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The Commoner.
.VOLUME C, NUMBER .
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FIVE HUNDRED NEBRASKA democrats as
sembled at Lincoln on March G for the pur
pose of oft'ectlng a more thorough organization of
the party in the state, and to lay the foundations
for tho state and congressional campaigns to be
fought out this year. A meeting of tho state cen
tral committeo and the visiting democrats was
hold In tho afternoon, and at 10 p. m. tho 400 en
thusiastic democrats sat down to a "dollar dinner'
served at tho Lincoln hotel. Dr. P. L. Hall, former
chairman of the state contral committeo, presided
at tho banquet as toastmaster. With two excep
tions tho speakers wore Nebraslcans, General
James W. Weaver of Iowa, and former Governor
Thomas of Colorado being tho visiting speakers.
Goneral Weaver's toast was "Jefferson or Ma
chiavolli," and Governor Thomas' toast was "Tho
Consumer." Cato Sells of Iowa was invited
but was unable to bo present.
PTRICKM'KILLIP, of Platto county, A. C.
Shallonbargor of Harlan county, H. II. Hanks
oi Otoe county, George W, Bergo of Lancaster
county, G. M. Hitchcock of Douglas county, and
W. H. Thompson of Hall county, were tho speak
ers from the state. Every address was upon a
timely topic, and every speaker added to tho
enthusiasm and tho determination of Nebraska
democracy to remain in tho forefront of the battle
for tho people's rights. Government ownership of
tho avenues of transportation was a dominant
noto, and several speakers declared in favor of
building a governmental transcontinental lino
from New York to San Francisco. At tho con
clusion of the banquet, by unanimous vote, the
assembly sent greetings to Mr. Bryan and wishes
for his safe return.
SEVERAL REPUBLICAN senators who liavo
publicly declared themselves m favor of tho
ratification of the Santo Domingo treaty, havo
privately expressed their displeasure .wfth' tho
terms of that treaty. Those who favor the treaty
-say that tho Santo Domingo treaty will not bo
used os a precedent. Replying to this claim tho
New York Evening Post says: "It is UBed as a
precedent. Haytl is in trouble about her foreign
dobt, and recourse is at once had by the creditors,
not to Port-au-Prince, but to Washington. Uncle
Sam, in his new role of liquidator of all the
bad debts in this hemisphere, is called upon to
arrange tho affair. This was inevitable. As
so6n as we begin to act as recover and guardian
for one bankrupt republic, the disordered finances
of all tho others will infallibly be brought to us.
Wo know of no slnglo argument advanced for
our intervention in Santo Domingo which dops
not apply, or could not bo mado to apply, to all
othor republics in arrears and in difficulty be
tween us and Cape Horn. And the greater part
of their debts, like those of Santo Domingo, is
practically of tho nature of gambling debts.
Speculators have simply taken chances, as In a 1
lottery, and now we are to guarantee tho lottery.
President Roosevelt, who a little time ago was
speaking complacently in his message about his
polico power' over all disorderly republics, and
was reported by his friends ns determined to
straighten out the whole lot or. them, now gives
it to bo understood that Santo Domingo will bo
tho very last imprudence of the kind. But fogic
is logic, and a precedent is a precedent, even in
a government by non-sequiturs. Hayti's creditors
may bo troublesome callers at the state denart!
ment, just at this juncture, but we may he Wo
that if the president's Dominican policy te
adopted, they are but the first of a long line."
JOHN R. WALSH, former president of the now
defunct Chicago National bank, proprietor of
e Chicago Chronicle, "defender of national
honor," and a person so devoted to high mom
ideals that though professing to be a demo
crat he could not glvo support to tho e o
orat Ic national ticket, has finally been arres el
hLihi rlGral ttU"-"teB and Squired to glvo
bond In the sum of $50,000. Mr. Walsh Is changed
o hlUbannmieia l?1S 0C olonmtlon
oi ma bank, it is charged that he made a re
port showing that at tho close of bualnoss in
1005 the amount of loans and discounts of tl IE
was $245,000, when m reality tho amount of such
loans and discounts was $3,000,000. It is charged
that he reported that the amount of loans and
discounts on which officers and directors were
not liable was $10,058,226.64, when the amount
of such fiabilitles was In reality $7,500,000.
These are tho specific cliarges upon which the
warrant for Mr Walsh's arrest was issued. But
it is claimed that many other specifications could
bo made, and it is intimated that many others
will be made.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS underrate of Chi
cago, December 28, 1905, reported that Sec
retary Shaw had declared that tliere would be no
criminal prosecution growing out of tho closing
of Walsh's financial institutions. In that dispatch
Secrotary Shaw was quoted as having said:
"John R. Walsh did not take one dollar dishonest
ly. He did no more -than many other bankers
of the United States are doing all the time. The
rumor of criminal prosecution is nothing but talk.
There has been no embezzlement or theft. For
every dollar taken out gilt edge security was
placed within. The depositors will get every
dollar they deposited, and when that has been
accomplished, the responsibility of the govern
ment ceases. That part of the banking law pro
hibiting tho loaning of more than 10 per cent
of the capitalization to one man may have been
violated. That is not a criminal violation and
all that can bo done is to liquidate the bank and
pay off the depositors. The violation of that law
by one bank is no more than has been done by
almost every bank in the country."
