, on the contrary, has been
directed to opening the mints to free
and unlimited coinage of silver dol
lars. This narrows the Issue to silver
vs. gold and leaves the question of
greenbacks vs. national bank notes,
as money, to be discussed and decide l
later on.
It is a poor time now to discuss tfc
money question, because we already
have plenty of money. It 13 only a
question, now, of quality. If the goM
standard people would only be con
tent to be silent on the money ques
tion, I am quite sure that Bryan would
be satisfied to join Mr. Adams and his
friends in getting out of the Philip
pines. This is the real question upon
which the next house of representa
tives is to be elected this fall. It,
therefore, ought to be discussed be
fore we think about the presidential
election of 1904 or the silver ques
tion. But Mr. Adams will not have
it this way. He is disposed to put
Bryan out before commencing the de
bate about the Philippines. This
makes a little talk about silver nec
essary. Mr. Adams likes to talk about silver
without allowing Bryan to talk about
gold. He likes to speak against sil
ver, but he does not like to have Bry
an speak against gold. This cornea
with very poor grace from the Adams
family -who supported free coinage of
silver from the beginning of the gov
ernment , until within 'a few years.
When Charles Francis was our min
ister to England from 1861 to 1S68. the
mints were open to free and unlimited
coinage - of silver and nobody made
any complaint; they remained open
until 1873, without anybody making
p.QTnpTqjnt: they were closed without
