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The Commoner.
3UNE10, 1904.-. '
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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 , , . .
