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The Commoner.
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WILLIAH J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR,
Vol. 3. No, 28.
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 31, 1903.
Whole No. 132,
On Mammon's Side
The Milwaukee Sentinel seems anxious to
earn a front place among the champions of organ
ized wealth. It recently published an Interviow
with Mr. Bryan and then quoting a part of tho
interview proceeded to make an ultra-corporation
argument on tho questions referred to. Hero is
what the Sentinel quoted:
"The money question must be an issue so long
as the money changers attempt to run tho treas
ury department in .their own interests, and tho
labor question must also be an issue, involving as
it does both arbitration and government by in
junction." And this is what tho Sentinel says:
"Tho peculiar geuius for politics possessed
by Mr. Bryan is admirably illustrated by tho
paragraph quoted. He had previously opened
the way for these two issues by lining up 'the
people' a title which he gives to those who
agree with him or who accept his doctrines
witnout amendment against the corporations.
Having brought this happy business disturb
ing and calamity breeding matter t6 a focus,
he would make sure of accomplishing his pur
pose by attacking tho integrity of the na
tional currency, and the grand climax would
bo reached when he brought out his labor is
sue.
phantic worshippers at the shrine of Mammon
who insolently assault all remedial legislation.
Tho Sentinel will praise the president for sug
gesting tho arbitration of onestriko after tho loss
of ono hundred millions of dollars, but it con
demns Mr; Bryan for advocating arbitration as a
means pf settling all labor disputes without tho
necessity for a strike.
Tho Sentinel boldly defends government by
injunction and it does so with full knowledgo
that the purpose of this extraordinary writ Is Xo
deny the laboring man tho right of trial by jury.
If the editor of tho Sentinel wero charged with a
libelous assault upon tho reputation of a citizen
or a murderous assault upon his employer or even
with converting a subscription to his own uso,
he would bo entitled to a trial by Jury and no
court could deny it to him; but ho is so soaked
and steeped in prejudice for tho great corporations
that ho would rob tho wago-earnors of tills in
valuable safeguard.
Of all tho forces In society no ono force la
doing more to create class hostility than pluto
cratic newspapers liko tho Sentinel that blindly
follow at tho heels of tho money magnates and
bark at all who plead for justice and fair play.
JJJ
THE WORLD HOURNS
The universal sorrow evinced at tho death of
Popo Leo shows tho willingness of tho pcoplo of
all denominations to lay aside their prejudices and
Just at this time, when leading union tnmXto tnoso who J.caKe8!r.V0 weU . th.elr
and employers, as well as economists or na
tional reputations, are working night and
day with tho hope of finding a solution of tho
labor problem that will insure the rights of
both employers and employes, of organized la
bor and organized manufacturers, Mr. Bryan
comes forward with the cheerful suggestion
that tho matter bo treated as a political is
sue. He would adopt tho policy tnat has
brought disaster to Australian industries
compulsory arbitration and ho would abolish
'government by injunction,' which means that
in cases of rioting the protection of tho courts
is to be withdrawn from employers of labor
until after the damage is done and the prop
erty destroyed. Even labor leaders who aro
entitled to respect for having accomplished
something of substantial benefit for organized
labor do not mako these demands.
"On the whole, it may" bo said that Mr.
Bryan's program is about tho most complete
and promising one that could bo devised for
bringing about Industrial chaos. It would bo
diffloult to improve upon it in any particular
or at any point. It would not be necessary to
add shotguns, dynamite, and red flags in or
der to round it out, for they would all coma
ill due course of time."
'This reveals tho viewpoint from which the
Sentinel surveys the political field.
Those who object- to having the treasury de
partment run by the money changers in their own
interests are, according to Its logic, "attacking
the t integrity of the national currency," and thoso
who prefer arbitration to strikes and who con
demn government by injunction aro denounced as
disturbers of the peace.
Mr. Bryan has never advocated compulsory ar
bitration, as the Sentinel might have known, and
would have known if it had placed a proper esti
mate upon accuracy of statement Both the Chi
cago and Kansas City platforms demanded arbi
tration and while the republican leaders stead
fastly refuse to consider the question, the senti
ment in favor of voluntary arbitration is grow
ing and will ultimately triumph.
If, in the r.eantime, there aro disturbances,
lockouts, boycotts "or bloodsheds the responsibil
ity will not rest upon thosofho seek to estab
lish just and peaceable means.r the adjustment
of differences, but upon those8erV"e and syco-
follows and he utm earhodTthrs.'" In liis selection
there was a fortunate conjunction of tho man and
tho opportunity. His mental and spiritual traits
admirably fitted him for tho eminent place which
he filled and his position as tho head of the great
Catholic church gave him a large sphere in which
to act While ho was tho highest representative of
one branch of tho Christian church and passion
ately devoted to nis task ho 4ook an active part in
all that concerned humanity and his mighty in
fluence was ever thrown upon tho side of peaco
and justice.
