The Commoner.
',4 vr'''". 'I
3
ticipatc. either in the preparation's for that, bat
tle or tho Actual engagement.
The testimony introduced by the judge
advocate indicates that there was a deliberate
effort to keep Admiral Schley uninformed as
to certain important details of the search for
tho enemy. The much talked-about loop
has been shown by the judge advocate's
own witnesses to have been essential to
the success of the great battle and it is sig
nificant that the judge advocate rested his
case after Captain Cook, one of his witnesses,
had in answer to a question concerning Schley's
demeanor said: "1 always regarded him as N
an enthusiastically brave and patriotic officer.",
That was the verdict of tho newspaper cor
respondents who witnessed the battle of San
tiago Bay. That was the verdict of the Amer
ican people immediately after the battle, and
undoubtedly that is the verdict of tho Ameri
can people today!.
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Band-wagon Journalism.
The New York World is inclined to crit
icise Edward M. Shepard, the Demooraic nom
inee for mayor of New York City, because he
docs not pledge himself to remove certain
police officials now in authority in tho New
York metropolis. The World has nothing but
words of praise to say of Mr. Shepard person
ally and it concedes that his own ideas of local
government are above criticism. In one and
the same issue the World pays a high tribute
to Mr. Shepard and to Mr. Seth Low, tho Re
publican candidate. Mr. Shepard's reply to
tfio demand that no pledge himself to( rc:
move certain police officials in New York is
that he has so far declined to make pledges to
any one. He adds, however, that if ho should
be chosen as mayor of New York every man
placed in authority under him would represent
"in season and out o season, in the day timo
and in the night time, notions of publio order
and good government entertained, and so often
given voice to, by Edward M. Shepard."
Tho World, however, seems not disposed
to accept this as conclusive.
Without any desire to pass upon the pro
priety of Mr. Shepard's position those who
h'ave no immediate interest in the result in tho
New York City election may be inclined to say
that a newspaper that is so insistent that a can
didate for office -shall bo explicit should itself
be explicit.
It is an old trick of some newspapers that
they print articles first favorable to one side
and then favorable to another, all the time in
sisting that candidates for public office shall be
candid, yet all the time failing themselves
to be plain with the people.
While it is undoubtedly true that all candi
dates for office should be frank; that they
should tell voters exactly what they intend to. do;
that they should take the people into their
confidence; that they should let the public
know where they stand upon every question in
which the public is interested; yet this
same duty rests no heavier upon the candi
dates than upon the newspapers. The news
paper that pretends to stand up at all hours for
public interest should never make itself liablo
to tho suspicion that it is "trimming."
Today tho New York people arc not in a
position to toll whether tho World is support
ing Mr. Low or Mr. Shepard for mayor of
New York.
If the press is really the instructor and the
leader of tho people then the press should in
struct and lead the. people. -
There is no question concerning the per
sonal merits of either Mr. Low or Mr. Shep
ard. But it is tho duty of newspapers as it iB
tho duty of men to take positive position upon
every question with which tho people are con
fronted. It would seem therefore that if tho
New York World expects tho people to accopt
its criticisms in all seriousness it is tho duty of
the World to say where the World stands.
Is tho World waiting for the band wagon
to come rumbling down tho road?
Is tho World waiting for tho "cat to jump?"
x Docs tho World hope to postpone its an
nouncement of its position on the mayoralty
question until the editor of the World deter
mines whether Seth M. Low or Edward M.
Shepard will be successful at the polls?
It is true that the people are interested in
explicit statements. They want to know where
candidates for public office stand. It is no less
true that the newspapers wield considerable in
fluence with tho people. It is true that tho
newspaper which hopes to be. a power among
tho people must not be afraid to stand up, even
in the presence of defeat, and declare its pur
pose, and its preference. . .,"-..' ,-. '
Where does the IWorld 'stand? i Is it 'for
Shepard or for Low, or docs the World'
simply seek a place in tho band wagon?
