The Commoner
WILLIAH J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Vol. 2. No. 13.
Lincoln, Nebraska, April 18, 1902.
Whole No. 65
CORRUPTION IN
HIGH PLACES.
The Globe-Democrat reports that four indict
ments have been returned by the St. Louis grand
jury "against boodlers of high degree." It thus
describes the persons indicted:
"Ed. Butler, millionaire blacksmith and poli
tical boss; two indictments for attempted bribery,
one for offering $2,500 to Health Commissioner
Henry N. Chapman, and one for offering a like
sum to Health Commissioner Albert Merrell.
Robert N. Snyder, banker and millionaire pro
moter, indicted for bribery in giving Frederick
G. Uthoff $50,000 to influence his vote in favor
of the Central Traction bill.
, George J. Kobusch, president of the St. Louis
Car company, indicted for perjury in denying be
fore the grand jury that he had given a promis
sory note to Oliver L. Hogan.
John D. Becker, deputy factory inspector and
political worker, indicted for offering a consider
ation to the jury commissioner to influence him
in the preparation of a special venire to try
Charles Kratz."
It also mentions as on "the roll-call of bood
lers as it now exists in the circuit attorney's of
fice": ' '
"Emil -Aj Meysenburgr convicted for bribery,
sentenced to three years in tlie penitentiary and
-under $25,000 bond pending an appeal to the su
preme court.
"Three travelers in the unknown land, out of
the reach of the sheriff's process and with no ap
parent intention of immediate return to St. Louis.
They are:
"Ellis Wainwright, millionaire brewer and
director in many high-class corporations, under
indictment for bribery; speculative address,
Egypt.
"John K. Murrell and Charles Kratz, holders
of the safe deposit box keys to the $135,000 cor
ruption fund; in the Ian'' of the Montezuraas.
"Two millionaires under indictment for brib
ery without date as to trial, to-wit: Henry Nic
olaus and Robert M. Snyder."
The Central Traction company of St. Louis
started out to purchase a franchise, and in the
furtherance of this purpose distributed a corrup
tion fund of two hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars. The company secured a franchise which
was afterwards sold for a million and a quarter.
A scale of prices was established for the persons
The grand
evidence
shows us that there are men in this city of seem
ing great respectability, directors in large cor
porations and prominence in business and social
circles, who have not hesitated to put up money
for the purpose of bribing through the assembly
measures in which they are interested. When
called before our body some have added to the of
fense of bribery the crime of perjury, and only
escaped the ignominy attaching to their infamous
conduct by reason of the fact that the evidence,
satisfying our minds, would not be admissible in
the trial courts."
The investigation resulted in bringing out
more facts than are generally made public in such
who were partners in the corruption.
jury after investigation, said: "The
cases, but most of the large cities have had
.experiences quite similar to those tlir.bugh which
St. Louis is now passing, and attention Is called
to this instance for the purpose of emphasizing
the necessity of cultivating a public sentiment
which will punish great criminals as severely as
petty criminals are punished.
"Seemingly respectable men" who debauch
legislatures and perjure themselves to conceal
their criminality ought to pay the full penalty
and also be made to feel the force of public
opinion. How can respect for the law be culti
vated tmong poor people if law is not enforced
against the rich? And how. can the small criminal
be taught the dlsgracefulness of wrong if no dis
grace attaches to the prominent wrong-doer? The
church and prefs must play a conspicuous part
in the cultivation of this public sentiment, and t
would seem an opportune time for an expression
from those ministers who in 189G were so jealous
of what they called the "nation's honor."
JJJ
The El Paso County (Colo.) Democrat calls
attention to the fact that Senator Hill and Henry
Watterson have both defined democracy for us
and told us how we can get together, and yet
each has a different plan. Mr. Watterson would
accept Imperialism as a settled fact; Mr. Hill
would fight it. Mr. Hill would make a declara
tion in favor of bimetallism, while Mr. Watter
son would say nothing about it. The El Paso
County Democrat is now awaiting for Mr. Cleve
land to give a reorganizing. lan different from
the other two.
