denounced unsparingly as "populistic"
less than a quarter of a century ago. And
the people rather like the practical appli
cation of those principles. Time was
when democrats and republicans could be
rallied around their party standards for
the accomplishment of any old selfish cor
poration purpose by merely yelling "pop
ulism." That day has passed. While
far from being an old man, the editor of
Will Maupin's Weekly can recall when
Nebraska democrats could be lined up by
J. Sterling Morton or Dr. Miller or Tobe
Castor for any corporation scheme imag
inable by merely denouncing the other
fellows as "wild-eyed pops." And during
that same era of politics John M. Thurs
ton, the shallowest man ever achieving
popular favor, could rsy his republican
henchmen around the old Hag to protect
any old thieving gang by merely denounc
ing as "repudiationists and fanatics" all
who were opposing graft and extrava
gance. If Mr. McNeny thinks that he
or any other man, or set of men, can halt
the march of progress by merely yelling
"populism," he should pause and indulge
in another spell of thoughtfulness. As
a matter of fact, it wouldn't surprise us
much to see the "imperial mandate" in
force in this country inside of the next,
decade.
Of course Governor Aldrich's rather
sharp and caustic letter to County Attor
ney English of Omaha will bring down
upon the executive head the wrath of
certain Omaha parties. But to date Gov
ernor Aldrich has not shown any desire
to escape the wrath of the aforesaid. If
he compels the enforcement of the Alberts
law in Douglas county he is going to put
a, quietus to a very flourishing business
that has managed to get a pretty tight
grip on the management of both political
parties in that bailiwick.
Col. Will Hay ward announces that he
is soon to shake the dust of Nebraska
from his feet and go to New York City to
engage in the practice of law. "If I stay
in Nebraska I'll fool away my time in
politics, but in New York I'll attend to
my law business," says Col. Hayward. It
is to be regretted that so able a young
man as Hayward finds it necessary to go
to New York. We need such as he right
here in Nebraska not as politicians, but
as pushers for Nebraska's development,
lint we feel sure that Col. Hayward will
get to the front in New York. He has the
western push, coupled with natural abil
ity, to make his presence felt. While re
gretting his determination to leave Ne
braska we wish him unbounded success
in his new field.
Nooting the fact that Henry L. Stim
son of New York, the new secretary of
war, is being mentioned as a running
mate for Taft next year, the Kearney
Hub says: The time must come when
the republican party if it is to continue
a national party must look to the
middle west or west for president or vice
president." Upon what does the es
teemed Hub base its prediction? As
long as the republican party is the re
publican party it will be dominated by
eastern interests. When it ceases to be
dominated by eastern interests it will
cease to be the republican party as it
now is. And would the esteemed Hub
refuse to support republican caudidate
running on any kind of a platform
adopted by a convention made up of
delegates labeled republican?
Francis I. Madero, who engineered the
successful Mexican revolution, is now
tasting the first sweet fruits of victory.
In a short time lie will bite into the
wormy spots, and then the taste will be
different. Just now he is being ac
claimed a hero. Later he will be de
nounced as a base ingrate who has for
gotten the friends who made him. It
is the way of the world.
John W. Gates of "bet a million" and
steel fame, declares without equivocation
that President Roosevelt was buncoed
to a finish by the steel trust when he per
mitted the absorption by the trust of its
only real competitor, the Tennessee Goal
and Iron Co.. Morgan and the other
steel kings made Roosevelt believe that
if he didn't sanction that bald violation
of the anti-trust law a panic would re
sult. Gates, who is on the inside of the
steel business if anybody is, says that it
was a gigantic bunco game and that
Roosevelt fell for it. As a matter of
fact, the more people delve "into the
Roosevelt history the more they will dis
cover that Roosevelt played innocently
perhaps into the hands of the "big busi
ness interests" with astonishing regular
ity. The Tennessee Iron and Coal Co.
deal, notoriously in violation of the
Sherman anti-trust law, is a case in
point. Roosevelt's signature as gover
nor to the Alton bond deal is another.
By the Tennessee deal he merely riveted
the shackles of the steel trust upon the
limbs of the people, and when he was
criticized for it he flew into the usual
Rooseveltian passion and denounced his
critics as liars. Now comes one of the
beneficiaries of that rotten deal and
coolly informs the public how it was
buncoed, and reveals how easy it was to
fool Roosevelt. -
Senator Cummins of Iowa erstwhile
progressive but alwTays bitterly partisan
republican sees a bogy man. "The
shadow of a bloody revolution hangs over
this republic," declared Cummins at
Washington College of Law recently.
"Within a decade we will see whether
the grievances of today will be settled by
law or by the manner that has been in
existence for twro thousand years, the
revolution of bloodshed and violence,"
We humbly suggest that the Iowa sena
tor take something for it. There is
about as much danger of a bloody revo
lution in this republic as there is that
Pike's Peak will slide into the Atlantic
ocean. Time was when we hailed as
statesman the man who shook his head
mournfully and proclaimed in thunder
tones that bloody revolution impended if
the reforms he advocated were not speed
ily brought' about. Now we just laugh.
Catch us exposing our persons to shot
and shell and bayonet to accomplish
something far easier accomplished by
voting intelligently. We are making
rapid forward strides along reform
lines, thank you. Not so rapid as Ave
would like, of course, but still quite rapid
enough to keep our blood from growing
sluggish. Just as soon as we can make
it impossible for courts to shackle our
energies and deprive us of our rights by
judge made laws, we'll make even more
rapid advance. Some of these days
we'll make it impossible for men to pur
chase special privileges from lawmakers,
and then we'll attend to the matter of
equalizing opportunities. We'll not
achieve perfection this year, nor next.
Nor will we achieve it in this decade, or
the next. But it will be achieved, just
the same. A few years ago the initiative
and referendum was dubbed "revolution
ary." It's here, and without a trace of
blood upon it. We are going to get all
the rest of them in exactly the same way,
dear Senator.
OUR UNJUST TAXING SYSTEM
Elsewhere is printed the report of the
taxation division of the Rural Life Com
mission of Nebraska. It is especially
recommended to the attention of those
progressive citizens who are seeking to
secure some advanced method of raising
reveune a method that will be just to
all.
There can be out one end to any ra
tional investigation of the taxing system
made with a view to devising an equitable
system. That will be to cease putting a
tax on enterprise for the benefit of spec
ulators; to cease fining a man for being
thrifty and public spirited and giving the
increase to men who have done nothing.
In other words, it will result eventually
in giving us a revenue system wdiereby
the public expenses are paid out of com
munity made values. In other words, the
values that are created by communities
will be used by the communities for the
benefit of all, not for the benefit of spec
ulators. ; And the men whose toil and en
terprise and thrift make cities and towns
will not be fined for their push and pro
gressiveness. There is just a hint of this
in the report mentioned the taxing divi-.
sion's roster showing the names or
enough single taxers to leaven the whole
lump if given time. The wonder is that
such a crude, unjust, bunglesome and in
equitable system of taxation as the one
we suffer under today has been allowed
to exist as long as it has.
With state buildings in such unrepair
that infant inmates are seriously injured
by falling plastering, isn't it about time
to think of electing a legislature that
knows the difference between economy
and niggardliness?