ip". "VF !" ;''
The Commoner.
7fiWHp' - 1"rr "."
AUGUST 31, 1908 ,
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rities did not think it- proper to suggest that- a
boy could be Icing. The above aro actual, cases,
buttthey have given rise to jokes that go a little
farther. For instance, they say that dynamos are
not allowed in Turkey because the name sounds
like dynamite and that chemistries ha.ve been ex
cluded because the formula for water, "H20," is
suspected of meaning, "Hamud II. is a cypher.-"
I have had a little experience with a censor
myself. At Beyrout, one of the Turkish ports,
a copy of the Koran and a copy of the Life of
-Abbas Effendl were taken from me by the censor.
I had no objection to his holding them during
my stay in the country, but when he informed
me that they would have to bo sent to Constan
tinople I demurred and with the aid of our rep
resentative, Consul General Bergholz, not only
secured the books, but secured a promise that
the right of American citizens to carry books
would not in the future bo Interfered with at
that port
In conclusion, I desire to add that we ought
to "have an ambassador instead of a minister at
Constantinople. According to the custom .pre
vailing in the sultan's realm-, a minister is not
on equal footing with ambassadors, and as other
nations have ambassadors there American, inter
ests suffer. We have eighteen cases now awaiting
adjustment. According to our law our appoint
ment of an ambassador to any country depends
upon that country's willingness to send an am
bassador to us. This is a false basis. Our action
should not depend upon what other nations do,
but upon our d'plomattc needs; and we need an
ambassador at Cons'tantlnople whether Turkey
needs one at Washington or not: I understand
that the question is already being considered in
congress and from observation I am satisfied that
the time has come for the raising of our legation
to the dignity of an embassy that American inter
ests and the rights of American citizens- may
have proper protection in Turkey, for nowhere, is
there greater need for the introduction of Amer
ica ideas. . , - t. 4.1 - .
Copyright.
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.,...,- JU,ST,LIKE HAMILTON -
'The Boston Advertiser denies"" that there 'is
any liability on the' part of the republican' party
foV'the' money taken, from the policyholders and
contributed to the republican campaign fund. The
Advertiser says: "That money was paid by big
corporations into campaign funds is also true and
the fact was not denied at the time. But so long
as the stockholders approved of such contributions
'as they undoubtedly, did, at the k time pf the
Bryan scare, disposes of any charge that the
lnoney was 'stolen' or 'embezzled.'"
, This defense is identical with that made by
Andrew Hamilton, the insurance lobbyist who .was
employed to corrupt legislatures.
That money was paid by the big insurance
companies into Andrew Hamilton's corruption
fund Is not denied but Hamilton argued that
s"o long "as the stockholders approved of such con
tributions as in Hamilton's opinion they undoubt
edly "did at the time when reform legislation
on the insurance question was about to bp en
acted disposed of any charge that the money
was stolen or embezzled.
Of course, it was of no moment to Hamilton
that the "stockholders" were not consulted.
Guessing that the legislature should be 'corrupt
ed, Hamilton guessed that the "stockholders"
approved of the corruption fund.
Nor were the policyholders consulted when
it came to the contribution of their money to the
republican campaign fund. Guessing that the
republican ticket should be elected the McCurdys
and the Hydes guessed that the policyholders
would approve the misuse of their money, al
though many of them were democrats, and were
at the time working against the election of the
ticket, for the success of which the money had
been contributed.
If the money paid to Andrew Hamilton for
lobby purposes was misappropriated then the
money paid to the republican campaign fund was
misappropriated. Yet some republicans who lose
no opportunity to denounce the use of the insur
ance funds for lobby purposes, can see no 'eyil in
the misappropriation of the insurance funds for
the use and benefit of the republican party,
JJJ
A TEXAS IDEA
til
Writing in the Reader Magazine,. Ethel Hut
eon says: ..
