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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
Vol. 5. No. 20
Lincoln, Nebraska, June 2, 1905
Whole Number 228
CONTENTS
La.wson Charges Fbaud
Ofpebing Democratic Remedies
Mayor Weaver's Great Victory
A Palpable Hit
The Czar Grants Religious Freedom
Taut and the Text Book
The Prevailing Force
A United Effort for Democratic
Success
The Blind Man's Prayer
Move as a Man With a Purpose
Comment on Current Topics
The Primary Pledge
News of the Week
MAYOR WEAVER'S GREAT VICTORY
Mayor Weaver, of Philadelphia, has just won
a great victory for good government. The cor
rupt republican machine that is in control of
the city of Philadelphia undertook to give to a
local gafc company a long lease of the city gas
works on terms which would yield to the gas
company a profit of many millions. The citizens-,
were aroused and entered a protest, but the city
council was deaf to all appeals. Then the minis
ters held a public meeting and offered prayers
for the mayor. The influence brought to bear
upon the mayor was such that he determined
to antagonize the machine, and with the encour
agement of the various reform, bodies, the minis
ters and the newspapers, he made such a stand
against the boodlers that the gas company was
compelled to abandon the lease and drop the
fight, giving as a reason that public opinion was
against the company. Seldoni, If ever, has there "
been in this country such a signal triumph for
honest municipal government. Mayor Weaver
is the recipient of congratulations from all over
the country, and The Commoner delightc to join
in tendering greeting and commendation. But
while ' Mayor Weaver is receiving the largest
share of attention, we should not overlook, those
who- organized the fight and so strengthened him
as to enable him to overcome a council full of
grafters, . and back of the mayor and back of
the movement there will b. found some courage
ous spirit who initiated the protest and whose
enthusiasm inspired others. This person, who
ever he may be, ought to be crowned with the
city's approbation and with him those who joined
in making the protest a success. What has been
done in Philadelphia can be dono elsewhere. In
fact, Philadelphia Is notoriously the worst gov
erned city in the United States, and when it is
shown that even in Philadelphia conscience can
overcome money, there ought to be a revival
of hope in every other municipality.
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The Parting of the Ways
LAWSON CHARGES FRAUD
ASSET CURRENCY
Mr. Rush C. Lake, assistant attorney general
of Missouri, has been quoted as saying that the
recent bank failure at Waverly, Mo., was worse
in proportion to the size of the bank than the
Bigelow emzezzlement. Banker Lewis seems to
have taken between fifty and sixty thousand dol
lars, while the bank's deposits only amounted to
$70,000. Attention is called to th"is at this time
merely for the purpose of asking the advocates of
an asset currency to consider what would be the
value of bank notes based upon assets if the
assets could be carried off in a valise at any
time. i : ,',.-.
The "frenzied" financiers have accused Mr.
Lawson of making threats without carrying them
out, but they will have to admit that his article
in the June number of Everybody's Magazine is
specific enough. He charges Rogers, Stillman and
Rockefeller (William) with a deliberate fraud of
gigantic proportions. He not enly charges the
fraud but he gives names, dates and details. He
declares that they endorsed his prospectus and
paid for its publication; that they agreed to pro
tect the stock from a decline and that they in
violation of good faith, put in a bid of their
own after the other bids were opened.
Now what have Rogers, Stillman and Rocke
feller to say to this? Will they admit that they
were Engaged in a swindling operation involving
millions? Will they deny it and sue Lawson
for libel?
. The National City bank of New York City Is
the largest bank in the United States, and James
Stillman is its president. The bank discharged
one of its vice presidents a few weeks f.go when
the Munroe & Munroe investigation showed that
he was in a syndicate organized to boom certain
stock by "wash sales." Will the bank discharge
its president now that he has been exposed?
Mr. Rogers is the moving spirit In Standard
Oil; will his participation in the "crime of the
Amalgamated" excite the wrath of John D.? Or
will the senior Rockefeller regard it merely as
"proof of Rogers' fitness for the position ho now
holds? Lawson has "made good." What a sorry
spectacle our great financiers present I Scarcely
one of them of prominence but what has been
shown to be connected with some dishonest
scheme. These are the men who talked so loudly
about "national honor" in 189G; these are the men
who think that they have a vested right to con
trol the federal treasury and dictate the financial
policy of the government; these are the men
who stand behind the trusts and the railroads,
today and resent any attempt on the part of the
public to protect the people.
The shipbuilding trust Investigation, the
Munroe & Munroe investigation, the Equitable
scandal, the railroad rate controversy, the Bigelow
failure, the Tarbell articles on the Standard OH,
the Russell articles on the beef trust, the StefTens
articles on municipal corruption and Lawson's
articles on frenzied finance what side lights they
throw on plutocracy! They all contribute to the
education of the people and prepare the way for
the triumph of Jeffersonian democracy.
OFFERING DEMOCRATIC REMEDIES
The republican administration .recommended
that the interstate commerce commission be given
power to fix and control railroad freight rates.
That was in accordance with the democratic plat
forms for at least three presidential campaigns.
The republican commissioner recommended
that "corporations engaged in In ters(atp commerce,
must show clean hands before doing business out
side of the state of their origin" and must obtain
federal license. That was the plan recommended
by the much abused Kansas City platform.
The republican .administration has, .with re
spect to one trust, directed the enforcement of
fPVM?1? If?i ?f'P,J SfWJpaa anti-trust
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