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The Commoner
VOLUME S NUMBER if
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tompt of tho legislatures to rogulato the rail
roads. Tho railroad managers aro studiously
circulating tho Idea that business has been im
paired and Industry generally paralyzed by
criticism of railroad management and by pro
posed romodlcs. .
It is impossible to exaggerate tho extent
to which tho railroads will ontor politics if the
president's plan Is carried out and Washington
is made tho arena In which tho pooplo must
fight all their battles for railroad regulation.
At present tho pooplo of a largo number of tho
states aro enjoying a two cent passenger rate;
this reform did not como from Washington. It
came from tho state legislatures and Secretary
Taft has gone to tho trouble of tolling an eastern
audionco that tho president Is not responsible
for tho rate reductions. It was stato legislation
that led tho railroads to demand national In
corporation and tho removal of legislation from
Htato canitals to Washington. Can this be In
tho Interest of the people? It is a serious issue t
that tho president presents and one that tho
people must bo proparod to meet, for while he
has fought for reforms on some other subjects,
ho is, on this subject fighting hand In hand
with tho vory men who attompted to prevent tho
passage of the president's rate bill. The con
spiracy formed among tho leading republicans
of tho senate had for Its object the prevention
of any rato legislation, and only by focusing
public attention upon the subject could tho
president defeat tho conspiracy.
Tho fight for tho preservation of the rights
of tho states is wot a revival of tho doctrine of
secession. Tho railroad magnates attempt to
make It appear such becauso they are not pre
pared to meet tho real issue. Tho question, is
not whether a stato has a right to withdraw
from tho union, but whether It shall have tho
right to protect its citizens while it remains a
part of the union. Tho state legislatures aro
ndaror to tho pooplo than congress is. A con
gressman represents some two hundred thou
aand people and is personally known to but a
few of them. A member of tho state leglsla7
hire represents a smaller constituency and is
nearer to the voters. Tho influence which tho
railroads can bring to bear upon a congress
man, or senator is much greater than the in
nuonco which thoy can bring to bear upon mem
bora of the legislature, while the Influence of
U16 people over tholr representative decreases
In proportion to tho population of his district.
Railroad development is not complete, It Is
but in Its infancy, and the surrender by the
3tato of all power to regulate means an enor
mous extension of tho powers of tho federal
?ovefnmont, and a paralysis of the power pf
ho state. Jefferson presented an unanswor
iblo argument in favor of the dual form of
jovornment and tho argument is even strongor
low than it was in his time for tho dangers of
entralization aro oven greater than thoy wore
then.
Instead of saying that efforts at stato con
trpV aro "Buro to be nullified In one way or an
other sooner or later," the president should join
with the democrats in demanding the enact
ment of legislation which will protect the states
from the gradual extension of the power of tho
federal courts. He refers to the Minnesota and
South Carolina decisions as illustrating "how
Impossible is a dual control of national com
merce." The democrats propose a remedy. Thoy
say that tho district and oircuit courts of the
federal government should not have jurisdiction
to suspend state laws. Lot tho railroads deal
with tho state courts first. If the stato courts
dony justice thoy can have their appeal from
the highest court In tho state to tho federal
rourt. It is not tho attempt to separate the
control that results "iu grotesque absurdity."
The absurdity Is in permitting a federal judge
to suspend a stato law while ho looks up the
luestion of its constitutionality. It is absurd
chat tho railroads should be given tho presump
tion as against tho people of a state.
Tho jurisdiction of the federal court has
oen extended on tho theory that It was neces
mry to protect vested interests, but that is a
false issue. The property rights of the citizen
are protected by tho stato courts, and no On
can complain that the protection is not com
plete. The corporations havo gone into the fed
eral courts in order to secure an advantage
over the Individual, and the real question is
whether the man-made giant, called a corpora
tion, shall exercise rights denied to tho God
made man. It is not hostility to corporations
that leads tho democratic party to oppose tho
demands now made by railroad corporations
The democratic party believes in the corpora
tion as a legitimate organization. Tho great
Mittjutw 01 uie corporations are advancing tho
public Interest and contributing to the public
welfaro, but a few of these corporations havo
assorted rights that aro Inimical to tho public
and these corporations must bo restricted, re
strained and controlled. It Is enough that tho
corporation a creature of law should be equal
to tho Individual who makes tho law; It should
not claim superior rights. Tho president's posi
tion Is not only an untenable ono, but it is one
that menaces tho welfare of tho nation.
