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OCTOBER 18, 1907
The Commoner.
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lately no experience In municipal government?
Of Mr. Burton the North American says:
"Ho abandons a brilliant career" In congress
because he believes it his duty to make Clove
land a republican city in local as well as na
tional elections. Ho would have our hearty and
unqualified hopes for success if his antagonist
were almost any other man than the man he Is."
Then the North American turns its attention
to Mr. Johnson, and of him it says:
"Wo know Tom Johnson, too. wo know
him to bo the best mayor over chosen by an
American municipality. We havo heard this
big, tireless, fearless Greatheart called a hypo
crite, fanatic, demagogue and tyrant. Wo havo
learned that all such censure was inspired by
the exploiters, the extortionists and the oppres
sors of tho public. And wo know that the He
is given to tho accusations by all his actions."
That is high praise indeed: "The best
mayor over chosen by an American munici
pality." And after calmly looking over tho
situation from coast to coast tho North Ameri
can says: ""
"Wo should count tho election of Theodore
Burton in any other city a victory for the gen
eral good. Yet we should reckon the ousting
of Tom Johnson from the mayoralty of Clove
land even by Theodore Burton as little short
of a civic calamity."
That sums up tho situation as it exists in
Cleveland todays Theodore Burton, honest,
able and energetic, but wholly without, exper
ience in municipal affairs, and' Tom Johnson,
honest, ablo and energetic and thoroughly fa
miliar with municipal government in all its
phases "the best mayor ever chosen by an
American municipality" are opponents in the
municipal campaign in Cleveland. One, unwit-.
tingly and unintentionally, perhaps, is the can
didate of a political faction that puts partisan
success above civic well being. Tho other tho
candidate of men of all parties who recognize in
the purification of municipal politics the key
to the solution of the problem of purifying and
elevating national politics.
I'll view of all tho circumstances should tho
result in 'Cleveland be in "doubt? Is it possible
that in the light of their past experiences the
voters cf Cleveland will fall to prefer the re
election of "the best mayor ever chosen by an
American municipality?"
oooo
OKLAHOMA'S RETORT
"My opinion of the Oklahoma constitution
is unfit for publication," was President Roose
velt's remark "laughingly made," according to
tho Associated Press correspondent when
asked to express an opinion thereon.
For the constitution, 180,830.
Against the constitution, 72,077.
Majority for the constitution, 108,759.
Oklahoma's answer to the presidential
opinion seems to have been overwhelming.
oooo
AFTER ASSET CURRENCY AGAIN
' The financiers are planning to make an
other descent upon congress in the interest of
asset currency. It will be remembered that" at
a meeting held after tho last election the bank
ers' association formulated a plan and presented
it to congress. But even when the election was
over the republican congressmen were afraid to
endorse this scheme, and the bill was never
brought before the house. An effort it being
made to revive, the scheme, but it will hardly
meet a better fate at this time now that the
presidential election is approaching.
Knowing that public sentiment Is against
an asset currency, the friends of this policy call
it an emergency currency, and provide that a
tax shall be imposed upon the issue so as to
compel its retirement as soon as the emergency
is over. This is a mere subterfuge. They aim
to get a recognition of the asset currency prin
ciple, and then they can reduce the tax after
wards. The first result of the election of 189 C
was the reduction of the tax upon national bank
circulation. The banks insisted that they were
issuing money for the accommodation of the
public and that therefore they ought not to be
taxed for it, and while the taxes were increased
upon the general public by the Dingley act, the
tax upon the banks was decreased. If they can
now secure the right to issue an asset currency
in an emergency, they will next insist that the
tax should be reduced and then we will havo
theasset currency in its naked ugliness.
The fight must be made against the prin
ciple, and must be made now. An asset cur
rency is dangerous, and its opponents -will be
able to invoke the very arguments which tho
financiers used in 189 C against silver. Thoy
professed to bo very much alarmed lest tho
widow and tho orphan would suffer from a fifty
cont dollar, and now thoy are advocating an
asset currency under which a dollar will bo put
forth that has no intrinsic valuo at all and is
only redeemable when tho redeemer is solvent.
Whilo most of tho banks or nearly all of thorn
might redeem their notes, tho fact that an occa
sional bank might fall to do so would cast a sua
plcion upon all asset currency because it would
bo impossiblo to tell in advance which bank
would fall. Wo can not afford to havo such a
currency In circulation. In the namo of tho
widow and tho orphan wo protest; in tho namo
of an honest dollar and a sound currency wo
indict this cheap dollar, this dishonest money.
Labor must not bo swindled by such legerde
main. Tho dollar in tho hands of tho toilor
must not bo subject to shrinkage when a cashier
disappears or a bank president loauB to himself
upon worthless collateral. Tho national honor
must bo sustained, and tho money of tho coun
try must bo good all over tho world.
Strange this reversal in tho situation! Tho
champions of an honest dollar now tho defend
ers of a debased currency, and those who were
charged with repudiation tho champions of na
tional integrity!
OOOO
A GAME OF MARBLES
Methods of somo "Napoleons of Financo"
are aptly described in the story of a gamQ of
marbles as told by a writer in tho Now York
World thus:
"Let's play marbles," said little Tony
Radby, who is great at tho game.
"But wo haven't any marbles," chorused
Tommy Nary, Granny Sly, Tomm Dolem,
Petey Broad and Willie Klnsel, all Tony Radby's
dear chums; nice little ,;boys, whoso papas are
financiers, bringing them up in tho way they
should go.
