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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1907)
Wf The Commoner. 3' JUNE 7, 1907 wppppwppflK roads. While there are several sentences which indicate that he was still studying the question there is no doubt that at that time ho looked at the question from the standpoint of the trust and sympathized with the trusts rather than with those who were endeavoring to extermint them. At that time it was argued in Mr. Bona parte's behalf that a groat change had taken place in the minds of many on the trust ques tion, and he was reported as haying changed his views. Republican editors were very indignant bo cause of the intimation that Mr. Bonaparte might not be enthusiastic on the trust question. But a change has now come over the spirit of their dreams and from republican quarters comes the charge that Mr. Bonaparte is a do nothing so far as the trusts are concerned; that he is not in harmony with the president's anti r monopoly policy; and that he spends" most of the time he should be giving to his official duties at his Baltimore homo. It is plain now to some people who could not see it before, that it is somewhat difficult to make a militant anti-monopolist out of one whose early environment has been such as to enable him to see "a good side" to the tendency toward monopoly and to bring him to the con clusion that regulation or restraint of trusts is not desirable. oooo . CONCERNING CHILD LABOR. President VanCleavo of the National Manu facturers' association is evidently not in sym pathy with the efforts to secure the enactment and enforcement of adequate laws against child, labor. At "the annual meeting of the association in New York on May 21 President VanCleave said: "There has been an increase, of course, since 1,900, but most of the lamentations on this subject are extravagances or dis tortions, and are based on ignorance or mendacity. For much of this child labor the greedy, shiftless, selfish parents are as responsible as are the employers. Rightly conducted, and so long as it does not inter fere with their proper education, work benefits children, as it does adults. I favor the employment of children of the proper age, and under proper sanitary conditions. The latter restriction would apply also to the employment of women." It is true that greedy, shiftless parents are often responsible for the evil of child labor. It also is true that necessity is sometimes respon sible. And where shiftless parents and neces sity are not responsible, the greedy employer is. Surely Mr. VanCleave would not leave the solu tion of the problem to either the shiftless par ent or the greedy employer. That would only intensify the evil. Because of this earnest men and women whb are thinking more -of a higher standard of citizenship than they are of more bloodstained dollars, are putting up the bars against the shiftless parents and greedy em ployers who would exploit child labor at the expense of manhood and womanhood and good citizenship. Mr. VanCJeave is also violently opposed to trades unionism and declares for the "open shop, ,no boycott, no limitation of the number of apprentices, no limitation of output, no die- tation by labor unions as-to the manner in which employers shall manage their business." In view of the fact that the trades unions1 have been foremost in fighting the evils of child slavery it is not difficult to understand why the president of the National Manufacturers' asso ciation is so violently opposed to trades unionism. - OOOO r. ,. , : CANDID . .. , In. a. burst of candor, the New York World, says: " "Evidently tjie democratic, party can never be taken .out o the 4hands of the. popu lists and semi-socialists and re,-ratioualized until means can be found for gauging the Wall Street democrats and tying them hand and foot. They, are incapable of .understanding the political aver sion and contempt with which they are regarded throughout the country. They can not realize that no candidate nominated lor president by their efforts could survive the handicap. Noth ing contributed more to the political destruction of J'udge Parker than the active support of the RyanrBelmont element. - Their favorwould un dermine anybody. Their negative influence is all but overwhelming." But the democratic party was taken out of the hands of- what the World calls 'ithe popu lists and semi-socialists" in 1904, and the World- has described the results of that "re-rationalization" by tho term "political destruction." Tho, World is to oe congratulated because of its dis covery of tho overwhelming character of tho negative influenco exercised by what the World also calls "Wall street democrats." Tho World would make further progress if it could bo made to understand that the great body of democrats who aro demanding that their party shall, in all seriousness and sincerity, stand for tho pub lic interests, aro neither "populists" nor ''semi socialists," but are, in truth, thoroughgoing democrats upon whoso good efforts must depend the salvation of our country from the radicalism of the republican party on the one hand and tho radicalism of the socialist party on the other. OOOO NOT "IMPRESSIVE" V The Wall Street Journal says: "The: fate ' of- the insurance officials whose delinquencies were exposed in the great investigation con ducted by Governor Hughes is an impressive warning to all trustees of other people's monoy who may be tempted into paths of speculation and manipulation. Exile, disgrace and indict ment have been their portion." Let us see. McCurdy and Hyde are in exile, McCall died in disgrace, several indictments have been returned against obscure officials and clerks, while tho insurance business .continues . in the hands of men who manipulate it for per gonal, profit. Certainly there is no very "im-' . pressive warning" in a situation where the man , to whose political committee thousands .pf Tlol1-' lars of ' these trust funds were traced - is pro moted to be secretary of the treasury. oooo EVEN IF FICTION The New York Evening Post pokes fun at Story Writer Roborts beqause of a tale en titled, "The Decoy." The Evening Post says: "This story is' about a wild goose, which a hun ter .had crippled by breaking its- wing, and then tethered in a jiond as a stool for other geese. The innocent decoy played his part perfectly until he discovered what It really was, and then he yery righteously struck, "and refused to longer perpetrate the base and murderous de ception upon hjs fellow-geese. 