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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1907)
Bwwrwi'wfijptqg r"3L3!S313BC ft .ii7 ??t'V;v , ,,. -,,,-.:- 2 The Commoner vi :- y VOLUME, 7i NUMBER 33 -XWrX&f yyv'fr iin '"(fit fMAg 1 , ,n I rj, ,1!' I! '. i , If ti is tho railroad, not the public, that demands the removal of authority to Washington. Tho domocrats can bo depended upon to opiioso with all their might this movement to ward centralization.- If any democrat wavers his constituents should look irito his business re lations and see whether he is under obligations to tho railroads. A Hamiltonian republican, like tho president, may honestly think that the farther the government is removed from tho people tho better it will be, but a Jeffersonfan democrat does not cherish any such delusion. Even tho Hamiltonian republican ought to hesi tato to trust congress with any more power while the United States senators are elected by legislatures. It is fortunate that the people have had an object lesson so recently. The federal law stopped robates and passes, but the railroads make more money than they did before. The states, on the other hand, gave the people a re duction in rates and those who are receiving the benefit of these reductions will be slow to sur render tho advantage thus far gained. It is very doubtful whether the republican congressmen from tho west will dare to support the president's proposition, but if an attempt is made to put such a measure through congress the democrats will stand a good chance of re tiring every western republican who votes for it. Lot the democrats present an unbroken front on this vital proposition. oooo AFTER THE MANNER OF DAVIS" But Mr. Williams should have strongly , qualified that sentence about "thinking after, tho . manner of Calhoun and Davis." It cost th,e country a good deal to settle the falsity of ,the ,'! main phase of that manner of thinking. Mil waukee Sentinel. In the above the Milwaukee Sentinel refers ,, to John Sharp Williams' declaration that Mis sissippi "will have a man in the senate who will at least think upon political subjects after the manner of thought of Calhpun.and Davis, Tilden and Walthall." Arid the Sentinel is very unfor tunate,; in Us comments. It overlooks the fact that the republican party today is- construing ' the Declaration of Independence, Hot as Lincoln construed it, but exactly as Jefferson Davis con- ' stru.ed it. We promise to give to the Filipinos all- the liberty they are capable of enjoying, a .doctrine that Lincoln denounced as the "doctrine of kings." Jefferson Davis construed the Declar- atlon of Independence as having been "written for the benefit of the white men who wrote it, and to be construed "according to the circum- ,! stances under which it was written.'" That-pol- ioyiij. exactly in line, With the present republican administration's policy towards the Filipinos, find the Milwaukee Sentinet supports that ad ministration and endorses that policy. OOOO ". -UK " JEAFT WEAKENS ON REFORM ' ointment to those who expected a clear, bugle noto in favor of reform. There is not a alnlo qositionn n h h tak(iS a Btrons advanced On the railroad question, he is in favor of preventing watered stock, opposes the consoli dation of competing lines and the duplication ' of directorates. So far so good; but ho doeg not advocate the ascertaining of the value of the roads or the reduction of rates, He even de fends the president from the charge of favoring' the reductions made by tho states. The rail roads may object to his rhetorical, denuncia tion of abuses, but they will hardly be scared by his remedies. ttmt ?wTe , tr"st question In" thunders "at. UNLAWFUL trusts, but not only does not recom mend new legislation but takes the position' that a monopoly may not be harmful. He seems to lean toward the idea that it must bo convicted: of some harmful actand this throws the bur den of proof upon the government. Ho recog nizes that "restraint is more difficult" when one corporation swallows up a lot of other corpora tionsthat it involves enormous labor On the 8? ie governraout to prosecute such a com bination because the proof of the gist of the offense lies underneath an almost limitless va riety of transactions" and yet he Is opposed to the licence system which would enable the gov ernment to absolutely prevent a monopoly. In other words, he gives the be'rteftf of' tST doubt JEinia rr:r in3lem oJ.