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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 15, 1908)
ii i'! 7 ; ' . , - - t The Commoner. WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR f A ''''it . VOL. 8, NO. 18 Lincoln, Nebraska, May 15, 1908 Whole Number 382 INSTRUCT YOUR DELEGATES - ; TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION Instructions to delegates are the order of the day. Nearly all the states which have held democratic conventions, so far, have instructed. This is as it should be ; instructions are democratic. The people speak through instructions they can not speak in any other way. A failure to instruct turns the delegates over to party bosses. CONTENTS M A BOSTON EXAMPLE PLEADING WITH THE SPEAKER PULP, SOPHISTRY AND PLAIN FACT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS RAILROADS PRIVATE PROPERTY? ' "REPUBLICANS IN PERIL" STUDY PUBLIC QUESTIONS TAINTED NEWS n WASHINGTON LETTER '"r.nMMmMT ftM mm TUflMT TOPTriRi " HOME DEPARTMENT; ''; v WHETHER COMMON OR NOT NEWS OF THE WEEK fc . ZAi.' i ' ' - V I "A ' ', "WHO'S WHO?" The Kansas City Journal has an editorial denying that money is being used to prevent Mr. Bryan's nomination. It says "Who would spend money to defeat Bryan's nomination? Certainly not the trusts or railroads." It Is un fortunate for the Journal that this editorial came out just about the time when Mr. Ryan was admitting upon the witness stand that the Metropolitan Street Railway company, of New lYork, contributed half a million to politics in 1900 and that a part of it was used in th'e effort to prevent Mr. Bryan's nomination that year. The Journal says that the trusts and the rail roads are not against Mr. Bryan's nomination, and yet the fact that Mr. Ryan and the Journal are opposed to Mr. Bryan's nomination is a com plete answer to the Journal's own statement. 7 t5 fey w UEl "ALAS, POOR YORICK!" I SO THE EYE MAY SEE An Elgin National watch, seven jewels, in an open-face twenty-year gold-filled case costs the American retailer of watches $10.75, which may be represented by a line thus: This same watch is sold to the dealer in Eng land for the sum of $7.41, which may be rep resented by a line thus: The American purchaser is therefore compelled to pay, in addition to the dealers' regular profit thirty-seven per cent more for an American made watch than the English customer is compelled to pay, which may be represented by this: Paid by American purchaser. Paid by English purchaser. The American watch trust is enabled to thus rob the American consumer by reason of, the protective tariff. Why delay tariff revision? -- " A BOSTON EXAMPLE The president in his recent message gives an illustration of trust methods. He tells of Boston's experience with a combination which secured control of the market. He says: "Allegations are often made to the effect that there is no real need for these laws look ing to the more effective control of the great corporations, upon the ground that they will do their work well without such control. I call your attention to the accompanying copy of a report just submitted by Mr. Nathan Matthews, chairman of the finance commission, to the mayor and city council of Boston, relat ing to certain evil practices of various corpora tions which have been bidders for furnishing to the city iron and steel. This report shows that there have been ' extensive combinations formed among the various corporations which have business with the city of Boston, includ ing for instance, a carefully planned combin-. ation embracing practically all the firms and corporations engaged In structural steel work In New England. This combination included sub stantially all the local concerns, and many of the largest corporations in the United States, engaged in manufacturing or furnishing struc tural steel for use In any part of New England; It affected the states, the cities and towns, the railroads and street railways, and generally all persons in that section of the country. As re gards the city of Boston, tho combination re sulted in parceling out tho work by collusive bids, plainly dishonest, and supported by false affirmation. "I have submitted this report to the de partment of justice for thorough investigation and for action if action shall prqve practicable. "Surely such a state of affairs as that above set forth emphasizes the need of further federal legislation, not merely because of the material benefits such legislation will. secure, but above all because this federal action should be part, v-mw fr Sii if i 1 1 i r i n i i ft i. 4 r It 441 I i i .' i -Si j r n .. in yrnfrtiipnw rw wmrni