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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1904)
-. jrsi Vv ."X'V. --. MAY 6, 1904?, '- - leaders did not think it advisable to abandon the position on that .question, even in the campaigns when for an orator to announce that he would discuss the tariff question meant the departure of his audience. The party has met defeat on tne trust question and on the question of imperial ism, and yet does that fact suggest to intelligent democrats that they should abandon their posi tion on those great issues? If the reorganizers are fighting for recruits,, they hope to obtain them from the ranks of the financiers and the trust magnates. Those who in sist that the democratic party shall not be re publicanized hope to obtain recruits from among the people who ask no favors at the hands of gov ernment, but Tyill bo content with simple justice. MS Philippine Independence. The Philippine independence committee, of which Mr. E. W. Ordway, 150 Nassau street, New York city, is secretary, is sending out a petition, a copy .of, which is here given:- "We, the undersigned, members of all po litical parties, join with the above-named com mittee In urging upon the approaching na- tional-conventions the adoption of resolutions pledging to the people of the Philippine islands their ultimate national independence upon terms similar to those offered to Cuba. The''1 petition will be laid before the various national v conventions and they will be asked to adopt resolutions "pledging to the people of the Philippine islands their ultimate national inde pendence upon terms similar to those offered to Cuba." Readers of The Commoner who are in sympathy with the movement, as all should be are asked to cut out and sign the petition and mail to Mr. Ordway. There is no doubt that the demo cratic convention ""will adopt such resolutions, for .they are exactly the same in substance as the platform adopted in 1900. If the republican con-r .vention would only adopt a similar plank, the (Philippine question could be taken out of politics, but there is no likelihood of the adoption of such a resolution by a republican convention.'" Howevsr, the presentation of a large petition would greatly assist by showing , public sentiment. In sending the petition it might be well for each one to state. khis politics, In order that public sentiment on the -subject may be the better gauged. A Narrow Escape. A correspondent for the New York Tribune called upon Judge Parker April 24 and sought to )obtain some statement from this presidential can didate concerning his views upon public questions. ,The Tribune correspondent reports Judge Parker as saying: "I can't for the life of me understand why all these newspapers keep sending their rep resentatives after me continually when they know I Avill -have nothing to say to any of them upon any of these public questions. Per sonally, I want to treat them all courteously and in a friendly way', but they want some thing more which I cannot give. A reporter of a well known New York paper camped on my place nearly all day recently, and most every day for a time, and, of course, got noth- . ing. But I was badly caught by a well known woman reporter the other day. She was wait ing for me without my knowledge and I walked right in the hall where she was. I was a bit afraid of. her, too, knowing her meth ods, fearing what she might say. But, of course, she got nothing of importance "and I find no reason to complain of her report." Judge Parker seems to be in the dark on a question wherein he could be enlightened imme diately by any sixteen-year-old schoolboy. A child in his teens could tell Judge Parker that when a man is presented as a candidate for the presidential nomination at the hands of a great political party, the members of that party, a3 well as. the people generally, ' are anxious to 'know the position he takes upon great public questions. It is not a matter of mere curiosity, although in Judge Parker's case it may be said to bo rap idly approaching that stage. Btft the membeis of a party having fixed principles have the right to know the opinion entertained by a man who aspires to the highest honor within their party's eift. it is the boast of Mr. Parker's. friends that it has been his fixed policy to remain silent on Public questions over since he mounted the bench and since he was suggested as a presidential can didate ,he has persistently refused to make his position known. It is strange to hear a candidate for the pros- The Commoner. F S 7 tlng for him and he "walked rluht It was, indeed, a narrow escape. It is safe o . say that never, in the history of politics was theio another instance where a man be ngTormaHy natioPna S T"f i0T th PAtalTomS. 2SJ2? I ie hands of a great party, bent his en ergies as Judge Parker has done, in the effort to 'SlSStfh th PU?HC int0 h,s confidence and permitting the merabors of the party to which he is presumed to belong to learn his opinion upon the great questions of the day. , ynQr, tese ccumstances, is it any wonder, ' then that the Parker boom, in spite of all the bluff and bluster that has been made in its behalf seems Incapable of real progress? Is it any won der, then, that democrats who have faith In their principles and hope for their party decline to grow enthusiastic over the candidacy of a man who seems' to imagine that the test of an available candidate for the presidency is in his ability to keep the people in doubt as to his position on public questions and who acknowledges himself unable to understand why his opinions with re- spect to public questions are sought for by news paper men? JJJ t A Simple Agency. The Chicago Tribune, a republican newspaper, says: "Nearly all the American manufactureis of axes, hatchets, and edge tools, have been per suaded to pool their issues and carry on a brief campaign. Since the first of the j-ear there ha3 been an advance of 25 per cent in the price of axes . and hatchets, and of 30 to 40 per cent in that of edge tools. There are to be largo advances on July 1 and October 1. There is need of some agency which shall