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JUNE,?, 1117'
" The Commoner,
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ceeda that Presidential candidate in weight by
forty pounds.
Mr. Taft says: "No man can win the next
election who does not favor changes In the
tariff. . Sentiment is growing in favor
of a revision of the tariff in the republican, party,
and in the near future members of the party
doubtless will be able to agree upon a reason
able plan." As a result of thiB stirring declara
tion Mr. Taft is heralded as a tariff revisionist,
and within twenty-four hours several newspa
pers have In cartoons depicted him in most
heroic attitudes as hauling up the 'flag of tariff
revision, while such unhappy "standpatters" as
Fairbanks, Gannon, Forakor and Shaw, are de-
lineated in the background in attitudes express
ing terror and despair.
As a matter of fact there never has been
a time when prospective candidates for the re
publican presidential nomination were not in
favor of "just and wise revision of the tariff
schedules." Even Mr. McKinley, staunchest of
the protectionists, admitted that some revision
was necessary. Mr. Roosevelt, who is now de- .
scribed as having forced this declaration upon
Taft, has been a nominal low tariff man all
his life. But curiously enough as quick as these
statesmen who cater to the tariff revision senti
ment get into office they find that the time for
revision has not yet arrived. Mr. Roosevelt has
been president for nearly two terms, and not
withstanding his long academic advocacy of
tariff revision not only failed to accomplish any
thing in that direction, but has never even urged
it. In Mr. McKinley's brief second term he .was
content to say that the tariff should be revised,
but only by its. friends. Naturally its revision
thus far has been to make it higher.
The interesting feature, however, of Secre
tary Taft's utterance is that it indicates that the
president, who is so strenuously pushing him
for the succession, recognizes the growing
strength of the tariff revision sentiment. An
inspired article in a local paper devoted to
Roosevelt and Rooseveltism contains this par
agraph: ' "If Speaker Cannon, Senator Knox and
Vice President Fairbanks wish to be known as
chiefs of the standpatters in the next conven
: tion, and stand for high protection in the repub
lican party,, they are welcome to all the
strength it will bring them, for all the secre
tary of war cares. He is for revision, and cares
not who knows itj and evidently he believes
it is the winning card in the game he. is now
playing under the brilliant coaching of Presi
dent Roosevelt. . There is a distinct sentiment
looking to tariff reform in New England. The
northwestern and western states, where the
farmers are struggling against the oppression
of the protected lumber and other trusts, like
wise are clamoring for relief of some sort."
It seems reasonable, however, that the vot
ers of the country will inquire of the devoted
followers of Taft, and even of his brilliant coach,
why nothing has been done in the so-called
Roosevelt congress just adjojirned and nothing
is promised from the Sixtieth congress, which
Will meet next winter and in which the repub
licans af e almost equally dominant.
WILLId J." ABBOTT.
Letters From the People
E. D. O., Wallace, W. Va. Will sofiteone
please answer? The last Easter Sunday closed
on the last second of the last minute of the last
hour of the first day of the last week of last
March. In what year did this occur before?
J. S. Hungate, Foss, Okla. The principles
for which W. J. Bryan has so ably contended,
appear to grow in favor among thepeople. This
is gratifying to democrats who scorn any politi
cal advantage which is obtained at the-cost of
vital theories of government. Yet the monstrous
disadvantages under which we- labor would be
depressing were it not that we are sustained by
a faith in the intelligence and patriotism of
Americans, justified by past history.
J. L. G., Greenville, O. The enclosed con
sular report should, be published far and wide.
It is a vindication of silver as a money metal,
demonetized and' legislated against by nearly the
whole world, the commercial necessities of the
people of all countries, are causing competition
for silver, for coinage as money. There is not
enough gold and'silver combined for the mone
tary needs of the world. The demonitization of
silver was merely the criminal use of legislation
to upset prices. In the Orient where the wages
average possibly ten cents gold per day it is
readily to be understood that a Hindoo laborer,
for instance, has a very slight chance of obtain
ing a five dollar gold piece and if he does it
would bo of no ui to him until he had it
changed into small silver pieces. It is said paper
money will not circulate among tho'so people.
Consul General Michael says "this incroaso may
be asoribed to the activity of trade," The prob
abilities are that the activities of trade can bo
ascribed to the great increase in the circulating
medium. If the Wall Street so-called financiers
will leave the money of the country alone, and
congress will defeat asset currency and no re
duction Is made in the circulating medium under
the Aldrich law the people will take care of
prosperity, but this law was passed for a slnster
purpose. It Is well for all students of the mon
ey question to keep well out of debt as the 'nine
million dollar reductlpn per month is undoubted
ly intended to bo used to make the people con
sent to the wildcat currency scheme. What a
fall for the advocates of sound money! A re
port from Consul General Michael states that
India has been importing large amounts of sil
ver. He says: "In 1905 the total amount sent
to India for circulation was $37,500,000 and for
1906 up to September 27, the amount was $62,-500,000.-
This increase may bo ascribed to the
activity of trade. It is'warthy of note that India
absorbed about one-half of the 1905 total pro
duction of silver. She used more silver than the
United States produced, nearly 59j0ft0,000
ounces. When it is considered that India takes
half of the total output, which is 170,000,000
ounces, and that 60,000,000 ounces are used, in
the arts, It is not surprising that the remainder
of 25,000,000 ounces for the monetary supply
of the world has nearly doubled in price within
a comparatively short space of time. India will
cpntinue to require more and more silver as the
trade increases, and if the needs of China and
other silver-using countries also increase their
demand, where will the increase in price of sil
ver stop? India produces no silver and must
depend on the mines of other countries for this
metal, and the fact that she absorbs so large
a portion of the total output makes her an im
portant factor, in any consideration of the future
of silver."
