The Commoner. May 2 1 190a 7 acrar - 1 THE WEEKLY PRESS FORUM. STONE'S CARNEGIE INTERVIEW Glnubrook (la.) Northern: The na tional banks will not bo satisfied until they own the whole money system. Minden (Neb.) Courier: An honest carpet-bag government like civilize.! warfare is a contradiction of terms. Marlon (111.) Press: The would-bo reorganizers of the democratic party are gracious enough to permit the old landmark democrats to vote for them. Carlysle (111.) Constitution: The workingman who voted two years ago for a "full dinner pail" will hardly be able to put much beef in it at the pres ent high price. Rolla (Mo.) Sharpshooter: The man that takes no interest in politics should bear in mind the fact that the corporations do, and that is why the corporations are getting all the "pros perity" that is loose. Pekin (111.) Times: Governor Taft says the Filipinos are corrupt because they have been used to corruption. F. m all accounts, there are Americans over there who. are giving them plenty of what they are used to, too. Lincoln (Neb.) Independent: The Boston Her.ald wants to know how many more reports similar to the one made by Major Gardener are hid den away in the archives of the war department. Secretary Root could tell, but he won't. Rushville (Ind.) Jacksonian: It was a Lincoln who said "no man is good enough to govern another man with out, that man's consent." But tho Taft commission has a different theory. It' finds it convenient to forget what Lincoln said. - Winfield (Kan.) Tribune: There is no reason for protecting in the homo market a manufacturer who can ex port his goods, for that means that he can meet foreign competition abroad, and if he can do that he can dd It more easily at home. Clarksburg (Mo.) Review: It r is "treason against the United States" in. the Philippines to "join; a political party or any society for the promulga tion of any political opinion or pol icy." If this isn't imperialism, what is it? Chicago Public: Now comes the wild-eyed Inter Ocean and propounds this conundrum: "Is Republicanism a Crime?" Giving the accused tho benefit of the doubt, we should say that ''in1 Illinois it is "simply a Case of disorderly conduct.- Bolivar (Mo.) Herald: By .the way, what has become of Babcock, who was going to clip the wings of the trusts by putting all trust made goods on the free list? He has been lost in the shuffle, as all republicans will be who talk about attacking this octo pus. Massena (N. Y.) Forum: Eyen our sires of the revolutionary days, great as were their achievements, do nor equal Botha, DeWett and Delarey. Meanwhile we. are looking on and as sisting the British. What has become of the spirit that animated Americans in '76? Xenia (0.) Herald; The demo cratic voters of Ohio are not exerting themselyes to obtain political advice from gold democrats an'd other re publicans, and cannot be fooled by their representatives; The game of wolf in sheep clothing has become 'too transparent. . ' Frankfort (Ind.) Standard: Did it ever occur to the opponents of elect ing senators by the people to look over the list of senators and count the men who never would have had a seat in that body if thxjir election had'been left to the people. ' Sit down and think it over. It's a longer list than you would suppose. ' 1 iniiton (Mo.) Telegraph: The Telo graph has been an outspoken advocato of tho free silver cause since the day it was presented to congress by the late Hon. Ayletto H. Buckner long before some of the "smart AIecks"wero born and we have no apblogies to of fer for our course nor cause to regrtt our action in the matter. Joshua (Tex.) News: Let our newly converted democrats remember that, While the old man did truly welcome the prodigal son with much rejoicing, he did not turn the place over to him and tell him to run it to suit himself. Nor did the prodigal son have the nerve to ask for such a thing; he only wanted to come in as a servant. Monticello (la.) Times: The mag nates of the lumber trust have raised the price on the highe'r grade of white pine lumber from ?2 to ?3 per thous and feet. While the forests of the United States are disappearing and the price of lumber is increasing the tar iff on lumber is stiU maintained. These are golden days for the magnates of the lumber trusts. Monmouth (111.) Democrat: Is it possible that, the republicans are pu.t- 'ting time limits on' the legislative acts they foster t.he ship subsidy bill and the paltry Cuban concessions because they have no fjiith in themselves or their measures, or because they think the people will submit to acts labelled "temporary ?" ' ' . North, Vernon (Ind.) Sun: It is said .the ship subsidy bill will be killed 'in the jhouserather jit- will b'e gjvea knook-out -drps that will "put it to sleep- until '--after the elections next fall. The; people can't be fooled this way. They are getting tired of a con gress for monopolies, and they will make a clean .sweep ,next November. , Salem? (Vd.) Times-Register: Thoao who favor the retention of the Phil ippines' do not seem to take' into "ac count"" that the Philippines do not want the class of goods we manufac ture, and no system can be devised "by which .wq. can make a profit in the islands at "all commensurate with the great outlay of life and money. Rockville (Ind.) Tribune: It is a little tough'on-Democratic farmers to be compelled to contribute to the re publican campaign fund, when they buy rural mail boxes' but they. can't help It. Of 'course the fourteen fav ored firms whd manufacture mail boxes are opposed to "Bryanism," and will contribute ' to its defeat at any and all times. Corning (la.) Free Press: The edi tors of the Manila- papers are in jail because they told about the steals go ing on there in government quarters. They wei;e- sentenced under the sedi tion laws that require them to keep silent. Taft says that such exposures cause th.e natives to lose -confidence-in: the" military bosses. And we are told, wq have freedom of the pr:rs. Pshaw! Celina (0.) Democrat: Hanna is a friend of labor Chinese cheap labor. We always thought he was, notwith standing some of his recent demago gic yaporings. A few days ago when his "pet ship subsidy bill was under consideration he showed his love for American laborers by voting against the Patterson amendment; which pro vided that no bounty would be paid to vessels carrying Chinese crews. Mr. Hanna still knows his business, but there is a great big gob of American workmen who don't know theirs. To the Editor of the Republic. Macon, Mo., April 20. While in Kansas City last week my attention was called to a telegram from Co lumbia to tho effect that one or more gentlemen connected with tho state university were making an effort to induce Mr. Carnegie to donate a' sum of money to erect a