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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1904)
PTif "srr - ' v i -j The Commoner. 3UNE10, 1904.-. ' s Faithful to the Shears Th Unhappy Results of Tamp ering with the Truth Described by an Apt Story, The Baltimore Sun is authority for an inter esting story that. may fairly be applied to tho present political situation. It is related by tho Sun that at a gathering of several ministers last Monday one of them, wlio Is opposed to tho so called "higher criticism," told tho following story: "One day a member of a certain church, who had listened attentively for ilvo years to the preaching of his pastor, took to tho divine his Bi ble, which was truly a sight to behold, with whole books clipped out hero or a passage gone there. Indeed, between the "covers there was little elso left but a few shreds of paper. The pastor was horrified and rebuked his parishioner for using tho Bible so shockingly. The parishioner meekly re plied: , , " 'It is the result of your preaching. When I went homo from church each Sunday I cut out of the book that which you had criticised in your ser mon that day. That verse on the Trinity was an interpolation; so out went the strong verse. Then tho canonicity of this book and that was doubtful, so out went this book and that. John did not write the gospel of John, so out wont what was called the gospel of John. This bit of history was not history, only allegory, so out went that false and deceiving thing. Positively, sir, I have been faithful with my shears, and this is all tho Bible I have left the two covers and a few tatters. " Those who object to the democratic national platform say they base their opposition upon the money plank In that document. Yet Investigation will reveal that after they have had their way so far as concerns tho money plank, they would mu tilate the platform fn other important respects so that it would resemble the copy of tho Bible owned by the church member referred to in the Baltimore Sun story. So far as fidelity to principle Is concerned, so far as adherence to truth is concerned, the demo cratic platform under the reorganlzers would not become famous, although we may not doubt that t would go down In history as the platform that was thoroughly "faithful to tho shears." If one would understand the results of such a policy ho has but to look at the platform adopted in the interests of Judge Parker, by the New York democratic convention. Referring to that plat form, Henry Watterson, somewhat famous as a platform writer, says: "The fiist plank of the Now York demo cratic platform Is broad enough and strong enough in itself for tho party to stand on and victoriously fight on this year. 'This It reads, 'is a government of laws, not of men; ono law for presidents, cabinets and people; no usur pation; no excessive encroachment upon tho legislative or judicial department.' " Bourko Cockran, however, does not place upon tho first plank of the Now York platform tho high estimate given by Mr. Watterson In his speech before tho convention and referring par ticularly to tho first plank, Mr. Cockran said: "They reveal the profound truth that this Is to bo a government of men and not of something else another discovery upon which they are to be con gratulated and with a series of equally original and impressive declarations they wind up by say ing that Judge Parker should be nominated." Democrats would do well to take tho Now York platform as a model of tho platform which .the reorganizers in tho national convention would adopt. Let us see what the result, so far as con corns the national platform, would bo. The platform adopted by the democrats In na tional convention assembled at Kansas City in 1900, if the reorganizers had their way, would read something like this: "We, the representatives of tho democratic party of tho United States, are assembled in na tional convention. . . . "Wo declare again that all governments in stituted among men exorcise lawful authority. . . . "We assert that no nation . . . will lead quick ly and inevitably to despotism at home. 'Believing In these fundamental principles, wo denounce . . . tho republican congress. "We demand tho prompt and honest fulfill ment of our pledge. , , , "We condemn and denounce , . , tho greedy commercialism ... of the republican administra tion . . . entailing an annual expense of many mil lions ... is extended at the expense of liberty. . . . "We are not opposed to territorial expansion when it takes In desirable territory. . . . "We favor trade expansion. We are In favor of extending the republic's influence among tho nations. . . . "The importance of other questions now pond ing before the American people is In no wise di minished. . . . "The declaration in tho republican platform adopted at the Philadelphia convention . held In June, 1900, 'that the republican party steadfastly adheres to tho policy announced In tho Monroe doctrine' is . . . tho avowed policy of that party. "Private monopolies aro indefensible- and in tolerable (excopt where they aro operated by the managors of our candidates' campaign). "Tho dishonest paltering with tho trust ovil by tho republican party in state and nationnl plat forms Is conclusive proof of tho truth of tho charge that trusts aro tho legitimate product of republican policies, that thoy aro fostered by re publican laws and that they aro protected by tho republican administration In return for campaign subscriptions and political support. (If there bo any 'paltering' with tho trust ovil by this organi zation it will not bo 'dishonest,' and while tho trusts may contribute liberally to our campaign funds, wo desire that it bo distinctly understood that whatever we may do for them will not bo 'in roturn' for favors roceived.) "Wo pledge tho democratic party to an in creasing warfare in nation, state and city against private monopoly In overy form, (along tho lines laid down by tho republican party and approved by August