V a is
The Commoner.
Nov, 3i, 1902.
3
V
1
"Overboard with Our Jonah."
The Albany (N. Y.) Argw Pr
jcrU "with Apolegie t Nchm"
what It Cull "A Few Plain, Cokl
Truths" for New Yrk Dmocray
v.- The Albany (N. Tf.) Argus was recognized dur
ing the recent campaign as tho personal organ of
David B. Hill and the up-stato democracy. After
-the recent election tho Argus printed an editorial
entitled "Overboard With Our Jonah." Tho Argus '
.editorial was as follows:
. "Now that the returns are substantially com
plete, since rainbow chasing has ceased and tho
heavens are clear and facts are now in full show,
'the Argus proposes, with apologies to none, to
put a few plain, cold truths for tho consideration of
tho democracy of the state.
"Judge Alton B. Parker, was tho choice of ev
''ery delegate to Saratoga who was observant of
present conditions and capable of comprehending
tho duty of the hour. If it had been permitted to .
present this name to tho convention he would
have been nominated with a mighty shout that
- .would have resounded through tho state, and a
hundred thousand majority would have helped him
push Odell over .he brink; for thero was a demo
crat possessed of nil those qualities that promote
loyalty, party harmony and tho perpetuation of
party ties and that make for tho uplifting of clti-
zenship, the party and tho state. His election as
'governor would have meant for tho party national
prominence, -and for him the presidential nomina
tion in 1904. Nobody in the whole stato more keen
ly realized theso facts than David B. Hill.
"With an Instinct that .was criminal ju its
selfishness Mr. Hill manipulated matters and
, brought to the fore a candidate whom he cquntod
leas likely to thwart, his own presidential plans.
. Then he carefully contrived a cell for his candi
date's confinement during the entire campaign.
"With none of tho Ishraaelite's cunning he himself
stepped briskly to tho front and thus stirred the
resentments and hatred that were smouldering in
every corner of tho state a frightful accumulation,
the bitter growth of thirty years of promlnonco In
, the politics of the democratic party.
"To stoop to conquer wag nover for an in
stant contemplated by tho selfish politician, Hill.
Finding himself in supreme control of tho. party
machine, he deliberately sought out the democrats
who had stood at bay in-periods past, and like a
Mad Mullah he rode at them and over them and
back and forth" and beat them into the dust.
"The man on horseback had a mipsion of an
intensely personal nature to perform, and madly
ho galloped on his headstrong way.
"But why multiply reasons for this astounding
disaster? Rather let democrats turn to the future
. and sternly prepare to discharge the supremo duty
Articulation vs. Action.
, In his address before the New York chamber
Nof commerce Mr. Roosevelt' said: "It is a pleas
.."u're 4.0 address a body whose members possess lo
" 'anminent degree the traditional self-reliance of
''IjpVftwhYeh ' makes them scorn to "ask from tho
' 'government, wliettier of state or of nation, 'any
thing but a fair field and no favor; who confide
not in being helped by others, but in their own
skill, energy and business capacity to achieve suc
cess." " These are strange words to come from a re
' publican statesman; and yet, after all, when one
imagines, as ho well may, the disgust with which
"republican statesmen have repeatedly undertaken
' the task of complying with the demands of the
- tariff barons it is not at all surprising that these
.-statesmen should find some relief in addressing a
'body whose members "scorn to ask from tho gov-
ornment but a fair field and no favor."
. The Chicago Record-Herald, a republican pa
mper, commenting on this statement of President
j "Roosevelt's, says:
-1" This was commendation of a sound prin
ciple as well as of the listening association,
, and the principle might bo invoked very aptly
In what the president has to say in his an
nual message on. the subject of tho tariff and
the trusts. Ivor the trusts, or some of them,
have come to rely upon tnc tariff as a premium
producer. They take It as a tribute from the
American people which enables them to sell
abroad considerably below the prices at which
they sell at home, and when they are re
. minded of the fact they attempt to justify a
government patronage which the president
. condemns. Their attitude Is that of righteous
beneficiaries who want something more than
"a fair field and no favors," and who would ,
eke" out- their "own skill, energy and business
f capacity" with all the gratuities -that are
obtainable.
Such dependence Is really unworthy tho
- remarkable genius for business with which
they are credited, and if they will not them
selves reject further help with a fine x scorn
the people should give them a salutary dis
cipline by throwing them on their own re
sources. 2 It will be Interesting to carefully examine Mr.
Roosevelt's forthcoming message to see whether
tho president has set the seal of disapproval ou
"
men who not only ask, but who demand from the
government favorsand privileges which tho gov
ernment, In conscience, has no right to bestow
favors and privileges that are given to tho great
disadvantage, of- tbe people.
. r ' Talcing "Care of Tffisfs. ,'.
