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The Commoner.
Vol. a, No. 15;
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The Commoner.
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11 communications to
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
Mr. Speaker, there's a dent In your crown.
Lieutenant Flint told the sonato committee
some hard stories.
Reports from the Philippines seem to bo giv
ing the g. o. p. the water cure.
It now appears that General Miles is to he dis
ciplined for having told the truth.
Tho way to defeat the ship subsidy Is to de
feat the party that stands for subsidy, .
If Secretary Root did not know the facts it
was because ho did not read the reports.
People are beginning to understand more thor
oughly what is meant by "extract of beef."
J S.. Olarkson 1b tho now surveyor of the port
of Now York. Of cour.o Mr. Olarkson is an Iowa
man.
Mr. Carnoglo says that wealth does not bring
happiness. Is Mr. Ca.negle's conscience hurting
him?
Tho Sioux City Journal , is thirty-two years
old old enough to know better and seemingly too
old to learn.
Thero will bo no difficulty about achieving
harmony if tho harmonizing is bas'ed on demo
cratic principles.
Tho beef trust is not worrying the Ohio re
publican politicians half so much as tho Iowa
republican offlce trust.
Tho apologists for tho administration will have
to do considerable circling around before they will
bo able to square Root.
"Why is it information that should bo made
public to all must bo dragged out of tho war offlco
with derricks and cables?
Lieutenant Potts has been provided for. This
should be sufficient to keep Maclay from worry
ing. Maclay's turn will come.
Mr. Quay wants to admit Christianized China
mon, but tho evidence seems to show that Mr
Quay is not an export witness.
Perhaps Secretary Root would condescend to
tell us what ho would consider an infraction of
tho rules of civilized warfare.
. .1
It seems quite clear that the secretary of war
could obtain a lot of valuable information by read
ing the reports on file in his offlco.
tt uA,fow sonators who opposo tho election of
United States senators by direct vote -of the peo
ple may base their objections on their ambition
to succeed themselves.
The appointment of a Kansas man to be
commissioner of pensions seems to have been a
studied affront to a sovereign state nortfi-of Mis
souri and east of Nebraska.
English military officers are trying to locato
tho blamo for the Spion Kop disaster. Did they
ever think of attributing it to the Boers?
Tho g. o. p. leaders who insist that tho finan
cial question is settled are losing no opportuni
ties to pave the way for an asset currency.
Mr. Whitelaw Reid will not properly repre
sent tho administration if ho neglectd to kill and
skin a catamount in Westminster Abbey.
Even Funston regards the "water cure" as
cruel and yet it was employed by American sol
diers under tho order of American officers.
It seem high time we received the pleasing
information that the "insurrection" in Manila is
suppressed. At any rate it's Manila's turn.
When the sugar schedule reaches the senate
let us hope that no senator will leave telegrams
lying aroiind loose for tho servant girl to send.
Consistent democrats will continue to refuse
to follow tho lead of men who call themselves
democrats but advocate republican principles.
Mr. Cushman said a number of things that a
lot of his colleagues wanted to say, but not bad
enough to risk their share of the plo by saying
them.
Notwithstanding, however, Mr. Cushman's
speech was not so funny in the estimation of the
congressmen who tfre squelched by the little
coterie of leaders.
In view of the trouble General Miles has
caused the secretary of war it is only natural that
the secretary should feel angry. Most men aro
when caught with the goods.
After carefully considering all tho conditions
surrounding him can you blame Chauncey M.
Depew for opposing the election of United States
senators by direct vote of the people?
Major Waller was acquitted on the ground
that he obeyed the commands of a superior offi
cer. Will the superior officer be acquitted on tha
ground that ho did not personally commit-" the
acts?
Tho reorganizers Bay that we must do some
thing to fill the offices with democrats, but the
last time the reorganizers wore in office they left
the democratic party and carried their offices
with them. ,
Doubtless Mr. Depew would be willing to
make uniform election of senator's by allowing tho
principal railroad in each state to select the sena
tors, just as is done in New York when the re
publicans have control.
Speaker Henderson is in a bad fix. If he sup
ports the ship subsidy he goes counter to the
wishes of his fellow republicans in Iowa. If he
opposes it he goes counter to the wisnes of the
administration. "0 how happy David could be
with either were t'other dear charmer away."
Is it not a little peculiar that we had to wait
until the privates were discharged and came home
before wo learned of the cruelties practiced in the
Philippines? Tho high salaried officials who are
supposed to be looking after the interests of a
subject race did not seem to consider the matter
worth reporting.
