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The Commoner.
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The Commoner.
Organize, and then light for something worth
lighting for, and which will bo worth while when.
It is won.
.. Mr. II. H. Rogers might bo of financial as
sistance to tho "system" by contracting to make
that defenso on tho lecture platforms.
It is not at all probable that when the presi
dent comes within gunshot of that bear he will
stop and refrain from shooting. The bear is dif
ferent game from a beef trust or Northern Se
curities magnate.
Mr. Hyde says the banquet cost $G,000 and
that there was $24,000 added to the real cost
merely to "advertise the Equitable." It will be
cheerfully admitted that the advertising paid
tho policyholders.
The canal commissioners announce that in
their opinion the 8-hour day law does not follow
the flag, meaning, of course, that the laborers
must work from ten to thirteen hours. It is
noticed that the high salaried official with short
hours of work always manages to land contem
poraneously with the star spangled banner.
Mr. Rogers is defending Mr. Rockefeller,
don't you speak for yourself, John?"
"Why
"I am tho state," declared Louis XIV. But
that was beforo tho day of Mr. Rockefeller and
rMr. Morgan.
Tho managers of those seven Chigo daily
nowspapors should now engage-in. n ttlo thinking,
If possible.
With Mr. Rockefe'l0r's. mon3rJ&mg and vlr.
H. H. Rogers clocuf s$P.fetf Oil is-havg a,
sovoro fit of vocifoiVl.tess. ' -"
It is announcod that "Mr. Burton will leave
tho senate." Is there no way of persuading tho
Kansan to take it with him?
J. B. Corry, one of the large operators of
Pennsylvania, is quite enthusiastic in his praise of
Mr. Rockefeller. He regards Mr. Rockefeller as a
great benefactor, and declares that Mr. Rockefeller
is using his brain and money to bless his fellow
men. Mr. Corf y explains that his company has at
various times sold "ldrge amounts of coal to the
Standard Oil company!" He speaks of Mr. Rocke
feller as if he were expecting another order.
(
The esteemed Sicjux City Journal says that
"Mr. Bryan is looking for an issue that will be as
popular as .municipal ownership In Chicago." The
esteemed Journal is wrong, as usual. Looking for
popular issues" Is copyrighted by the Journal's
party. Mr. Bryan and all good democrats are
looking for issues that will, if carried into effect,
be beneficial to the country. If the Journal can.
not understand this principle of politics the fault
is the Journal's, not Mr. Bryan's.
Tho announcement that the czar has $360,000,
000 In gold coin in his war chest is likely to inako
Oyama march straight to St. Petersburg.
Tho primary is tho place to docido upon can
didates and principles. Sign the primary pledge
and got to work in tho interests of truo democracy.
.t.. Tho scutlemen who are saying such harsh
things about tho Equitable management are all
Insiders, so tho remarks may be considered official.
As Mr. Hyde of the Equitable refuses to sell
hl3 stock to the policy holders or to surrender tho
power which, a controlling interest gives him, the
policyholders will probably begin action to deter
mine wliether the enormous assets held by the
company belong to the policyholders or to the
holders of the one hundred thousand dollars worth
of stock. And what will be the final result? Leg
islation which will protect the policyholders and
not leave them at the mercy of anyone wno may
get control of the stock.
"War costs money," declares the Minneapolis
Journal. But that is not the chief reason why war
should be abolished. War is wrong, needless and
foolish.
Germany has notified Uncle Sam that the door
Is open in Morocco. Uncle Sam will endeavor to
see to it that it remains open, even if he haa
to supply leather hinges.
A groat many papers that did not dare say a
word of sympathy for the Boers fighting for free
dom are whooping it up for the Japanese who are
not fighting for freedom.
. . .
'' The cry of "socialism" uttered by the mouth
pieces of private monopoly seems to have lost all
Its terrors for people who are studying the ques
tion of municipal ownership.
A man or organization wanting money badly
enough to accept it from anybody or anything
usually has no difficulty in framing up an excuse
for accepting it when it is offered.
Emperor William assures Morocco that "no
other nation" will bo allowed to impose upon her
Emperor William is a good grammarian? S
doubtless ho meant it just that way.
Dr. Lyman Abbott points to the case of Zac-
cheiis as a warrant for receiving money from Mr
Rockefeller. How about tho rich man who wS
advised to sell all he had and give I? to" the p Jorl
m It is claimed that there is a man In n. w?
cpnsinjail who stolo $100,000 from the Srnmwi
Oil .company. When he serves ?S tenn h? will
experience no difficulty in gettlns a SS I!
musee circuit fanung a job on the
' V T f f
For genuine frankness a Kansas City dairy
man is entitled to the prize, and his example is
commended to a number of eml- '
The nent financiers and "captains of
Genuine industry." This dairyman was
Reason asked why he adulterated the
milk, he sold and he replied, "Be
cause I want the money." This is much better and
more honest than the excuse that Mr. Baer put up
that he was a "trustee of divine providence" and
that given by the actions of another financier who
tries to make it appear that he is "God's almoner"
!n ffie ?IstriDUtion of money. "I want the money"
is the honest explanation, even if it does not jus
tify tho crooked methods resorted to to obtain it
The financiers and "captains of Industry" would
do well to admit the real facts, and thus relieve
themselves in a measure of some of the blame.
