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The Commoner.
JUNE 5, 1903.,
5
The Chicago Tribune asks: "Is the govern
ment made for the national banks or the banks
for the government?" That is
A a, strange question indeed to
Strang come from a paper that has
Question earnestly supported a party
whoso policies are clearly in
lino with tho theory that tho government wa3
made for the national banks.
The assurance that Senator Allison will wrlto
tho platform for the republicans of Iowa reminds
tho Washington Post of tho re
mark of the late John J. Ingalls
to tho effect that "Allison can
walk over a tin roof with hob
nailed shoes and make less
noise than a cat on a Moquette carpet" It is
not at all likely that any platform written by
Senator Allison will be objectionable to the in
fluences that control tho republican party.
Allison
and the
Platform.
SSfc
The New England Colonial Baptist association
recently adopted resolutions in which it was de-
clared tnat "there has been
Facts more cruelty, more lives do-
Strong stroyed, more property wanton-
Enough, ty wasted, more immorality and
drunkenness in the three years
of American occupation in tho Philippines than
in the three hundred years of Spanish tyranny."
That soundB very severe. Porhaps it is exag
gerated and yet tho simple facts ought to be suf
ficient to awaken the American conscience.
Organize
Democratic
Clubs.
In every precinct a democratic club should bo
organized. The members of this club should ba
pledged to the defense of demo
cratic principles and its mem
bers should see to it that no
one is cnosen as a delegate to
a convention, county, state, or
national, who may not be depended upon to rep
resent the will of the rank and file. A form of
constitution and membership blanks for the use
of democratic clubs will bo furnished by Tho
Commoner upon application. The organization of
such clubs should be promptly reported for tho
Information and encouragement of others.
The Chicago Tribune says: "Bankers who be
lieve the government was made specially for
, ,. . them ought to read occasionally
l ribune tne preamble to the constitution
Helped which says it was established
to do It. to 'promote the general wel
fare and does not say that it
was to promote the welfare of banks and bank
ers at the expense of the rest of the community."
There are a great many people who ought to read
the preamble to tho constitution. It is a solemn
truth that the general policies of the republican
party conflict with "the general welfare." Tho
Tribune should be careful about quoting the con
stitution. It is in great danger of being charged
With old fogylsm.
Thoughtful men will do well to read and in
telligently consider this statement from the Phil-
auciyum orm American: Tiia
trust whose schedule of assets
does not contain at least one
United States senator is a poor
.. concern, a reliable representa
tive In the upper house of congress is as much
a part of the equipment of a well-organized trust
as a Jersey charter. Mr. Morgan's various in
terests havo not suffered for lack of general
representation in tho senate, but his billion dol
lar steel corporation has had no senator which
it could call its own. Standard Oil and the ship
ping trust, however, can no longer look down
upon steel, for that trust has acquired a senator
and put -its brand upon him. Senator Dryden of
New Jersey has been elected a director of the
United States steel corporation."
Senator
From
Trustville.
Not a
Small
Dividend.
On May 15 the Standard Oil company declared
a dividend of $7 a share on the $100,000,000 capi
tal biock. rnis is a decrease
of $3 per share compared with
the dividend declared for the
corresponding quarter of 1902.
xne New York Commercial
says that the earnings of the company havo been
on the increase and tho net income this year will
exceed that of the preceding year by many mil
lions of dollars. It says that the cash outlay
in connection with the construction of vessels
for the transportation of Texas oil with the ex
penses Involved in the extensive prospecting that
has been going on for moro than a year provides
the explanation for tho decrease in this quarter's
dividend. Tho Commercial intirantes that al
though tho dividends for tho quarter just passed
aro somewhat decreased, there is no indication
that tho total disbursements for this year will
not bo as largo aa In tho preceding year.
KC0
In tho great work 6f protecting tho demo
cratic party from tho merciless hands of tho
trust magnates, oven tho hum
Get blest member of tho party can
to accomplish, great results. Ono
Work. democrat firmly devoted to tin
principles of his party, ever
watchful for tho welfare of hi,s country, and will
ing to speak and to work according to his con
victions, may accomplish moro in tho organiza
tion of his party and tho successful defonso of its
principles than a dozen reorganizes equipped
though they may bo with an ample supply . of
syndicate money.
A
Brooklyn
Switch.
Ninety days ago during tho month of Feb
ruary tho Brooklyn Eaglo, then engaged in sup
porting juugo marker lor tno
democratic nomination, said:
"Mr. Cleveland has no- Idea of
hazarding his unique historical
fame bv a'cnndidacv that mlciit
fall of a nomination. Even wore that secured
he might fall of election, owing to tho Inveterate
prejudice against putting tho presidency for a
third time in tho hands of any man." Since it has
hitched itself to the Cleveland boom, the Eaglo
concludes: "No man fears harm to himself or
his country from a third term for Cleveland af
ter eight years in private life. The pretense or
affection of harm therefrom is a folly of which
any sane man should be ashamed."
A Washington dispatch says that' Secretary
Hoot recently gave a very ugly exhibition of his
anger and hatred toward Gen
Koot eral Miles by neglecting to in-
and vite him to a dinner to the gen-
MHea. eral staff at which Mr. Root
played the role of host It is
further predicted in Washington dispatches that
Mr. Root is determined to havo General Miles re
tired. Even though Mr. Roosevelt could not be
restrained by patriotic reasons from peremptorily
retiring the lieutenant general, It is inconceivable
that his political managers would' permit him
to take such foolish steps on tho very threshold
of a national campaign. Mr. Roosevelt will have
considerable to answer for because of his slurs
upon Admiral Schley. Ho certainly cannot bo so
foolish as to take on new burdens by peremptor
ily retiring tho lieutenant general.
