1
3
APRIL 12, 1007
,
out of .the pockets-of tho people,' for tlio lobbyist
is present to enforce bis claim while tbe peoplemre
far away, .and usually unsuspicious. Unsusplclv
ous? Yes, but, heir confidence when once forfeited
is bard to regain. An official bonor Is in sacred
ncss next to a woman's virtue and no one holding
a public office can afford to allow the slightest
suspicion to rest upon him. To no one more than
to the statesman does the proverb apply "A good
name is rather to bo chosen than great riches and
loving favor rather than silver and gold." If one
is willing to become a grafter be can make money
out of politics. Every senator can become rich if
he will only sell his soul, and the opportunities of
a congressman arc but little less in the end, how
over, it is disgrace and humiliation. In state leg
islation the field is more limited, but in most of
tho states there is a chance for the conscienceless
to barter away their honor. Tho science of gov
ernment is a noble science and office-holding is an
honorable service, provided the service is per
formed with an eye single to the public weal.
Tho firgt lesson for the official to learn is that
no man can serve two masters. This is not only
Bible doctrine but it is founded on human nature.
To ignore it is to disregard all experience as woll
as Iloly Writ. One is himself deceived or-is a
deceiver if he attempts to serve both the public
and the beneficiaries of special legislation do-
ceived if he thirties be can be faithful todioth and
a deceiver if ha accepts money from both knowing
that he must be false to one.
t is often said that every question has, two
sides but it is not true of this question. A man
is lacking in either intelligence or honesty (or both)
who defends the acceptance by public servants
of employment from those whose interests are ad
verse to the -interests of the public.
No legislator, need be led astray. There is a
test which be can apply and by this test he can
safely abide. He should not accept employment
from any one unless he is willing to announce tba
employment and the fee immediately in the papers
of his state or district.
"Our congressman, Mr. , finding that
bis special work does not occupy all his time, has
accepted the offer of the Consolidated Watered
Stock Railroad to act as its Washington counsel.
He is to receive ten thousand per year and his
constituents will bo pleased to know that he will
not allow his connection with this corporation to
lessen his zeal for the regulation of railroads."
How would this read in a country weekly to a
man who was dismissed from a jury because he
was pecuniary interested in the result of a suit? .
Or suppose tho notice read: "Senator 's
friends will bo pleased to know that he has se
cured a position as contract-drawer for the Grab
All Trust at an annual salary of twenty-five thou
sand. Tho senator is chairman of the committee
which is considering several anti-trust measures,
but it was his legal ability and not his official posi
tion which brought him tills bit of prosperity."
What congressman or senator would like to
have such a notice published? And yet why should
a public servant conceal from his constituents
facts which would affect their judgment of him?
He is their representative and is guilty of on em
bezzlement of authority if he makes money by
using his position against their interests. If we
are to have good government we must have lion
est and conscientious officials, and such officials
do not fear publicity their lives are an open book.
With a conscience "void of offense toward God
and man" they work faithfully in the day time
and sleep soundly at night. No fears haunt them
and no blackmailer can levy tribute upon them.
Honored while they live and mourned when they
die they leave to their children an inheritance
more, valuable, than a fortune the good will of
a community and the inspiration of an upright
life.
oooo
TWO CENTS IN NEBRASKA
If any reader of The Commoner has occasion
to visit Nebraska he should be careful to buy to
tho state line olily and their purchase a local ticket
for the remainder of tho trip. By so doing he can
secure the benefit of the 2-cent rate in Nebraska.
The roads are still charging three cents on through
tickets. ' " ,
OOOO
RUSSIAN REFORM
One of the Russian reformers now visiting in
this country expresses the opinion that Russia will
be a republic within ten years.
He says that bis country was originally a
group of republics arid that local self-government
has always existed among the people Education,
too, is more general than is commonly supposed.
Of the adult population about twenty per cent
can read and write while it is estimated that some
forty per cent of the younger generation can read
and write. When it is remembered that these
Tie Commoner.
figures apply to the total population and- that .1
still larger percentage of tho males are educated
it will be seen that there is an intelligent mass
upon which the go eminent can rest with security.
In Japan less than ten per cent of the adult males
vote and yet no one doubts that Japan has stable
and progressive government and Japan's govern
ment would be stronger if instead of being a con
stitutional monarchy it were a republic.
It may be a surprise to some to learn that
Russia had a religious revolution before her econo-
mic or political revolution began. There are some
fifteen or twenty million dissenters in Unit coun
try and the dissenting ministers are more or loss
identified with the political uprising.
Russia has had a long, dark night but the day
Is breaking.
OOOO
ALDRICH BILL "JOKER"
And now they say that there was "a 111 lie
joker" in the Adricli bill which recently passed
congress. The language of the law providing for
security to be given by banks for government de
posit was as follows:
"Tho secretary of the treasury shall re
quire tho associations designated as doposi- .
tories of public money, to give satisfactory
security by the deposit of United States bonds
and otherwise torjlie safe keeping and prompt
payment of the public money deposited with
them."
Now It has been claimed by the banks that the
words "and otherwise" authorized the treasury
department to accept securities other than govern
ment bonds. At the time of the enactment of Hie
law the people were told that government bonds
alone would be accepted as security for govern
ment deposits. The language of the law above
referred to was not changed by the Aldrlch bill.
