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Vol. a, No. la
'.v.
Sir- '
The Commoner.
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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.
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