"I do not know" another state In which, the
people so generally hold the views which pro
duced both the Texas Tailroad commission and
the laws which It was created to enforce. Theso
views may bo stated briefly:
"1. A corporation is the creature of tho
state; it has, thoroforo, no natural rights as a
person has, but only such privileges, as tho state
may give it.
"2. It is created to servo the people; if, in
stead, it becomes strong and insolent, and op
presses them, it should bo destroyed, not by vio
lence and anarchy, but by legal action of the
state which created it and can revoke its charter.
"3. Tho power which creates and which may
destroy may also limit; and so the state may,
and should, control corporate activity as the wel
fare of the people demands, subject only to tho
constitutional limitations which forbid confisca
tion or destruction of property.
"On theso three propositions, to which few
Texans, I believe, would refuse assent, are based
the laws regulating transportation within tho
great state. The size of tho state, and some
other conditions peculiar to It, have made it
possible to enforce theso laws with a complete
ness which might not ho achieved elsewhere."
The seeds sown by tho late John H. Reagan,
who was, In truth, tho father of tho inter-state
commerce act, are responsible for these gopd
results in the Lone Star state. Tho Reagan spirit
dominating faithful public officials in Texas has
given to that great state the signal honor of bt'
ing foremost In tho maintenance, so far as 'tho
enactment and execution of laws aro concerned,
of the democratic doctrine that a corporation
being the creature of tho state must bo the ser
vant rather than the master of tho people.
The Texas idea is spreading. Lot u3 hope
that it will take as firm hold upon tho people
of all other states as it has upon the old neigh
bors of John H. Reagan.
JJJ
THE FARMER AND THE TARIFF
The Kansas City Journal (Rep.) ' is greatly
exercised. As the Journal puts It, ' ''the editor
of an Indian Territory paper can not see how
the tariff protects the farmer." Concerning tho
Indian Territory Editor tho Journal says.' ''He
is very probably honest in his position, though
he is putting charity to somewhat of a strain
when he declares that 'a farmer who can be a re
publican is one of the curiosities of the political
situation.' "
That reminds us of a story which Judge
Joseph JE. Ong, formerly of Nebraska, but now of
Colorado, was wont to tell.
A democratic orator was addressing a crowd
in Indiana and said: "Now I am going to put
to you farmers a question which I want you to
think over for" several days, and then If you can
give an answer write to me at my home. Tho
question is: 'What is there a farmer sells which
he gets more for, and what is there a farmer
buys which he gets for less, on account of a high
protective tariff?' Think of this and answer at
your leisure."
Several weeks later this democratic orator
received a letter fronvan old farmer, who had
been one of his audience, and the Hotter was about
as follows: "Dear Sir: When you were down In
Indiana several weeks ago, you asked 'what is
there a farmer sells that he gets more for, and
what is there a farmer buys that he gets for less,
on account of a high protective tariff?' Well,
sir, I Have been hinklng about that question over
since, and I have come to the conclusion that
there isn't .a dar-darned thing."
JJJ
"THE SMALL AND PETTY PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY"
The New York Sun, in Its Issue of August
18, printed a letter from one James Watts, of
Trenton, N. J., which letter concluded In these
words: "The small and petty people In this
country have too much to say, and that's the
whole trouble."
