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ARCH 31, 1905
3
Fa wrong" and recorded, without disapproval, Ben
ton's denunciation of that act of aggression.
Mr. Roosevelt also quoted as one of Washing
ton's maxims: "Give to mankind the example of
people always guided by an exalted justice and
Ibenevolence."
Mr. Roosevelt emphastaed the fact that Wash
ington put justice first and he asserted that by
the treatment of the Filipinos by Taft and Wright
j,we have, shown the world how we practice the
justice which Washington enjoined. Commenting
lupon this statement, Harper's Weekly gives to the
i,,T ,j.t.. 1 4. . i ri i. i.
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pressed upon the people as well as upon the exec
utive. Harper's says: "As a matter of fact, the
fundamental principle of justice, upon which Wash
ington had acted from July 4, 1776, up to the day
'of his death, was that 'all governments derive
'their just powers from the consent of the gov
erned.' If Washington's conception of justice is to
L prevail, it is for the Filipinos, and not for us, to
decide wnat kind of government they snail nave.
That is the principle for which Washington fought,
and if we are to repudiate it, with what propriety
do we nonor his birthday or celebrate the Fourth
of July?"
JJJ
SCARING THE REPUBLICANS
Ex-Senator Wm. B. Chandler of New Hamp
shire is attempting to scare the republicans into
doing something for the people. He urged the
senate to pass the Esch-Townsend bill, giving as
his reason that if the republicans failed to act
upon the railroad question "Mr. Bryan will be
elected president in 1908, and with him will surely
come governmental ownership of railroads, the
suppression of the fifteenth amendment and of
the colored vote, the destruction of the protective
tariff, with the enthronement of free trade, the
repeal of the gold standard with the restoration
of free coinage of silver at 16 to 1, and all other
unnumbered woes of which Mr. Bryan Is the advo
cate." He declares that no republican candidate can
prevent this dismal misfortune except President
Roosevelt, and that he will not again be a candi-.
date. "Possibily," he adds, "Senator LaFollette
is another republican leader who could stem the
tide of democracy as driven along by the Inrush
ing indignation of republicans."
Well, if Mr. Bryan can be used to scare the
republicans into doing any good thing, he will
have served a useful purpose, even if the service
is rendered as a private citizen rather than as an
official. As reform is the thing to be desired, it
really does not matter so much whether the reform
is brought about by democrats who work for
the reform because they want reform or by re
publicans who are scared into doing right by fear
of the defeat of their party.
JJJ
' TAINTED MONEY
The papers announced a few days ago that
John D. Rockefeller had given a large sum
sometimes stated as $200,000 and other times as
$100,000 to the missionary board of the Congre
gational church. And now comes the report that
a committee of congregational ministers, repre
senting Boston and various sections of New Eng
land, have forwarded to the board a protest against
the acceptance of the gift on the ground that
"the Standard Oil company, of which Mr. Rocke
feller is at the head, stands before the public
under repeated and recent formidable indictments
in specific terms for methods which are morally
iniquitous and socially destructive."
The petition goes on to say that "the accept
ance of such a gift involves the constituents of
the board in a relation implying honor toward the
donor, and subjects the board to the charge of
ignoring the moral issue involved."
The signers of .the petition conclude by pro-
. testing against "any action by which our church
may even seem to be compromised, and we Im-
ninvA fho nfTip.Rrfl of the board to decline the gift
'- or return it If it has been accepted." Among the
signers of the petition are Daniel Evans, uam
bridge; Edw. F. Sanderson, Providence; Geo. N.
Gutterson, Dairy, N. H.; N.,Vanderpuyle, Marble
head, Mass.; Reuben Thomas, Brookline, Mass.;
Jas. S. Williamson, Haverford, Mass.
The ministers are to be congratulated upon
their courage in thus protesting against the ac
ceptance of the gift. The Standard Oil money is
tainted. It has been accumulated by methods
which violate the statutes of the states as well
as the moral law. These methods can not be de
fended and no church or cQllege should soil its
hands with money thus secured. Not only has
the Standard Oil company itself been guilty of
oil the crimes in the calendar, but the men and
The Commoner
Institutions connected with it have been shown
to act upon the same principles that characterize
the burglar and the highwayman. Mr. Lawson is
showing up the dealings of Rogers, who is at the
present the controlling spirit in the Standard Oil.
Only a short time ago in the Munroe & Munroo
failure the public got an insight into the methods
employed by a vice president of the National City
bank. Just now the stato of Kansas is in a life
and death struggle with the monopoly, and tho
government is engaged in an investigation of it.
Its methods havo been so fully exposed that no
one can plead ignorance. No organization can
accept conspicuous donations from Rockefeller
without incurring an obligation that can only bo
discharged by silence in regard to tho crimes and
misdemeanors of Rockefeller and his associates
in the oil trust.
The public is familiar with tho demoralizing
influence which the Rockefeller donations havo
exerted on tho Chicago University, and there is
evidence that other colleges have put themselves
in the position of suppliants at tho feet of the oil
magnate. It is fortunate that Rockefeller is stingy,
for if he was at all liberal, a tithe of his plunder
ings would suffice to subsidize a large number of
colleges and associations if they would accept
. his money.
