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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 1907)
If1" 'T1 ;r;" r, "' 'vi'r w? , . V fk BEPTEMBER , 1907 The Commoner. 3 'TJW '" ' PROVE IT NOW In an editorial in a recent issue Leslie's Weekly says: "Suppose? Tariff revision should bo made the leading issue in the democratic platform in the presidential campaign next year? Suppose the necessaries of life at the time should continue to remain on the present high and un natural plane, and that it should be charged that our industries sell their products at lower prices abroad than at home, and that the reports of Corporation Commissioner Smith on the Stand ard Oil company prove the charge? Suppose a Bevere business recession should leave many per sons without employment in the presidential year? Suppose democratic newspapers and ora tors should, charge the high prices and the 'busi ness recession to the protective tariff, repeat the stale falsehood that 'the tariff is the mother of all trusts,' and make that the burning question of the campaign? Suppose republican trust 'busters,' who are magnifying the trust Issue and imperiling the national prosperity on the achievement of which the party's success has been and must be won should attempt to deny these fallacies and falsehoods? Would they have time to do it satisfactorily, in the present inflamed temper of an inconsiderate and thought less people, before the close of the polls on No vember 3, 1908? If not, what would happen, and to whom?" Well, we know one thing that woujd .hap- . pen to Leslie's Weekly. Unless it secured a new corps of writers it would be unable . to make its regular appearance after it had been an nounced that the system for which Leslie's Weekly has so long been a servile spokesman had met defeat at the polls. But why not take time by the forelock? The tariff question is being discussed right now. Why not begin the work of proving that the tariff is not the mother of any trust; that the foreigner pays the tax; that a high protective tariff is the "best expression of pure and patri otic statesmanship?" Why not undertake to show that there is no relation between the fact that the republican party gets its campaign funds from the tariff barons and the fact that the republican congress fails to heed the demand made from tlie rank and file of its party that the tariff be revised for the benefit of the peo ple? Why not prove that republican leader are serious when they insist that "the tariff should be revised by its friends?" The repub lican congress will meet in December next. Why not revise the tariff then say just enough of a revision to show that the republican leaders are sufficiently free from the chains binding them to "the system" to even open the subject for debate upon the floors of congress. oooo A KINGLY REBUKE King Edward of Great Britain will receive the commendation of all clean minded . men . for his protest, publicly made, against the sing ing of indecent and suggestive songs in public amusement resorts. King Edward and members of the British nobility visited a cafe in Marleh bad, and when a singer perpetrated a suggestive song the entire party arose and left. X. is grat ifying to know that this example wasfollowed by all the Englishmen and Americans present., Sug-i. gestiveness both in drama and in song, is be coming altogether too common, and it is" high time that clean minded men make' protest. Jt is related of President Grant that h,e once re buked a man who started to tell a suggestive story, prefacing it with the remark, "There are no ladies present." "But there are gentlemen present," said President Grant. The story re- maincd 'untold to that particular group. OOOO REQUIRES EXPERT DODGING It js .amusing to watch the .gyrations of the . administratipn press in its efforts to denounce the paper trust without referring to the- one thing that makes a paper trust possible the, . tariff on wood pulp and print paper. It requires more than, the usual amount of "gUff" and the, editorial advocates of a high tariff deal in that ' commodity in large degree. , V- oooo , . ; NAME ONE GOOD TRUST ,- f believe with him, name the good trusts? Will he name one good trust? If the secretary moans what ho says when ho declares that ho is op posed to dissolving the trusts "into their con stituent parts" then will he explain why he did not protest when the Roosevelt administration proceeded against the Northern Pacific merger a proceeding which had for Its purpose tho dis- ' solution of the Northern Pacific trust "into lls constituent parts?" - OOOO MR. TAPT ON -TRUSTS" In his speech at Denver, Colo,,, .Secretary said that Mr. Bryan wanted, to. destroy the and added: "If he means by this that Taft trusts. he wants the' trusts dissolved into .their constit uent "parts, Ve do not agree with, him.; We w.ant the good ones continued and the,' bad 'ones abol ished and all properly regulated." Will -Secretary Taft, or some of those who Republican national platforms have been habitually silent on the subject of "trusts," care fully omitting that word. And now conies Sec retary of War Taft and declares that there are "unlawful trusts" which he would restrain. It is logically deduced, therefore, that Secretary Taft believes that there are "lawful trusts" which ho would not restrain. Republican leaders and organs often speak of "good trusts" and "bad trusts," terms that mean- exactly what Sec retary Taft means whon he intimates that there are "lawful trusts" by declaring tho existence of "unlawful trusts" -which ho would restrain. ' . Now will Secretary Taft please name one "lawful trust?" Or will some one of his many numerous friends kindly point out one "good trust?" OOOO OP COURSE In an editorial entitled "Roosevelt is His Own Pathfinder" Leslie's Weekly denounces as absurd the assertion of the Chattanooga Times and other democratic papers that Mr. RooBevelt has adopted some of tho "twlce defeated" dem ocratic policies. By way of removing all doubt concerning Mr. Roosevelt's originality on rail way regulation Leslie's says that railway rate regulation "was urged by Roosevelt before the convention of 1904 met." Of course Leslie's Weekly 'does not know that In the democratic platform of 1900 and in the democratic platform of 189.G railway rate regulation was suggested. OOOO SOUNDS LIKE 'DO In his speech at