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The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY. . '
WlM.IAM J. BnYAN
Editor and Proprietor.
HICHAM) L. MliTCAWB
Awoelnto Kdltor.
OHAIU.KS W. llltYAN
Tubllslior.
Editorial Itooms nnd Bnslnws
Ofllco 824-330 South 12th Street.
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It is therefore assumed that continuance is desired
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whon subscribing or at any time during the year.
Presentation Copies: Many persons subscribo for
friends, Intending that the paper shall stop at tho
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time.
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the time to which your subscription is paid. Thus
January 31, 08, means that payment has been re
ceived to and including tho last issue of January,
1908. Two weeks aro required after money has
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a chango of address must give OLD as well as NEW
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ADVERTISING Rates furnished upon applica
tion. Address all communications to
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
After all the financial water was not so
cold once we took the plunge.
w . . By the way, why this failure to renew the-
oluVcry about "fifty-cent dollars?" .
.f, 7 . ' '
.''- The people have plenty of confidence, the
trouble has been too much "confidence" in Wall
Street.
The president told Mr. Burton to run, but
Mr. Burton seems to have misunderstood the
direction.
If Mr. Rockefeller would step up ' to the
desk and pay that fines in currency it would
help '-some. '
4' Mr. Burton's forethought in keeping close
itoHhe congressional safety net has been amply
V Al-4VrfCAlVA
Now -that Cleveland re-elected Tom John
son it is a cinph that the Cleveland election was
merely a local matter.
Admiral Evans may be depended upon to
furnish the warm language for use in the cold
trip around the Horn.
In view of all the circumstancos it seems
a waste of time and space to advise people to
do their Christmas shopping now.
Eighty-one thousand people killed and in
jured on American railways in one twelve
month. Tho rpcord will be kept up, too, until
human life is no longer cheaper than safety
appliances.
The secretary of the navy figures that his
department can get along with $12 50 00,0 00
next year. The agricultural department will
have to got along with less than ten per cent
of that amount. But there is no fuss and feath
ers about our agricultural displays.
The Commoner
i
m
"IN GOD WE TRUST"
By order of President Roosevelt the old
time motto, "In God wo trust" has been omit
ted from the new gold coin issue. Protests
havo come from all parts of the .country and
replying thereto Mr. Roosevelt has issued a pub
lic statement in which he says he can find no
law requiring such inscription, and that. as he
does not approve of it, he ordered it stricken
out.
He regards the motto as being very near
to sacrilege "an inconsistent mixture of world
ly and spiritual matter."
"A beautiful and solemn sentence such as
the one in question," says the president, "should
not be uttered except in great reverence. -Any
use which teffds to cheapen it or to cause it to
be treated in a spirit of levity is to be profound
ly regretted. Everyone must remember how
the cartoonists have in political campaigns
made use of the motto in a sacrilegious way.
If congress orders the motto restored it will be
done, but I trust that the country's religious
sentiment will prevent it."
A Chicago dispatch to the Denver Newa
says: "According to revelations brought to
light by Chicago investigators, President Roose
velt may find himself involved in a controversy
over the elimination of 'In God We Trust' from
the new gold coin issue. It is asserted here that
there is ample legal authority for the religious
inscription. The law relating to the appearance
of the motton on coins may be found in chapter
six, 'Laws of the United States relating to coin
age.' It reads: 'And be it further enacted, that
in "addition to the devices'" and legends upon
gold, silver and other coins of the United States,
it shall be lawful for the director of the mint,
with the approval of the secretary of the treas
ury, to cause the motto 'In God We Trust' to
be placed on such coins hereafter to be issued
as shall admit of such legend thereon.' This
act was approved March 3, 1865, and efforts to
find any record of its repeal or amendment were
unsuccessful. Chicago lawyers seem puzzled to
reconcile this act with the statement of Presi
dent Roosevelt that he could find no law for the
use of the motto." .
Fred E. Roams of Green Ridge, Mo., re
news his subscription to The Commoner and
pays in a medium of exchange once popular in
tho west. Noting the kind of currency in vogue
nov Mr. Ream sends a coonskin and says:
"Kindly send me The Commoner one year.