The .excuses they offer only add to their other
sins.
4,
1.
'' O.M, l t;
- ti -
i PrIdent Stuyyesant Fish of the Illinois Cen-
tral railroad asserts that "agitation in favor of
tu DaA 1 government regulation" and gov-
The People eminent interference with prl-
aSh ,y Vate buSnes," has "all hwn
Aroused over." Optimism is all right
When is the right kind of nnff'
mism but the self-deluded optimist s due sooner
or later to a rude awakening. Mr. Fish in ??m .
mon with many other railroad mangers ove? ,
chandising or real estate business has ,,
governmental affairs to poor advantage AnSf
railroad manager who imagines tha f the TLJ ! ,
VOLUME 5, NUMBER 14
realizing sense of the injustice that has beer
heaped upon them, and having a clearer knowl
edge of their rights and of their powers are de
termined to have all that is due them. Mr. Fish
may feel good Cursing the idea that the "agitation
has all blown over," but a few glances over his
shoulder may reveal the fact that the little blow ho
has just experienced is but a forerunner of tho
cyclone following fast behind.
The Record, published' by the Baptist church
at Lincoln, Neb., refers to a conversation between
Mr. Moody and a friend. In re
A ply to the remark "my citizen-
Deserved ship is in Heaven and I do not
Rebuke take very much interest in the
politics of earth," the great evangelist replied
"Well, you had better get it down to earth for the
next few weeks." Mr. Moody's rebuke was well
deserved. One has a very selfish religion if it
leads him to spend his whole thought on the con
templation of heaven, indifferent to the work that
lies about him. The citizen has a duty to per
form in helping his brother and good government
is one of the ways in which he can help his
brother.
Investigation into the affairs of the "gas
trust" in New York has revealed a queer state of
affairs. The Consolidated Gas
Private company buys most of its gas
Ownership from other companies, paying
Scheme from 36 to 40 cents per thousand
feet for it, and selling it to its
own consumers, the city being the largest, at $1
per thousand feet. Of course the small companies
are not losing money, but the Consolidated Gas
company pleads that it 13 not making a profit on
its municipal contract and is complaining that its
taxes are too high. As the Consolidated receives
about 60 cents per thousand feet for pumping
through, its mains the gas that other companies
make and sell at a profit for 38 cents, its conten
tion will not have much weight. But it will show
thoughtful men that even municipal ownership in
its crudest form could hardly be a heavier burden
on the people than the methods used by this arro
gant corporation.
Tho attention of the eminent divines who ad
vise the acceptance of all the money Mr. Rocke
feller sees fit to donate for re-
Donations ligious'work is called to another
That May Be eminent philanthropist, the
Secured Prince of Monte Carlo. The
prince has an income of several
millions a year, all of it from the gaming tables
in his capital city. Ruined homes, lost fortunes,
suicide and death follow in the train of the
prince's income. And yet he is a very liberal gen
tleman. Doubtless the ministers who defend the
acceptance of Mr. Rockefeller's money would be
able to secure a very liberal contribution from the
Prince of Monte Carlo if they approached him In
the proper spirit. The "Imperial Mexican Lot
tery, too, would doubtless contribute if called
upon. And there are others. If the source of do
nations is of no moment the missionary boards
should have no difficulty in securing liberal dona
tions, provided always that those who accept fa
vors are gentlemanly enough and courteous
enough not to criticize the methods of the donors.
wrld has long held in contempt the man who
'bites the hand that feeds him."
The Nashville American points out that five
months ago Roosevelt carried Chicago by 110,000
c iu, Plurality, and that, week before
bomethlng last a democrat was elected
ir uir S,a7or h? 240M plurality.
Fight For "This," remarks the American,
o , i , h J!is a cnanse ot 135,000 votes in
a slnsle ettar." The American, however, does not
go into detail. It could have pointed out, if it so
desired, that a republican carried Chicago flvo
months ago because democratic democrats had
S2?g in )articular to fight for, while week be
rore last democratic democrats carried Chicago
oecause.they had a vital issue and a strong prin
ciple to fight for. When democracy goes' before
the people on issues that are of vital Interest, and
defends principles dear to the hearts of all loyal
Americans, democracy will win, The democratic
party has tried catering to the plutocratic inter
ests that control the .republican party, and has
found that it can not outbid the republican party
for the favor of plutocracy. Let the democracy
now get back to the people, stand for the interests
of the people and fight for the interests of all
instead of the Interests of the privileged fow. The
American' is one of the democratic newspapers
that has tried'to outbid tho republicans for pluto
cratic favor. " ifMt has learne'-ita lesson it
case is indeed hopeless. k' o- ...
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