The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, June 28, 1901, Page 7, Image 7
5(?jr" "ft j:; ' vi r: Paylng'the' jlper in South Africa. ; Mr. Shaw Goes In Training. Corporations Should Pay For Privileges. It is reported that the British government has levied a tax of $250,000,000. on South Af rican gold mining companies in order to obtain war funds. Tnifl is an enor mous tax, out when it is remembered that these gold mining companies were largely respon sible for bringing about this unholy war, few will sympathize with them because of the great burden they are now required to bear. Governor Shaw of Iowa has written a letter to Senator Al lison urging him to be a can didate for the republican pres idential nomination in 1904. Senator Allison has replied with the information that ho is too old to be a presidential candidate, and with the suggestion that the govenor stand as Iowa's fa vorite son. In some quarters the unkind sug gestion is made that perhaps Governor Shaw is anxious to remove Senator Allison from the senatorial field, but it is evident that. Mr. Shaw will be trained for the 1904 race. The Supreme Court of New Jersey has held that the towns of that state may tax the road bed and appurtenances of street railway and other companies using public thor oughfares. This decision is in support of a fran chise tax law enacted in 1900. Under this law New Jersey towns may collect two per cent on the gross receipts of corporations enjoying the privilege of "using the public streets. To bo sure the corporations object to this tax, but it is strange that all the municipalities of this country have not required corporations to pay for the high privileges they enjoy. The Washington correspond ent of the Chicago Record Herald says that "an indica tion of national prosperity is to be found in the large volume of money in circulation. This now amounta to $2, 184,570, 890., a gain of more than $100,000,000. over the amount in circulation one year ago. In the last 22 years the gain in circulation amounts to the tremendous sum of $1,368,310, 169. The circulation per capita is now the largest in the country's history, amounting to $28.13. One year ago it was $26.71." Can it be possible that the largo volume of money" in circulation is any basis for national prospeiity? Can it be possible that the bimetaillists were not wholly wrong when they insisted that the country needed a larger volume of money in circulation? "For good or for ill," says the Philadelphia Ledger, "the principle has been declared that the United States may, through Congress, govern subject peoples. It is unlikely that any abuses will be committed, under this prin ciple, but it is a principle that admits of the abuses of despotism," The Philadelphia. Ledger is to be congratu lated on its sublime confidence. The Ledger should, however, know that already great A Large Vol ume of Money In Circulation. The Abuses of Despotism. They "Dis trust" a Cuban Patriot. The Commoner. abuses havo been committed under this "prin ciple," the very abuses in fact against which Our own forefathers rebelled, and for the de struction of which they took up arms. A principlo that admits of the abuses of despotism has no place in a free country. Eternal vigilance is the prico of liberty, and no people can safely depend for their lib erties upon the pleasure or generosity of one man or one set of men. The government that sanctions "a principlo that admits of the abuses of despotism" has already taken on tho elements of a monarchy. When any men seek to establish, in a free country, "a principlo that admits of the abuses of despotism" it is time for men who love lib erty to make effective protests against the innovation. Now it is reported that the ad ministration politicians pro pose to take a hand in Cuban politics. They are opposed to the election of the Cuban patriot, Maximo Gomez, to be the first presi dent of the new republic. It is said that these administration politicians "distrust" General Gomez, and the presoht mayor of Havana,, act ing under the inspiration of Qovornor-Gcneral Wood, is now organizing a party .to accomplish General Gomez defeat. It will bo interesting to have, sonic, of these administration politicians, explain to us by what authority they interfere in the political affairs of Cuba. It is interesting to be told that these politicians, who properly have no concern in Cuban affairs, "distrust" the man who imperiled his life in defense of Cuban independence. The New York Herald is oc cupying a conspicuous place these days in the copperhead column. Commenting upon tho Supremo Court's decision in the Porto Rican case, the Herald. makes thiB treasonable utterance: "Can such an amazing exhibit of judicial con- " flict and absurdity either command respect for the highest court of the nation or prove acceptable to the country? Opposed to principlo and precedent, undermined with the dissent of its own framcrs, based on a bare majority of one, protested against by all the rest of the court as "overthrowing the basis of our constitutional law," can it be said to settle even the one special point it decides, to say nothing of tho momentous issues it throws Into dispute? In short, can it endure permanently and withstand the attacks that 'time and its own weakness arc sure to bring? We think not. "We believe that it is only a question of a short time when it must give way to the corner stone principle of our government, maintained by tho four minority members of the court, headed by tho chief justice, that wherever the flag floats and American sovereignty extends the constitu tion is the supreme law to which president, con gress and the people must all bow." Is It The New York World is True? authority for this statement: "The World is also in a p( sition to announce on unimpeachable authority' that two days before the Porto Rican cases were decided the Ctfurt had unanimously agreed that the Constitution was in force "If this be Treason" ity 'f wherever the United States exercised sover eignty. But immediately before the Court met to make its decision public, Justice Brown changed his attitude on the question." If we accept this as a correct statement it would seem strange that Justice Brown could on so short a notice make so material a change. Justico Brown's opinion was most radical one. It is to be hoped, however, that lite World's "unimpeachable authority" may he successfully impeached. The character of Justico Brown's opinion, bad as it is, w not so bad as would be a condition wherein Justices of the highest court in the land flopped on x moment's notice. In the income Ur decision we had ono instance of a judge changing his mind between sessions, and that instance did. considerable damage to the Supreme Court. Justice Brown Considerable has been Raid to Consistent. the effect that Justice Brown was inconsistent in his ruling in the Downes case and his ruling in the De Lima, case. It is true that when in one case Justice Brown held that a country could not be foreign and domestic at the same time, and that Porto Rico was not foreign country, and when in the DoWnes case he held that a tariff against Porto Rico was lawful, he appeared to be a bit incon sistent. Tho truth is, however, that while Justico Brown held Porto Rico to be not for eign country, he used that position as reason for barring out the Dinglcy law which was a law enacted for the purpose of levying tariff against foreign countries. Justice Brown did not hold at any time that the constitution fol lowed tho flag. He held that congress had full power and authority to do what it saw fit to do in our possessions. Ilad the tariff that was ruled 'out in tho De Lima case been levied against Porto Rico by a special act of congress, according to Justice Brown's reasoning, that tariff would have been sustained. Tho New York -World points out that "of the five Justices' who voted for colonialism Justice Brown alone was consistent through out. The World says: "Ho held that the new territories are wholly without tho constitution and subject only to con gress. This made him in the De Lima case de clare unlawful the duties collected by presidential proclamation before congress acted. This made him in tho Downes case declare lawful the duties collected under the act of congress, the Foraker civil government act. "It was McKenna, Gray, Shiras and White who shifted ground. In the first case they voted for the lawfulness of the president-made tariff, which was a clear usurpation of the legislative powers of congress; in the second case they insisted strenuously, if most foggily, that the colonies are undgr the constitution and subject only to con gress. They first abandoned and then -tried to get back upon the constitution. "Justice Brown turned only one corner." ;. Mutterings and rumbling in the political horizon indicate that the congressmen who rep resent the tariff protected trusts and combines will have to earn their salaries in the next congress. The people are awakening to tho folly of taxing themselves poor in order to build up the fortunes of a select few j. ,. t . LJMALJJito.iJBL..T E2ZS2