-toi.thQ people. -He but he uses so many qualifying words that one is left in doubt as to what he really favors. After submitting an argument in support of an inheritance tax and a graduated income tax, ho concludes by saying that he is not in favor of adopting either of them NOW-. At some future time he may favor them IF THEY ARE NEEDED. He cornea out strong in favor of govern ment by injunction, but does not take any posi tion on arbitration and election of senators by the people. . - . He takes a rap at socialism, denounces the , initiative and referendum and presents. an argu ment against government ownership of railroads. Ho is stronger in stating what he opposes than in stating what he favors and he unintentionally, of course misstates Mr. Bryai.'s position on sev eral questions. He makes out a strong case in favor of tariff reform, but when he gets to the remedy he' goes no farther than the republican leaders have gone in former campaigns. He wants enough tariff to cover the difference in cost of labor here and abroad the excuse given, for the present tarift-r-and he wants the tariff re formed by its friends. "Tariff reform by the friends Of the tariff" is a farce and a fraud and the secretary runs away -from the conclusions which would naturally be drawn from the sta tistics which he presents. The conservatives may object to his speech because it admits many democratic contentions, but no real reformer will find encouragement in it. It is a straddle of the most important issues a compromise instead of fight for reform. OOOO APPALLING FIGURES Last year 100,000 acres of American spruce, ' poplar and hemlock forests were denuded in order to furnish the paper used by the news papers arid periodicals of this republic. And while the administration is boasting of its efforts to renew' the forests it persists in; maintaining a tariff oh vpdod pulp that puts a premium oh the destruction of forests which progresses faster than the government cdh replace,, and at the same time Increases the cost of print paper for the benefit of a paper trust.- The tariff on lum ber and the tariff on wood pulp and paper puts a heavy tax on consumers for the "benefit of a few tariff, barons, and at the same time offers a heavy premium for the destruction of our forests. OOOO MIXED, LOGIC t IP the same column of the same? issue in which the St. Louis Times demands the immedi- 1 ate building of the free bridge for which the people Of St. Louis voted bonds, it asserts that, "public ownership is a public bust." The logic of the Times is wierd and wonderful. St. Louis voted bonds for a free bridge to rid itself of the exactions of the bridge and terminal com pany. Municipalities vote bonds for lighting and water plants to rid themselves of corporate ex- . actions. The Times should call a meeting of Its editors and endeavor to reconcile them. OOOO A HIT, A PALPABLE HIT! The, N6w York Times declares that the Standard Oil company has been chosen as the scapegoat" by the present administration because it has no friends, is decidedly unpopular, and because "it may be cudgeled to death without' dislodging the smallest copingstone from the top of th6 tariff wall." -- A hit.; a palpable hit! by the government in its big Washington plants, and at its various plants throughout- the country is thoroughly organised. The government's me chanical work is done by mechanics, ninety per cent q whom are members of their various trades unions. There are no strikes against Uncle Sam for the simple reason that he is a considerate employer, 'works the short day, pays good wages" and employs only adults. Uncle Samfo craftsmen are the best paid "craftsmen in the world-, as well as the best treated and the most, skillful. . . .... OOOO THERE ARE OTHERS The Chicago Record-Herald says: "There are some citizens who do not like Taft. It .may be assumed that John D. Rockefeller, is one of these. Otherwise the unwelcome praise of Taft would not have been given in Kis sensational, half-denied interview the other day," Was the New York Financial Chronicle also showing hostility for