library building on the university campus upon condition that the state would meet him half way and appropriate a similar sum for tho same purpose, and I expressed my unqualified disapproval of the movement. The language of the Inter view with me was that of the inter viewer, not mine, but outside the per sonal phases of tho interview, which where made unnecessarily harsh, I en dorse what 1 was represented as say ing. In Friday's Republic I find an edi torial criticising what I said and tak ing issue with me, and while the critir clsm is couched in terms a little sharp, it is a fair criticism from tho stand point of one who does not agree with my view, and I have no complaint .0 make of it. However, I would like to say a few words on the other side. The vulgar criticisms I have seen in one or two, papers, not the Republic, of my protest against this Carnegie li brary scheme, attributing to me dem agogical and unworthy motives, are wide of the mark. I have no thought of attacking Mr. Carnegie or any -man simply because he is rich, nor did I have any thought of making a general onslaught on accumulated wealth. There seems to be a class of over sensitive people who appear to think that every time an ordinary American citizen fails to prostrate himself' be fore Our giant men of gold our mighty Moneybags he is in design, at least, a dangerous man, and the newspaper organs of that class, standing vigilaut guard, take up the cudgel promptly: Suca of thwde organs as have berated me in this instance after the fashion indicated, wholly misinterpret my mo tives. Fair criticism like that of the Republic I do not object to, but rather invite, since the question involved is one of great moment and ought to be dispassionately discussed; but mere villification is contemptible. I had no thought, and have none now, of assailing men of wealth sim ply because they are rich; nothing ,f the kind. Nevertheless it is a fact I believe it to be a fact known to most observant men, that an effort is being made, and for a long time has been, put forth by our millionaires and billionaires, operating through different age'neies, to control or to in fluence the selection of certain lines of text-books used even in the com mon public schools, and especially those used in the leading colleges and universities of the country; and still more it is especially apparent that these people are endeavoring to direct the course of instruction in the great universities on political economy, covering the whole field of finance and industry, and also on civil government and political history. Many of these men, as we know, have accumulated their vast fortunes by methods and through governmental agencies which would not be permitted or tolerated if the government were administered ac cording to democratic ideas instead of republican ideas according to the principles of Jefferson, instead of th.? principles of Hamilton. This class of enormously rich men are selfishly in terested or, if you please, interested frQm higher motives but interested, very deeply interested, in maintaining and perpetuating the public policies of which they have been, and still are, the lavish beneficiaries. These men are seeking, I am sorry Lto say, with too much success, to get control of tho great schools of the country. This thoy aro accomplish ing by princely donations and endow ments. Thoy place tho institutions re ceiving their gifts under great obllga l.ons to them, if thoy do not make them dependent upon their bounty; They become potent In the collego di rectorate, and, whilo thoy poso as philanthropists and patrons of learn ing, they have much to- say, if not a controlling voice, in determining what shall bo taught on certain subjects, and who shall or shall not toaoh it. Tho purpose of all this is evident. Every year these great schools aro sending forth an army of highly equip ped young men, who begin almost im mediately to oxerclso a strong influ ence on the community, and who soon become dominant forces in society. If they have been taught a certain way, educated on certain lines, they are apt to lead off and go in that direction. If they are educated in tho faith of tho plutocrat, they are apt to adhere to the creed of the pluto crat. If thoy are taught to believe In the ideas of Hamilton, they may never . adopt the ideas of Jefferson. Am I mistaken in my premises? Am I mistaken in saying what our multi millionaires, or some of them, are at tempting to do, or have done? Am I talking of realities pr merely conjur ing a specter, baseless and unsubstan tial as a dream? Many disgraceful things occurrrlng In some of the lead ing universities of the country; nota bly tho peremptory dismissal of tho president of Brown university and of Professor Bemis of the Chicago uni versity, might be pointed to prove tho ' truth of whaj I say. What were these men dismissed for? Because they re fused to teach political economy and monetary science -acording to the rules prescribed by tho republican million aire philanthropists who had endowed the schools with a few of their sur plus millions. ' The temptation to accept these 'mu nificent gifts and endowments, I know, is great; but I would, if I could, save the University of Missouri from tho conger of, subserviency or truckling to the blandishments or power of indi vidual wealth. I am tho firm friend of the university. It is the glorious crown of o-r great public school sys tem. I wish I could inspire every Missourian with pride in it and love for it. I wish I could Induce every parent in the state td send his "chil dren from the high schools, the nor mals and denominational schools to the university, I wish I could Jnduco the people, of the state to endow it and put it above the necessity of asking for annual appropriations for its ordinary support. I wish I could persuade our people to do whatever might be necessary to make it one of the very greatest universities in the world. But I would not for any con sideration, however tempting, mort gage, much less sell, its independence to any man or set of men. I would never put its liberty of thought and action in jeopardy. If politics, par tisan politics, is to be taught in tho classrooms, which never ought to bo done at all, I do not want to run tho risk of having Jefferson and Jeffer sonian democracy tabooed in the Uni versity of Missouri. I am for the library building; it is undoubtedly needed, and the state ought to build it, and build one com mensurate with the needs and dignity of the institution. But I am opposed to the state ' of Missouri going into partnership with Mr. Carnegie for the support and conduct of its chief institution of learning. A donation from Mr. Carnegie for a library build ing w.ould be simply an entering (Continued on Page 12.) , J" M-