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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1904)
i,i: SWllftl UVfcr . W. ; ; " Commoner. 3 )t- burdens -which Ihoy should not bear," but it also declared that "tariff laws should bo amended y putting the products of trusts upon the free lists to prevent monopoly under the plea of protection." The Iansas City platform further said: "We reaffirm and Indorse the principles of the na tional democratic platform, adopted at Chicago in 1896." The Chicago platform said: "We hold that jtariff duties should be levied for the purposes of revenue; siicli duties to be so adjusted as to oper ate equally throughout the country, and not dis criminate between classes or sections, and that taxation should bo limited by the needs of the gov ernment, honestly and economically adminis tered." The "Chicago platform denounced tho proposition of the republicans to restore the Mc Kinley law, and declared that. that law "enacted under the false plea of protection to home indus try, proved a prolific breeder of trusts and mo nopolies, enriched the few at the expense of the many, restricted trade and deprived the producers of the great American staples, of access to their natural markets." While it is true that in 1896, as in 1900, the tariff. question was not a conspicuous issue, and while the Chicago platform objected to "any agi 'tatioij. for further changes in our tariff laws, ex cept such as are necessary to meet the deficit in the revenue caused by the adverse decision of the. supreme court on the income tax," tho party did not abandon its time-honored position on the tar iff question in either 189G or in 1S00. Nor weio these platforms evasive upon the tariff question. It is absurd to say that the democratic position was evasive in 1900 with a platform that de nounced the Dingley law, promised tho amend ment of the tariff laws by putting the products of trusts upon the free list to prevent monopoly un der the plea of protection and reaffirmed tho plat form of 1896 in which platform it was plainly said: "We hold that tariff duties should be levied for the purposes of Tevenue." SJJ . Folk's Victory. The withdrawal of Mayor Reed of Kansas from tho gubernatorial race makes it certain that Mr. Folk will be the democratic nominee for gov ernor in Missouri. He has won the honor at the conclusion of a remarkable fight. His late op ponent, Mayor Reed, is a man of great ability on tho stump and has rendered conspicuous public service. Mayor Reed has had the support of most, if not all, of tho democrats conspicuous in the state organization. But so excellent was Mr. Folk's record in the prosecution of boodlers, and so favorable an impression did he make in his speaking tour, that he. has captured the nomina tion against his powerful antagonist, and In spito of tho fact that Mr. Hawes secured a solid dele gation from St. Louis. If Mr. Hawes was a bona fide candidate he must have been surprised at his failure to make any headway outside of the city', and if ho was not a bona fide candidate, h must feel an additional humiliation in his failure to de feat Mr. Folic . The democrats who have been active in the state organization felt that Mr. Folk's nomina tion would be a weak one, but the strength that lie has developed in his canvass answers this ob jection and as there is no personal objection to him, he will doubtless pole the full party vote and ought to have a large complimentary vote from republicans who have admired his fearless ex posure of corruption. Try It. In an -editorial entitled "The Coal Companies and the Law' the Wall Street Journal seems to undertake to make it appear that it Is impossible for the people to obtain relief from the exac tions of this trust through the enforcement of law. The Journal says: There is no law in the world that can prevent individuals from refusing to fight with , each. other. . No law could make Mr. Morgan, at the head of tho Northern Pacific, fight with Mr. Hill, at the head of the Great Northern, if neither wanted a quarrel. We do not Re lieve that any law can force the presidents of tho coal-carrying companies to inaugurate a poy, of sharp competition, if they do not wantrto do so. What has really occurred in x the cpal-Jndustry Is a thorough realization of the various interests of the profitable possjbili- , ties that lay 4n common action and avoidance, of competition.,. Wo doubt that, the law can ;- reach the' so-called "coal trust," , although as . . wfar as the .average man is concerned, it Is In j. . .effect at . ieas.t as much oe a Jtrusr." as any lT-cpmqjnatlon .existing toaay, r There Is" one statute that, when vigorously '.enforced, .has sufficient powor to bring tho most arrogant monopolist to his knees. That Is tho criminal clause of tho Sherman anti-trust law. The exactions of a trust aro tho work of indi viduals and just so long as men lovo personal lib erty, just so long as men fear prison bars, tho criminal indictment will bo a potent weapon in a- campaign seriously waged against these pow erful law breakers. