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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 5, 1908)
n-i!iww'wnjlim-i jwRjmSJsHRRtSRI JUNE V, 1908 The Commoner if Ml hoped such' "a bill would pass. William H. Taft. Lincoln,., Nob., May 26, 1908. Hon W. H. Taft, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C: Am very much gratified to receive your telegram and trust the publication of your letter will add the weight necessary to turn the scales in favor of the measure. Elections are public affairs, and publicity will help to purify politics. W. J. Bryan. Lincoln . Neb., May 26, 1908. Senator. Charles H. Culberson, United States Senate, Washington, D. C: Please secure copies of my telegrams to Secretary Taft and- his reply con cerning campaign contributions. His letter to Seuatqr Bujrrows may enable you to secure action on the1 bill. W. J. Bryan. Lincoln Neb., May 26, 1908. Hon. John Sharp Williams, House of Representatives, ' Washington J p. C: Please secure copies of my telegrams td Secretary Taft and his reply con cerning campaign contributions. His letter to Senator Burrows may "enable you to secure ac tion on the bill. W. J. Bryan. Mr. Bryan made this proposition to Mr. Taft at the suggestion of Henry Watterson, edi tor of the Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal. ?V & & tGf THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE The national democratic congressional cam paign committee has begun active operations at Its headquarters at Washington, D. C. In addi tion to its regular work, it is now preparing a campaign handbook, which it hopes to have ready for distribution by July 1 two or three (months earlier than heretofore. The committee is charged with the duty of assisting, in every way possible, the election of a democratic congress. We wish the active co operation of every voter in the United States who believes, with us, that the election of a democratic congress would greatly benefit the country. We must rely upon the people to sus tain our work by giving information as to local conditions and suggestions for our guidance. Each individual can at leaBt aid us by mak ing a contribution. Will he not do so and in terest others in helping us, too? We wish our campaign handbook distribut ed, as generally as possible, and we will furnish a copy, as soon as published, to everyone who contributes to our committee. Send remittances to me at Washington, D. C. JAMES T. LLOYD, Chairman. Washington Letter .-' Ik? Washington, June 1. The effort of the '-:'' republican party representatives in the house fi. - to stifle the bill providing lor publicity of cam ? paign contributions took a new form. From the very inception of this measure the demo cratic members have been earnestly and stren uously for it. The democratic members of the committee having the bill in charge voted for favorable report. John Sharp Williams, demo cratic leader on the Hoof cf the house, not only spoke earnestly In favor of it, but prepared a petition to which he secured the signatures of every democratic member of the house, plead ing with the speaker to permit it to be brought before that body. What happened? The pub licity bill was so amended as to make it intol erable to the people of the south. It was amend ed in such a way as to prevent its acceptance by any democrat. There was put upon it what they call in congress a "rider" which had no relation to' the real purpose of the bill, but which was planned wholly for its defeat. The rider provided for an Investigation into the votes of the negroes of the south and the pro portion that negro voters bear to southern rep resentation. It was absolutely in no degree pertinent to the purpose of the bill. What the question of the 'contributions of the life insur ance companies of New York, of the steel trust and the Standard Oil trust and the protected manufacturers throughout the nation may have to do with the effort of the southern states to prevent their government from being seized by illiterate and incompetent voters is not ap parent. It appears that in order to collect a tremendous campaign fund this year the repub lican party Is willing to go to the limit against every issue for which the people stand. No tariff revision until after election, but a tariff commission to collfect campaign funds from the protected manufacturers. No financial legisla tion or currency legislation until after election, but a commission which