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VOLUME 7, NUMBER-15
ill I'ljiii itflfffiTf ftny,,. . ,wiJih
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heavy discounts, while they- chargo monopoly
prices fit liomo.
Matches under n tariff have Increased 50 per
cent nor gross.
A duty of 15 j)or cent was BUfllclont to build up
the great Paper Bag Trust, yet the McKlnley bill
gave tliem a 25 per cent duty.
The Plate Glass Trust was protected by a duly
of 100 per cent, and although the cost of manu
facture steadily declined, the American consumer
paid the trust $10,000,000 In one year for plate
glass more than it could have been purchased
abroad for.
The great Starch and Dextrine Trust had Its
Interests assured by the McKlnley tariff, and after
this advanced Its price of lump starch 20 per ton.
The tariff of 25 per cent on watches was re
tained and the American still pays 25 per cent
more for a similar watch than a foreigner.
The tariff on wood scrows allows the Wood
Screw Trust to yell Its wares at ,'JO per cent moro
to Americans tlinu to foreigners.
These are but a few Instances from many that
might bo cited. Practically every protected In
dustry under the present high tariff laws has
raised prices and Is selling abroad at a far less
price than Is charged at home. It may bo good
politics, but It Is bad patriotism that our republi
can friends are playing by refusing to revise tho
tariff.
WILLIS J. ABBOTT.
The Commoner.
shortage. I think It bears out the prevailing Im
pression hero that tho present deplorable condition
of tho freight traffic Is a deliberate act of retalia
tion on tho people for asking relief from the rufl
road oppression. To the lay mind tbo Northern N
Pad lie and Giteat Northern arc not moving .s
much freight In a given time as they did a year
ago; tho big crop of 1905 was moved much faster . .
than tho small crop of 1000. Five montlis have
passed and only a small fraction of the crop is
moved; lots of wheat still piled on tho platforms.
It looks as If we would find part of last year's
crop In the warehouses when wheat hauling comos
again. The high price of railroad stock gives tho
Ho to tho argument that the Investor is afraid of
the government. Mr. Hill seems to be under tho
impression that If he starves and freezes some of
tho people to death tbo rest will be glad to keep
quiet and mind their own business.
Letters From the People
P. B. West, pastor Congregational church, Mag
nolia, la. -I notice In last week's Issue of your
paper a reference to the American Bible society ns"
a member of the Bible Trust. .1 think you are en
tirely mistaken as to tho society, and also tho
London Bible society. Tho American Biblo so
doty is pledged to sell all its publications at cost
of production. It Is supported by the charitable
contributions of all evangelical churches in tills
country and makes grants of books In over 1Q0
different languages to tho missionary societies of
tho different churches. Any of tho Presbyterian
or Congregational ministers In Lincoln can set you
right on this matter I hate trusts, but I love tho
old Biblo society Cor what it. hasjjfp.no. As an
agent of ihrtf voow.y -yttwiVn. young man I gave
away several hundred dollars worth of Blblos to
destitute people.
L. A. Ilaydock, Mourovla, Cal.I for one do
not have any faith in Mr. Roosevelt's promises,
lie Is what ball players would call a grandstand
player playing for the third tirao and. more if he
can got the third term. It seems to me that tho
only relief tho people can get Is to follow some
what the advice of Gov. Hoke Smith of Georgia in
his speech at Atlanta. Lot tho people of the state
build one and light the railroad corporation with
It. I am an orango grower in this county (Los
Angeles), and If there is any one who feels the
grip of tho railroads the orange grower does.
D. B. Stewart, Anchor, 111. The crisis is fast
approaching. The treasurer of the United States
by laws of tills republic loans the revenues with
out interest of the. United States, said revenues
extorted from the citizens of the United States
to fostered banks of this republic on depreciat
ing railroad bonds as securities, same raonevs
to be loaned by the banks, thereby enhancing their
profits at exorbitant interest to prevent railroad
securities held by the government from depre
ciating. It reminds one of the Individual who en
deavored to lift himself by the strops of his
W. H. T. Wakoilold, Mound City, Kans. In
your issue of March 8 on second page, under tho
title, "Muzzled," you ask by what authority Mr.