JJJ
THE FOWLER
COINAGE BILL
x On another page will be found a bill intro
duced by Mr. Fowler of New Jersey by "instruc
tion of the majority members of the committee on
banking and currency." This bill, it will be
seen, combines the three vicious propositions
that are now being urged by the financiers. It
provides for an asset currency to be issued, not
upon government bonds as now but upon the as
sets of the bank. It provides for branch banks
and it also provides for the redemption of silver
dollars and for the recoinage of silver dollars into
subsidiary coin. In addition to these features the
bill gives to the banks control of the paper money
of the country- It would be difficult to conceive
of a more iniquitous financial measure. It is
so bad, in fact, that the republican party it not
likely to pass it at this session of congress. ?f
past method's are any guide for the future the alii
will be rushed through during the second session,
immediately after the election is over, so that in
dignation will have time to die out before the
next presidential election. The bill is given !n
full so that the readers of The Commoner may
know what is going on and be prepared to call
the bill to the attention of their republican
neighbors. The readers of the The Commoner will
remember that The Commoner discussed these
propositions during the campaign of last year and
predicted then that the bankers intended to push
the measures through as soon as they dared to
do so. ' v -k
PHILIPPINE QUESTION
DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION
Below will be found a copy of the amend
ment agreed upon by the democratic members
of the senate committee and introduced by
Senator Rawlings. It Is to be offered as a sub
stitute for the republican Philippine measure. As
the republican bill and the democratic substi
tute will play an important part in the coming
congressional campaign, special attention is
called to the Rawlings amendment. The demo
crats of the house committee are also af work en
a substitute, but as it will follow the same gen
eral principles as the senate substitute (both fol
lowing the Kansas City platform), whatever dif
ferences there may be between It and the senate
substitute can be adjusted at a conference. The
main point of difference bet' een all democratic
plans and the republican plan is that THE
DEMOCRATIC PLANS RECOGNIZE THE RIGHT
OF THE FILIPINOS TO SELF-GOVERNMENT
AND PROMISE THAT INDEPENDENCE SHALL
BE GIVEN AS SOON AS A STABLE GOVERN
MENT IS ESTABLISHED, WHILE THE RE
PUBLICAN PLAN CONTEMPLATES A PER
MANENT COLONIAL POLICY PATTERNED
AFTER ENGLAND'S FORMER GOVERNMENT
IN AMERICAN COLONIES AND HER PRESENT:
GOVERNMENT IN INDIA.
An appeal to the people oil such an issue
ought to insure a democratic majority in the next
campaign.
The following Is the amendment intended
to be proposed by Mr. Rawlings to the
bill (S. 2295) temporarily to provide for the ad
ministration of the affairs of civil government to
the Philippine islands, and for other purposes,
viz: Strike out all after the enacting clause and
insert the following:
Sec. 1. That, subject to .ho provisions here
inafter set forth, the United States of America
hereby relinquish all claims of sovereignty over
and title to the archipelago known as the Phil
ippine Islands.
Sec. 2. That the United States shall continue
to occupy and govern said archipelago until the
people thereof have established a government, and
until sufficient guaranties have been obtained for
the performance of our treaty obligations with
Spain and for the safety of 'those inhabitants who
have adhered to the United States, and for tho
maintenance and protection of all rights which
have accrued under the authority thereof, as here
inafter provided.
Sec. 3. That ninety days after the president of
the United States shall have proclaimed that all
armed resistance to the Unitec. States has ceased
In the archipelago, the United States Philippine
commission shall make and promulgate rules and
regulations for the holding of an election in the
province of said archipelago for members of a
convention, which convention when organized
shall proceed to the adoption of a constitution for
the government of said archipelago. That all
male inhabitants of said archipelago twenty-one
years of age and over who speak and write either
the English or Spanish languages or any of the
native languages of the said archipelago, and who
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