Mr. Taft when it said: "Mr. Taft is a man whom .everyone respects and no opposition can be made to him except on the ground that he is the heir to the place appointed by the present ruling president and his designat ed representative of . the policies he will- have been foremost in advancing during nearly-eight years when, his present term expires. This ac tion has a hopeful aspect, as it scatters some hitherto disturbing doubts.. There can be no question hereafter as to an impending third term; that danger is wholly removed. What is also highly important is that Mr. Taft is an extremely able, many-sided man of 'sound judg ment. - He is not controlled by pride of opinion, petty prejudices nor by a 'hysterical tempera ment. If time should prove that any of the recentlyenacted laws are working industrial mis chief, he will not hesitate to urge remedial legis lation, notwithstanding he wears Mr, Jloose velt's mantle' .. N - , Referring tohe New Yorlr Financial Chron icle, the Springfield (Mass.)- Republican: says it is "above any other publication the organ" of the 'great corporation interests. The Republi can interprets this statement quoted from the New York Financial Chronicle in this nvay: "Which amounts to saying that the policy of 'persecuting' the railroads and trusts ;will un doubtedly stop with the outgoing of Mr. -Roosevelt and the incoming of Mr. Taft, and may even be 'remedied' so far as now obtaining force. Mr. Taft, in a word, is not only vastly to be pre ferred by these interests over Mr. Roosevelt, but is open to consideration tis a, first choice on ac count of his highly judicial temperament." - r TVHAT OF THE NIGHT ii.- ..:: 1 . ' ). :fiu i J. ,. n --: OOOO l . THE ANSWER is EASY The. telegraph operators strike will give argument to those who believe in government ownership of public utilities. Who ever heard- of a strike in the civil service or- postoffioe de partment? However, what would become of- the telegraphers' union? Marshalltown (Iowa) Times-Republican. It would probably grow stronger than ever, and be more what its organizers intended it . should be a helpful fraternity bound together -. by ties of friendship, common interest and mu tual helpfulness. -Columbia Typographical Union is the. second largest typographical union in the international. It is located at Washington D. C. Three-fourths of its meinbors n.A oml thinks that. nutting n.iA7,;rr"i:w:'',f ;1UU.U ..". "F Printing office, .and in th npnifnfin..r.ri-,Ti "- l'i.iBnaieB.Jj tney , constitute practically in fho npnUflntinmr i ii woi uiusuums ,4 uiy uusutuie pracucaiiy one Hundred nor cent in the. penitentiary, would hay a, Wealthy, effect,,,, of .the force. Every, mechanical trade employed' "Little man,.. what of, the night?.". !". ' ; "I know not the. night,v he-said.".,!;..-"I wake in the morning light, And mother puts me to bed When the sun in red gold. is dressed, And he goes down the hill to rest' lj "Busy boy, what of the night?" !-.',"..' '),. .'." "The 'night? Oh, it comes too-'spon-r And then takes a sudden flight ; ..;' i ? In tow with the dreaming moonjrr-ti ' Scarce my head on the pillow lies "-'4. .-. Ere there's light in the morning: ;skifis7vtl!, . "Young -Jover, what of the night?" .., "iVa'" , 'The beauty of sky and , star,.' '- ,,..r,. And there, in. the vast -midheight . ..,.,V.' , A face that is fair and far-T-C.r'-.. To. the lqv.e;.ia whose glorious, eyes .VjCJ A All, my heart offers sacrifice.". "t ai' "Laborer; what of the. night? '-SH '.' .. . ."A sanctuary, of peace V-V?i?2 V And-rest to tharweary wight; . Vdfc ' ..., Aird , sleep . that .hiB bones doth.ease, .' 'Tis the. .blessing which God's rigfelSand." . . Kindly giveth to every land.' W-'MiVS "Tfemt)iin'g heart, what of the-'nigKt-4 .'The stars' eyes have closed iH-lee'pT : The moon has withdrawn her-ligh't-?1'1 ' Dread shapes from the shadows creep And mingle, and grow into one . That keeps "'me near tlri iilght is done.'" ' '. . "Trusting soul, what of the night?" '.y-.' -"The spirit of God seeks mine, ,-; J The deeper the dark, his light . "-.& - Dpth kinder and brighter shin& & In the, day we btehold God's , mighfc-r 4?M . But his .love fills our hearvts at. night.t , Mary. A. O'Reilly: in St: Louis Globemoq'rafc f.,9 : tSi'A.ij.ia-:.;- .- USxl