will sit through the summer and gather in funds from the bankers and the financial institutions of the United States. No measure providing for the publicity of contributions made until after those contri butions have been paid in, the money expended and the election settled. This is the honesty, the integrity and the patriotism of tho present rulers of the republican party. The entire ses sion has been devoted to taking out of tho pock ets of the American people money in taxes, pre venting any reduction in the drain of national revenues into the pockets of tho handful of men who enjoy republican protection, and now at tho last moment they destroy a bill which was in tended to advance the cause of honest elections. When this Sixtieth congress adjourns its appropriations will closely approach, If they do not exceed, two billion dollars. People still young remomber tho outcry which was made when the congress presided over by Tom Reed was called a "billion dollar congress." The profligacy of that session resulted In a demo cratic congress and a democratic president. Roughly speaking tho increase in appropriations made or In contemplation by the present session of congress over those of the corresponding ses sion last year approach $125,000,000. This is just the increase over former appropriations, and it is Interesting to note that of this in crease the army, navy, pensions, fortifications practically amount to almost one-half. It is a matter of statistical fact that today pest wars or imaginary wars in tho future require nearly seventy per cent of our national revenues. This enormous Increase in the federal ex penditures comes at a time when tho federal revenues are falling off. It means a tremendous increase in the burden of taxation upon tho In dividual just at a time when twelve years of absolute republican domination of all branches of the federal government have plunged the coun try into a commercial depression and has re duced the income of every workingman and of every man who has not enjoyed tho gifts of monopoly which that party has so widely dis tributed. The people who impose the taxation and thereby take the money out of the pockets of the ordinary people have been exceedingly liberal. They have not merely increased ap propriations, but have provided for a deficit in the treasury which will narrowly approach $150, 000,000 for the fiscal year, and to offset this they have not passed one measure for tho re duction of taxation, for tho increase of the rev enues or for the relief of the country from tho commercial depression which now confronts it. WILLIS J. ABBOT. THE "MILLION ARMY" The Commoner willba sent to any one ap plying for It, from now until tho close of tho 1908 campaign, for 35 cents. It Is hoped that through the million army plan, The Commoner may be placed in every precinct in every state in tho union. Cut out, sign and return tho certificate printed on page 6 for your own membership. Or if you do not care to mutilato your copy of The Commoner, send In a request asking for a number of blank certificates and they will bo forwarded to you, thus enabling you to give your acquaintances an opportunity to join in the work of building up the "army of a million plan" and enabling them also to secure The Ccmoner from now until November, 1908, for only 35 cents. Brooko H. Weeks, Washington, D. C. En closed find two certificates of membership and money order to pay for same. This makes eight campaign and two yearly subscriptions. Please send me a few certificates and I will do all I can to get subscribers. M. J. Hoppock, Frankfort, Mich. Enclosed find three membership certificates with $1.80 to pay for same. Please send me a dozen more certificates. Wm. C. Hopkins, Charleston, W. Va. I herewith enclose $4.50 for which please send The Commoner-to the persons whose names are on the enclosed certificates of membership. Send me fifteen or twenty more certificates. Guy A. Bickwlth, Grand Rapids, Mich. En closed please find postofilce money order and certificates. Please send more certificates and some sample copies, about a dozen if possible. Martin V. Sheldon, Denver, Colo. Enclosed find 60 cents for The Commoner. Please send a few certificates. I. E. Brenton, Revere, Minn. Enclosed please. find 60 cents; also certificate of member ship. Please send me more certificates. J. W. Jones, Grove City, Pa. Please find enclosed cortlflcato and money order for 60 cents. If you will