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DECEMBER 29, 190G
The Commoner.
7
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT DON'T PAY
It was Byron who said that the faithful wifn
was as "the rainbow to the storms of life; the
evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and
tints tomorrow with prophetic ray." And an
other poet wrote "Across the threshold led, and
every tear kissed off as soon as shed, his house
she enters, there to be a light shining within
when all without is night; a guardlan-angel o'er
his life presiding, doubling his pleasure, and his
cares dividing."
The American people are very patient with
wrong-doing. Knowing that a man has piled up
millions of dollars through a robber tariff, they
can stand uncovered in the presence of libraries
built by those ill-gotten gains and pay to that
man the tributes due a real philanthropist. Know
ing that a man has become the richest individual
in the world by oppressing his fellows, they can
tolerate the public pretensions of that person to
ward a Christ-like spirit. Knowing that great
politicians have misappropriated trust funds be
longing in many cases to widows and orphans,
they can yet accord to those politicians the recog
nition commonly due statesmen. With respect
to many serious offenses the American public
readily forgives even though it may not forget.
But in the American view there is one unpar
donable sin. It is the sin committed by a man who
in the days of his prosperity turns his back upon
a faithful wife who during his poverty honored,
trusted and helped him.
The exploits of W. Ellis Corey, president of
the steel trust, have recently been given con
spicuous attention in newspaper dispatches. Corey
began life the poorest of the poor and we have
it upon the testimony of his own father that
much of his progress and prosperity was due to
the helpfulness and devotion of his wife. But
captivated by a variety actress Corey turned his
back upon his faithful partner and deserted her.
One of 'the bright chapters in this foul, story
is that written by the father and uncle of Corey.
Corey's father has publicly denounced his son,
while his uncle has openly repudiated him. Both
of these men pleaded with the steel trust magnate
to do his duty by his home, but; to all these ap
peals this "captain of industry" turned a deaf
ear, and because of this ho has. won the con
tempt of every man of blood and brain. For
some reason or other Mr. Carnegie doesn't dare
dismiss Corey as he dismissed Schwab, but it may
be depended upon that sooner or later Corey will
pay the penalty for his crime.
There. have been some other instances of this
wiTioSK3ftance Uu' (lay of rclr,blll,on
ally one of the world's most popular men. Ik-
SrnSSr P,Ch ,n lh.8how b,l8ln "" "'
?. , ,mmy of hls beL f,londa lo brought
suit for divorce against the wife of his youth,
J,?J? gn ,80ll?ht t0 Vlon hlm- Core the
court this showman did not "make good." The
judge dismissed the case and gave to the show
man a reprimand that was applauded the coun
try over. Since then this man has lost manv
ol ills warmest admirers and we are told that
nowadays his business is not nourishing as it
once was.
Several years ago a well known bank clerk
in the city of Omaha was made major of the
l'irst Nebraska regiment which did valiant ser
vice in the Philippines. Later this man was ap
pointed to the regular army. Finallv he engaged
in the banking business in Manila, and as his
prosperity increased his indifference toward his
faithful wife grew. To the Hut-pri.sc of most or
his friends who knew of that wife's devotion to
her husband this man deserted his home and
left to shift for herself the woman who, during
the days of his struggles, was his helpmate. A
few days ago the Associated Press reported thai
this man had been sentenced by a Manila court
to six years' imprisonment for embezzlement.
And somehow or other it was not a great sur
prise. It doesn't pay evert in the days of prosperity
for a man to desert the woman who during his
adversity was ever helpful to him. It doesn't
pay for a man to exchange for the passing beauty
of a young face the permanent beauty ever to
be read between the lines which responsibility,
devotion, love, self-sacrifice, sorrow and supreme
courage have written indelibly upon the featured
of a faithful wife.
John It. Walsh, owner of the Chicago Chron
icle, has ever been merciless in the treatment,
of those whose policies Mr. Walsh did not ap
prove. From its point of view the Chicago Chron
icle is an ably edited newspaper, and Mr. Walsh
has not hesitated to use the high talent employed
upon his publication to inflict cruel wounds upon
those who stood in Walsh's way. Now Walsh
is having trouble of his own and the chickens
are coming home to roost. Among the many
men assailed by John R. Walsh was William It.
Hearst. In 1904 when Mr. Hearst was a candi
date for the democratic presidential nomination
some of the vilest accusations were made against
Mr. Hearst by Walsh's paper, and day after day
that paper held tho Now York odltor up to tho
flcorn of its readers. Since Lhon Mr. Wnhih'K
paper has lout no opportunity to assail the Now
lork editor, and In tho most vindictive torniK It
has taunted him with Home of the alleged short
comings of his youth.
Now that Walsh has troubles of his own It
is interesting to read some of the editorials In
Mr. Hearst's newspapers. Every one or thoso edi
torials dealing with Chicago's frenzied financier
worn to repay Walsh two-fold for tho bitter things
ho said of Hearst.
It doesn't pny to withhold thut which "Is
twice blessed, bleaseth him thai kIvwi find lilm
that takes, Ib mightiest In tho mightiest and
becomes tho throned monarch better than his
crown." It doesn't pay to use power unsparingly.
