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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1903)
, ofi fWH-w,vm iwm V 7fjff i pt: .''' r. , t $ S ' 'i . '" 4-.Vl .if Commoner H " HiAft . bi RT Bcemy wjso to leave tlio question .to a vote. Let Oklahoma bo admittod to statehood and before tho timo act for admission let tho people of both territories doclaro their preference. If a union o tho two terrltorlcH is desired by tho people of both territories no objection ought to bo made by thoso who live outside. If, on the other hand, . tho pcoplo of olthor territory object to tho union thoro ought to bo no disposition on tho part of tho outsldo public to forco a consolidation. If Oklahoma is admitted by itsolf the namo, of courso, would remain unchanged, but tho name, Jofforson, has boon suggested as an appropriate ono in case tho two territories are united. The main argument advanced in favor of this narao is that this is the last stato remaining in the territory known as tho Louisiana purchase.lt would cer tainly bo a fitting honor to tho author of the Dec laration of Independence. This question, too, ought to bo left to tho people and it can be de cided at tho election called to pass Upon the ques tion of slnglo statehood. If a majority of the pco plo of tho two torritorios favor tho namo it can bo substituted for Oklahoma. If, however, the pooplo of tho Indian territory favor the namo, .Icfforson, but it does not command a majority of tho total voto, tho namo can be given to tho Indian territory, in case the two territories arc not united. Thoso suggestions are made because I am con vinced that great injustice is being done the peo ple of Oklahoma by tho continuation of territor ial rulo. Tho population there is intelligent and onorgotic, and it represents every section of the .country. At Lawlon I attonded a democratic dinner at which somo 125 or 150 guests were present. I was so impressed with the cosmopolitan character of the population of the territory that at this din ner, I called tho roll and found that all the states and territories of tho union, except six, we're roprosonted olthor as tho former'liomo'bVbir'th placo of some person present. In Lawton, Hobart, Anadarko and tho other towns which sprang up a year ago last summer Bchools wero at onco established, churches built and literary societies organized, and now the in habitants on joy all tho advantages of advanced civilisation except self-government. Tho ol r communities of Oklahoma and the Indian territory aro not surpassed by communities of oqual population anywhere. It is a grievous wrong that the rights of tho enterpris ing and progressive people of Oklahoma who have converted a wild prairie into a vast garden dotted ovor with busy marts of trade It is a cievous wrong, I repeat, that the rights of these pcoplo should bo sacrificed to the whims of republican politicians. Thoro is no doubt about Oklahoma's fitness for statehood and it surely ought to bo possiblo for tho senators and members to agree upon a plan which leaves all disputed questions to bo settled by tho people of tho territories. If Oklahoma and tho Indian territory aro admitted as ono stato it is only fair that the question bo decided at onco so that tho people of tho Indian territory may havo a voice in tho framing of the constitution and in tho location of tho capital and stato Institutions. It is only just, too, that In tho opening of Indian lauds hereafter some provi sion should be made for a school fund whether the Indian territory comes in by itself or in conjunc tion with Oklahoma. If by tho voto of tho people it is determined that tho two territories shall bo admitted separ ately then tho Indian territory should be given im mediate representation in congress with a view to early statehood. It is believed by many that the eastern re publicans, notwithstanding platform promises aro really anxious to prevent the admission of any of the territories, hut this is only tho greater reason hy tho democrats in congress should redouble their efforts. If the omnibus bill is '.o amended jas, to leavo tho disputed questions to a vote of ithej people it win ue naru ror tno most puruauu ,jj publican to stand out against its passage. ' ,' Tho union of Arizona and Now Mexico has been suggested by those who oppose their sep arate admission. While this would be unjust-to thoso who havo redeemed the desert places ajrid would hardly be accepted by the people of ttiosd territories, yet it might be well to leavo tho ques tion of united or separate statehood to be decided by a vote of tho people if such a provision would secure the passage of a statehood bill. . r , JJJ - Vanderlip's Address. Frank A. Vanderllp, former assistant secre tary of the treasury, recently delivered an ad dress at Wilmington, N. C, before the chamber of commerce of that city. On that occasion Mr. Van derllp said: "A judicious recognition of restrict ing conditions now visible in our financial situa tion may save us from disaster later on a humil iation from which recovery will be slow and pain ful." Mr. Vanderllp said that he had recently returned from Europe. There he found "a feel ing of grave conservatism and anxious interest in the future of the American people." He pointed out that the "European financiers were making a careful study of events in the tfnited State's; and referring to these. financiers, he said: "They note the rapid increase of our ex ports came to a halt two years ago. They note that our 'imports in the last two years- -have been rapidly rising, the record for the fiscal year just closed being more than nine' . hundred million dollars, against onty a little over slrf billions' in 1898. t They note, too, that U in spite of that tremendous '"balance of trade 'It. which g6verhmont reports' showed in our ' favor, a balance running up to an average of six" hundred-millions a