Shallenborgor muzzles postal clerks in reference to
railroad accidents. If that staunch republican pa
per, the Chicago Tribune, told tho truth in .n
editorial about two years ago Mr. Shallonbarger
docs It by authority of tho Pennsylvania railroad.
Tho Tribune, In berating Mark Ilahna for having
sold most, of the cabinet and other appointments
in 1890 to corporations In return for large cam
paign contributions said: "Tho Pennsylvania rail
road made a contribution of $350,000 on condition
that Its vice president and general attorney, Mr;
ShoUenbargor be appointed second assistant post
master general, tho oillcor who has tho letting of
railway mall contracts."
The Tribune further intimated that Mr. S. had
largely In dated the Pennsylvania road's contract
so that the road was soon re-couped for its con
tribution. On same page next article you ac
cuse tho republican party of claiming Lincoln as
its patron saint, wherein you do It an injustice.
It does claim Alexander Hamilton as its patron
saint, which It has a right to do. Within the last
few years I havo heard at least three prominent
republican orators so declare, but don't think I
heard one mention Lincoln's name In the last ten
years. The largo number of republican organiza
tions under the name of "Hamilton Club," notably
tho one in Chicago containing forty millionaires,
and the absence of any of note entitled Lincoln
Club seems to settle this. Hamilton was a mon
archist, did not believe in "consent of tho gov
erned" idea, but did say that government was the
business of the rich and well boni, hence ho is
an ideal patron saint for tho party.
i mi
Jacob B. Coates, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia,
Pa.Tho time is ripe to come out squarely and
sound the true democratic nresidnntini mmnnim
cry, Government Control of Banking System aud
Railroads. Without the entire control of tho above
in the hands of our representatives, It is useless
to talk about the preservation of this nnttrm o
republic, as money is sovereign, and there will bo
,no lasting peace to our people until this bo accomplished.
P. A. B.f Owosso, Mich. I have just read
Governor Smith's Atlanta speech on the control
"-ofTallronds in your Issue of March il 1 HvlTtliis
speech could bo put in pircular form and placed.
In the hands of cveiy railroad emplovc in this
country. When wo stop to think of the thousands
and hundreds of thousands of men in tho employ
?n,. L" ffcr?nt rnllron(ls slftvillS ves out
foi just barely enough to keep soul and body to-
' Kfw', T ?'! llolp but sk lt Is wrong
with the head of a government which will allow
such a condition of affairs to exist; SG,500,000,000
oyer eap tallzed? Great Censor's Ghost! just think
of It, and here wo (I am one of them) are working
our lives out to pay interest on this amount of
money which does not exist and make It possible
for a lot of nock-knoed, cigarette sucking dudes
to while away their precious time In some for
eign country giving $30,000 suppers. I would
suggest that every man In the railroad service write
President Roosevelt a personal letter before ho is
ten hours older and ask him to insist on a strict
nvo ce of all railroad properties and their bonded
indebtedness reduced to their actual values and
nmm?r0; Why sl,ollld a raill that coste one
million dollars to build and equip be bonded to?
seven to ton million and then the employes of th?t
road bo forced to live on skimmed milk in order
to pay interest on seven or eight million more
than the road actually cost? This is the condition
of affairs exactly every railroad in this country
, Is stocked or bonded any where for from five to
ten times what it cost. Knock these fictitious
values galley west, Mr. President, and you will
l?1!? t1bgi.b?cklng of 0VGl'-v b01lest citizen of these
United States.
W. Irving Jayno, Edwall, Wash. I send you
articlo written by J. J. Hill, relating to the car
Oklahoma s Constitution
Alva, Okln. To The Commoner.: The democ
racy of Oklahoma is again placed under obliga
tions to Tho Commoner for Its generous defense
of the members of our constitutional convention
contained In its issue of tho 5th Inst.
