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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1906)
The Commoner. WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Vol. 6. No8 Lincoln, Nebraska, March 9, 1906 j Whole Number 268 f i ) - CONTENTS r... .u iJL Mil. Bryan?s ,v Letter " ". Tillman in Chaege The "Cutest Thing" . . - Lessons in Teagedy The Mysterious Cromwell . Commoner Day" A Great Success Primary Pledges , "In the Heart of a Seed" Washington City Letter Comment on Current Tones Home Department Whether Common or Not News or-the Week Is the Measure thei Special Property of the Republican Party that is- '"! ' SENATOR TILLMAN IN CHARGE The selection of Senator Tillman to manage ' the railroad rate bill in the senate was a wise one. It is true that Mr. Tillman was chosen at the suggestion of Senator Aldrich, and by the vjotes ,of men who are opposed to rail way rate 'legislation. Doubtless these gentlemen, had two ends in view. They thought that by placing the measure in the hands of ademoc"rat and one between whom and he president friendly personal relations do not exist, they would, ad minister a rebuke to Mr. Roosevelt. They also thought that by putting the measure in charge of a democrat they would be able to say that it was not a republican measure, and therefore not deserving of republican votes. It is to Mr. Roosevelt's credit that he has accepted the situation gracefully. He does not appear to have been at all hurt by the attempted rebuke. It is true, also, that the fact that the measure is "in charge of Senator Tillman inspires confidence among the friends of railway rate legislation. Whatever Mr. Tillman's critics may have said, it has never been claimed that he is under the control of corporation influences. It is generally agreed that he is a free man, able, . honesj, and plainspoken, and that he will make a vigorous fight in behalf of railway rate legisla tion. Senator Tillman is in .favor of amending the Hepburn bill, but the amendments he pro poses will only nlake it more effective in the way of serving the public interests. Already it is beginning to dawn upon the enemies of rate legislation that they made a mis take when they selected Senator Tillman as the leader in the senate, and already the American people are congratulating themselves that for once in his life Senator Aldrich rendered dis tinct service to the public. True, in suggesting Senator Tillman as the manager of th6 fight for rate legislation, Senator Aldrich did not intend to act in the public interests. But whatever his motives may have been, the measure was placed in the hands of a man in whom the friends of rate legislation have implicit confidence. It was the wisest possible selection made at the suggestion of a man who acted with the worst possible motives. JJJ TELL IT TO YOUR FATHER r In his Bible class at New York, February 25, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., said : "Let us so live that we can walk along the street and look every one in the eye unflinchingly." Mr. Rocke feller would do well to give that advice to his father who is just now a fugitive from the of ficers of the law. The elder Rockefeller cannot even "walk along the street," but is hiding none of the authorities know wherein order to avoid the service of a writ commanding him to appear and tell the truth. i i ! ' DEMOCRATIC ...I i h i ' MMjJiti . ; PLA7FQRMS RAILROAD REGULATION 15 A DEMOCRAT'S SEVAT0K FORAKER k ykA 5' ImllMMm First Endorsed by Democratic Platforms,- -""Earnestly Denounced by a great Leader of the Republican Party, . w y n3S At Co"wEirpmir f0 ZMfobPtZ mf mwllllm MJ -&L KaS&L immMmm. . ill 11 H m,.- .gmmmm Rescued from a Hostile Committee by Democratic votes and officially championed by a Democratic Senator? KOREA--"The Hermit Nation" MR. BRYAN'S EIGHTH LETTER Poor little Korea! One hardly knows whether to be amused or grieved so strangely have comedy and tragedy been blended in her history. Mr. Griffiths in his very comprehensive book bearing that title, calls Korea the "Hermit Na tion," and-the appellation was a fitting one until within a generation. Since that time she might bo described as a bone of contention, for she has been the cause of several bloody quarrels. The position of Korea on the map of Asia very much resembles Florida's position on the map of North America, and Japan's relative po sition is something like that which Cuba bears to Florida. Separated on the south from Japan by about a hundred miles of water and joining both China and Russia on the north, it Is not strange that all three of these nations have looked ,upon her with covetous eyes and begrudged each other any advantage obtained. The surface of Korea is quite mountainous, the ranges and val leys extending for the most part from the north east to the southwest. Until recently the coun try was inaccessible and few of the white race have penetrated the interior. A few years ago a railroad was built from Seoul thirty-five miles west to Chemulpo, the nearest seaport. Since then the Japanese have built a road from Seoul north to Peng Yang, and southeast to Fusan. The last line, which has been finished less than a year, is two hundred and seventy-five miles long and connects the Korean capital with the nearest seaport to Japan. This railroad is of such great military importance to Japan that she aided the building to the extent of guaranteeing six per cent interest on the investment for fif teen years with the provision that the cost o the road should not exceed twenty-five million yen. The Korean government gave the right of way for the road and the free admisslonof material imported for its construction and equip ment. The engines and cars are of American style and make and the road is standard guage. It Is now so easy to pass through Korea in go ing from Japan to Peking that the tourlat should not miss its strange and interesting sights, but the trip should be made before No vember. We took the train at Fusan and made the ride nearly all the way in daylight, thus 1 i ,tqMfe&aJSfe t &&