It doesn't pay to continually strew tnorns upon
the pathway of our foes. For his own good and
for his own education every mrtu should ooca
slonally strew a few flowers. "That man may
last but never lives who much receives but noth
ing gives; whom none can love, whom none can
thank Creation's blot, Creation's blank."
Kindness pays, for it Is "the language that
the dumb can speak and the deaf can hoar and
understand."
"When your head did but ache
I knit my handkerchief about your brows,
The best I had, a princess wrought It me,
And I did never ask It you again;
And with my hand at midnight he! I your
head,
And, like tho watchful minute to the hour,
Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,
Saying, 'What lack you?' and, 'Where lies
your grief?' "
It doesn't, pay to harbor malice; it doesn't
pay to make the wounds so deep as to leave a
scar upon the heart. One of the prettiest thoughts
was stated recently by a writer, wnose name Ik
not just now recalled, to the effect that the kind
ness and good cheer generally prevalent during
the Christmas season represents the normal
condition of society when It shall reach that per
fection possible among human beings. It Is not
likely that many of us will live to see the day
when this will become the normal condition; but
this condition may be approximated If every
man will do his part In putting away malice and
in the cultivation within Ills own breast of those
finer sentments which, while they uplift the man
himself tend, also, to the uplifting of the world.
TtlCIIAItD L. METCALFE.
NOTES FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
(Continued from Page 5)
population of less than 5,000 and in area is about
the size of Rhode Island. Its tobacco crop is in
significant and Mr. Ryan thinks it will never be
important enough to become harmful to the trust
should tho Isle of Pines eventually be declared a
part of this country and independent of Cuba.
The statehood proposition promises to give
the republicans- no little trouble during the next
two or three months. The
Statehood house republicans are now,
Worrys the undoubtedly, nearly ai in fa
"Defenders" ' vor of the bill that provides
for making one state of Ari
zona and New Mexico and another of Oklahoma
and Indian Territory. The republican managers
are cracking the party whip furiously and drum
ming into the ears of their men that unless a
united stand is made congress Is liable to create
three or four states all of which in a few years
may send to Washington democratic senators.
Before the bill- is considered in the house it is
expected that a republican caucus will be held
and every man will be asked to pledge himself
to stand by its action. ,
Speaker Cannon violently opposes the plan
of making Arizona and New Mexico separate
states because he insists that it is not fair to
give them as much power in the senate as is
possessed by the populous and wealthy states
of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio.
That explanation on the part of the distinguished
Presiding officer of the popular branch of con
gress is looked upon here as a mere subterfuge.
The real reason is that the republicans fear that
they will not be able to control the new states
politically. The upheaval at the recent election,
and the uncertainties for the republican party
at the next congressional election, are responsible
for the solicitude of the leaders. Mistakes they
are trying to avoid, but their policy, if adhered
to, will prove anything but popular out in the
west. It is figured that Indian Territory and
Oklahoma within twenty years will probably have
as much if not more11 population than all five of
the New England states of Maine, New Hamp
shire, Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island.
Each of these states has two senators, and they
have not had an incerase in their house represent
ation in twenty or more years. The population
of New England with the exception of Massa
chusetts does not materially increase, while that
of the west is increasing at an astounding rate.
The Hamilton statehood bill may be lashed
through the house after the protesting republi
cans are brought into line, but the best opinion
is that it will have a troublesome voyage in the
senate. Rather than have Arizona and New
Mexico merged into one state the leading people
of both territories would seem to prefer to re
main as they are indefinitely. Prominent and in
fluential men from the territories who are here
to watch the situation will endeavor to secure
in the senate what is apparently to be denied
them in the house, and it surely looks as if a dead
lock between the two houses of congress will be
the result. The democrats arc almost solidly in
favor of separate statehood.
ALFRED J. STOFER.
NOT RAINING, BUT POURING
"It never rains, but it pours," is an old adage,
the truth of which is again brought to notice by
the action of the Pennsylvania Railroad com
pany in announcing that hereafter It will not issue
passes to public ofliclals. Only a few weeks ago
Pennsylvania, rock-ribbed republican Pennsyl
vania, elected a democratic treasurer, and Phila
delphia, long joined to its republican idols, over
threw the aforesaid Idols and elected a "citizens
ticket." And now comes the Pennsylvania rail
road, long known for its active political manipu
lations, and "announces that it, too, has been
seized with the reform idea. No more political
passes from the Pennsylvania railroad, and a
special session of the legislature about to con
vene! It seems almost too good to be true.
President Cassatt refuses to be interviewed on
the subject, but the Chicago Record-Herald quotes
a prominent official of the road as saying;
"It is contrary to the Interstate commerce
law and to the constitution of the state of
Pennsylvania to issue gratis transportation.
The corporation has decided to obey the law.
To the traveling public, which has always had
to dig down in its purse for the price of a
railroad ticket whenever it wanted to go
anywhere, the decision of the railroad officials
is pleasing. To the politician, the office
holder and the man with a 'pull' the fiat I
a real loss of money, and great is their dis
gust." The Pennsylvania railroad is to be commended
upon its action. Other railroads in other states
should follow suit. There is no more reason why
public officials should b given railroad passes
than that they should be given free meal tickets,
free clothing, free lodgings, free residences, free
automobiles and free servants. In view of the
Pennsylvania's action who will ldhger deny that
the wave of moral reform is sweeping higher and
higher?
'I.
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