On another page will be found an article by
Governor Stone on gifts from Carnegie and other
millionaires. While later information brings out
tho fact that the Missouri State University had
nothing to do with the Carnegie proposition,
Governor Stone presents some thoughts that de
serve considerati-n.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., seems to have taken
upon him-.If the task of bringing the churches
into lino with tho doctrine of the trust magnates.
According ta a prss dispatch he recently dis
cussed tho subject "Why should wo join tho
church?" and in the course of his remarks praised
trust methods and likened their benefits to those
of the Christian in allying himself to the church.
Ho ought to take for his subject next time "It Is
more blessed to give than to receive" and claim
credit for the fact that tho Standard Oil company
does the receiving tho less pleasant part aiid
leaves to the rest of the people the joy of enforced
contributions. This' would be no more impudent
than the comparison which ho drew between
the trusts and the church.
The president is reported as very anxious to
avoid war with the MoroB. Why? . Can it be pos
sible that the Mohammedan portion of the Fili
pinos is to bo cpared the refining and educating
tortures practiced on the Christian portion?
Goyornor Taft's testimony before the commit
tee was so unfriendly to the Filipinos that hig
usefulness as a governor will be largely impaired:
Tho Filipinos would have to be very charitable
to overlook his unfairness.
Mr. Hill has just discovered that "harmony'
is a valuable thing. What a pity he did not find
it out in 1896 when he was giving his influence
to the enemy, or in 1897 when he was denouncing
the Chicago platform and those who supported it.
Possibly Mr. Hill thinks that "harmony" means
that the democratic party should quit disobeying
him.
Tho Johnstown Democrat, noting that 'Pres-
ident Roosevelt has a poet for secretary of state
and a poet for commissioner of pensions, remarks
that "if ho would straighten out the affairs of his
administration he has need of a lyre." Well, why
dees he not call in one of tho gentlemen who
figure it out that the protective tariff is a good
thing for all the people?
The popular election of senators is getting
nearer. One of the evidences of it is to be found
in the fact that the corporation-ridden and railroad-controlled
members of the republican news
paper fraternity are becoming alarmed and are
imagining terrible things as likely to happen if;
the people get a voice in the selection of members
of the senate millionaires' club.
The republican remedy for the exactions of
beef trusts reminds one of the Chinese way of
wreaking vengeance on a neighbor. When a
Chinaman wants to show his enmity he commits
suicide on his enemy's doorstep. The republi
can organs are advising the people to abstain from
the use of meat in order to show their enmity to
wards the beef trust.
- The statistics collected at Washington show a
decrease of fifty-nine millions in exports and an
increase of sevcity-nine millions. in imports for,
the last nine months, as compared wtth. the same
months of last year, but the department is ready,
with an excuse. When things go well the repub
licans claim everything, but they begin to ex
plain whenever things go wrong.
Harpers' Weekly says, "The American soldier,
is beginning to come in for some of the appre
ciation which is due him." Harpers Weekly is
just as near right on that point as it is on most
others. The American soldier has always been
appreciated. The fact is' that the men who are
using American soldiers for mercenary purposes
.are beginning to come in for some of the condem
nation which is due them.
Everything that could be done to aid the em
pire in its fight against tho republics has been done
under the republican administration. American
traditions have been ruthlessly violated; indignity
has been shown to the natural sympathies of the
American people; and it need not be expected that
there will be any change in this policy unless
there is a protest so clear and plain that it can
not be mi-understood.
Rev James S. Jones has issued through the
East Tennessee Publishing company, Greenville,
Tennessee, a Life of Andrew Johnson, the Sev
enteenth president of the United States. The
book contains four hundred pages, and besides
a biographical sketch of the distinguished Tena
esseean, discusses the most important matters con
nected with his public career. It quotes Senator
Williams' explanation of his vote against Johnson
in the impeachment trial and Senator Hendricks'
SSJi10? f HS vte in favor of tne President,
rah a valuable additin to American bio-
A reader of The Commoner suggests that a
SifStH0n "? pened t0 secufe monoy fo?
the lighting of the torch in Bartholdi's statue
It was reported in the newspapers ttat the ad
ministration would refuse to continue .the lteht
owing to the failure of congress Vo annronS
money therefor. It has sine been Snnouncea
that the light will continue to shine so that ri
vate contributions will not be Tnecessarv Th
Commoner is glad to report that the light' is no?
to be put out and trusts that the time will come
when the conduct of the nation win ?Ji,
conalRtmit -wm, Wi 1, nation will not be In-
statue. deas emDuasized by. the