But the "little joker" was inserted by tho provis
ion in tho Aldrlch bill requiring an annual report
on tbe first day of January of each year showing
the securities which had been required during that
year for deposits of public money. And referring
to tills provisiqn the Wall Street Journal calmly
tells its readers: "By the passage of the Aldrlch
bill, congress lias made lawful, if there was any
doubt about the legality before, the acceptance by
the secretary of Ihe treasury of other bonds than
those of the United States as security for United
States deposits in national banks."
The Journal says that when Conrad N. Jordan
was treasurer of the United States under the
Cleveland administration he "required the officers
of tho banks in addition to depositing United
States bonds, to give their personal bond for the
security of tho public money deposited in their in
stitutions." The Journal adds:
"If tiie law was construed in. that manner
at the time of its enactment there seems to be
no good reason why It could not also be con
strued In like manner at the present time if
an emergency should arise requiring larger de
posits of public money in national banks at
any point than could be secured by United
States bonds or state, municipal and railway
bonds."
Plainly this means that under the terms of
the Aldrlch bill when it is not convenient for the
bankers to deposit United States bonds thoy may
give state bonds, municipal bonds or railway
bonds, and when itsuits their purpose not to give
any bonds whatever, then the personal notes of
the officers of the bank will be accepted.
The Wall Street Journal printed many edi
torials concerning the Aldrlch bill while that meas
ure woo pending. Why did it not tell its readers
of the "little Joker?" Why did It not tell its read- -ers
that the very men who had laughed to scorn
the populists' sub-treasury proposition, which, as
described by one republican, meant "the loan of '
the public money on bay stacks, bogs and hominy,"
had provided for loaning the public money
without Interest upon the personal notes of na
tional bankers? .
OOOO
A DOUBTFUL.ENDORSEMENT ,
Mr. Carnegie gives the following endorsement
to President Roosevelt: "I absolutely endorse the
presidents, attitude toward the railroads. He is
the best friend they have and they ought to realize
. it. The railroads had better stand with him. If
they do not accept his 'modest measures'they may
be confronted by a man in the White House who
will approach the question of the railroads from
an entirely different standpoint. I regard tho
president's attitude toward the railroads as whola
somc and conservative."
Now- there are two aides to Uie railroad ques
tionthe railroad's side and the people's side. If
Mr. Carnegie speaks for tho railroads and Is sat
isfied with the president's course It would look as
if ho feared that the next president would view tho
railroad from "an entirely different standpoint"--the
standpoint of tbe people. President Roosevelt
may look upon this as a doubtful endorsement.
OOOO
HE MUST BE ALL RIGHT
The Nashville American tells of a Now York
man who was sent to the Insane asylum because
he played tag with the children in the streets.
The American adds that "In New York a man who
recognizes tho existence of children is regardod
as being lame in the head." This Is too severe on
the Now Yorker. - Rut the man who does not love
children, and who does not occasionally unbend
enough to take part in their play, is to a greater
or less extent "lame in the head," as the American
so forcefully, If not elegantly, puts It. If von
never tried playing with your children, or some
body else's children, you have a big Joy coming.
It costs so little to make a child happy, and the
returns on the In vestment are so great, it is a
wonder that more men do not try it.
OOOO
THINK OF THESE THINGS
Those exposed Pennsylvania grafters talk like
men who imagine their ."vested rights" infringed
upon.
Mr. Hnrriman says he Is willing to let tho
people In on the ground floor. Got the hinges of
the trapdoor greased, eh?
It may bo difficult to make remedial logisl'i
iion as deliberate as the exploitation of the public
has beenIt would take too long..
Texas has joined the procession and abolished
the pass. The late Governor Hogg is being vin
dicated in the state which he loved so well and
served so faithfully.
A gambler shot several citizens in Fort Worth
and as a result the Texas legislature drove gam
bling from the slate. It seems to require some
great tragedy to awaken the people to an evil, but
the tragedy at last comes.
Texas has enacted stringent laws against
gambling and the gamblers are leaving the state.
Good for Texas. Now will New York drive out
her stock gamblers? Their business is far more
destructive of public morals.
It is argued that President Roosevelt should
stop talking about railroad regulation because the
railroads object to it. What, are the railway man
agers to be raised to the rank of tbe tariff barons
and the trust magnates and their will made law?
Mrs. Carrie Nation gave a building to the as
sociated charitins of Kansas City some years ago
and now she offe'-s to employnurses for abandoned
children, but she will still be ridiculed by many
who themselves give nothing to help the unfortunate.
Tbe apologists for railway extortion seem to
fear that some laws may be "written in anger."
Well, revelations like those brought out at the
Ilarriman Investigation may have a tendency to
make tho public mad, but why not criticise the
railroad managers?
The railroads of Alabama are endeavoring to
defeat the 2 1 -2-cent passenger rate recently put
into force-In that state. Some good friend ought
to whisper to the R. It. presidents that they are
doing more to arouse an anti-railroad sentiment
tha'n all the agitators.
The republicans seem to be more or less in
fected with the state's rights doctrine themselves.
Taft and Foraker, for instance, are quarrelling
over the Ohio delegation just as If Vice-President
Falrbank's residence In another state excluded
him from consideration.
And now it is the turn of tbe express companies
to be investigated. When the facts are known it
will be found that they are owned by the railroad
managers who turn a part of the railroad earnings
into their own pockets by giving favorable terms
to the express companies.
M
iLii.-lJ9ujk.-- "--' A "' 4 a jl j