year, wo' do nofrseenTto have ''any "Unusual cOmnlttM upon Interna tional credits, but we are, as a matter of fact; ' a considerable debtor In the world's exchanges, and that now, in the midst of extraordinarily bountiful harvests, and at the season when the movements of gold in this direction might normally be expected we are concerned iest a high rate of selling shall lead to gold ex ports." Then,, as. though determined to deal candid ly with the, situation, Mr. Vanderllp declared that if we aro honest with ourselves "we must admit that tho edge is off our invasion of foreign mark ets." While he admitted the totals were large, yet he pointed out that the rate of increase which wo are making had been checked and decreases had been recorded. Tho exports of our manufac turers in a fiscal year just closed, Mr. Vanderllp said, amounted to $30,000,000 less than the point they reached two years ago. The total exports of domestic merchandise fell off more than $100, 000,000 in the year and he showed that instead of decreasing imports wo have made somo large in crease in our purchases of foreign goods and the total for the fiscal year stands more than $300 000,000 above 1899. ' Then Mr. Vanderllp said: J?f W0 C,se t0 examlne critically our do mestic condition we might find there too developments not in every respect satisfactory Wo have had in less than four years an in crease in the total hank deposits of the ?oi ml try of over four billion dollars, accompSS led by no increase in the specie and legal tender holdings of thoso banks. "What has brought about this remarkable panying expansion otffis is to bXrd ?",' I tho great movement which ha, heen the "htif leant feature in flnanciAl .affairs of the to? dozen yeare-tho movement to aggregate r?V ownership into corptKcurUies whtcThave VOL. 3, No. 3L, entered actively into the Btream of financial ) operations. "Another important contributing influence has been the vast expenditures of corpora tionsrailroad companies particularly for tho improvement, betterment and extension of their properties. ; "It mUst be admitted, I believe, that -wo! have been converting too great an amount1 ' of liquid capital into fixed forms of invest-j ment. What is the cure? TJio euro is, of j course, to reduce the expenditures of that' character so that thoy will come within the, line of safety. What is tho line of safety? It is, it seems to me, something -well within the total income from such, investments." - In this same addresse Mr. Vanderllp showed that for the first nine months of the .present year our imports increased over last year ?5&,? 000,000, the total imports for last year being $300. 000,000 more than in 1898. Our exports for the nine months shows a net balance of $164,000,000 more unfavorable than the corresponding nine months of the previous year. During the same period we have lost $8,000,000 of gold and for tho twelve months ending with September, 1902, our favorable trade balance was $420,000,000 against $041,000,000 for the previous twelve months in others words, a decrease of $221,000,000. Mr. Vanderlip would do well to have a care, A few more speeches like this and he will bo relegated, without mercy, to the "weakling and coward" column, a -locality to which, our stren uous chief executive seems inclined to consign those who do not unquestioningly give approval to every condition existing under his, administra tion; ,, Volume 3, Nurtiber i t With thjjfssue .The Commoneregins its third, year. From "eight pages in size' i "has. grown to s!,x.ee.nf'.lerTv departments and neyr 'features have been added from time to time and these- improve ments have called forth cor dial' words of ' approval from the readers, but the purpose of the paper is the same that it was when it entered the arena of journalism. It was established for the discussion of political, economic and sociological questions from a democratic standpoint for the defense of the rights ajid the advancement of the interests of the common people. That the paper has re sponded to a real need and made for itself a place among weekly periodicals is proven by the fact that the subscription list has risen from 18,000 on the date of tho first issue until today it requires an issue of 143,000 to supply the demand. The most gratifying feature of the growth is that it comes from the recommendations of tho subscribersmore than 48,000 new subscribers having been sent in by old subscribers during tho last eight months. I am not only, 'grateful for Do generous support given by patrons, but I am en couraged to believe that there is yet among tho believers in Jeffersonian principles an earnestness and an enthusiasm that ensure ultimate victory. The year of 1903 will be an important one; it will be the year of preparation for the next great presidential struggle, the year during which tho J ul i bQ forme(i and plans laid for a gigantic light between man and mammon. Organized wealth ?S?e arreant and insolent than ever before and there is no reason to believe that tho republi can party will dare to antagonize tho plutocratio element that raised it to power. The vital ques- 2 one most imnrtant to democrats is whether the democratic party will maintain its integrity and earn the confidence of the masses or abandon its principles and under tho guise of harmonizing" make a bid for corporate support ihe Commoner will oppose any and all attempts at surrender; it will insist upon an hpnest appeal n?np?0pl0I2n an lloncst Platform with the party ? ud in t,h0 hands of Uoest Naders. It will wwi 1peadei'8 infornied of tho movements of,, both the friends and the foes q the people. It X L? ndeavr t0 desei,ve the support of thoso who nul ei 1? the PrinciPles set forth in the Kansas ft fff nfm ?nd i wUl inv tu Patronage of S J?to11 W'?? llberal publicans as desir to hear and consider both sides of all questions. , -Mtii-i TAifwd """Nt