TT IS NOW EXPLAINED that the arrest of
1 Walsh was due to the department of justice
rather than to the treasury department. But in
. asmuch aB the department of justice has taken
cognizance of Walsh's short-comings in spite of
tho clean bill given him by the treasury depart
ment, would it not be well for the department of
justice to give some consideration to Secretary
Shaw's claim that Mr. Walsh "did no more than
many other bankers in the United States are
doing all the time." The authorities certainly
went to the limit to protect that "frenzied finan
cier," and perhaps in doing so they gave some
consideration to the great service he has habitually
rendered the republican party. It may be that
Walsh has done "no more than many other
bankers in the United States are doing all the
time," but Walsh's offense may have been in
being found out, and perhaps it would be well for
public interests if the department of justice pro
ceeded against other malefactors in time to pro
tect innocont people from loss.
rpHB PEOPLE OF New York who, relying upon
-A- District Attorney Jerome's stump speech,
cast aside all partisan prejudices and gave to
mm enthusiastic support, are just now showing
their great disappointment, and they have good
reason for this. Although the revelations be
lore the insurance committee showed that many
men high in financial circles were guilty of out
rageous crimes, District Attorney Jerome has not
proceeded against them. Recently several mem
bers of the McCurdy family set sail for Europe,
and when Mr. Jerome was criticised because he
had not caused the arrest of these people, he
explained that he had obtained , from the Mc
Curdys written pledges in which they had prom
ised to return whenever ho should make such a
request. It was further explained that Mr. Jerome
had obtained a similar pledge from James H
Hyde.
TS THERE A BURGLAR, highwayman or cut
J. throat in all the land that would not be glad to
place such a pledge in the hands of the author
on S? Am why, Bhould sucu extraordinary con
sldera ion be given these rich and influential
scoundrels? Mr. Jerome's associates are every
day engaged in prosecuting men whose offenses
compared w th those of the McCurdys and the
Hydes are inconsequential. These men are re
quired to go to jail unless they can furnish Jilt
edge bonds, and yet he permits the McCurdv
and tho Hydes to go abroad, and explains that
he has required of them a written pledge 1 at
they will return in the event ne deems tEir re
turn necessary. It is a very sorry piece of busi
ness, indeed, and The Commoner does not hesi
tate to reiterate that, in the opinion of many
men who once had confidence in him, District At
torney Jerome is, in the language used by Bis
marck in referring to Salisbury: "A wooden lath
painted to look like iron."
THE DENVER (COLO.) NEWS recently pub
lished a cartoon representing Senator La
Follette as addressing the senate somewhat in
this fashion: "I am a republican. I favor the
Hepburn rate bill. I believe in municipal owner
ship. I am opposed to Chinese emigration. I.
believe in labor unions. I think Filipinos should
be free." In the cartoon it is represented that
Mr. LaFollette's remarks created consternation in
the senate chamber. One senator is represented
as exclaiming: "Bring me water or I'll faint!"
Another: "Why, he's a socialist!" Another: "He's
truly unconventional," and another: "Let's go to
the cafe. He's a bore." But the people in the
galleries who, in this instance are certainly made
to fairly reflect public sentiment, are represented
as saying: "Go it, Bob! You're all right." As
the News cartoonistsays, "it is a new brand of
republicanism presented to the United States
senate." But it is, unquestionably, popular among
the masses. ;
AT A CLUB MEETING held recently in Lincoln,
Nebraska, Mr. J. B. Miller, a prominent
merchant, read a paper on "Campaign Funds."
Mr. Miller took the position that the amount of
funds used by political parties should be limited
in amount, and that publicity should attend the
purposes for which they are expended. He in
sisted that the publicity should be made prior to
the election. Mr. Miller explained: "It might be
interesting to know, after election, that MiVRb'clce
feller contributed $1,000,000 to the campaign' fund
of the democratic party, but it would have no
effect. Let the matter be published before elec
tion and the effect would be manifest at once.
In England each party must publish the amount
of contributions at once. The candidate is not
allowed to spend over a certain amount of money.
In Canada the candidate is not .permitted to have
carriages to take the voters to the polls. They
take the ground that this is a means of bribery.
If the voter does not care enough about the out
come of the election to go to the polls, let him
lose his vote." It is a good sign that such dis
cussions as these are carried on. Any measure
seeking a cure of the evils growing out of con
tributions to campaign funds will fail in purpose
unless it provides for publicity prior to election
day. Mr. Miller takes an unassailable position
when he insists that campaign contributions
be made known to the voters prior to election
day. The people are entitled to know in ad
vance just where the respective political parties
obtain substantial support. To have this knowl
edge prior to election day would enable the citi
zen having no ax to grind to cast his vote in a
way that would best subserve public interests.
RECENTLY THE Brooklyn Eagle, famous for
its leadership of a more or less "safe and
sane democracy, referred to George Foster Pea
body as a thoroughly "safe and sane" democrat
Referring to this statement Mr. Peabody sends
?, 'f'i61' ,t0 the Ba8,e ln which letter L IS
Pos ibTy nof'ii 'Se T T" "' oK
Republican says: "He proceeds to torn a nkt
nemradica of SS W
6 a?m?0,tlc l"'ty to reassert Its &
5"Ja2eJ ?! 1U,man Jlbarty "! PoSnal
ofSsfdrcaSwealttln.POWer and andizement
THJS LETTER to the Brooklyn Eagle Mr
1 Peabody says: "A patent fact in the social'
struCure 0f today is- that the average man Soes
not have continuous- employment, and fuYtw
that the whole surplus production beyond I the
daily consumption is to so -large , an extent H
vided amongVtheew ,vlio mayno unfairly ba
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