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JANUARY 12, 190G ' . - .,, -
appointed minister to Mexico, the position he has
coveted for many years. Later Judge Penfleld
resigned his position, and it is believed that he
did so because his report concerning Ambassador
Thompson was not approved by his superiors. It
is claimed by some that the influence of the in
surance magnates was exerted in Thompson's be
half, and that that influence is just at this time
powerful because of the republican fight in New
York state, where the insurance magnates as well
as the president and Governor Higgins,x were lined
up behind Mr. Wadsworth, the successful can
didate. ANDREW J. AIKENS of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
has for forty years given an annual codfish
dinner in celebration of Forefathers' Day. The
Springfield (Mass.) Republican says: As forty
one Puritans signed the famous compact on the
Mayflower, Mr. Aikens" invites' jugt that 'number
of guests to these dinners, all of them supposedly
Mayflower descendants. The dinner was held at
the Milwaukee club, and Judge Henry E. Rowland
of New York, in his letter of regret, told of two
characteristic toastp given by a Kentuckian and
a citizen of the Bay state. The gentlemen from
the Blue Grass country, toasting his own state,
proposed :
Here's to the state of Kentucky,
The state "where I was born ;
Where the corn is full of kernels,
And the colonels are full of corn.
Then the man from the Bay state arose, and gave
this toast:
Here's to the state of Massachusetts,
The home of the Sacred Cod;
Where the Adamses vote for Douglas,
And the Cabots walk with God.
IF A MAN BUYS control of two life insurance
companies and employs it in one case for his
own selfish ends, how greatly does that effect
disprove his professions of philanthropy in mak
ing the other purchase? Asking this question the
Springfield (Mass.) Republican concludes: "Very
greatly, we say." Thomas F. Ryan secured con
trol of the Washington Life and the Equitable
Life. The Republican points out that the invest
ment policy of the Washington Life was changed
as soon as Ryan's control was established. The
company began to turn money from real estate
mortgages into corporation securities. It bought
considerable amounts of American Tobacco com-
The Commoner.
Xll y'Jl greatly leased. its cash acco t
TN THE OPINION of the Republican- "It lit
regaX88 he Wn . faS'lactoaort
lanv wlthn f V ,Sh ?gUm LlfG Inirance com-
TLutnZ concluding that the Kyan purchase
ot Equitable control was dictated by similar
r !n?8, aml U,;lt tllG ,up080 wasto rnnki
Ivnf S!G Tl fuml8 of the bS insurance con
cerns Mr. Ryan, us against such a charge, calls
attention to the fact that his stock control of
the Equitable has been trusteed beyond his im
med ate command and in the hands of men pos
sessing the public confidence. This Is true, but
t is also true that before the stock was trus
teed Mr. Ryan had placed a man of ids own
choosing in active control of the company. Ho
may be said to be virtually the president and
dominating director of the Equitable. If he over
wants to employ Equitable funds in his various
speculative enterprises, it is not within the im
mediate power of the three trustees of the stock
to prevent him. Obviously, therefore, the full
rehabilitation of the Equitable in public con
fidence requires that the Ryan control be cast off.
Nothing essentially has been gained by a 'reform'
which substitutes a new set of Wall street in
terests for the Harriman set previously dom
inant in the management."
CHARLES A. KEENE, a watch merchant doing
business at 180 Broadway, Now York, re
centlyaccording to the Omaha World-Herald
swung this sign to the breeze:
GREAT PROTECTION SALE
WALTHAM AND ELGIN WATCHES BOUGHT
IN ENGLAND
CHEAPER THAN IN AMERICA
AND BROUGHT BACK TO UNDERSELL THIS
MARKET
CHARLES A. KEENE
"WE PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS AND NOT
THE MANUFACTURERS"
The World-Herald says: "This sign tells, in a
few words, the whole story of the iniquities of
a protective tariff, used not for the upbuilding
of infant industries and the protection of Ameri-
9
buch a tariff does not protect; it plund
It is, In sober truth, a robber tariff. It
can labor, but a a lawful mothod whereby tho
groat trusts nnd monopolies, alroady onormously
wealthy,- may safely lovy heavy tribute on tho
American consumers. Tho tariff duty on watcho
and parts theroof, under tho Dlngloy act for tho
protection and atrongthonlng of tho American
trusts is 40 per cent ad valorem. That 10 per
cent l addod to tho price of watches to Ameri
can purchasers. The same watches arc Hold to
ho citizens of foreign countries, and sold In
torso quantities and at a prollt, without tho -10
per cent bcjng addod to the cost."
A WRITER IN A New York paper tells of
having bought one of Hiohu American
watches of Mr. Kceno, who purchased them In
Lurope at tho regular European price, for a third
less than tho price asked by New Yor and Bos
ton dealers for the game grade and mark. Com
menting upon this statement .the World-Herald
says
org.
serve, every year to make larger and mightier
and richer those great combinations of capital
that arc already the greatest menace of Ameri
can democracy. Wha Is It but mockery and pre
tense for Mr. Roosevelt and his followers to poso
as enemies of the criminal trusts while still
favoring and fostering the protective tariff that
is constantly making them stronger and moro
dangerous at the expense of tho people they are
plundering? By what right do they protend to
class themselves with tho enemies of graft when
they are responsible for, this greatest of all grafts
operated with the legal sanction of tho govern
ment?" THE WASHINGTON correspondent for tho
Chicago Tribune, detailing some of the ex
periences of government agents In investigating
the Standard Oil Trust, says: "'Rockefeller Is
a bigger man than Roosevelt was tho constant
cry of the Standard Oil people not only In New
York but in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas' as
well. An effort was made, and successfully, too,
to show that the 'system' was a bigger thing
than the government of the United States itself.