"Neither have I," said Tony Radby. "That
makes no difforenco. Hero comes Frankio Fran
chise, the boy from Albany. He's got a big
bagful of marbles; agates, whitealleys, chinas
fine ones, all of them. We'll make him put In
for all of us. Say, Frankie, do you want to play
a game of agates-up?"
"Sure," said Frankie, and opening tho bag
ho displayed a collection of marbles that made
tho other boys gasp with envy.
First little Tony Radby made a ring; a
clear, distinct ring.
"Put in," he said to Frankie.
"But where are your marbles," objected
Frankio.
"Oh, we'll pay if wo lose," yelled Tommy
Nary and Tony Radby and Granny Sly and Tom
my Dolem and Petey Broad and Willie Kinsel
the last three learned the game in Philadelphia.
"Now put in and shoot, Frankio." Then each
borrowed a "shooter" from small Franchise.
The game did not last long. , Every time lit
tle Frankie went to shoot .tho financiers' sons
yelled "Knuckle down!" or "Feneverles!"
Frankie hadn't a ghost of a show. When his
last marble was lost Tony Radby said to him
pleasantly:
"You can keep the bag, Frankie."
Then Tony divided tho marbles among his
dear chums, keeping half of them himself. '
OOOO
STRAWS
State railroad commissioners for northwest
ern states In session at St. Paul, Minn., ex
pressed themselves in newspaper interviews
against "absolute federal regulation."
Republican state convention for Nebraska
held at Lincoln September 24 adopted U1I3 res
olution: "We favor the enactment of a federal
law and if necessary an amendment to the fed
eral constitution which will forbid the federal
courts from issuing writs of injunction against
state officers charged by law with the enforce
ment of state statutes,"
Attorneys general for twenty-three states
in session at St. Louis adopted resolutions as
follows:
Whereas, The efficient administration as
well as the preservation, of our dual system of
government requires that each sovereignty -bo
permitted to exercise its function as defined by
the federal constitution unhampered by the
other; therefore be it
Resolved, By the convention of attorneys
general of the several states here assembled that
we earnestly recommend to the favorable con
sideration of the president and the cbngress of
the United States the enactment of a federal
law providing, that no circuit court of the United
States or any judgo exorcising powers of such
circuit courts shall havo jurisdiction in any
caso brought to restrain any officers of a stato
or any administrative board or a stato from in
stituting in a stato court any suit or othor ap
propriate proceeding to enforce tSo laws of such
stato or to onforco any order, mado by such
administrative board, but allowing any person
or corporation asserting In any such action In a
stato court any right arising undor tho consti
tution or any laws of tho United States to havo
tho decision of tho hlghost court of such stato
rovlewed by tho supremo court of tho United
States as now provided by law.
Wo also rocommond that suits in federal
circuit courts by persons interested in corpora
tions to restrain such corporations from obeying
tho laws of states in which thoy aro doing busi
ness bo 'prohibited. - "
Stato railroad commissioners In their na
tional convention at Washington October 11,
adopted tho following roport:
"Tho caBes aro rartf where a railroad of
any importance is not an intorstato road. This
may bo argued as a reason for ontlro federal
control, something wo bollovo to bo Impossiblo
without amending tho constitution. This we do
not think tho states will concede until It is dem
onstrated that it Is more practical than cxpor
I6nco has yet shown it to bo. There hav boon
many general rate reductions In different states,
followed by reductions In intorstato tariffs, and
so far as wo know theso havo all been brought
about- by tho afilrmnllvo action of state authori
ties. So far as we aro advised, wo know of no
general reduction duo to any action by tho fed
oral authorities. Wo believe that tho best in
terests of tho people would not bo served by
placing tho ontlro responsibility for rate regula
tion in tho federal government. Wo believe
thero should bo a much closor relationship bo
tweon the federal and stato authorities than
scorn to exist at presont; that In many matters
a stato commission s'hould act ns agent for tho
interstate commerce commission to tho advan
tage of both."
In his St. Louis speech Mr. Roosevelt frnid:
"My plea is not to bring about a condition of
centralization; it is that tho government shall
recognize a condition of centralization in" : Held
where it already exists."
OOOO
IT MIGHT REFORM '"
In an interview with tho Now York Herald,
Frank Jay Gould said: "If wo could only havo
war with Japan right now it would not be such
a bad thing ns It seems oi lis face. For ono
thing, it would take Roosevelt's attention away
from Wall Street and direct It In a new line."
How would It do for Wall Street to make
It unnecessary for tho president to watch It so
closely?
OOOO
PUT IT ON THE REAR
Tho majority for tho Oklahoma constitu
tion Is so largo that It Is difficult to count It. ,It
is 108,759. If theso figures reached tho Louisi
ana canob rakes before tho president left it wa
surely a sorry day for tho first bear.,
OOOO
IF NOT, WHY NOT?
President Roosevelt would havo tho consti
tution stretched to cover present ondltions.
But wouldn't It be better to forco conditions
to . become such that the constitution would
cover them?
OOOO
HELP!
Help! Help! all the world Is .crying.
Help for tlje- hearts that are sobbing and sighing.
Help! Help! for the king at tho door,
The little wan lad In tho lanes of tho poor.
Help! Help! There Is need every moment
Of struggle and strife and tho militant foment
For hand help and heart help and thought help
and cheer,
And tho help of sweet laughter on lips ringing
clear.
Help! Help! Every life has its need,
Every heart Its deep wound where the cen
turies bleed.
Help! lelp! for the Jester who blunders.
The ruler whoso roar shakes tho world with its
thunders.
Help for the weary who potter along,
Tho young with a ring of red morn in their song,
Help is the secret, the beauty, tho might, "
"" The lane of the lilies to God and the light!
Baltimore Sun.
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