It is true that "the small and petty people In
this country" have altogether too much power,
but evidently there is a difference between the
Sun's correspondent and most people, as to who
constitute "the small and petty . people." Evi
dently Mr. Watts means the masses for whom,
plainly, he has a very poor opinion, but our form
of government was instituted for the purpose of
giving the masses not only a "say," but absolute
control. The trouble is that the masses have
too often neglected their duty and their oppor
tunity, and have permitted "the small and petty
people- in this country" those mediocre men who,
while being "long" on the genius for accumulat
ing gold, are "short" on tho gifts that make a
3
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man a man, fpra: that and a that. "Tho smalt
and petty people In this country" whose brain
and. conscience, aro not' commensurate with, tho
power they lejd aro tho mon who, through tho
purchase of elections, obtain dominating control
In politics, secure monopolies In food and fuol
and while conspiring against the very lives of
, tho people aro all tho while vociferously protest
ing that they havo a monopoly upon tho virtue,
tho patriotism and tho fnteJligonco of the' coun
try. It Is tho.powor wielded by theso "small and
potiy. people" that must hp destroyed, If popular
govornmont-fB to bo pres'orvod. Mr. Watts nqed
not' bo alarmed concerning tho massoa In America;
thoy hayo often boon deceived, but their hearts
beat true. ' '
JJJ '. ,'
DON'T FORGET IT
The Chicago Record-Herald says: "But 'stand
patlsm' na to tho tariff would moan glorying in
confessions of impotence, tho apotheosis of po
litical cowardice. The president's mossago and
spoechea" preclude tho supposition that this is tho
kind of 'stand patlsm' he has examined and "pro
nounced good. It will not look good to Iowrths
or middle west republicans generally, and It will
not mako votes in Now England or Now York.
As to the allogod obligato addendum to tho
'stand pat' gospel, namely, tho earnest sugges
tion that when tho sacred schedules are revised
thoy should bo revised by the friends of protec
tion, It may possibly occur to tho voter that ho
has heard It beforo. Some Irreverent heretics,
poisoned by the Cummlnses and Fosses and other
disturbers of tho peaco, may even Indulge in In
elegant ejaculations. Tho best service tho 'stand
patters' can render is to go to the rear and sit
down."
This is very good, and Is a fit companion plcco
for that brief and complete definition given 'by
the Lincoln (Nob.) Journal, a republican pdpor,
when it suid: "Thus It comes to -pass that a
. 'standpatter' In Iowa and In other states as well
is now generally understood to be a man . who
opposes any radical change in existing institu
tions. Because of inertia, or ingrained consefv
atfsnv or 'his personal relations, he is willing
to allow interests with a cinch to hold on to their
advantage indefinitely."
'- " JJJ :
, - look oun ' ; ; ;Mlf
The Kansas City Journal (Rep.) says; "Tho
price of the white metal has advanced materially
within the past year or more, and for this there
are excellent business reasons. The Japanese
war Jncrecsed tho demand for sliver as money;
the British government has bought largo quanti
ties for use In India; the expansion of Chinese
trade has added to the demand, and the use of
silver in the arts has steadily increased during
successive years of prosperity."
The Journal also says: "It is noteworthy
that on tho day when the announcement of tho
government's intention was made, the price of
silver was quoted at 65, an appreciable advance
over tho figures which had, ruled for some timo
previously."
The Journal must be careful lest It get Itself
in a position where it can no longer contend that
the opening of the mints to silver would not have
an appreciable effect upon the price of the metal.
JJJ
WHAT IT "TAKES"
Senator Dubois denounces the republican
party as in league with the Mormon church.
Bryan sees It as an ally of Wall street Gompera
Is sure It is lined up against tho oppressed labor
ing man, and the probibltlonlsts are of the opin
ion that it is wholly given over to tho devil. It
takes a courageous man to be a republican at
the present stage of the game. Sioux City
Journal.
When we review the recent careers of tho
many eminent financiers who so loudly and so
insistently stood up for the "national honor" in
1896 by leaguing themselves with the republican
party,- wo are inclined to believe that It takea
a regular Pittsburg millionaire sort of a man to
be a republican In these dayd.
JJJ
GREAT IS HARRIMAN
William Nelson Cromwell, "the mysterious
stranger,", who han'gs about the Panama canal
work, paid a high tribute to B. H. Harriman, tho
railroad magnate, when ho said: "He can not
be replaced, as he moves In a higher world Into
which we may not enter."
And they say that Mr. Cromwell passes among
his acquaintances for a man of more than ordi
nary Intelligence! But, judging from h!aufoohV
eulogy of Harriman, "he don't look it"
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