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Hill may not want to quarrel with one another; but if thoy knew that when they conspired against tho lives of tho peo ple they would bo hold strictly to account, oven ,as is tho case with tho humblest law-breaker, thoy would bo very slow in inviting a quarrel with the people. The presidents of the coal car rying companies may not take kindly to "a pol icy of sharp competition," but if they know that a conspiracy on their part against competition would take them to a prison cell, they would bo very likely to look at tho matter in an alto gether different light. Tho men In authority might, at least, under take tho experiment of enforcing the law. Until the experiment has been made vigorously and sincerely, until these influential law-breakers aro made to understand that they cannot trifle with tho people, no one is justified in expressing doubt as to the possibility of tho law reaching the coal trust. Albany Democrats Protest. A club known as "Tho Rank and File Club" has been organized at Albany, New York, and tho Press Knickerbocker and Morning Express of that city, in its. Issue of April 27, prints the resolutions passed by tho club. The resolu tions denounce the New York platform and as sert that "that part of the platform in relation to trusts and combinations is a direct blow at the Sherman anti-trust law. It contains a veiled promise to repeal this law and gives rise to the suspicion that, if this plank has the In dorsement of the eminent gentlemen in whoso interests tho farmers aro enlisted, the only barrier which stands between the people and tho trusts' extortion will he let down and tho Sher man law will be repealed before it has been given a fair trial." The resolutions also point out that the New York platform- Ignored the Philippine question, the money question and other important ques tions. It is encouraging to Imow that In tho capital city of New York there is a growing pro test against the cowardlly evasion that the demo crats of that state attempted in tho Interests of Judge Parker. JJJ Equipping a Country Home. Mr. Bryan receives frequent Inquiries In re gard to the best manner of providing" heat, light and water for a home in the country or in a city where modern conveniences are not at hand. The following suggestions are given as a result of his own experience. Heating. In his first house Mr. Bryan tried the base-burner, and found it an improvement over the open fireplace or the wood or soft coal stove, although somewhat more expensive. - In his second house he tried a hot air furnace this ,gave one stove to look after Instead of a number, and was more economical than it would have been to keep fires in enough base-burners or other stoves to h'eat the same number of rooms. In his third,, his present house, he uses a hot water system which he finds superior to either the base burner or the hot air furnace. The heat Is uni form and the temperature can be easily controlled. Lighting. His first house was at Jacksonville, 111., and his second In tho city of Lincoln. In both of these ho used ordinary city gas. In his present homo he uses acetylene, and finds that the light Is better and the discoloration from smoke less. In fact he has had no smoking whatever from the acetylene. As a matter of precaution tho acety lene plant is kept in a cave about a hundred feet from the house. It Is operated with very little trouble. Tho magazine holds one hundred pounds of carbide, and that lasts for two or three weeks. Ho uses a hundred-light plant, but acetylene plants are made of varying capacity. He has seen a three-light plant, and they aro mado all the ; way-from that sizooip to a size sufficient to light .'ft- village. ; Water System.