G. B. H., Sewell, N. J. The mysterious
"alchemy" of republican politics is indeed hard
to solve. In t$$ late .presidential election, ac
cording to republican editors, there were no
"trusts;" they were only beneficient combina
tions formed for the benefit of the consumer, by
reducing prices, etc. Abolish the tariff on oils,
tin, etc., and you will do more to "bust" the
trusts than all other legislation combined. Since
the turpentine trust (Standard Oil) was fined
$30,000 the price of turpentine has been ad
vanced to 77 cents per gallon, the highest price
ever recorded in this country. The result Is
many manufacturers are using cheap substitutes
and the consumer is being cheated in the quality
of the goods. The walls behind which the
trusts are barricading- themselves by virtue of
the high tariff will crumble very soon, when the
tariff is taken, off and I -know many dealers in
hardware and other lines who have been forced
to that belief recently.
A Commoner Reader, Wllkinsburg, Pa.
In response to the proposal of John J. in your
issue of the 8th inst. that Commoner readers
form an association, I wish to say that I am
heartily in favor of this idea, I am convinced
that much good could be accomplished by the
united action of such a company of thinkers as
this would bring together in any community,
as the aim of such an association would be to
co-operate for the preservation of popular gov
ernment and the bringing of it nearer to the
people. In order to test the feasibility of bring
ing these good pebple together I wish to sug
gest that those who are favorable to such an
Idea so express themselves in a letter addressed
Commoner Reader Box 3 05, Pittsburg, Pa.
Commoner readers throughout the state of
Pennsylvania can be brought together if they
will write to the same address. As fast as names .
are. received the parties will be communicated
with and arrangements mada for a meeting so
that officers can be chosen.
Charles F. Fenwick, Greenwood, Texas.
As I am young in forming political truths, I have
aiheory I wish you jto pass judgment upon. It'
is regarding "the present banking system. At
present the different states have rates of inter
est' laws ranging from 6 per cent to 10 per cent.
Could not, by government control of these banks,
the rate of interest be reduced by floating bonds. .
Our government gets face value plus a premium,
at a low rate of interest on all bonds issued. At
a small rate of interest our gqvernment could
capitalize any bank. Thon loan tho monoy at
a sufficient rato above tho rato paid on tho mon
ed borrowed to in a given tlrno pay tho loan
plus bank clerk hire, etc. For Instanco, whefo
now borrowers pay 12 por cent to 15 per cent
sometimes In Texas 18 por cent by government
control could got tho, samo monoy from 5 por
cent to 8 por cent. I wish you would consider
this If worth considering. Pleaso Insert In Tho
Commoner so fair minded pcoplo can think
over it.
F. S. Koysmith, Washington, TT C.rTho
claim made by tho railroads as recontly statod
in tho press, that tho laws of cortain rou thorn
states passed with a view of expediting tho de
livery of freight within their bordors aro in
conflict with tho constitution of tho United
States in interfering, with tho interstate com
merce because, the railroads in complying with
theso laws havo to nogloct tho moving of inter
state commerce and likewise that rates on Intra
state traffic have been mado so low in some
states that tho rates on interstate freight will
havo, to bo advanced to mako up for tho losses,
aro propositions too absurd to deserve serious
consideration. It is a woll sottlod rule of law
that a person in tho exorcise of a lawful right
can not cause injury to another, bolng what tho
law calls damnum absque do injuria, which
translated Is damage without Injury. If this bo
so of persons it is most certainly so of a
stato legislating within its own bordors for tlip ,
reasonablo protection of its citizens, especially ,
when, as in tho present case, tho cause of such-,
damage would in all probability, if tho true
situation wore known, bo attributable dlroctly to
the selfish wrongdoings of tho parties complain
ant instead of any inherent evil in such laws. ,
Such a doctrlno as the railroads would wish
to establish is contrary to all the settled ifrin-,
ciples of jurisprudence from tho remotest times
and is no less than another attempt on tho part
of a body of men, who havo succeeded by their .
intrigues in stifling the life of trado and killing
competition for their own private gain, to now,
for the same benefit, throttle tho legislature and
jurisprudence of tho country. The beautiful
lines of tho late Hon. John Hay, secretary .of,
state, may woll, in this present crisis, bo the.
prayer of the people:
Thy will! It bids tho wcakbo strong; . li bl'ds,
the strong be Just; " ' &"
No lips to fawn, no hand to bog, no browto seek,
the dust. . ' -i
Whenever man oppresses mcn beneath tho
liberal sun,
Oh! Lord, be there! Thine arm mado baro,
Thy righteous will bo done."
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