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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1902)
The Commoner. May 2, 190a 3 and the rise is no hardship as it would have been then." Now, if this increase in the price of beef 13 due to good times, why is it necessary for these beef firms to enter into an agreement, as the Eagte says they havo done, to maintain prices? If the Eagle's general statement is correct, would 'not these facts themselves operate to main tain prices? One need not search for statistics to disprove the Eagle's statement concerning general condi tions. The fact that a large number of working men are required to do without meat as a food indicates that even if the increase In the price of other things has been commensurate with the In crease in the price of the products of the beef trust, there has I -en no similar increase in the wages of the working man. The fact is that the average household feels the burden of the beef trust's greediness. Accord ing to the New York papers, the increase In beef prices has been so marked that a large number of small butcher shops have been driven out of busi ness because thoy could not obtain customers for their high priced beef. The Brooklyn Eagle has perhaps exerted it3 best efforts to provide a defense for this great trust, and yet it is difficult for an intelligent man to read the Eagle's opinion on this subject without being convinced that it is the trust system, rather than. any general beneficial conditions, that is re sponsible for the large increase in the price of one of the necessities of life. JJJ Gardener's Startling Report. The senate committee on the Philippines has dragged from the war department the report of Major Cornelius Gardener, civil governor of the province of Tayabas, to which report reference was made by General Miles in his correspondence with Secretary Root. It was the reference in General Miles' letter to this report which aroused, more than did any thing else, the anger of the president. That It was the administration's intention to conceal this report ther; is abundant evidence. In this testimony before the senate committee. Governor Taft submitted reports from twenty three provinces and after doing so, he explained that it was "quite probable there might be in the mail other reports." He did not, however, pro duce them and he particularly failed to produce the report to which General Miles referred and .which report was made public at the urgent re quest of the senate committee. In this report Governor Gardener reveals a 'deplorable state of affairs in his province. He re fers to "the oxtensive burning of barrios in trying to lay waste the country so that the Insurgents cannot occupy it, the torturing of natives by the so-called water cure, and other methods, in order to obtain information, the harsh treatment of na tives generally," and he says that these things have had the effect of destroying any favorable sentiment and as a consequence, "A deep hatrei toward us is engendered." Governor Gardener says that the course now being pursued in at least four of the provinces lar in his opinion, ' sowing seed for a perpetual rev olution against us hereafter whenever opportunity occurs." According to the governor, "The politi cal el-uation is slowly l-irogradlhg and the Amer ican sentiment is decreasing and we are daily making permanent enemies." In his speech made at Charleston, President Hoosevelt said that tL:re was more warfare over the Philippines' within the United 'States than ithere was in the Philippine islands, and other represc-i-Uves of the administration have been exerting every effort to place the Philippine situa tion in a good light But even with the necessar ily limited congressional investigation into these affairs, enough has been devoloped to show that the administration has been deliberately conceal ing tho truth, and deceiving the American peo ple. It is not strango that these gentlemen go to such unusual lengths to conceal tho truth. Enough is alreaJy known by tho dally newspaper rea;,-:r to convince the intelligent man that in tho Philippines the American people have an elephant on their hands which is costing them oven mora in the loss of dignity and self-respect than it is in the enormous sums of money wo aro required to expend in maintaining our Philippine policy. JJJ Good Enough for a King. Commenting on a letter written to a Now York society by Mr. Bryan relating to tho sending of a special envoy to represent this country at tho coronation ceremonies of King Edward, tho New York World Insists that we do not surrender our convictions "by an act of common courtesy to ward a friendly and kindred nation and its ruler." The World adds that If this assumption be true, it follows that Great Britain, Germany, Russia and all other European countries whose ambassadors and ministers attended the inaugural ceremonies of our presidents must "surrender their con victions" in so doing and approve of tho doc trine that "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed," and that a democracy is the true system. "It is a poor rule that won't work both ways." Then tho World says that this government should pay the expenses of this special envoy. It is true that common courtesy toward a friendly nation is due from this government, but when the inaugural ceremonies of our president, to which the World refers, occur, Great Britain, Germany, Russia and those European countries do, not send special envoys. The heads of those gov ernments think that "common courtesy" is met by being represented by their ministers regularly stationed at Washington. Why would not Mr. Choae and his retinue be sufficient for the pur pose of "common courtesy?" Y.'hy is it necessary that