Provincetown, Mass., Mr. Roosevelt said that it "is now a question as to "who shall rule this government." lie said that this contest was botween the people and "a few ruthless and determined men whoso wealth makes them particularly formidable, because they hide behind the breastworks of corporate organization." If memory Is not at fault we heard some thing like that during the 189G campaign. But as we recall it Mr. Roosevelt, was then doing battle with those who "hide behind the breast work's of corporate organization." ,.' OOOO "BABY CORN" , In the "Home Department" of The' Com moner's August 16 issue appeared a charming little poem entitled "Baby Corn." The poem was credited "Unidentified." A reader sends the information that the poem was written by Mrs. Lydia Avery Coonley-Ward, of Wyoming, N. Y. The Commoner is glad to make this fact known as the author is certainly entitled to all possible credit for the production.. oooo' LOOK OUT! '" The Indianapolis News (republican) ' says: "Decidedly there is too much talking. And Mr. Bonaparte is not the only offender." Plainly tbq editor of the Indianapolis News is moving rapidly towards the "nature faker" column. oooo -" FUNNY ' ' The New York Evening Post does not pose as a humorist but it lays claim in that direction when it refers to the Washington, D. C, Post as a "democratic paper.'' . OOOO - i. . .! .1,1 ABBOT'S LETTERS - k Willis J. Abbot; 'whose' Washington'' letters are a regular feature" of The Commoner, has be gun' furnishing- to paeons of the American Press association a. weekly 'democratic letter in plates. These letters cover Washington news, gossip and political argument. ' They make twp columns eacn ready set ' x K JMr, Abbot's , , ong experience w;ith the Hearst' newspapers as editorial writer .and politi cal correspondent, and his identification with democratic politics as chief of the national com- ralttco pross bureau fn 1900 and otliGrwfno, pe culiarly fit him for thlB work. , ' The letters may bo obtained by addrcsjilng '!!)$ "American Press Association, 45 Park Pln'co, NcwfVork City, or any of Its numerous branches. "fjBK;- oooo , . 1 . 'i "SI LRNT ON THE TARIFF A newspaper writer complains "one may soarch the speech of Mr. Roosovolt at Provinco town with a microscope and yet find nothing bearing upon the tariff issue." Ultra-protectionists have never felt that they could at all times depend upon Mr. Roose velt, 'ihoy know what many people Imvo for gotten, that at one tlmo and not so very ninny years ago, eithor Mr. Roosevelt was one of tho conspicuous nioinboi'H of tho New York Free Trade league. Whon ho resigned from member ship in that body ho wrote that he was "a repub lican first and a free trador afterward." Somo of the ultra-protectionists doubtless suspect that Mr. Roosevelt felt very much at home in tho position taken through Secretary Taft'o free trade order issued in 1905. They remember that whon Mr. Roosevelt wrote tho "Llfo of Thomas H. Benton" he had something to say concerning protection. On pages CC and 07 of that book will.be found the following: ''Tho voto on the protective tariff law of 1828 fur nished another illustration of tho solidarity of the west. New England had abandonod her froa trade position since 1821 and the north wont strongly for the new tariff; tho southorn sea coast states, except Louisiana, opposed It bitter ly; and the bill was carried by the support of, tho western states, both tho free and tho slave'.' This tariff bill was the first of tho Immediate irritating causes which Induced South Carolina to go Into the nullification tnovomont. Benton's attitude on tho measure was that of a good many other men who, In their public capacity, are - obliged to appear as protectionists, but who lack . his frankness in stating their reasons. Ho utter ly disbelieved in and was opposed to the prin ciples of the bill, but as It had bid for and secured the Interest of Missouri by a heavy duty on lead, he felt himself forced' to support it; and he so announced hi.; position. lie sim ply went with his state precisely as did Webster. The latter In following Massachusetts' change of front .and supporting the tariff of 1828, turned 'a full and complete somersault. Neither the one nor the other was to blame. Froo trad ers are apt to look at the tnriff from a sentimen tal standpoint, but it is in reality purely a busi ness, matter, and should be decided solely on the grounds of expediency. Political econo mists have pretty generally agreed that protec tion is .vicious In theory and harmfifl in prac tice; but if the majority of (,ho people Interested wish it, and It affects only themselves there is no earthly reason why they should not bo allowed to try the experiment to their heart's content. The trouble is that it rarely does affect only themselves; and in 1828, the evil was peculiarly aggravating op account of the unequal way In. which the proposed law would affect different sections. It purported to benefit the- rest of the country, but it undoubtedly worked real In jury to tho planter states and there Is small ground for wonder that the irritation over it in the region so affected should have beep i In tense." Perhaps Mr. Roosevelt has never changed his views on this subject. HIb position may have been like "that of a good many other men who, in their public capacity, are obliged to appear as protectionists." Perhaps Mr. Roose velt has -all along believed with the political economists-who, according to Mr. Rooso'vejt hijjiself, have "pretty generally agreed that, pro tection is vicious in theory and harmful In practice." OOOO ' ' THE VAGRANT He came unto the door of heaven, - " Free as of old and gay; .. 'MXrrfnt linnf film, slnnl " V nntsx ZtA " iruui, uuoi uuu uuiii,, wc iiuhuj v-uuu, t '"That thou should'st pass this way.?"V .f. ' J" "Hast fed the hungry, clothed the poor!" -The vagrant shook his head. 'I drank my wine and I was glad, -But I' did not give them bread." "Hast prayed upon the altar steps?" l-IO., UU.V i IUTVU tUC DUU. , . ... jpl "Hast wept?" "The blossoms of the spring, I -gathered every one." ''' r ' "But .what, fair deed canfst thou present? . lijKe Jignt, one radiant beam? -n ;-.', i r, "v my .ni:V.'swT ' sv.ti,i e uiU !..., i. No' dreamer of his dream." ,T i , r , Appleton's Magazine. 1 . 1 i W-rfJotisafcaSC- 6i r jripbK'ril KUffi.- . - r.teiVa. u..yo, .. . . . -S-fW. - t fl uMAl Vr' j 'jr. ,