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desire. Jefferson emphasized this doctrine when
the people of France called Napoleon to the
-vthrone, and it has Bible sanction as -well, for
when the children of Israel still demanded a
king even after Samuel explained what a king
would do, ho was told to let them have their
way.
The next day we put on our best clothes and
joined the lino that passed before the king and
queen. It was not a very satisfying experience,
hut it is worth something to know how such
things are dono and, I may add, the more an
American sees of it, the more he appreciates
the simplicity of public life in his own country.
Norway, in spite of the choosing of a king,
is the most democratic country in northern
Europe. She has no nobility, confers no titles
and had to go outside of her own realm to find
one of royal birth. She had ' her kings and
princes in the early days, but one Norwegian
statesman explained to us that wlien they lost
their privileges they emigrated to America and
went to farming. The choice of a Dane was
aot strange, if a king was to be chosen from
without, for Norway was united with Denmark
for more than three centuries, and there has
always been a friendly feeling between the two
countries. It was expedient, too, under the cir
cumstances, to offer the crown to the son of
the Danish king, for this brought Norway's throne
into kinship with the thrones of England and
Russia as 'well as with that of Denmark.. In
fact, the circumstances and the situation had a
good deal to do with the four-to-one vote in
favor of a monarchy. When it is remembered
that Norway!s paramount aim was to secure
independence arid that this miglit have been
-jeopardized by an attempt to establish a republic
at the same time, it is really surprising that one-
fifth of the people had the courage to vote to
'plant a republic amid surrounding monarchies:
There are many' in Norway who prefer a .presi
dent to a king and who? object to having two
and a half millions of, people taxed, nearly two
hundred thousand dollars a year to; pay the
salary of a kingly figurehead, but the monarchists
reply that the king's position is purely ornamental
'.'Jfuid enables the government to maintain cordial
: ;laUong with, other European countries while
th people govern themselves through the storth--'
lag. They point out that the king has much,
lew power than our president. While this Is
true, they forget that a president elected by
the people and holding office but four years, can
tee trusted with more executive authority than
an hereditary monarch. The storthing has abso
lute, power, and as its members are elected by
universal suffrage every three years, and as there
is but the one parliamentary body, public senti
ment finds prompt expression In the government
It can be truthfully said, therefore that with the
exception of the executive branch of the govern
ment, Norway is thoroughly democratic and that
the influence of the king Is reduced to a minimum.
Norway has a promising future. Her people
are hardy and Intelligent. Education has been
compulsory for fifty years, and it is the country's
boast that it spends more per capita on schools
than any other country in Europe. Because of
Norway's immense shipping Interests she demand-
ed a separate consular service, and it was the
reiusai or Sweden to consent to this that led to
the separation. Now that her destiny is in the
hands of her own people, much is to be expected
of her. Her sons and daughters, those who have
emigrated to America as well as those who have
remained at home, .prove to the world that it
is possible for a people to acquire the refinements
of civilization without losing their original
strength and vigor.
Copyright.
THE WAGES OF DISHONESTY
The suicide of Hippie, the criminal proceed
ings brought against several of those who are
hold to be responsible with him for the wreck
ing of the Real Estate Trust company of Philadel
S? tiie arrest in Morocco, of Stensland of
the Milwaukee Avenue Bank of Chicago, are cal-
-.v.v m, jujifto yeoyio inmK aoout me wages of
dishonesty. Wall Street Journal.
a "l , A"? "e moral can not be too often
many instances of graft and embezzlement re
S0lU?J.ear; when they re-
hbv!nmM;rx;
the renublica;TLrprial,on.8 ln. ?M
iciary when thTv ' ", uire
'
unltv--thft VnHVi , ons Iaed with im
unity the antl-reboto law utterly ignored, th
The Commoner
i -. .-
law prohibiting conspiracy In restraint of trade
ruthlessly violated when they see these things
arid then observe that none of the individuals re
sponsible, for this-gigantic wrongdoing have been
sent to jail, the people may be' pardoned if they
reach the conclusioii that under the republican
administration prison-sentence Is riot part of the
wages ofr dishonesty. "-...
JJJ ;
NO SECRETS FROM DEPOSITORS
The Wall Street Daily News in its issne of
September 17, has an editorial entitled "An Ad
mission of Weakness." Thi editorial refers to
an action recently commenced by a banking insti
tution against a former paying teller, which action
seeks to compel the former teller to give ac
counting of where he obtained the moneys he
deposited in other banks and with which he
purchased real estate. The bank found such
proceedings necessary because of Its inability to
say just when or how its former employe ab
stracted this money, although the bank officials
were convinced that their teller had grown rich
at the bank's expense. But the Wall Street News
thinks that the bank officials made a Serious
mistake in beginning these proceedings. The
Newa thinks there should be some way to remedy
the trouble, but contends:
"If, therefore, banks are powerless against
the unlawful desires on the part of their em
ployes' and can find no way to; remedy the
trouble, it would be an act'of wisdom -to lock
the fact away in their private vaults, both on
"account of the public and the employes con
cerned.' "
This is strange advice to be given by a, pub
lication that.ia presumed to stand for.vthe Inter
ests of the depositors as, well as for the interests
of the. bankers. Should not .the depositors, arid
all who trust thelr .money with -&' financial; insti
tution be - infqrmed of all losses to which the
institution has been, subjected? Is it not, indeed,
a sound -propos ition that ,he bank, ofljcers have
no more right, to conceal from their depositors
the losses they have sustained than a teller has
o , conceal from the, bank officials, his losses on
the board, of trade, and his shortage In the funds
entrusted to his. caretf
-The editor of -the Wail Street News would
better advocate publicity, for that financial, in
stitution. ,ia in a bad way whose officers have
secrets they can not share with their depositors.