this government be represented by a special envoy at the coronation of a king, when all that is necessary for a king's representation at tho inaugural ceremonies of a president is the reg ular diplomatic representative of his country re siding at the time in the city of Washington? It is indeed a poor rule that won't work both ways. The rule with respect 'to the king's repre sentation at the inaugural ceremonies of the pres ident ought to be sufficient for the republic's rep resentation at the coronation ceremonies of the king. JJJ "Duty" vs. Ambition. Walter Wellman, tho Washington correspondent of the Chicago Record-Herald, who very often has made accurate predictions of the administra tion's action, recently wired his newspaper that "President Roosevelt la .both deeply wounded and highly incensed at General Miles' conduct. He was already sufficiently irritated by previous occurrences, but this episode is under stood to be the last straw." This relates to General Miles' testimony ueforo the senate committee. Describing Mr. Roosevelt's feelings, Mr. Wellman adds: If he finally decides to retire General Miles, which is equivalent under the exist ing circumstances to dismissal in disgrace, . he hopes to have reasons to give for his ac tion which will satisfy fair-minded men. The president will state these reasons in an offi cial order and will state them fully. President Roosevelt greatly regrets that matters have taken such a turn, but he has his duty to per form as the official head of the army, and . neither political agitation nor quips about the youthful bronco buster riding roughshod over the veterans of the army and navy will deter him from doing what he ,thinks is right. Now it would be too bad, indeed, if Mr. Roosevelt neglected i he opportunity of retiring Gonoral Miles, which, according to Mr Wollman, would bo "equivalent, undor tho existing circum stances to dismissal in disgrace." It is to bo ob served, however, that lovol-hcaded republican poll tlcians have advised the president that it would hardly be safe, from tho political standpoint, for tho prcsidont to become responsible for Genoral Miles' "dismissal in disgrace." But of courso tho president "has his duty to perform as tho official head of tho army," and while Mr. Wellman Intimates that nothing would deter him from doing what ho thought to bo his duty, it Is noticeable that at tho last writing, Mr. Roosevelt had concluded to pause a while beforo discharging this rathor delicate task. JJJ ? nn Not Duty but Bounty. A reader of Tho Commonor calls attention to tho fact that tho republican national platform of 1896-favored discriminating duties instead of boun ties as a means of building up our merchant marine. The plank reads as follows: Wo favor tho American policy of discrimi nating duties for the upbuilding of our mer chant marine and tho protection of our ship ping in the foreign carrying trade, so that American ships the product of American la bor, employed in American shipyards, sailing under the stars and stripes, and manned, offi cered and owned by Americans may regain the carrying of our foreign commerce. Mr. McKinley's letter accepting the first nomi nation said: The declaration of the republican platform in favor of the upbuilding of our merchant marine has my hearty approval. Tho policy of discriminating, duties in favor of our ship ping, which prevailed in tho early years of our history, should bo again promptly adopted by congress and vigorously supported until . our prestige and supremacy on the seas aro fully attained. That was tho position of tho republican party In the campaign of 1890. The resolutions commit tee of tho republican convention of 1900 refused to indorse a ship subsidy bill because the republi cans were not willing to risk judgment upon that issue. But when the election resulted in a victory the greedy corporations that dominate republican policies at once demanded not a fulfillment of the St. Louis platform or of the platform of 1900, but of the secret promises made by Mr. Hanna and his associates. As a result tho senate has passed as conscienceless a bill as over received the support of a majority of the senate. Tho same reader 'who called attention to tho republican plank in regard to discriminating du ties points out that Lincoln once declared that a person elected upon a plank was not at liberty to shift his position. Poor Lincoln! How unkind of him to use words which so emphatically con dem 1 the shifting policies of tho republican party! For several years past It has made platforms for the purpose of deceiving the people and has imme diately shifted its position as soon as it won a victory. JJJ Governor Stone's Candidacy. Some of the reorganlzers in Missouri are at tempting to make political capital out of tho fact that The Commoner has not said anything in regard to tho candidacy of Governor Stone. The Commoner does not take part in contests be tween democrats for a party nomination, unless ,tho contest involves the principles of the party. When Congressmen Clark 'and De Armond wero candidates against Governor Stone nothing was said in behalf of any of the candidates because all stood for the same principles and all were worthy representatives of those principles. Now that Mr. Clark and Mr. De Armond have withdrawn and Governor Stone is the only one who is running upon the Kansas City platform. The Commoner can wish him success and express its confidence Ir. life ability and in his loyalty to tho principles of the party as promulgated at Kansas City. Governor Stone served through the campaigns of 1H96 and 1900 as the second member on the na . tional committee and no leader of the party has been more trusted or Is more deserving of con fidence; .' fl "rj k 'iSl 1 I ,t