The Wall Street Journal, commenting upon
the scare created by the decision in tho Northern
Securities case, undertakes to
Pravldes reassure other trust magnates
For all in this way: "One Important
Trusts. tung that has been overlooked
by most is that the Northern
Securities company is the only example of its
kind at present existing in the country. We know
of no other instance where its principle has been
employed so directly or so frankly with the ob
ject of nullifying the effect of tho Sherman anti
trust law. Consequently, tho decision of the
court, while sweeping as affecting tho Northern.
Securities company, does not directly apply any
where else." This may, or may not, bo reassur
ing to the trust magnates. Perhaps, however,
they will not bo entirely satisfied until tho Sher
man anti-trust law is repealed because they must
know that whatever may bo said concerning tho
decision in the Northern Securities case, It can
not bo said that the Sherman law does not pro
vide the same remedy against all trusts which
was applied in dealing with the Northern Securi
ties merger.
The Chicago Tribune, a republican paper,
says: "The banks exist because the government
uunevea tney would De useful
to it and to tho people. For i
time all the bankers understood
that Many of the Chicago
oanicers of the present genera
tion do not They have come to hold the opin
ion, which they express in acts rather than in
words, that the government was made for the
banks and that the chief object of its existence
Is to love, cherish, and obey them." The Tri
bune should, not overlook the fact that It Is in
parfc responsible for the existence of this notion
among the bankers. When a political party
The
General
Welfare.
adopts policies regardless of public Interests ani
solely with tho view of conforming to tho wishes
of tho financiers and when newspapers like tho
Tribuno give faithful support to that party it Is
not strange that many of these beneficiaries Im
agino that tho government was made for their
exclusive benefit
Those wlio imaglno that truth is ever on tho
scaffold and wrong forever on tho throne, may
w i, ln(1 a bIt of consolation from
won tho Springfield (Aiass.) Rcpub-
to be llcan, which newspaper says:
Dono. "On tho wholo, there is abund
ant reason not to bo discour
aged, notwithstanding that bo mr.ny students of
democracy aro now saying that it cannot savo
itsolf from tho oncroachments of corruption. Wo
havo only to recall tho desperato venality of
politics in England during tho eighteenth century
to seo that our political lifo is still comparative
ly sound, oven If it is in an alarming condition.
Yet no ono Is justified in lying back and assum
ing that thoro Is no work to bo done. Thero was
never more of a demand for tho highest cltizen
Bhip in state and nation."
Tho St Louis Mirror says:, "If President
Roosovelt, Senator Allison and Governor Cura-
Tl niins havo decided to mako the
mo 'Iowa idea' tho basis of their
"Idea" tariff plank in 1904, they havo
In 19o4. done well. And they will do
m . . 8tf11 better hy sticking to It
Tariff rovision promises to play an important
role In next year's campaign. Extreme protec
tionists aro working overtime trying to smother
it, but they aro fighting a losing fight Like
Banqub's ghost, the demand for revision will not
down. It grows more insistent and more im
perious every day. The Town idea' will be tho
American idea' by and by. The republican party
can no longer afford to 'stand pat' " It is difll
cult to understand upon what ground tho Mir
ror bases its notion that tho "Iowa idea" will
become the basis for the republican tariff plank
in 1904. President Roosevelt is clearly and re
peatedly on record as being opposed to tariff re
vision while tho foremost champions of tha
"Iowa idea" among the republican politicians in
the Hawkoye state havo shown indications of a
willingness to desert tholr convictions. Tho fact
that Senator Allison Is to proparo tho tariff plank
should bo sufficient indication that that plank will
bo largely conspicuous because of what it does
not say.
Pointing out that tho disbursements of tho
Standard Oil company for tho current quarter
r . means that share owners will
I overty receive $7,000,000, the New York
Stricken Commercial makes an interest
Trust. InB statement concerning thU
dividend producing trust Tho
Commercial says: "Last year the company dis
bursed $45,000,000 to stockholders. In 1900 and
1901 $48,000,000 was disbursed to shareholders
each year. Since January 1, 1900, the Standard
Oil company has declared $108 a share In divi
dends, making total payments of $108,000,000 to
shareholders on a capital stock of a little less
than $100,000,000. Of tho dividends declared dur
ing tho last three and a half years John D. Rocke
feller's share has been something like $5G,000,
000, as he holds In the neighborhood of 33 per
cent of the capital stock of tho Standard Oil
company. Last year 20 per cent was paid in tno
first quartrr, 10 per cent In the second, 5 per
cent In tho third quarter and 10 per cent in tho
fourth quarter. Tho dividends for a period of
years havo been as follows: 1891-1895, $12 a
year; 189G, $31; 1897, $33; 1898, voo; 1899, $33;
1500, $48; 1901, $48; and 1902, $45. So far this
year, $27. The dividend of tho Standard Oil com
pany declared today Is payable on June 15 to
stockholders of record of May 22."
Tho Wisconsin legislature has adopted tha
resolution calling for the election of United State3
senators by popular vote. Prc
w, dieting that at Washington next
Square winter the house of representa-
It fives will pass its customary
resolution directing tho sub
mission of the necessary constitutional amend
ment, tho Chicago Record-Herr.ld says: "Will not
the senate read the writing on the wall and yield
Its consent at once rather than to continue its
resistance until two-thirds of the states force it
to act?" Long ago the senate read the writing
on tho wall, but so long as it could prevent the
change it was determined to do so. Let us hope
that it will yield when it can no longer obstruct
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