The extraordinary thing was that Independent
oil companies which were proved to have no affil
iation whatever with tho Standard Oil company,
should refuse to fight it, and should also refuse
to supply the government with the necessary evi
dence to secure indictment and conviction In tho
federal courts."
"FALLEN IDOLS"--A TALK TO INDIANA DEMOCRATS
(Continued from Page 7)
because "we love music for the buried hopes,
the garnered recollections the tender feelings
it can summon at a touch."
Search your own heart and see whether
hidden there is not some memory tender and
true that needs but a note of the music with which
it is associated to bring it to life:
Perhaps the most stirring memory of my
own life is instantly revived by that homely
popular air "Just Tell Them That You Saw Me."
On the night before the election of 1896 i stood
at a window in the office of the Omaha World
Herald, a democratic newspaper in the
city of Omaha and witnessed the repub
lican party's parade. It was the most gorgeous
affair of the kind ever seen in that city. Ban
ners and bunting and flags made of the costliest
material were flung to the breeze. Gayly plumed
horses, finely decorated carriages and magnifi
cently equipped floats were led and followed
hy men, some mounted and some on foot, and
all screaming for the national honor and an
"onest dollar. Parenthetically it may be re
marked that we know now that there wasn't an
honest dollar in all the money expended for that
vast display. From beginning to end, all along
jhe line, was one blaze of high priced fireworks.
Jt seemed that everything which could be utilized
J0!' display and bought with money had been ob
tained for that occasion.
Perhaps an hour later I stood at the same
wuiuow and awaited the coming of another
thin I lmew !t would not be so gorgeous as
Sn 'St' but ifc was tlie Parade of my kind of
AhIm and l matched for it with great interest.
n -t yara(le came in view the band struck
vnv Tel1 Them that You Saw Me, and They
front ?0W the ResU' Tlle Parade halted in
on l ,tho nowiaj)aper. office. There was but
ThpJ ? ' but u ' was , doing faithful service,
hoiiol W?s but oue carriage drawn by two white
im-s, but in it was seated the democratic
nominee of that day a man who, we were long
ago told, had been finally disposed of, but who
yet lives so strong in the hearts of democrats
that his name is a synonym for democracy; so
strong in the hearts of Americans that his name
is a synonym for Americanism; so strong in the
hearts of those who know him intimately that
his name is synonomous with honesty, courage
and loving kindness.
In that parade there were no fireworks. Be
hind the leader's carriage and in an orderly dis
order thousands of men were packed from curb
to curb. Every man carried in his hand a small
flag, and as the leader rose to bow his respects
to the newspaper that had supported him, one
of the most inspiring sights was presented.
There was a solid mass of earnest, faithful men.
From their hearts swelled a mighty volume of
cheers for their leader and their cause, and the
innumerable flags waved so in unison that it
looked like a great gathering of men wrapped
within the folds of their country's colors. The
picture was at once pathetic and inspiring
pathetic because there was such a contrast be
tween those unadorned demonstrations and the
expensive display of the opposition, inspiring be
cause it demonstrated that men may rise to lofty
heights of enthusiasm in a good cause and be
hind an honest leader without the incentive sug
gested by selfish advantage or the attractions of
pomp and pageantry.
On that occasion I stood beside an old, gray
haired democrat. He had fought many a los
ing battle but had ever kept the faith, feais
trickled down his fttfrowed cheeks and so over
come was he with emotion that he sobbed. I
shall never forget the sight of the thousands
o lenSts Intte street below nor that of the
o id democrat at whose elbow I stood. I need
not say I was strongly moved by both pictuies.
Tiirnlnc to me the old man said:
"we may be beaten tomorrow, my boy but
VA rather go down to defeat with those derno
cits and Sat lender than win with the other
fellows. We have at least made a good fight
and we have nothing to regret. And though I
may not be spared, you will live to see the day
when this cause shall triumph."
I regret that the life of this faithful old
democrat was not spared, but he spoke the
truth when he said that those who battled for
popular government in 189U had nothing to re
gret. And the accuracy of the prediction that
their cause would yet triumph is indicated by
the signs of this day. The logic of history is
inexorable. Nations as well as individuals pay
penalty for their misdeeds and political partios
are not exempt from the rule. The republican
party has been successful far beyond Its merits.
With fetching pleas and stolen funds It has
won many contests, but there now awaits that
party a battle compared with which tho contest
of 189G was but as a skirmish fire. The well
worn phrases of former years will no longer turn
the tide. Campaign funds taken from the widows
and orphans will no longer win the victory. The
evils under which the people suffer are real and
must be met with real reforms. The republican
party being in control of every branch of the
government has all necessary power. But with
all its pretense it will fail to exercise that power
in the public interests. It would be like carry
ing coals to Newcastle for me to tell you gentle
men that democrats are ready for the fray. I
can read in your faces that the Indiana democ
racy is prepared.
The republican party will be held to account
on its foul record. In 1900 it will lose control
of the lower house of congress, and In 1908 we
Will elect to the presidency of this nation of free
men a man to whom "the greatest good to the
greatest number" will not be an idle, empty
phrase. In. that day, in the language of another,
"Democracy will be the King. Long live tho
King!"
And long life, peace and prosperity to his
faithful 8ul)iects the members of the Jackson
club of Lafayette.
A 23
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