Tariff Concessions to Cuba.
There are indications that the sugar trust
is determined to make a vigorous fight against
the proposition that tariff concessions bo made
to Cuba. Congressman Hepburn of Iowa says:
"I have heard much talk about the tariff
concessions that should be made to Cuba. I
have but little sympathy with the idea of
concessions. Tho articles that Cuba would
desire to have admitted free of duty, or ;at a
less rate than other nations pay, would bo
sugar and tobacco. Wo are probably produc
ing in the United States this year 200,000 tons
of beet sugar, justifying the expectation that
in ten years' time, with the present conditions
continued, wo will produce all the sugar
needed in the United States." We are not
producing sufficient sugar to supply the de
mand in this country. Will public interests
suffer by tariff concessions that permit the en
trance into this country of Cuban sugar? Tho
Washington Post, commenting upon Congress
man Hepburn's statement, presents a . few fig
ures of its own. The Post says:
"Suppose we produce 200,000. tons this year,
how far will it go toward supplying tho demand?.
That would make a huge pile of sugar, hut our to-
tal consumption Is ten times that quantity, being
2,000,000 tons of 2,240 pounds each. We produce
300,000 tons of cane sugar, to which add the beet
product of 200,000, and we are 1,500,000 short, in
other words, we must Import 75 "per cent of our
onormous consumption. Our present Importation
is ahout 1,800,000 tons per annum."
With what reason shall wo refuse tariff
concessions to tho Cuban pcoplo on tho sugar
question when the demand in tho "United
States cannot bo supplied by tho sugar pro
duccd in this country? Wo have assumed
considerable authority over Cuba in spite of
our pledge to see to it that tho Cuban peoplo
were free and independent. It scorns, there
fore, that on our part wo should be willing to
make some concessions; and those concessions
which will contribute at once to the publio
welfare of Cuba and to tho publio wolfaro of
the United States would seem to recommend
themselves to practical men.
"A World Power."
A subscriber asks what is meant by tho
phrase "a world-power" when used in- connec
tion with tho United States? That depends
upon tho view point from which tho subject is
considered. When tlio imperialists talk about
this nation being a world power, they mean
that wo should have a large army and a large
navy, and join European nations in parceling
out the land of what are called tho inferior
races. When tho anti-imperialists speak of
this nation as a world power, they mean that it
should, in tho future as in the past, influence
tho world through its ideas and example.
For a century this nation has been the most
potent influence in the world, and has dona
more to affect tho politics of tho human race
-than all the other nations combined.' "It has it
been' U' world 'fjowei;aud its 'influence bas!bccnf
exerted without; any evil effect upon our own
institutions. '
W
The esteemed Washington Post, after sev
eral years of sharp criticism of President Roose
velt, is now snuggling up to him like a sick
kitten to a hot stove lid. . As a 'snuggler the
Washington Post has no equal.
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Macaulay's "Horatius."
Lord Macaulay in his "Lays of Ancient
.Rome," draws a contrast between earlier and
later Rome. The student of history will be in
terested in studying tho two pictures and in
examining into the causes which brought Rome
from her high to her low state. It was tho
Roman heart rather than the Roman head that
went astray; it was the elevation of greed and
the ignoring of justice. The story of the na
tion's decline (aud it will fit all nations that
have gone down to ruin), is told in cantos
thirty-two and thirty-three.
32.
"Then none was for a party,
Then all were for the state, '' "
Then he great man helped the poor,
And the poor man loved the great;
Then lands were fairly portioned, ,
Then spoils were fairly sold:
The Romans were like brothers
, In the brave days of old.
33.
"Now Roman is to Roman ,
More hateful than a foe,
And the Tribunes beard the high
And the Fathers grind the low.1- '
As we wax hot in faction
In battle we wax cold;
Wherefore men fight not as they fought
In the brave days of old."
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