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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1906)
(n-M f t w-j NOVEMBER 2, 1906 The Commoner. 5 MENACE OF THE MULTI-MILLIONAIRE For ten years the democratic party ha3 been calling public attention to the menace of tho multi-millionaire It has been pointing out tho Immoral methods employed by bira in the ac cumulation of his money and the corrupting in fluence ho has exerted on politics. During tho last few years an increasing number of well-to-do republicans have been listening with interest to democratic speeches, but now oven a few repub licans of prominence are becoming alarmed. Secretary Shaw isn't scared, and Vice President Fairbanks has so far failed to raiso any danger signal. But President Roosevelt has already sug gested an inheritance tax as a means of making the multi-millionaire disgorge. Now comes Senator Beveridge of Indiana with a speech that sounds strangely democratic. The senator made a speech at Dunkirk, Ind., on the 20,th of October, and tho Cincinnati En quirer quotes him as saying: "Every reform measure and every proposed law for tho nation's good hns been fought by mighty financial inter ests whose practices and immunities the pro posed law threatened. There seems to be a strange insanity created in tho piling up of un healthy fortunes with unhealthy haste, by un healthy methods an insanity that makes men who are worth scores of millions of dollars fight any law which will reduce even a small percent age of their enormous profit." Mr. Beveridge then cites tho case of an Ari zona mining company which opposed statehood for fear its taxes might be increased. Ho adds: "This fact brings up another and, perhaps, tho most serious problem immediately before us for solution. It is the problem of tho more equal distribution of wealth, and especially of tho limit ation of what President Roosevelt calls swollen fortunes." Mr. Beveridge calls attention to Rockefeller, and says that ho Is reputed to bo worth $800, 000,000, and that in tho hands of Rockefeller's son this will probably bo increased in a llfo timo to $2,000,000,000. "This," ho declares, "is wrong. It Is dangerous to tho public." "I am not the onomy of -wealth," says Senator Beveridge. "I believe in fostering and encourag ing that industrial enterprise which makes men accumulate money. But when a fortune reachos a point where it is no longer tho result of in dividual effort and thought and thrift, but ac cumulates of its own course, it ceases to bo a blessing and becomes a curse No man should own $1,000,000,000. No man should own $100, 000,000. No man in a republic of free and equal men should have the immeasurable power that the possession of such enormous riches gives him. It is bad enough from overy point of view, but tho deadly thing about it is that tho managers of this great wealth constantly interfere with tho people's government. This is manlfes-t In our legislatures, it Is apparent In our elections, it is present in our primaries. And it has got to be stopped. Wo can not permit this government of, by and for tho people to becomo a government of, by and for morely wealthy men and great financial institutions. The multiplication of rich men in public life is not a good sign in free in stitutions." This might bo attributed to a democratic speaker and no ono would ever notice tho mis take. Probably a corporation republican would be led to denounco tho language as demagogic and Incendiary, if it were attributed to a demo crat. But what is to bo thought when a repub lican senator uses this language? Can any ono doubt longer tho truth of the democratic indict ment of republican misrule? Whore are these multi-millionaire whose fortunes menaco tho country? Are they to be found among tho farm ers, who havo been enjoying "a homo market?" Aro they to bo found among tho working men for whom tho republican party has seemed no nolicltious? Aro these fortunes In tho posses sion of the country merchants who havo been voting tho republican ticket with great regu larity? No. Millionaires do not grow In tho country, or In tho villagos. They aro tho product of hot-houso legislation. Thoy havo boon built up and pampered by tho republican party which, for a quarter of a century, has acted upon tho theory that If tho corporations wcro mado pros perous somo of their prosperity would leak through on Uio people. Bonusca havo been voted to manufacturers and trust magnates on tho theory that thoy would generously divido with their omploycs. It is fortunato for tho country that wo aro at tho ond of this delusion and that tho people at largo aro gottlng their eyes open to the fact that predatory wealth must ,be checked and tho opportunities of the avcrago man en larged. Tho remedy proposod by tho ropubllcana Jo an Inheritance tax. AlLhough hotter than noth ing, this iu an Inadequate remedy. Instead of allowing theso commercial highwaymen to spend their lives plundering tho public, and then grab bing a part of It when thoy dio, tho democrats propose to enforce tho doctrine of equal rights to all and special privileges to none. This will put all on an oqual footing and givo ovory ono a fair chance. Whon tho boneficlarl03 of republican legislation aro stripped of special privileges and mado to earn tholr living liko tho farmer and tho laborer their fortunes will not bo so swollen as to requiro heroic treatment. Republican! Can't you help us this year to begin tho reform of theso abuses? NOT FOR CENTRALIZATION One of the Chicago papers reports that some of the members of the Chicago Democratic club found It difficult to locate themselves on public .questions. The aforesaid paper says of theso democrats: "They see Bryan, an advocate of a nationalization of railroads and federal incorpor ation of all big concerns, the recognized leader of democracy." The editor of the paper ought to know, and the members of the democratic club have reason to know that