have power to intervene eftec tively as soon as it is discovered that a combine of manufacturers has begun it3 cornering operations." There is upO'n the United States statute books a law providing for the fine and imprisonment of men who conspire against the people. The re publican administration refuses to enforce the law; and yet, after describing one of these law less concerns, a republican newspaper sajs: "There is need of some agency which shall have power to intervene effectively as soon as it Is dis covered that a combine of manufacturers has be gun its cornering operations!" --' Long ago "cornering operations" were begun on many products very important to the people. Long ago absolute and nierciless monopoly was obtained upon many of the people's necessities; and yet all this time the criminal clause of the Sherman law remains unenforced upon the statute books. Republican papers admit that something desperate must be done; yet they are not willing . to insist that the republican administration shall adopt the very- simple process ' of enforcing a plain law. JJJ "Mere Pawns." Referring to the Reed code of rules, the New York Tribune, a republican paper, says: "Under the code the house has become a mere registering machine. It offers no real arena for debate or leadership. Whether the legislative efficiency of the lower branch has deteriorated since these rules came into force may be disputed. But the political import ance of the body has greatly shrunk, and mem bers have come to look on themselves as mere pawns in a game in which they have neither a hand nor a voice. The rest of the world has been quick to take the house of recent years at its own valuation. But its unused powers remain. They can bo called into play asain and the house can be restored to its old status as a political body whenever its members insist on reasserting their suspended rights. Is It not true that the republican party has very generally become "a mere registering ma rh ne"' Of course, "the unsused powers of the house can be called into play again and the house - can be restored to its old status as a polit cal body whenever its members insist on reasserting the r crlSi rhrhts-" but the Reed code is not, pri 3? respoSle lor this situation. Republican members of congress will never be able to assert their rights and tho republican house will never b ablo to act as a doliborativo body (n which public Interests are protected and public measures are thoroughly discussed from tho people's standpoint so long as the mortgago which tho republican par ty has given to tho representatives of special In terests remains in full force and effect. Tho Tribune must not forget, howovor, that tho republican membors of tho house aro not the only "mere pawns in tho game in which they have neither a hand nor a voice," Tho republican sen ate Is practically in the same condition and the oxccutlvo branch of tho administration, under re publican authority, is not much more than "a mero pawn." "Whother it bo in tho oxccutlvo department, in the senate or in tho house, so long as tho party in authority is dominated by special Interests, tho representatives of tho party In poer cannot, with duo regard for their political fortunes, assert their manhood. They aro "mero pawmV' and while some of them may seem to spoak very bravely in defonse of public Interests, thoy dare not. act in a way that will bring substantial relief to the people. JJJ Wonderfully Candid. The Kansas City Journal, a republican news paper, says: "Let Mr. Bryan not tire In his good work of berating tho republican party, its lead ers and its policies. Lot him continuo calling them the tools of plutocracy, tho hirelings of tno trusts, tho violators of the constitution and the oppressors of tho masses. The republican party doesn't mind this kind of treatment at all. It grows fat on it as was shown In 189G and 1000. There is nothing Mr. Bryan can say or do that will harm tho republican party as long as ho stands firmly on tho Kansas City platform and will have no other. If ho should show signs of wavering if ire should quit fighting Cleveland, Parker and reorganization and encourage his fol lowing to seek harmony then the republican par ty would begin to feel alarmed. But happily Mr. Bryan is too set in his principles arid prejudices to justify any fears on that score'. . The g. o. p. is sure of its Bryan, and also of its victory." Of course, the republicans are desperately afraid that the reorganizers will get into power; of course the republican party would "begin to feel alarmed" if the democratic party- should re turn to the Cleveland rut; and of courso repub lican papers aro so thoroughly frank and candid that they admit the thing of which they stand in greatest dread. ' . , v JJJ ' n i1 Special Offer. Those who desire to assist in tho effort to In crease The Commoner's circulation and thereby widen its sphere of influence will find a conveni ent way through the special subscription offer now being made. According to the terms of tnis offer, cards, each good for one year's subscription to The Commoner, will bo furnished in lots of fivo at the rate of $3 per lot. This places the yearly subscription rate at 60 cents. Any one ordering tho cards may sell them for $1 each, thus earning a commission of $2 on each lot sold, or ho may sell them at the cost price and find compensation in the fact that he has contributed to the effort to widen Tho Com moner's sphere of Influence. These cards may bo paid for when ordered or they may be ordered and remittance made after they have been sold. A coupon is printed below for the con venience of those who are willing to assist in the coming contest, THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER Appllcatlen for Subscription Card 5 10 15 20 25 50 75 100 Publisher Commoner: I am Interested in In creasing Tho Commoner'fl circulation, and de Eire you to send mc a supply of subscription card. I afrrco to use my utmost endeavor to sell the cards, and will remit for them at the rate ofo cents each, when sold. Name , Box, or Street No. , P.O. 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