'Mr. Roberts de clare that tho goos,e story is "true, and intimates, that he knew this particular' goose personally." If this goose story is not a true ,one it ought to be; and even though fiction it ought to impress its moral on men who proclaim their faith in "the square deal." OOOO BUT NOT ON ELECTION DAY The Ohio State Journal, republican, says: "We need a change in our senatorial representa tion at Washington." ' So much for Foraker and Dick. But that Is just what a great many republican newspapers in 'New York are saying concerning Piatt and Depew;- and It is similap to tho remarks made by" Independent republicans in various other states. . But in spite, of these protests the republi can party continues to send to the United States senate, its Forakers and Dicks, its Platts and Depewsand all too many republicans, who pro test between elections at the impositions put upon them, go to the polls and vote the Foraker and Dick, the Piatt and Depew ticket. OOOO WHAT OHIO NEEDS The Ohio State Journal, a republican paper, says "we need two new men in the United States senate who are positive and outspoken for what President Roosevelt stands." Has the Journal forgotten that it" was the democratic senators whor while the railroad rate bill was pending, '.were "positive and-outspoken for what President Roosevelt .stands?' ' -w What Ohio needs, according to the State' Journal, and what Ohio needs, according to the . record, is representation in the senate by i two tried' and 'true democrats. ' :" - - ' . t ' - We yiolate no confldenqe, either, in, saying that avmajprity of such men, in '.the senate .would be' distinctly Jielpful to the'entire country. OOOO . -. TARIFF REFORM The New York World says that the repub lican national conyentlon "in spite of thee--actionary standpat elements, will declare, -or tariff revision of some kind or another; (and . the World asks, "What will then be left, jo. the democrats?'' f The editor of the World does .not- for- one . moment -believe that any "tariff revision" de claration made by the republican national con vention will mean a rovlslon of tho tariff for tho benofit of public Interests. Whatever fair promiso and oily words the republican national convention may employ thero will still bo loft for tho democrats tlieJ duty of rovfsing tho tariff for the benofit of tho many and tho destruction of tho shelter afforded the trusts. Thero will yet bo loft to tho democrats -tho duty of holding aloft tho genuino banner of tariff reform. It Is strange that with all of Its boasted contempt for buncombe tho Now York World ' imagines that a tariff revision plank adopted by a party deriving its campaign funds from the beneficiaries of, a high protective tariff will command tho respect of tho American people. OOOO SOCIALISM? The Wall Stroot Journal hopes for tho timo' when it will bo truo that "tho individual firm.' will bo lookod upon as tho ombodimont of selfish enterprise and tho corporation bo regarded as' tho representative o collective morality." "Will riot this drive the Journal from polite society? Is it preaching socialism? ' With tho sentence abovo quoted any veil bred socialist might easily confound tho editor of tho Wall Street Journal. OOOO NO "TIE UP" OF COURSE "' -' There is no "tie up" botween tho Taft andu Fofakor forces in Ohio, according to tho claims " of republican leaders. But it is not denied' that" ' Taft is to bo tho candidate for presidont, For-'"' niter ior senator, and Mr. Harris, tho present ln- ; I .J flirt r cumbent, for governor: and Tft. ifarnirm Vn,r Harris appear to be contont while Boss Cox'is,1 wounug nis nonors graceruily, OOOO GRATIFYING 'The Washington correspondent for PhiladGlnhln PnhHn T.nAtmr eo. tut- u i. -J ..., v,ue,Wi onjo. it HUB UUl escaped attention that Paul Morton went down into Virginia yesterday to urgo tho Virginia democrats to nominato a southern man." Well, Paul Morton has just as much right as General-"' Grosvenor to give advico to democrats; arid ' it must be gratifying to every democrat to know that such disinterested patriots as Morton and Grosvonor show a willingness to select (kg'"' democratic nominoe: ", oooo : I THE NOW ;' The chnnn of love Is Its telling, the telling that goes with tho giving; ' oj ' The cliurm of d;ed 4s its doing; tho charm of lfc . Js its living; Tho soul of the thing is the thought; the charm df"' the net is the actor; The soul of the fact Is its truth, and the Now is Its principal factor. The world loves the Now and the Nowlst, and tests all assumptions with rigor, : ..-. It looks not behind ltto failing, but forwardJ.to ; ardor and vigor; .: ,iw;. It cares not for heroes who faltered, for martyrs' who hustled and recanted, ,l$ Fcr pictures that never were painted, forbarvestJj- that- never were planted. Gi The world does-not care for a fragrance that never is lost in performing, The world does' not care for the blossoms that": - never. Is lost in perfuming, ,- r Tho world does not enre for the chimes remaining - mining., by the ringer, The world does not? care for the songs unsun'g in the Soul of the singer. What use to mankind is a purpose that never shone forth In a doer? " . What use has the world for a loving that never had winner nor wooer? .. The motives, the hopes' and the' schemes that have - ended in idle conclusions, . Are buried along with the failures, that come' in a'llfe of illusions. " ; Away -with 'ili'e flimsy idea that life with a pasT" , is attended; 'Jft l There's Nbw-'-only Now, and no Past- UierVf , never a past; It has "ended; . ' : Away with its obsolete story, and all of its yes- tqrday sorrow; " '" , There's only toduy, almost gone, and in, front of. - today stands tomorrow, ,.'-v And hopes that are quenchless are sentjs .like loans from a generous lender, '',jc Enriching us all in our efforts, yet- making 'io poorer the sender; ' : Lightening all of ouu. labors, and thrilling-us ever and ever , With the ecstasy of,, success", and Jhe raptures' of -present endeavor. X '-' . ' r . Eugene F. Ware.- :- ! I 1 0 1 M i J ' I 1 it' H lAtt-Ato