Mr. Bryan does not favor the na tionalization of railroads, but has proposed a dual plan as a substitute for this very' nationali zation. Mr. Bryan's plan limits federal owner ship to trunk lines and contemplates state own- ' ership of state lines, the change to be mado when the people are ready for it As for the "federal incorporation of all big concerns," Mr. Bryan has expressly opposed such" incorporation and has repeadedly" pointed out the danger of federal incorporation of industrial enterprises. Ho insists that all industrial corporations should '" bo incorporated by 'the state, and' that the federal government should then apply such restrictions , as will prevent any corporation front becoming a monopoly. The members of the club referred to are probably not as much at sea as the republican editors would like to' have them, aifd if any' of them are at sea, it is their own fault The demo cratic party believes in. local, self, government and would keep the government as near the peo ple as possible. JJJ , FISH OF ONE, FOWL OF ANOTHER A New York dispatch under date of October 24 follows: "Because M. A. Fitzgerald, a mall carrier, had political aspirations andaccepted the nomination of Independence League (Hearst) candidate for congress from the Fifth district of Brooklyn, he has been summarily dismissed from ( the postofllco department The notice that Fitz gerald got clearly implied that no mail carrier must have political ambitions, while George B. Cortelyou is postmaster general, at least The peremptory order to resign from the postal ser vice characterized Fitzgerald's action in talcing the nomination as 'pernicious political activity.' " It was "pernicious political activity" for Fitz gerald, a mail carrier, to accept the nomination tor congress, and he paid tho penalty. What was It when George B. Cortelyou, post master general, accepted the office of chairman of the republican national committee? And what was it when George B. Cortelyou, acting as chair man of the republican national committee, par ticipated In tho misappropriation, for tho use and benefit of the republican party, of truBt funds belonging to policyholders? After accepting the nomination given to him by the people Fitzgerald is discharged from tho public service. But Cortelyou is to bo promoted to the treasury portfolio! It seems very difficult for Mr. Roosevelt's administration to keep its pretentions "on straight" JJJ " ' IN MINNESOTA Let every Minnesota democrat go to tho polls and assist In the re-election of Governor Johnson and tho election of the rest of tho state and con gressional tickets. Governor Johnson has earned a re-election, and should have the state house thoroughly In sympathy with his policies. It is important, too, that democrats make gains In Min nesota's congressional districts. JJJ s. "THE OLD SCHOOL" " Mr. Virgil P. Kline, the Standard Oil attor ney of Ohio, In defending his client at FIndlay, "Ohio, tho other day said: "I belong to tho old school which believes that government the best Which Interferes the least with tho Interests of the citizens." . That is a favorite argument for trust; defend ers. After they have violated Jeffersonian doc trine by allowing gigantic corporations to bo formed for the express purpose of plundering tho people, they then attempt to hide behind Jeffer son and protest against necessary, legislation... It Is a farco to Invoke Jefferson, for tho protection of trusts, when .Tofforson should have been in voked In tho beginning to prevent tho trusts. Tho "old school" lawyer who grows fat hunting' for constitutional defenses for highway robbery will not fool tho pooplo. much longer. Thereof no school so old but what opposition to monopoly is older. Tho control of tho markets by private individuals has from timo Immemorial been held criminal and a lawyer who had any moral sense would be ashamed to sell his brains for tho de fense of so indefensible a thing as a privato monopoly. JJJ CORTELYOU Washington dispatches say that Mr. Cortelyou, now postmaster general, Is to be appointed sec retary of the treasury. Thoro aro a great many people who bellevo that Mr. Cortelyou should bo retired from tha cabinet rather than advanced to a more respon sible position than the one he now holds. Tho part played by Mr. Cortelyou In con nection with the policyholders' money, misappro priated and traced to tho political committee of which Mr. Cortelyou Is chairman, has never been satisfactorily explained. To advance, Mr. Cortel you' to tho treasury portfolio is, under tho cir cumstances, a very poor way of "backing words with deeds," when "words" display tho purpose to maintain publicity with respect to public af fairs and to trust funds, and the purpose, also, to maintain "a square deal" by requiring men who wrongfully acquire money to make restora tion and otherwJco pay the penalty. jijijtjtJiJtJijtjijJ .J MISSOURIANS GO TO THE POLLS! Chairman Neidrlnghaus of tho Missouri republican state committee, says that the' republicans are "going to carry Missouri on purpose this year." Two years ago the republicans captured Missouri "by accident" nearly 60,000 democrats remaining away from tho polls to show their .protest against the so-called "safe and sane" policy of tho men who controlled tho St Louis convention. They remained away "on purpose" and let tho republicans carry the state "by accident" This year the democrats of Missouri should not remain away from the polls unless "by accident," and they should do the carrying of the state "on purpose. The long drawn out contest over the senatorship and the disclosures of the Intrigues connected therewith, together with many other incidents ' of republican management should suffice to bring Missouri back into the democratic jt 'jt column this fall. ' 'j Let every Mlssourlan go to the polls! & '& Jt '& & $ & $ & Ji. & & & S $ S & $ & S S- S l & & & & J J -.i u ., -a tm. nrffa4ktot)WlW t 4 jf rmK t Jtj-fAiUiirt A -,