JJJ . ' ..,."..
THE NATIONAL PASTIME
The great national game,, baseball, seems,. to
be morel popular this year than, ever before. It
is the cleanest of -our professional sports, and
cleaner than very many of our amateur sports.
In fact, baseball is a game that appeals to every
age, to both sexes and to all communities. The
season just closed has been a profitable one in
professional baseball circles, and satisfactory to
the public The game has been brought up to
the standard that appeals to rightminded men
and women, and. the hearty patronage has con
vinced managers that their interests demand that
they keep the game clean and free from rowdyism.
Other games may come and flourish for a
season,, but baseball seems to have come to stay.
When the first balmy winds of spring blow from
the south the Rusles and Waddels and Lajoles
of the future may be seen playing on the vacant
lots, on the commons, behind the country school
house and in the crowded streets. It takes a
chilling frost to end the season, and then the
winter hours are beguiled with tales of prowess
on the diamond during the season just ended.
It Is a, noble sport, and lovers of clean athletics
hope that it will remain clean and free from thosa
things thalt have destroyed other outdoor sports.
JJJ ,
DANGEROUS -' I J
Although Mr. Bryan is not a candidate for
office he Is now described as "a dangerous man,M
and it is noticeable that this description comes
from men who fn 1896 claimed that the Hydes, the
fono and the Dopews stood fo national
There were in Mr. Bryan's 1896 speeches
many references to this charge that he was "a
dangerous man."
For Instance, in a speech delivered at Battery
D Chicago, during the 189Q campaign, Mr. BryS
law ''t7 &" 1 tb.at wI11 ot enfor the
Jw TMy frtea18. the fear or these people is not
that I wiH rtfuse to enforce the law; SSl?to
VOLtJMI? C, NUMBER 3
is that I will enforce the law. They know that
I entertain old fashioned. ideas, upon this subject
and that according to my ideas the big crimffi
should wear striped clothe as well, as the little
criminals. I want to say to you that I believe in
enforcing the law against all classes of society
?h1 Zh beUeVe In. that polIcy are better
friends of the government than those who would
make scapegoats of little criminals and then let
u SmuQS rUIL at large to rvaL the government
itself. The very men who would suffer most from
the enforcement of law are the ones who seem to
be most troubled. They are not afraid that I
will encourage lawlessness, but they know that if
I am elected, the trusts will not select the attorney
general."
.At Ottumwa, Iowa, Mr. Bryan said: "My
friends, you have been told that I am a dangerous
man. There is nothing in my past life, either
public or private, that justifies any citizen in say
ing that my election would be a menace to law
and order, or to our form of government, or to
the welfare of society; but there is much in what
I have saidk and done to create a suspicion that
my election would be a menace to those who havo
been living on what other people have earned."
JJJ
THE CHAMPION HEN.
The department of agriculture is getting right
down to business and showing renewed evidences
of doing something to warrant the expenditure of
the money given into its care. It is going to con
siderable expense to locate the champion hen
of the country, and when It Is found a suitable
prize will be bestowed upon "Biddle." It Is high
time, too, that the merits of the- faithful old hen
be acknowledged before the world. The egg
crop of the country has afforded untold happiness
to the wives and daughters of the American far
mers, to say nothing of the delights enjoyed by
ther business man in the city when the freshly
laid eggs, properly cooked, are placed before
him at his moraine meal. The- faithful old hen
has tided iriany a fainily over hard places. She -has
laid the foundation of manjr a fortune while
laying the eggs for which she is famous the world
over. The egg and poultry ctfop of this country
runs into the millions, and. compares favorably
with the total output of our gold'arid silver mines.
If there Ib a creature on earth deserving of
homage, that creature Is the patient, persevering
and .over faithful old hen.
JJJ
NOT A MISTAKE
Senator Beveridge predicting intervention in
Cuba says; "But when we, have once more done
that work we; 'will never agalii 'let it be undone.
We have made a 'mistake oncer we will not make
that mistake twice. If the American flag again
goes to Cuba it goes to- stay."
Senator Beveridge may yet discover that pub
HCv sentiment in America does not harmonize
with the Indiana senator's opinion, that the Uni
ted States of America made a mistake when, re
deeming the pledge they had given through the
Teller resolution they won the gratitude of the
Cuban people and secured commendation from the
leaders of thought throughout the civilized world,
JJJ
BEVERIDGE, TOO
In his speech delivered at Chicago, Septem
ber 22, Senator Beveridge of Indiana said r "When
these managers (of railroads) treat their trusts
as their private affairs 'to be conducted for in
dependent profit alone, government regulation
is needed, but not government ownership, unless
government regulation falls."
"But not government pwnershfpi unless gov
ernment regulation fails," said Senator Beveridge.
Very well. Wet will all be for government
regulation, and will give it a fair test; and then
when it fails Senator Beveridge must help bring
about government ownership for he prornlsed as
much in his Chicago speech;
JJJ
SURPLUS AND DEFICIT
A Boston, Ind., reader writes: "What was
the surplus Jn the United States treasury at
the expiration, of the Cleveland administration,
March 4, 1889, and the deficit at the close of
the Harrison administration, .March 4, 1893?"
The surplus at the-end of Clftveland's ad
ministration on March, 4, 1889, was approxi
mately equal: to $84,186;890. There was ,a deficit
at the end of Harrison's administration March' 4,
1893,. of .a sum approximately tmjal to $589,691.
This was shown by tho treasury's fcoolcs.
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