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The Commoner,
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
Vol. 6. No. 47.
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 7, 1906.
Whole Number 307.
CONTENTS
Editorial on the Message
,, "What A Rascal . ;
Untimely '
Practical vs. Ideal
That Bkown Baby
A Nebraska Banker on Asset Currency
Keep Cool
Synopsis of the President's Message
Comment on Current Topics
Home Department
"Whether Common or Not
News of tub Week
if
WHAT A RASCAL!'
The New York authorities recently discov
ered that an eighteen-year-old boy had cleared
$10,000 by the organization of a corporation based
on wind. The Napoleons of finance in Wall Street
stood aghast at the lad's wickedness while the
"captains-of 4ndustryi.'-demanded-that-the-youth-be
prosecuted. In this connection a story printed
by the Kansas City Journal will prove of interest
"Well, sir?" said the great lawyer.
The visitor spoke tremulously.
"I am a defaulter," he said, "and I want you
to defend me."
The other. shook him by the hand. "Certain
ly I will defend you, ray: friend," he murmured,
kindly. ''And how many hundred thousand did
you say ",
"Hundred thousand?" the client interrupted. .
"Oh, sir, don't think me worse than I am. It is '
only $490 In all, and I expect to pay back every
cent before I die."
"George," he said to the office boy, "show
this dishonest rascal out."
JJJ
UNTIMELY
The New York World seems broken-hearted
because New York's representation in the United
States senate compares so poorly with that of
other states. . Concerning Piatt and Depew, the
New York World says that neither is capable of
performing the duties of a senator; that neither
is fit to sit in the congress of the United States.
It is very like the World to make such a protest
at this time. If the World had but served its
country as faithfully when campaigns are on as
it does after election day, there would be no
Platts or Depews posing as representatives of the
Empire state in the United States senate.
JJJ
NO FEDERAL INCORPORATION
Judge Grosscup thinks that our corporations
ought to be reorganized. That is all right. Some
of them need reorganization and a squeezing out
of the water but the public must beware of a re
organization that permits the Incorporation of in
dustrial enterprises-by the federal government.
It is one thing for the federal- government to
protect Interstate commerce from the trusts; it is
quite a different thing to organize interstate cor
porations that will be superior to state laws and
state courts.
JJJ
KEEP COOL
Another New York woman claims that she,
rather than the author of a much discussed and
recently published book, was the first to advocate
fc, the "trial marriage" system.
weu. merep. no neea w "" "-"'
it; It Is" not of "any particular credit to any one.
BITE BIGGER"
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ADAPTED FROM A FAMILIAR PICTURE
Comment on the Message
The president's message, just sent to con
gress, may well be regarded as his most impor
tant state paper. It contains much that is demo
cratic and for which the general public may well
thank him. It contains some things that ought
to arouse severe criticism. The president boldly
appropriates some of the doctrines which the dem
ocrats have been advocating, and on the other
hand he announces some doctrines which are so
absurd as to excite amusement if the suggestions
came from a less prominent source. In some
cases he takes advanced ground; in some cases
he retreats from ground already taken.
Take, for instance,- his Recommendation in
regard to campaign funds. . He urges the passage
of a law which wijl make it a criminal offense
for any corporation to contribute to any campaign
fund. In this suggestion he is entirely right. The
directors of corporations handle money of stock
holders, and as the corporation is not organized
for a political purpose, the directors have no legal
right to divert funds which they hold in trust to
the advancement of their own political views. But
the president does not stop there.
As to Individual contributions, he virtually
recedes from the position taken In a former mes
sage. He says: "Let individuals contribute as
they desire; but let us prohibit in effective fashion
all corporations, etc." He is on record as Insist
ing upon publicity as to individual contributions;
why surrender that contention? While it is emi
nently proper that corporations should be for
bidden to contribute, it Is also important that the
contributions made by individuals should be
known. After the recent election in New York
the published reports of the committees showed
that Morgan, Rockefeller, Carnegie and others
contributed large amounts to the republican cam
paign fund. It is important that these contribu
tions should be known, and it is still more im
portant that they should be known before the
election. The democrats in congress, while sup
pprting the president's recommendation in favor
of the prohibition of corporate contributions,
should insist that the committee reports should
disclose the contributors of all considerable
amounts and that the disclosures should be made
at least ten days before the close of the cam
paign in order that the public may see on which
side large contributions are being made, for the
public will then know from which side the trust
magnates and high financiers expect to receive
favors. It is not necessary that the names of
small contributors shall be given, for when a
man gives a few dollars to a campaign fund, It
may be assumed that he gives It because ho
shares in a general interest, but when men give
large sums, it is quite certain that they expect
some definite return in the way of privilege or
favoritism.
The president asks for a law conferring upon
the government the right of appeal in criminal
cases where disputed questions of law are in
volved. In this the president is right. Whilo
such appeal can not affect that particular case, It
can secure a decision which will be a guide In
future cases.
The president says: "The government has
now definitely begun a policy of resorting to the
criminal law in those trust and Interstate com
merce cases where such a course offers a reason
able chance of success." This is a confession
that for many years the government did not re
sort to the criminal law in trust cases. It is
encouraging to know that a reform has been in
stituted, and the public will watch the effect of
the experiment which the president now com
mends In deterring the trust magnates. This is
a democratic position, and the president in taking
the step Is following democratic advice. If th(
doctrine of equality before the law is to be tht
doctrine of the land, there must he ho besitanc
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