Belmont). "Tariff laws should bo amended (according to tho suggestions of tho tariff barons who namo our candidate, our platform and contribute to our .campaign fund). "Wo condemn tho Dlngloy tariff law as a trust-breeding measure (and promise to 'improve' upon It in accordance with the viows of those who dictated tho Dlngloy tariff law). "Wo favor an amondment to the federal con stitution, providing for tho election of United States senators by direct vote of tne people (In the ovent that wo conclude that tho people aro entitled to that favor), "We are opposed to government by' injunc tion (if that will gain us any votes, and if not, we favor an enlargement of tho powers of tho in junction judge). "Believing that our most cherished institu tions are in great peril, that tho .very existence ,of our constitutional ropublio is at stake and that tho decision now to be rendered will determine whether or not our children aro to enjoy these blessed privileges of free government, wo earn estly ask for tho foregoing declaration of prin ciples tho hearty support of tho liborty-lovlng American people, regardless of previous party affiliation." Gold Bugs Working the Ex position, Mr. G. W. Alexander, of Indianapolis, applied for leave to prepare a paper for the monetary ex hibit at tho St. Louis exposition, and received the following reply: David R. Francis, Walter B. Stevens, President. Secretary. (Wm. H. Thompson, James L. Blair, Treasurer. General Counsel.. UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION, ST. LOUIS. 1904. Commemorating Acquisition of Louisiana Territory. Frederick J. V. Skiff, Director of ExTiibits. ; Howard J. Rogers, ? Chief of Department. SOCIAL ECONOMY. St. Louis, U. S. A., March 30, 1904. Mr. G. W. Alexander, 816 Temple ave., "Ind ianapolis. Dear Sir: Your letter of, the 29th is at hand, and I send you a publication of the Divi sion of Exhibits, which contains a resume of the work of my department. Tho exhibit of group 135 would include a monetary exhibit, and I should be glad to have anyone get one up. If a lpgical exhibit were prepared, demonstrating the fallacy of some of the popular crazes which seem to float over the country occasionally, such as flat' money, greenback bases, free silver, double standards, etc., it would be a very valuable and much appreciated exhibit If you know any one who wouia prepare such an exhibit based upon charts and statistics, I should be glad to give them space. Yours re spectfully, (signed) HOWARD J. ROGERS. From this it would seem that the managers of the St, Louis exposition are attempting to make a partisan affair out of what ought to be a great non-partisan exhibit. Mr. Rogers, who has charge of the department of social economy, is evidently a gold bug, and ho is willing to give room for Mr. Alexander's paper if the latter would "dem onstrate the fallacy of some of the popular crazes which seem to float over the country occasionally, such as fiat money, greenback bases, free silver, the double standards," etc. Such an exhibit would, in Mr. Rogers' opinion, be "very valuable and much appreciated." He would be glad to give space to such an exhibit. What business has tho Louisiana Purchase Ex position to be In politics? The money contributed by the national government is the money of all the people, and it is not contributed to deceive tho public. The money furnished by Missouri is fur nished largely by democrats who are interested in good government, but not in the spending of mon ey for the presentation of republican and Wall street views on finance. Mr, Francis, a Cleveland democrat, is presi dent of the association. Whether Mr. Rogers acta under his instructions or not does not appear, but if Mr. Francis does not approve of this misuse of the functions of the exposition he would better call Mr. Rogers down, or substitute some one who will have xi sense of propriety and some appreciation of the dignity of his position. 444 . 1 1 f i Was Not Loyal. The Philadelphia Record intimates that Mr. Bryan has given an "inside" Intimation that he is favorable to the nomination of Judge Gray of Delaware. After what has been said in The Com moner it ought not to be necessary for Mr. Bryan to deny that ho is favorable to the nomination of Judge Gray or any other man who was not loyal to the ticket in 1896. It is not a question whether a man has good qualities or not; a democrat who helped the republican party In 189G cannot expect to arouse tho enthusiasm of those who, In the face of threats and abuse, supported tho party in its effort to resist tho encroachments of organized wealth. No man ought to be considered at St. Louis who was not loyal to the party in both cam paigns. There are thousands of loyal democrats from among whom to choose. Even tho support of the ticket would not be sufficient to make a man available if ho is now in sympathy with the plutocratic tendencies of the times or his candi date Is so in the hands of tho money changers as to obligate him to them. 444 A Misleading Press Report. In tho Associated press report of tho Nebraska state democratic convention, held in Omaha, June. 1, tho following paragraph appeared: "There was but a handful of delegates who had not been pledged to the support of a re affirmation of the Kansas City platform, and they came from Lancaster, Mr, Bryan's own county." There are two false statements in that short paragraph. First, there was not even a "hand ful of delegates not pledged to a reaffirmation of the Kansas City platform," and, second, tho Lan caster county delegation was pledged to reaffirma tion and every member of the Lancaster county delegation favored reaffirmation even before in structions were issued by the county convention that selected them. But one county in the state opposed reaffirma tion, and in that county the call for a convention was published in a republican paper, If the dele gates from tho county in question attended tho con vention thoy managed to keep their identity well concealed. , , t , , . .