The Kansas City Journal, a repuuncan paper,
outlines tho republican tariff policy in an interest
ing and Instructive way. The Journal says:
Formerly the chief aim of tho protection
ists was to save home markets from in
vasion by cheap foreign goods. Now, how
ever, they have a dual aim: to protect the
home market and to capture foreign markets.
For this double purpose a dual policy has been
devised. To save domestic Industries that
cannot withstand foreign competition, tho
policy of protection will be maintained. To
aid home industries that cannot only stand
alone, but are able to compete with foreign
concerns on their own field, provided they are
not prevented from doing so by foreign tariff
barriers, the poncy of reciprpcity will be urged.
Such reductions or raises in rates wnl be made
by congress as are consistent wuu the former
policy; and the administration already is ne
gotiating several treaties which, if adopted,
will give numerous American products special
privileges In the markets of a number of for
eign countries.
The Journal then explains: "In theso two
ways tariff revision will in due time be effected if
republicans are kept in power." r
It will be observed that tho Journal provides
no hope for those who have been anxious that the
monopolies which find shelter in tho tariff be d(H
prlved of their high privileges'. On the contrary,
whatever is' done in the way of "revision" the In
terests of theso great combinations are to bo con
sidered at all times while no attention is to bo paid
to the interests of the people.
The Newspaper Lottery.
Mr. Bryan in his Commoner has taken up
the. advertising of the Tribune's distribution
enterprise, on estimates of the vote cast at tho
recent election. The trouble with Mr Bryan in
this, as In most things, Is that he is a trifle
belated; his advertisement of the Tribune
Isn t worth any tliln& now. either to him or t
us, and it only serves to exhibit the lack of
of.jthe hour, disagreeable as it may be.
,, VTho stato democracy owes allegiance to our
brethren below the Bronx. Tho loyalty of Greater
New xork has boon omphaslzcd bo strikingly this
year that never again may stato democrat ques
.tion .It Wo can see now that wo nover should
have questioned It in tho roccnt past, savo for the
doubts so subtly sown by David B. Hill, sown, as
we must bolievo, for tho purpose of otornally per
petuating tho feud betvoon tho democrats of the
Interior and thoso of the great city at tho southern
end of tho state. Tho selfishness of It all Is equal
ly effqetiyp whether tho cunning Is practiced by
the unfortunate chnrged with tho control of tho
Inmates of the Inner court of tho Oriental despot
and keeping each constantly inflamed against the
other, or by tho enlightened citizen of tho state of
New York.
"Misfortune aftor misfortune has bofallen the
democratic party year after year for a full docado
to bo candidly specific, ever slnco Hill's snap con
vention. "In Justlco to our own reputation for party
fealty, in justlco to tho democratic party of the
stato,' wo must, If wo hopo over again to partici
pate In tho affairs of tho nation, bo rid of David .B.
Hill as pur stato leader.
"Overboard with our Jonah!"
4
discrimination -in his mental processes. Salt
Lake Tribune.
. Aue Commoner delayed calling attention to
ther Salt Lakq Tribuno's lottery scheme until it
;, would, bo. too .late to serve as an. advertisement
thereof. Then It did call attention to it because It
was a gambling game, pure and jpiraple, and as
muw calculated to appeal to the gambling spirit
as the chuck-luck board, tho policy game, the
wheel of fortune, tho slot machine or the faro
bank. Attention was called to it for tho purpose
or exposing a lottery which, if not already a viola
tion of the anti-lottery laws, should be made Il
legal without loss of time. Calling a gambling
game a "distribution enterprise" makes it none the
less vicious. Tho trouble with such "distribution
enterprises" is that they, are immoral in their ten
dencies as well as In their very natures, and so
.framed as to enable their promotors to make a
profit' without returning an equivalent to the peo
ple who patronize them.
It was to, bo expected, however, that a news
paper that would engage in a lotterylike that of
the Tribune's would not be able to see in a just
criticism anything more than a free advertisement
for Its iiwhoral scheme. The Tribune's reply con
fesses ail that The Commoner charged.
JJJ
Formalities to be Observed.
Henry Watterson has nominated Senator Gori
man of Maryland for president, but there are
three questions to be settled before his candl.
date's name appears on the ticket:
First Mr. Watterson must agree not to throw,
him overboard befpre tho convention.
. Second-p-Senator Gorman must consent to run.
.Thlrdr-Mr. Watterson must persuade a mii
Jorlty of the democratic voters to accept his plat
form and his choice.
These little formalities will require some time.
Later: . Bro. Watterson has already com
menced to hpdge. - ,i
JJJ x
Some of! 'the gentlemen who so strenuously;
Insisted upon the Panama route manage to as
sume quite an air of surprise and indignation
'when they think of the obstacles that have arisen.