It is true that tho convention was not made
up of Platts, Depows, Aldrlches or Boots and
that this class of gentry would unquestionably
speak of the lawyers who guided -the destiny of
our state In tho formation of the constitution as
"cornfield lawyers," but it can be said with equol
truthfulness, that no man anywhere, not oven the
partisan press of the territory, state or nation has
accused this convention of being dominated in the
remotest degree by the trusts or railroad Interests
of this, nation nor of any special Interest within
the two territories. In tills age of universal graft
It is almost impossible to realize that ft Is" really a
fact that a bOfly'o'f one hundred and twelve, men
were called together to deal with the. destinies of
two millions of people, and with the interests and
existence in the future of the commercial lffe of
the state and nation, so far jis it concerned Okla
homa, and that no taint of corruption attached to
. tlmt body nor to any member of it. Yet this fs
the amazing fact
The constitution will bo a model for other
states for years to come. Among tho things which
it provides for Is a corporation commission with
full visltoiial and Inquisitorial powers over every
corporation, foreign or domestic, doing business lli
the state. It makes the giving or the acceptance
of a free pass or the contribution of money by a
corporation for political purposes, criminal. It
provides for a two-cent passenger rate without ref
erence to the distance travelled, and every foreign
or domestic corporation doing business in the state
is required to agree that it will submit to the
state board of arbitration any and all differences
between itself and its laborers. Eight hours con
stitutes a legal day's work. .Contracting of con--vict
labor and the employment of children under
the age of fifteen years are prohibited. The right
of the state and every municipal corporation to
engage, in any business enterprise is reserved,;
thereby protecting the people from the rapacity
of trusts, and relieving them of ever Uelng placed
in a position in which Kansas found herself when
seeking to establish a state oil refinery. The leg
islature is authorized to establish a public printing
plant with an elective state printer.- All the offi
cers of the state including the corporation com
mission and members of the different boards are
made elective by the people, even to the clerk of
the supreme court. Liberal exemptions are pro
vided. The Initiative and referendum was adopt
ed, and it is mandatory upon the legislature to
provide for mandatory primaries J!pr the nomina
tion of all state officers, and providing tor the
election of the United States senators by the di
rect vote of the people as soon as the federal lawsi
will permit. -
It is a modern, up-to-date constitution and car
ries out practically without an exception the' -pledges
in the platforms on which the delegates
were elected. It will bo ratified overwhelmingly;
Thp, convention has-, provided two easy methods a
for .the amendments- the constitution;" firstly the "
legislature, and secondly, on the fifteen per cent-1 "'
initiatory petition. The convention was not"
afraid to trustMho people. It was democratic."
It was not written at the dictation of either the
carpet-bagger, the grafter, or the monopolist, and
of course, does not pleaso these classes, but the
honest farmer, tradesman and professional man
in state and nation will road this document and
recognize a modern declaration of independence.
. This brief resume is written for the sole pur
P3ose of asking all to reserve judgment until they
can road the document itself.
JESSE J. DUNN.?-
New York's Peace Conference
The following is from the Associated Press rp
port: . "
The first convention of the national arbitra
tion and peace conference ended after a three
days' session with two large 'banquets, one at the
Hotel Astor and the other at the Waldorf-Astoria
The event of greatest interest was the decoration'
of Andrew Carnegie with the cross of the legion
of honor by the French government represented
by Baron d'Estournelles do Constant in apprecia
tion of ills work for peace and his gift of the pal-
Uce.at;rhe Hale- Mr- Carnegie, who is presi
dent of the congress, tonight, gave out a statement
as to the results of the congress. Although not
so designated by Mr. Carnegie, the statement con
stitutes a reply to some of the suggestions con
tained in the letter which President Roosevelt ad-
dressed to tho concn-nsn nn tim t
Mr. Carnegie quotes these statements as "ob-
V.-T ' iivio uikuj us loiiowst
Our peace conference has brought objections
clearly before us: J UM"S ,
nrWnn SUbmit " HKt!onfl tO
"Answer Six of them have recently-done rio "'
Denmark and the Netherlands, Chile and tte Ar
gentines, Norway and Sweden.
"Second Justice is higher than peace
"Ahswer-Tho fiust principle .of natural justice ' '
forbids men to be judges when they are parS to
dvmzeT 'Jtuf rests upou m ; tttthi . -
"Were a- judge known to sit 'upon a case W
which, he was secretly interested ho wuld bf di?-i "
01)hir2n VMS, trom hls h!gh 3SS.
Ihird-It is neither peace nor justice, bu4 -
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