- He uses the compressed air - .water; tank. The tank is in the ground below the fjost line, and the water is thus kept cool in the summer and does not freeze in the winter. As terwatcr is:puraped into the tank the air is com pressed, forcing the water through tho house, A windmill pumps water into the tank, and is, so geared as to work automatically. Tho pressure l kept at about forty-five, and with a hose on cack floor, tho protection against lire is ample While the underground tank is usually satis factory, it has- ono disadvantage in case of a leak it is moro difficult to oxamino and repair. Sometimes the tank is put in tho basement, some times in a cave largo ohough to permit an ex amination of the tank. Neither tho lighting plant nor tho water sys tem is very expensive, and it Is possible for tho farmer to have them. The wator aystom especlal ly ought to bo Introduced, because of tho great convenienco to tho housewifo whore sho does her own work; and it makes it much easier to securo hired help whero help is desired. SJJ Democratic Success. The following extract from a spoech recontly delivered by Governor Garvin of Rhode Island is along tho right lino, and shows that tho governor desires ji real victory, not merely a chanco for tho party, to distribute a few offices: "What aro the elements essential to demo cratic success? In seeking to answer this ques tion, it Bhould bo understood that by success I mean not merely victory in tho coming presiden tial election, but that highest success which is lasting. "It is1 quite possible tnat wo might win this election by making a bid for monopolistic sup port, but to defeat Mr, Koosevolt by such means would give only a temporary success, tho offices gained by democrats would prove to bo an in jury rather than a'benelit to tho American people, and eventually to the party itself. It Is worse than useless to have two parties resting upon tho same foundation that of special privilege Hap pily tho democratic party has not enough cunning to servo a monled aristocracy an at tho same timo lead tho people to believe that it is serving them. "In other words, tho democratic party cannot succeed permanently upon dishonestyr This does not seem to be true of the republican party. In Rhode Island the republican state boss sold out tho people to tho principal street railway of the state, of which Senator Aldrich was president, granting all that the corporation asked In the form of irropcalablc lawg, fixing tho state tax for ever at ono per cent of the gross receipts, and tho fares forever at 5 cents, and yet against this re creancy there has been no popular revolt. A similar union between tho republican party and tho monopolistic corporations has long existed in the nation, and the people so far have 'done noth ing more than grumble." Will You Co-Operate? In order to increase The Commoner's circula tion and thereby widen its sphere of Influence, a special offer is made. According to tho terms of this offer, cards, each good for one year's sub scription to The Commoner, will bo furnished in lots of five at -the rate of $3 per lot. This places tho 5arly subscription rate at CO cents. Any one ordering the cards may sell them for $1 each, thus earning a commission of ?2 on 'each lot sold, or ho may sell them at the cost price and find compensation in tho fact that he has contributed to the effort to widen The Commoner' sphere of influence. These cards may bo paid for when ordered or they may be ordered and remittance made after they have been sold. ,A coupon is printed below for the conveni ence of those who are willing to assist in the coming contest. THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER Application for Subscription Card 5 10 15 20 25 50 75 " 100 Publisher Commoner: I am Interested La in creasing The Commoner's circulation, and de sireyoa to Rend mca supply olnubscrlptloncardt. I agree to use my utmost endeavor to tell the cards, and will remit for them at the rate of0 centa each, when sold. Name . ! Box, or Street No, P.O. 6tate, Indicate taeanraberoi cards wasted by aaarilarXop poslle oaeof the numbers prtated oa eade tbls Mask H- : 'i ii ( . i . . Jfyou btUepA the paper is doing a vqrk (hat merits , encouragement, fill out the abou coupon and matt, it t$ Tli Cmmonr, Lincoln, Neb. i . ); '., K i i. Klf " 4I1 .n f. H f- i a - :''! j. r. 1 . . i " 7- "" - Sf ft ":.... v it &,-. ji... .yka.&.tkLiiii'JkJ&iAijL-'i -,i.,.flW,. xittoitir'jLJi., mw. iLirm 7i'm?Twl'mv,HQr "m-lKUflMMMMMglHIl WWWM WSImlAAimlmTmmWMt Ujtmn ' ikrtM, ' r JHAt't-Mi-rl It- i&. . .L.J.:.rr& siiiiiBsWBMHsiMirtsiitlSMMB gfr gf 0 ji&$if "..( HHMnMsiwy