kindly send mo a fow moro membership certificates I will try and have thorn filled out and sent In with necessary amount to pay for same. Wyman C. Smith, Limerick, Mo. Find enclosed $1.80 and kindly send Tho Commonor to tho following nddroBses. Send mo twonty fivo moro certificates. E. J. Pugh, Arlington, O. Pleaao send mo about fifty or one hundred certificates as wo aro organizing a Bryan club hero. John H. Allen, Farmorsburg, Ind. En closed pleaso find two membership certiflcatca and postofllco monoy order to pay for same. Pleaso send mo eomo moro certificates, also printed by-laws for a "Bryan club" if you havo them, as wo wish to start ono hore. B. F. Patterson, Osceola, la. Enclosed pleaso find a draft for $3.60 for which send I no Commonor ono year to tho following ad- frcs.s,?s IC you w,n 80nd mc twonty-flve blankg I will do my best to got them signed up and return them to you. Wo will havo our town ship primary election on the 2nd of Juno for nominating township and county oPcers and I am going to try and send you a nlco list of sub-, scrlbers by that time. i I; ?A larylCB Kansas City, Mo. Encloaod find $1.20 for two subscriptions. Pleaao send me twonty-flvo ono million membership certifi cates as I would bo glad to help Tho Com moner. r .?' arfifllnt Proscott, Wis. Enclosed find i for nine subscriptions. Send rao somo moro certificates. J. N. Blgelow, Bangor, Mich. Pleaso find enclosed postofilce monoy order for $6 for ton subscriptions to Tho Commoner. Pleaso send rhemenfil?e0dr0out:tIflCateS ""' l Wl" ftnd eot Each of tho following persons has sent In yTIL8ub8cr,pt,ons t0 Th0 Commoner:. Edgar L. Thompson, Grain Valley, Mo.; W. A. Richmond, Rural Retreat, Va.; L. B. Anwar TnS?' ya8h,V JW' McOIollEa, Grcnola, Kan JmA011' '; L' P' Semones Hill t 3 ; EA,WV Brown' San Marclal, N. M.; J. M. Winn, Corder, Mo.; W. F. Hooker, Wena Boga, Miss.; O. E. Smith, Givin, la.; A. L. .Tor don, Jackson, Miss.; Paul C. Brown, Bradford. O.; Eugene C. Protzman, Portland, Ore.; J. H. B.?,kGr'Jrr" GaIatIa, !; A. W. Warren, Conter ylllo, Tenn.; John K. Hawbaker, RIppoy, la.; M. J. Gregory, Sour Lake, Texas; Thos. McCor mick. Smith, Ore.; Edward N. Woodward. Jami son City, Pa.; Sam W. Michael, Albany, Ind.; Chas. Itunkle, Muncio, Ind.; I. E. Buckles, Lo Iloy, III.; O. M. Kom, MontroBO, Colo.; C. Howoll Jf;,' Po,r.t, Byron N- Y-J P. J- Do Spoldor, Greou yillo, Mich.; H. J. Klein, Zenda, Kan.; Alba Heywood, San Benito, Texas, Edgar L. Thomp son, Grain Valley, Mo.; J. J. Troutt, Nashvillo, 111.; R. H. Robinson, Geneva, N. Y.; Rev. Jno. Kraker, Munising, Mich.; J. M. Putnam, Lake field, Minn.; J. H. Noygle, Now Madison O.; W. A. Kerby, M. D Cottagevillo, S. O.; Chas Van Ocker, Olivet, Mich.; R. G. Galbreath, W. Plains, Mo.; D. J. Baldwin, Hubboll, Neb.; A. P. Han son, Elliott, 111.; E. A. Chase, Bangor, Mich.; A. M. Elston, Woodland, Cal.; Fred J. Nunn, Upper Alton, 111.; C. B. Fox, Winchester, Ky.; Orodon P. Hobbs, W. Ossipeo, N. H.; A. S. Mar shall, Fowler, Col.; Jno. Mulvey, Now Bruns wick, N. J.; J. M. Putman, Lakeflold, Minn.; Rev. E. G. Williams, Mt. Pleasant, N. G.; Ellin Mathls, Farralngton, HI.; G. W. Frltch, Fredo nia, Kan.; A. T. Crim, DIghton, Kan.; G. W. Harshmati, Nehawka, Neb.; Wm. Nowotny, Blanco, Texas; M. L. Rucker, Evangeline, La.; J. A. Bressler, Meadow Grove, Neb.; Thos; Balrd, Arkansas City, Kan.; C. P. Humphrey, Denlson, Kan.; L. C. Larson, Penn Yan, N. Y.; H. C. White, Orovllle, Cal.; M. M. Hanson, Wasta, S. D.; H. F. Adams, Gomez, Texas; Ins lee Deaderick, Shooks, Tenn.; John C. ICear, Lincoln, Neb.; Earl Williams, Hiattvllle, Kan.; M. R. FarnsWorth, Cresco, la.; Balies G. Walker, Brawley, Cal.; George A. Miller, Sr., Montclafr, N. J.; W. M. McBrido, Dubberly, La.; John Mc Nlcol, Hlllsboro, O.; A. L. Mcintosh, Bowes mont, N. D.; J. M. McCloy, Shenandoah,. la.; A. J. Forgey, Flora, Ind.; R. B. Haughton, St; Louis, Mo.; H. F. Meyer, Whittemore, la:; H. E. Norman, Buffalo, N. Y.; L. A. Jennings, Star, ya.; B. Tarter, Airlle, Ore.; W. H. Saucer, Ack ley, la.; Jno. Cooker, Jr., FIndlay, O.; Ransom W. Cooper, P. M Kehoe, Ky.; Wm. C. Fish, Wells, W. Va.; N. B. Early, Jr., Dawsonvillo, Va.; J. N. Clark, M. D Columbus, O.; Chas. G. Barnard, Goffstown, N. H.; S. H. Rorick, Ho bart, Okla.; D wight S. Felton, Vermillion, O.; J. Laughawkl, Spray, Ore.; Geo. W. Brubaker, Loudonville, O.; Wm. Looser, Greenville, Pa.; Ralph M. Hefner, Clarksburg, W. Va. I-.1 ' I r ,tf fei n i l4 i - & .i