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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1902)
j"!7sjipaj5i5!jy''''flf '- -M - 4 Vol. a, No. la '.v. Sir- ' The Commoner. ISSUED WEEKLY. Entered nt the postoflicc at JMncolu, Nebraska, as second class Jiinil ninttcr, TERA1S-PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. One Year $1.00 lx Hontlis 50c Three riontli ago Single Copy fie Sample Copies Pree. 5UHSCRIPTI0NS enn be tent direct to The Commoner. They ton alto tc tent through newspapers which have advertised a dulbliig mtc, or through Jccalogcnts where such agtnts have Iccnarpotokd. All remittances should be sent by postofljee a e'er, otrrcrs order or ly I nnk draft on New York or Chicago. Io rot tend individual checks, stamps, or money. RENEWALS, The date on your wrapper shows when 3 cur tutscriptlon will expire. Thus, Jan. 03 menus that pay nci.tlns teen received to and including the last issue of Jan vniy, Jjo?. Iwowrcksarc required after money is received be foi c the date of the wrapper can be changed. CHANGE OF ADDRESS.-Subscribcrs requesting a change in tdci as n.ufct give the OI,D as well as the NEW address. ADVERTISING rates furnished upon application. Address all communications to IKE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb. Tho tariff doformors are still In tho saddle. Democratic victories for democratic principles are won at tho primaries. Tho Mothuon oxpeiionco seems to put him in lino for tho prize money. Mr. Babcock of Wisconsin seems to have ex hausted himself In tho prospectus. IT. Clay Evans Is doubtless a convert to the proverb that "every knock Is a boost." Sevoral good Iowa men might bo found for tho place soon to bo vacated by H. Clay Evans. Doubtless the prosldont would gladly accept Mr. Rold's resignation and promlbo something bettor. . . ' Cecil Rhodes' dream of a British empire In South Africa was a nightmare, and tho dreamer never awoko. Perhaps Mr. Hanna means that ho is not willing to permit a twenty-four months' strain on his already elongated limb. Governor Altgold died a poor man, but ho left n legacy that Is not to bo measured by earthly riches an untarnished name It seems that tho McAllister resolution per formed most of its thundering in tho columns of tho eastern tariff and gold organs. Those Now York patrolmen Boom inclined to remind ub that Grcator Now York really elected a reform administration a few months ago. General Funston says President Roosevelt in dorsed his Lotus club speech. Some very sovero things are being said about tho president. Pennsylvania republicans have been amusing themselves by discussing candidates for governor. Mr. Quay has just nominated tho candidate. General Funston's advice about standing to gether until tho affair is over and then quarreling about it if there is any quarreliug to be done, sounds familiar. Tho best way to Insure the triumph of demo cratic principles is to attend tho democratic pri maries and see to it that none but loyal democrats are put on guard. . Tho poison contained in tho editorial columns of papers like the Dallas News find its antidote near at hand in tho vigorous democracy of papers liko the Houston Post. Tho newspapers are printing a statement of the steel trust's "earnings." Every once in a while wo are compelled to realize that our lan guage is sadly deficient in some respects. m 1 ! Tho Now York World favnrfl nn inonmn fnv fcand Mr. Hill opposes an income tax, but they both mu..iku me ivunsas uity platform so much that iuuy uuyq no irouoie working together. The Commoner. Joseph Ghamborlaln refuses to talk about the alleged peaco negotiations. Is it possible that Joseph Is not yet prepared to admit that ho yearns for it? , So tho British havo established a military camp near Now Orleans, have they? Well, by the Eternal, they could not havo done such a thing when old Andrew Jackson was president. 1 Major Waller justifies his conduct on tho ground that his guides proved to bo treacherous. This reminds us that wo have given tho Filipinos some export examples of that sort of thing. Tho democrats of Ohio are to bo congratulated upon having a dally paper llko tho Columbus Press, which not only stands up for democratic principles, but ably and fearlessly defends them. Of course democrats should "get together." There Is every reason why they should do so. But It is submitted in all candor that It is much easier for tho fow thousand to come over than for tho six million to go over. Tho governor of Louisiana did not startle the country by expressing the belief that Great Britain is maintaining a military camp near New Orleans. Let's see, how far is Washington from New Or leans, anyhow? It has not yet been decided a breach of demo cratic faith for six million democrats to reply to tho criticism of a comparatively few members of tho party who preferred republican rule to the triumph of democratic principles. The Philadelphia Ledger says we need only small war vessels in the far east to "support mili tary operations in the Philippines." Is it possible that the Ledger has not yet heard how lovely and serene all things are in the Philippines?- Mr. Root says tho Philippine trouble is set tled, and tho general who would hang all who refuse to accept his dictum declares that we should all stand together until the Philippine trouble is settled. Tho men who never were there and the men who havo been there should get together. The Washington Post terms reasonable Mr. Morgan's statement that men of property should be allowed to manage it as they please without the Interference of the man who is not even a taxpayer. But, suppose Mr. Morgan decideB to use it to the injury of the man who is not a taxpayer? Tho gold bugs say that tho increased produc tion of gold has killed the sliver question and in saying this they admit that the quantitative theory is correct. They denounced this theory in 1890. Query: What would be the condition today but for tho unexpected and unpromised increase in the supply of gold? Mr. A. L. Woodward of Tallahassee, Fla., has an autograph letter from President Jackson