In submitting this criticism Tho Commoner
does not reflect upon tho good intention of tho
president, but attributes the president's
error to his leaning towards the Ham
iltonian idea of government. Hamilton
distrusted the masses and favored a cen
tralized government. Tho president is Hamil
tonlan rather than Jeffersonlan in his ideas.
He has never advocated the election of senators
by tho people although even the republican
party in congress has declared for it three times.
Ho must know to what extent predatory wealth
controls tho United States senate through tho
present method of election, and yet he has
never raised his voice in favor of the popular
election of senators. Unless the rank and file
of tho republican party is strangely blind to tho
influences which aro at work, there will be an
overwhelming protest against tho president's
plan for tho absorption of power by tho federal
government. '
TOM JOHNSON'S VICTORY
Ono day recently the. people of Cleveland,
Ohio, were permitted to ride oh the. .street cars
without payment of fare, On., the, same, date
every year, according to announcements, "street
car day" will bo observed and free rides will be
given to the citizens of Cleveland. This is;in
celebration of the victory that has finally, bejen
won over tho street railway monopoly of that
city. And Tom L. Johnson, Mayor of Cleve
land, Is responsible for the victory. $n spite of
"ripper" bills, injunctions. from courts of all de
grees, writs of mandamus and every imaginable
legal obstacle, Mayor Johnson has persisted in
his fight for lower fares, and today the people
of Cleveland are enjoying the fruits of his per
sistent efforts. A holding company now con
trols tho street railway business of Cleveland,
tho people get lower fares, and the city gets a
benefit, in the way of increased revenues. Tom
L. Johnson, "the best maybr' of, the best, gov
erned city in America," is entitled to, all-the con
gratulations that are being showered upon him.
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THE HEBREW POET .,
Mr. Ezekiel Leavitt, of St. Louishas pub
lish e'd" thrpugli the Modern View' Press, of St.
Louis, a little book entitled "Songs of Grief and
Gladness." Mr. Leavitt is a Russian Jew and
writes in both Hebrew and Yiddish, and nis
lines show that ho has in him the poetic lire.
Ho embalms in verse heroic sentiment and tells
the story of his race in words that are both
pathetic and inspiring. In tils address to the
public he says:
"My house is heaven, the angels are my friends;
"My comrades flowers, and birds that sweetly
call;
"Loud-sounding praises do' not make me glad,
"The critic's censure grieves me not at all."
This indifference to flattery and abuse, this
absorption in his purpose and his plan marks
all his poems. In his ode entitled "To My Na
tion," his love of his people breathes forth in
stately measures
"Where is thy strength, thy understanding now,
"Where is thy name, where thy old time worth',
"Where are thy treasure and thy temple found!
"Where is thy dwelling, where thy native
earth?"
"Deborah," an epic of great merit concludes
the volume.
Mr. Leavttt's poems will interest both Jew
and Gentile, and the Commoner is glad to com
mend the volume to its readers.
FAIRBANKS AND ROOSEVELT "
.tu ... .w- ww wmBU reuunuy vice
President Fairbanks took occasion to antagonize
President Roosevelt's plea for a largo navy
saying: '
"Wo hear much of the need for a large
navy and a large army. We all agree that we
should provide adequately for the national de
fense. The money necessary to this end should
bo freely expended, but beyond our reasonable
needs we should not go. Our national tran
quilty is not menaced from without, nor is our
domestic peaco threatened from 'within. Tho
skies bend benignantly above us. Our people
aro enamored of their institutions and are eager
only to win the trophies that aro to be found in
tho fruitful fields of peaceful industry."
