The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 7, NO. 48
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 13, 1907
Whole Number 360
CONTENTS
t .
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
GUARANTEED DEPOSITS
EVEN SILVER
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
'A MILD REBUKE
"IN GOD WE TRUST"
. A TARIFF OBJECT LESSON
WHY NOT FOREVER?
"THE MILLION ARMY PLAN"
WASHINGTON LETTER
COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
STRANGE!
The Wall Street Journal says: "It Is no
conclusive argument against federal licenses for
interstate corporations that the idea came first
from William J. Bryan." Now that is a strange
concession on the part of a great paper likojtyio.
Wall Street Journal! Would the Journal ser
iously undertake to convince its intelligent read
ers that the fact that Mr. Bryan endorses a
proposition is not sufficient justification for the
men and women of America to rise and organize
for the defense of their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor?
oooo
DEEPLY INTERESTED
The St. Louis Glohe-Democrat, referring to
the president's message says: "But those who
read it from beginning to end will find that the
national government touches them and touches
the rest of the world at more points than they
ever dreamed of."
It" is because so many men have failed to
appreciate their deep concern in government that
the republican party has won its victories. Some
who have habitually voted the republican ticket
seem to have regarded the national government
as an affair to be given to the republican party
to use as a plaything. The country is to be con
gratulated that men are at last awakened
to the important part they must play as citizens.
OOOO
NOT YET
The Pittsburg Gazette-Times (rep.) explains
that when Mr. Roosevelt said: "In my judgment
the wise time to deal with the matter (tariff
revision) is immediately after such (presiden
tial) election," he did not mean that tariff re
vision would be made by the present congress,
whose term expires March 4, 1909. In the opin
ion of the Gazette-Tinies the president meant
that this tariff revision should be brought about
some time later.
Did the editor of the Gazette-Times over
look the fact that the president did not mention
any particular presidential election? Perhaps
he meant after the presidential election of 1912
or 191G or 1920. At all events, the men who
provide the republican party with its campaign
funds, with money wrung from the people
through a republican high tariff, know that,
whatever Mr. Roosevelt may have meant, the
"tariff will not be revised in the public interests
go long as the republican party is In power.
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SPEAKING OF "NATURE FAKING!!"
The President's Message
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The president's message contains a number
of recommendations, the most Important of
which will be considered at this time.
Ho a3ks for "either a national incorpora
tion act or a law licensing railway companies to
engage in Interstate commerce
.National on certain conditions." Thero
Incorporation is a wide difference between
"National incorporation" and a
license. National Incorporation Is desired by the
railroads in order to get rid of state regulation,
while a license system properly limited would
not interfere with state regulation. National in
corporation would SUBSTITUTE a national rem
edy for a state one, while a license would simply
ADD a national remedy to the state remedy.
As a matter of fact, wo do not need either
national Incorporation or a license system to
control railroads Congress already has plenary
power to regulate interstate commerce, and
congress can without either national incorpora
tion or license authorize the interstate commerce
commission to ascertain the value of the rail
roads, it can" prevent the issue of watered stock
and it can provide for the reduction of interstate
rates. No new systems are needed to secure
all the federal control of railroads that may be
needed. So far as railroads are concerned the
license system is unnecessary and national
incorporation not only unnecessary but not to
be thought of. It would be a gigantic step to
ward centralization and full of peril. The peo
ple should resolutely refuse to surrender the.
power now vested in the state to control com
merce within its borders.
The president suggests national charters or,
license for large interstate commerce corpora
tions. He prefers national
charters but would, as a
Monopolies second choice, favor licenses if
national charters arc not
deemed advisable. Here again
the two systems should be kept distinct. Wo
do not need to charter interstate commerce cor
porations but wo do need a license system which
will prevent monopoly. The president has at
last drawn the line at monopoly and in so doing
has accepted the democratic position. In the .
democratic national platform of 1900 the private
monopoly was declared to bo Indefensible and
intolerable and the license system was suggest
ed as a Temedy. In speaking of monopolies tho
president says: "No corporation or association
of any kind should be permitted to engage in
foreign or Interstate commerce that Is formed
for the purpose of, or whoso operations create,
a monopoly or general control of the production,
sale, or distribution of any one or mor of tho
prime necessities of life or articles of general
use and necessity. Such combinations aro
against public policy; they violate the common
law; the doors of the courts are closed to those
who are parties to them, and I believe the con
gress can close the channels of interstate com
merce against them for Its protection." This
is exactly the democratic position and the demo-
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