The valiant fight which ho made for life
arouBed profound sympathy and the prolonged
struggle gave an opportunity for his admirers td
lay their tributes at his feet
His successor, while inspired by his lofty ex
ample, will find it difficult to live up to tho(
pattern set by tho recent occupant of tho Vatican.
jjj
"Little Unknowns."
The New York Post did not seem to know of
the existence of Judge Walter Clark of North
Carolina before his name was mentioned In Th1
Commoner. This is not so much a reflection upon
the judge as it is upon the Post It is more than
passing strange that the newspapers which repre
sent tho reorganizing element should be so llttlo
acquainted with tnef record and tho merits of a
man like Judge Clark. The New York World Is
so astonished at the obscurity of the men whom
The Commoner has mentioned In connection with
the presidency that it expressed its indignation
in a cartoon entitled "The Little Unknowns from
Nowhere." One of the men mentioned in The
Commoner Is a United States senator, and has
been both a governor and a congressman; an
other is mayor of Cleveland, and has four times
defeated Mark Hanna In his home city; another
is on the supreme bench of a state; another has
been a prominent member of congress for ten
years from one of the great states of the union,
and was his party's choice for United States sena
tor In tho last legislature, and tho fifth is mayor
of one of the leading southern cities.
Owen P. Thompson
In tho discussion among democrats ol possible
candidates for tho presidential nomination In 1304
tho availability of Judge Owen P. Thompson of
Jacksonville, 111., Is worthy of consideration.
While ho has always taken an active interest In
public affairs and has boon au earnest advocato of
democratic principles, ho has neither sought for
nor held public offices outsldo of the lino of his
profession. An admirer of Judgo Thompson writes
as follows:
"Ho was born about fifty years ago In tho
county whore ho now resides. In addition to his
general education he graduated from the Albany,
N. Y., Law School in tho class of 187G, and shortly
thereafter located In Jacksonville, whero he has
established for himself a most deserved and en
viable roputatlon as lawyor, judge and man. Six
years ago he was elected to the circuit bench of
tho Capital or Springfield district, to which office
ho was recently ro-elected without opposition.
"Tho opinion bo rendered In the celebrated
caso of, tho .Pcoplo vs. tho State Board of Equaliza
tion, or what is more familiarly knovn as the
"Teachers' Tax Caso," brought him moro promi
nently before the general public than any of his
previous decisions had done. There was a pro
ceeding in mandamus brought in tho name of the
peoplo by two Chicago women school teachers, to
compel tho state board of equalization to value and
assess tho franchises of certain public service cor
porations doing business in Chicago, Tho de
fendants wero street railway, telephone and gas
companies. Tho case excited general public in
terest Tho peoplo and the corporations soon real
ized the great magnitude of tho issues, and how
far-reaching would be tho effect if tho contention
of tho teachers would bo upheld and the enormous
values of franchises added to the taxable prop
erty of the state. The decision would mean either
millions of dollars annually of public revenues for
the conduct of tho public schools and municipal
and state governments, or It woul ' mean millions
of dollars to tho corporations for annual dividends.
No case moro vital to the interest of government,
or of greater magnitude, had ever been tried in
tho courts of this country. Tho property values
wero enormous. The franchises which the tcacn
era were seeking to have taxed 'wero worth hun
dreds of millions of dollars. Under the laws ot
Illinois it Is the duty of tho state board of equali
zation to value and assess for taxation tho capital
stock, including franchises, of public corporations.
This board is composed of twenty-three members,
ono elected from each congressional district, and
the state auditor as ex-officlo member and chair
man of the board. For a great many years the de
fendant corporations had been successfully evad
ing all taxes on the value of their franchise prop
erty. TheMiorporations refused to list such prop
erty for taxation, and tho state board, although
having tho power to do so, and being urgently
requested to assess them, was so completely un
der the influence of tho corporations that they
ignored all requests, and boldly declared that be
ing assessors, and assessment of property requir
ing judgment, that their judgment on the matter
was final, and no court under tho law had powefr
to compel them to make assessments contrary to
their judgment In this contention tho board was
.backed by the corporations and their lawyers.
Under the count as brought by the teachers, the
court was asked to coerce the board into malclnj
an assessment of the franchises of tho defend
ants. In order to do this the court would be re
quire.' to make a new application of the prin
ciples of law governing the remedy by mandamns.
No precedent existed In any courts for such ac
tion .and the discussion among lawyers through
out the state as to the power of the court to do
so was general No one outside of the corpora
tions and representatives and several state boards