and a lock of Jackson's hair which was enclosed in tho letter. Ho also has an autograph letter, from President Van Buren. He desires to sell them, and Tho Commoner takes pleasure In bringing the matter to the attention of the public. Representative Babcock, who has been mak ing Buch a splurge about desiring to modify tho tariff, voted against an amendment to tho Cuban tariff bill embodying the principle of his own pro posed tariff bill. His excuse was that the amend ment was a "prrty device." This would seem to indicate that Mr. Babcock is much more of a re publican than he is a reformer. Mr. Morgan's definition of "community of in terest" means that the men who own railroads havo a right to charge as much for hauling freight as they see fit to charge, and it is an at tack upon "vested rights" to protest. Mr. Mor gan has clearly defined tho issue between tho railroad managers and the people, as well as hav ing told us what ho understands "community of interests" to be. Senator John W. Daniels writes to a con stituent that ho is In favor of the election of sena tors by direct vote of the people and will voto for tho resolution now before tho senate. The Com moner is glad to add his name to tho number of those favorable to this reform, but this is no surprise In fact, it would havo been surprising if so firm a believer in popular government as Senator Daniels did not favor the direct election of United States senators. Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania- seems never1 to havo read the resolutions passed by tho Perin- sylvanla legislature in favor of tho election of ; senators by tho people, for the senator is still non-committal on tho subject. Ho is still willing to give the matter "the consideration its imports ance merits' but that will not satisfy tho people who desire a chance to vote on tho senatorial ques- tion. The purpose of Senator Penrose's amend ment Is obvious. He wants to defeat the propose tion, and, lacking the courage to attack it di. rectly, seeks to load it down with unpopular ., amendments. The Ninth Ward Democratic club of Jersey. City, N. J., has adopted resolutions declaring among other things that "harmony and victory purchased by compromise with those opposed, not only to tho form and detail, but to the very sub stance and spirit of tho reforms for which tho -democracy stands today, will be victory only for its enemies." The resolution declared that tho party must remain steadfast in its hostility to all. forms of special privileges. These resolutions. . coming froni the east are commended to such weak-kneed democrats of the west and south as .'.' are willing to abandon anything or advocate any-. '. thing if only they are promised success. V A reader asks about the issue of bank notes.. -At present national bank notes are secured by a deposit of government bonds. The government holds the bonds while the notes are outstanding, the bank being allowed to issue the face value of the bonds. There is a bill now before congress called the Fowler bill which authorizes the issuo of bank notes on the bank's assets. The only per-. Bons benefitted by bank notes are the stockholders of the bank. The rest of the people are taxed to pay interest on the bonds and besides that they, are in constant danger because of the power of tho banks to expand or contract the currency at will., A reader of The Commoner suggests that" it might increase the number of petitioners if some : active man would take hold of the matter in each . precinct and circulate a petition among his neigh-, bors. It is a good suggestion. Many people will sign a petition who would put off until, too late .the writing of a separate letter. By all means cir culate petitions, but it would be better still if. those who are deeply interested would buy a few postal cards and take them around and urge their neighbors to use them in calling their senators' attention to the resolution submitting an amend ment providing for tho election of senators by 5? direct vote of the people. Mr. Watterson is becoming terribly worked up about the dangers of a republican administra tion. It was not always thus. There was a time when he felt that a republican success was nec essary to save what the financiers called "national honor and the public credit." Now he thinks that the republican administration must be de feated to save the republic and our form of gov ernment. Possibly Mr. Watterson thinks that ho knows how to take the administration out of tho hands of republicans merely because he helped ..o put it into republican hands, but he will pardon the rank al file of the party if they feel a little skeptical about putting the party under the leader ship of those who so recently aided and abetted the enemy. The man on horseback would not be a menace today but for tho action of the gold democrats. ft A reader of The Commoner asks for an ex planation of the initiative and referendum. Tho phrase is used to describe a system employed in, some foreign countries, especially Switzerland, ands to some extent in this country, whereby the people can, first, by petition compel the submission of a question, and, second, secure by petition a chance mr.vo.te.?.po.n a measure before it becomes effective. The initiative refers to the first process, and the referendum to tho second. The system was in dorsed in the last democratic national platform and has been indorsed by the democratic party in a number of states. It has been indorsed by tho populist party and is advocated by most labor organizations. The principle of the referendum :s already recognized by tho submission of consti tutional amendments, bond Issues, county seat removals and other important questions, to pop ular vote. The initiative part of the system is also provided for on certain questions. There is a growing sentiment in favor of the application of the initiative and referendum because it protects the people from misrepresentation at tho hands of their public servants and makes the government more responsive to the wishes of the people. PC.-: mtim :j). A- 'i "! m'ii ii.ftm