The language employed also opposed Sec
retary Taft's argument in favor, of a larger
army. Tho vico president says:
"I would rather seo the people spend their
money in building up great schools, colleges
and universities, churches and cathedrals than
see them spend unduly for expanding armies
and navies. The armies of young men and
young women who are trained in schools, col
leges and universities are the armies which are
destined to win the victories of the future which
shall most dignify and glorify American achieve
ment. They are the armies of peace, and, in
the final analysis, the armies of our enduring
national security. They aro the creators, and
not tho consumers, of the nation's wealth and
resources.
"War appeals to the heroic. We havo
looked upon its honorable scars "and. we know
wlVafc.l is. The annual pension roll of $150,T
000,000 fells something of the Buffering , and
havoc which war has caused. I have' faith to
believe that Christian civilization is jayihg 'se
curely the foundations of domestic an'cl interna
tional tranquility, and that an appeal 'to tho
reason among men will moro and niofe Vender
lefes' 'necessary an appeal tb; th'e svo(V4,V.. We'
must? hofr'ihtroduce into our American' civiliza
tion the pomp and pageantry; of Ejdrfrge&n mill-'
tary and naval establishments. We havP fre
quently heard men undertake
creasorOf the army on the grc!
cs. we nave lre
3, to justify dnvm-!'
iv w kj )j s w j uyviuwvutvu an
sucli av 'slitrcestion. It Is niV Wx&iftVArifctiW-
peachmerilS of the patribtismV',thdirg?ettVWdy
of th'6 American pedpl'e Thtf'.wrfhrfsmettb'f;.
America are friends, and ol enemies) b'f1 tiio1
government, and will resppnfl whn th'ere'Ys na
tion als peril, as they have don1 in' everIem'eir-;
gency 'which has confronted ufcTheaflStfle
frJoTrla On1 Tinf fVio anomtntf rf trnnrl m2fl'2i&CfT, O J
vv, U1.U Aiu il, ttUCUUCO, ui fovuu, un
"I would rather see the people .gprftiMtheir ,
money in building up great schools, colleges atfd;
11 VitmY.ot 44riCf nTllltlAlinn r J in4-tij3MAlr YIia-m.. nAA.1
them 'spend unduly for expanding armies1 aw
navieV' Good for Mr. Fairbanks'- Tt isaY
sound idea Well expressed.
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DEMAGOGUE AND PLfUTAGOGUEJH
Writing in The Public, Louis ...Ppfstsayjs;,
"When. teyery man who raises' Ws voice .agains't.,
vested wrong is called a 'demagogue Mr.pryajC ',
considers the epithet a compliment," He is, ..rfgljit
This wpfd, thanks to Mr. Bryan,, moe, than to .
anyone else, perhaps, is comin'gitpts.orbiir;)
nal honorable meaning of a leader of thpeop'le
As democracy moves on to battfe .wj p.luto&r. v
racy, .pur 'demagogues' shall be -pund, deYp'ted'ly-,
leading, & people, and' our 'plutagrigu'es' "gprr.
didly bearing 'the banner of the' interests. "f ,l"
tV CV Jpl tw
PROSPERITY!
. V1".
t A, commercial travelers' Taft'Club.-hastbeen
organized at Columbus, and its motto "is h" Taft,''"'
peace: and prosperity," but as Mr. Taft stands ;
for a big array and a big navy, he can hardly'
pose as the friend of peace. The supporters of
Mr. Taft oiight not to talk too loudly of ' prosA,v
perlty just now when they are proving that a'
panic can come under republican administra
tion1 as well as in democratic times. '- '
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GOOD WORK f nuul-
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'Daily-
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' Henry S. Richmond. Editor
Herald, Fremont, Neb. Please find en
closed ,?13.U0 for twenty-six subscrip
tions. One or two subscriptions came
in this morning and I .wish they could be
induced to come in by the hundred every
day. vl never saw a convention take so
much interest in anything as ours did
in a description of Mr. Bryan before that
great gathering of New York millionaires
when he did the unprecedented thing of
telling those cold blooded financiers
some plain truths right in their own
bailiwick. I consider it the very best
work a democrat can do now anywhere
to get subscribers for The Commoner.
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