Please find enclosed the coming standard of
currency." The- coon; skin currency has been
placed in a safe-place" and will be used when"
needed.
oooo
WASHINGTON LETTER
(Continued from Page Five)
first and last engagement as a presidential can
didate. This week the National City Bank of New
York' paid to the United States government the
final $50,000 due upon the purchase price of
the government's old customs house property
in that city. Thus ends an episode in high
finance that shows how one of tho most valu
able government properties can be gobbled up
by a Standard Oil bank without the expenditure
of a cent. The method of procedure was not as
intricate as the bankers pretend. On the con
trary it can be stated so that a child in the in
termediate grades of a grammar school can un
derstand how certain millions were made out
of nothing except corporate gall plus official
stupidity or vorse. It is unfortunate that more
of such evidences of high finance as this one are
not resolved to problems of simple arithmetic,
so that the people may more clearly understand
than they seem to, why one per cent of our
population now own ninety per cent of the na
tion's wealth.
Nearly ten years ago the national govern
ment decided to build a new customs house in
New York City. Although it was .evident that
this new customs house in, .course of construc
tion would' not be ready for .occupancy for sev
eral years, the national government through
Lyman J. Gage, then secretary of the treasury,
decided some eight years sijice to take advan
tage of a certain offer that had been made by
the National City Bank of New York City.
This is what happened: The National City
bank agreed to buy the old customs house prop
erty, then owned and occupied by the govern
ment; for $3,265,000. This offer was based
on a conservative estimate of the actual value
of tho property. The bankers drew their checks
for $3,215,000, which it was agreed they could
deposit in their own bank to the credit of the
United States. It was further agreed that the
balance of the purchase price, $50,000, should
be paid when the government moved into its
new customs houBe. Then the bank charged
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 45
the government $130,600 rent a year. Sin ,
bank had not paid, the last $50,000, the tilL !
the property remained' with the government anS
thus the state of New York was cheated out nf
some $70,000 a year in taxes, which could haSo
been collected if the title had passed. That h
why the bank with the government's consent
drew its original check $50,000 shy. Thus tho
government, as owner of the property pays
rent to the bank, and as the renter of the pron
erty it allowed the bank to dodge its taxes. Tho
National City bank moreover had the use of tho
government's $3,125,000, which at four per cent
interest netted the bank $128,000 yearly. Four
per cent is a conservative estimate of the amount
of interest drawn by .this money. Even tho
city of New York has to pay five per cent on
its bonds.
It is eight years since this remarkable deal
between the Standard Oil bank and the govern,
ciont was pulled off. In eight years the bank
has collected from the government $1,044,803
in rent. They have made $1,028,800 in irtw
e&t at four per cent on the $3,215,000 deposited
to their use. They have saved $560,000 by the
non-payment of taxes. In other words' they
have made $2,633,600 in eight years on the old
customs house property, which is equivalent to
having purchased this property worth $6,000,000
today for $631,400. Thus in one deal covering
a period of eight years the bank has made a
profit of $5,368, OOOwithout having originally
spent a cent. c
Just why the government should have paid
rent on its own property for eight years is not
clear. Just why the bank should have had tho
use of $3,215,000 of the public's money for that
period of time free of charge, upon which they
collected enormous interest from the public, is
also not clear. Any ordinary business man
would not have sold his place of business be
fore he had another ready. He would have him
self made the profit incident to its increase in
value and have saved considerable rent. But
of course we must not expect a secretary of the
treasury to do business like an ordinary mortal,
especially when on one side of the contract we
find "Standard Oil." WILLIS J. ABBOT.
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING .,
I'm thankful that the years are long
However long they be,
They still are laborers glad and strong
That ever work for me.
This rose I cut with carele"ss shears
And wear and cast away,
The cosmos wrought a million years
To make it mine a day.
This lily by the pasture bars
Beneath the walnut tree,
Long erethe fire-mist formed in stars,
Was on its way for me.
The laws of property are lax
My neighbor's farm is fine;
I'm thankful, though, he pays the tax,
The best of it is mine.
No sheriff's clutch can loose my grip,
On fields I have not sown,
Or shake my sense of ownership
In. things I do not own.
I'm thankful for my neighbor's wood,
His orchard, lake and lea;
For, while my eyes, continue good,
I own all I can see.
I'm thankful for this mighty age,
These days beyond compare,
When hope is such a heritage, " ,
And life a large affair.
We thank the gods for low and high,
Right, wrong (as well wa.may)
For all the wrong of days gone by
Work goodness for today.
Here on. Time's table land we pause
To thank on bended knee,
To thank the gods for all that was, ,
And Is, and is to be.
I'm thankful for the glow and grace
And winsome beauty of the Near,
The greatness of the Commonplace,
The glory of the Here.
I'm thankful for man's high emprise,
His stalwart sturdiness of soul,
Th'e long look of his skyward eyes
That sights a far-off goal.
And so I feel to thank and bless
Both things unknown and understood
And thank the ' stubborn thankfulness
That maketh all things. good. "'
-Sam Walter Foss in Success Magazine
I 41 n
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