If the Congregational society will refuse the
Rockefeller donation it will doubtless be rewarded
by a more generous contribution from the rank
and file of the church, but whether or not it finds
a pecuniary reward in doing right, it owes it to
the public not to tar itself with the Rockefeller
stick. If" our churches and colleges would refuse
to enter into a partnership with tho trust magnates
and reject the offers that come from them, these
rejections would soon cultivate a public opinion
that would be felt by those who have been preying
upon society. If a trust magnate found that ho
was shunned by those who are at the head of
religious and educational institutions, and that
his money was not desired, it might have some
influence in restraining him, and it would be sure
to leave the colleges and churches more free to
fight the evils of private monopoly. ,
Success to the petition! May it havo weight
with the board!
y JJJ
POST ON IDEALS
Mr. Louis F. Post, editor of the Public, was
the guest of the democratic editors of Nebraska
at Lincoln on March 22, and delivered a very
strong address on democratic ideals in journalism.
Mr. Post stands in the front rank of democratic
journalists. His is a rare combination of mental
strength, wide information and moral purpose.
He has made his paper, the Public, beloved by all
who read it and has earned for himself an enviable
place among the earnest political thinkers and
writers of the day. His own conscientious devo
tion to high ideals and hisbroad comprehension
of democratic principles admirably fitted him to
discuss the theme which he selected, and it may
be added that he could nowhere find more appre
ciative hearers than among the editors of Nebras
ka who have so loyally devoted themselves to the
promulgation of democratic principles.
JJJ
JEFFERSON'S POETRY
Probably few of the millions who have read
Jefferson's writings know that he ever wrote a line
of poetry. A reader of The Commoner calls at
tention to some lines written by Jefferson near tho
close of his life, said to have been the very last
lines penned. They were addressed to his daugh
ter, Mrs. Epps, and refer to' an older daughter and
his wife who died before him. The lines are valu
able because, so far as known, they are his only
venture in poetry, but also because they bespeak
a belief in immortality. They read:
"Farewell, my dear, my daughter, adieu.
The last pang in life is in parting with you;
Two seraphs await me long shrouded in death,
I will bear them your love in my last parting
breath."
JJJ
DISCOVERED AT LAST
Addressing the grand jury having in charge
the investigation of the beef trust, Judge J. O.
Humphrey said:
This body stands between the upright and
honest citizen and the malicious accuser. You
are savers of reputations, as well as the body
through which the honest accuser obtains just
inquiry.
I call your attention particularly to the
statute which prohibits and fixes a penalty for
combinations in restraint of trade, in the in-
torstato commorco laws and tholr various
branches.
Whilo you are not solectod to try tho guilt
or innocenco of tho accused, In order to Jus
tify a truo bill you will hnvo such ovldonco
as, if unexplained and uncontradicted, would
satisfy your minds of tho guilt of tho accused.
You aro not to disclose to any porsono or
at any timo the secrets of your deliberations.
Reputation is tho greatest earthly inheri
tance. The mere fact that some porson's namo la
before you as being accused of crimo would
blacken reputation oven though you might not
return a truo bill. No human being has a
right to know, and you aro not to dlscloso to
any human being, tho secrets of your delibera
tions. All that shall como to light shall coma
through the return of indictments, if indict
ments shall be found.
Tho law to which Judge Ilumphroy rofcrred
was approved July 2, 1890. That was fifteen years
ago. Since then the American people have keenly
suffered at tho hands of trust magnates; since then
tho federal authorities havo been repeatedly urged
lo enforce tho criminal clause which is tho chief
feature of the Sherman anti-trust law; but if
memory Is not at fault this is tho first instance
whore a judgo, in delivering a charge to a federaj
grand jury, has forcibly directed attention to this
wholesome statute.
Tho people have been patient and long-sufTer-ing;
but there are many Indications that they aro
now becoming thoroughly aroused and will Insist
upon their rights. Not the least of these indica
tions is tho fact that a federal judgo has dis
covered that by tho law of 1890 a powerful weapon
was placed In tho hands of the authorities. That
weapon is the criminal indictment, tho one. thing
which, when backed by a resolute prosecutor, tho
most powerful of law breakers dread.
FAITHFUL EFFORT
A Batesvllle, Ark., reader of The Commoner,
writing under date of March 16, says: "I am a
very busy man; poor and hard run. Have had
la grippe for six weeks and have a probable case
of fatal Illness of my eldest son tho pride and
idol of our family, because of Ills shining and noble
qualities of head and heart; but I took an hour
and a half this morning and got up these sub
scribers (club of 17 15 now and 2 renewal) be
cause I believe it to be a patriotic duty to increaso
the circulation of The Commoner. By a little
effort on the part of all the friends of the. paper,
its circulation could soon be run up to a quarter of
a million, I verily believe."
Many Commoner readers are taking advantage
, of the special subscription offer, and as a result,
The Commoner's circulation is growing rapidly.
According to the terms of the special subscription
offer, cards, each good for one year's subscription
lo The Commoner, will bo furnished in lots of five,
at the rate of $3 per lot. This places the yearly
subscription rate at 60 cents.
Anyone ordering these cards may sell them
for $1 each, thus earning a commission of $2 on
each lot sold, or he may sell them at the cost
price and find compensation in the fact that ho
has contributed to the educational campaign.
These cards may be paid for. when ordered,
or they may be ordered and remittance made after
they havo been sold.
The coupon is printed below for the conveni
ence of those who desire to participate in the effort
to increase The Commoner's circulation.
THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER
Application for Subseriptlea Cards
Publisher Commoner; I am.lnterested in in
creasing Tbe Commoner's circulation, and de
Mre you to lend me a supply of ubicriptlon
cards. I agree to nse my utmost endearor to tell
the cards, and will remit for them at the rate of
60 cents each, when sold.
5
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Box, or Street No.
P.O....
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Indicate the nuirber of cards wanted by mark
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If you bdUve the paper U doing a tcork that mcrtto
encouragement, fill out the above coupon and malUt
lo The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb.
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