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The Commoner.
VOLUME 8'WJJMBBR01
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TME WASHINGTON corrcspondont f6r tho
Now York Sun says: "Anti-Bryan people
hero wore" jubilant whon they road In tho news
papors this morning that Governor Johnson had
shown himself to bo an athloto at Old Point
Comfort, Va. Tho story that ho turned two
doublo''somersaullB In diving from a spring
hoard into tho swimming pool at the Chamber
lain hotel will help him tremendously, they say,
with a people who have boon trained in tho last
sovon years to demand physical dexterity of their
popular heroes. Mr. Bryan is no athloto, they
say, and by no possibility could he make tho
kind of divo that Governor Johnson made. And
if Johnson is nominated, according to their con
tention, ho would bo far bettor equipped to win
tho plaudits of tho voters than any republican
likely to bo chosen to run against him. It is
out of tho question for Mr. Taft to do athletic
stunts, thoy declare."
T'rIE BIT OF buncombo indulged in by tho
republican houso with respect to tho cam
paign contribution measure is described by tho
Washington correspondent for tho Louisville
Courier-Journal In this way: "Tho Crumpackor
bill, including tho campaign publicity section,
was sont to tho senate priviloges and election
committeo today within a fow minutes after its
formal report from tho house. It will stay there
during tho remainder of tho session, and next
winter, tho olections being over, there will be
no agitation for the publicity feature As for
tho reductionist tho southern representation,
there nevorj was a possibility that it could get
through tho senate. The not result is a big
thing for the republican party. A campaign
fund can bo collected just as it always has been;
GVGTU.fchCFrirG&dGnt O.fth nrmlcn rlnnlnl nf if wlHi.
.wr a - . ... -. .
out tear or uispuie until alter tho election, and
irom uanrorma to Maine tho campaign managers
will bo in possession of a barrel from tho repub
lican national committee."
COMMENTING UPON this the Courier-Journal
says editorially: "Tho wholo preten
sion of tho republican party to favor a bill pro
viding for campaign publicity was exposed as
buncombe by the total lack of interest taken
in it by the president, by the gingerly way in
which the bill was handled by mombers of tho
party in tho house and by the revolutionary,
dangerous and impossible 'rider! attached to it
uy Representative Crurapacker. The bill has
served as an Instrument to reveal the double
dealing of tho republicans as sqarcely anything
else has done recently. Tho party will now pro
cood to collect from tho tariff-protected corpor
ations vast sums of corruption money to be used
In tho impending presidential campaign. The
Bo-called tariff-revision movement will give val
uable aid to the process of extorting funds from
moneyed interests. 'Give, or we'll revise the
tariff against you,' ought to mako many a tariff
supported trust stand and deliver, like any
Dthor victim of highwaymen. The republicans
are splondidly fixed for a campaign of corrup
Uonyandv doubtless, they will mulct the corpora
tions as mercilessly as they did during tho Roose
velt campaign of 1904."
ftrtm -ALDJIICH-VREELAND currency bill
- JLv Passed the senate at four o'clock on the
afternoon of Saturday, May 31, by a vote of
lorty-eight to twenty-two. Senator LaFolletto
taade a gallant effort to flllibuster and Senator
atone of Missouri and Senator Gore of Oklahoma
nndertook to support him, but tho effort was in
rain. Sonator LaFollotte, although a sick man
poko for eighteen hours. The flllibuster was
Sefeated largely by the sharp tactics of Senator
Mdrich who, according to Walter Wollman of
lho Chicago Record-Herald, was aided and
Abetted by Vice President Fairbanks. At the
tritical moment Senator LaFolletto, who had
Jotired for some rest, returned to his place: this
Was just as the clerk under instructions from
lhf, vit Presldent had commenced to call the
roll. The scene is described by Walter Wollman
In this way: "At this 1unnt.iirA iu. t nw",V"xI
amo upon tho scene. Ho was too" late", ilia
.vi -
faco was livid with rage. His voice trembled as
ho rose during tho roll call and asked if a par
liamentary inquiry was in order. Aldrich and
Forakor and Halo promptly reminded him and
tho presiding oflicer that it was not. Tho oblig
ing clerk went on with tho call of tho names.
Then, raising both his arm and his voice, the
senator from Wisconsin in a manner dramatic
enough to do full justice to the traditions of
his family, sang out, drowning the tones of the
clerk and the confusion and bustle in the cham
ber, packed from floor to roof with an excited
multitude: 'Mr. President!' No response save
tho voice of tho clerk. 'Mr. President!' Again
no other reply than the call of the names of a
few more senators. 'Mr. President!' thundered
the little man from Wisconsin, 'I rise to a ques
tion of order.' This time tho clerk stopped artd
tho presiding officer turned his head toward -the
speaker. 'I wish to make a parliamentary in
quiry.' 'The senator from Wisconsin is out of
order.' 'And from that decision of the chair
1 appeal,' said LaFollette. 'And I move to lay
that motion on the table,' from Mr. Foralcer.
In a fow minutes the machine had rolled on an
other stage of its victorious way, and for a
brief season the leader of the great filibustering
expedition subsided. But not for long. He
tried to secure tho recognition of the chair for
asking if he changed his vote from nay to yea,
he could then move to reconsider. The chair
declined to enlighten him, and the republicans
cried for the regular order. Nevertheless Mr.
LaFollotte changed his vote, and at' the conclu
sion of the roll call tried to get. recognition to
move a reconsideration. Mr. Aldrich addressed
the chair at th'e same moment, whereupon Mr.
LaFolletto in passionate 'tones declared that he
was entitled to recognition because he had been
standing at his place, while the senator from
Rhode Island waB not at his' place, as required
by the rules. This was manifestly true, as Mr.
Aldrich was at the moment standing in the
center aisle far away from his seat. Notwith
standing this the vice president recognized Mr.
Aldrich. As the senator from Wisconsin took
his seat the galleries broke into long and con
tinuous applause for the gallant effort which
he had made. The senate refused to reconsider
the vote, and one of the most desperate block
ades ever seen in the senate chamber came to an
end."
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT promptly signed
tho currency bill. All of tho afflrmatiye
votes were cast by republicans, but Senators
Borah, Brown, Bourne and Heyburn, republicans,
voted with tho democrats against the bill. The
vice president announced the appointment of
Senators Aldrich, Allison, Burrows, Hale, Knox,
Daniel, Teller, Money and Bailey as members
of the currency commission authorized by act
of congress. The speaker appointed members
of the commission on behalf of the house as
follows: Messrs. Vreeland of New York, Over
street of Indiana, Burton of Ohio, Weeks of
Massachusetts, Bonynge of Colorado, Smith of
California, republicans; Padgett of Tennessee
Burgess of Texas and Pujo of Louisiana, demo
crats. Congress adjourned at 11:50 o'clock Sat
urday night.
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THE FOLLOWING is from the New York
Evening Post: "Bryan has received three
quarters of all the votes cast in Alabama, will
undoubtedly get an instructed delegation from
that state, and will continue his triumphant
march throughout the entire south. Looked at
in any way, this is an extraordinary political
phenomenon. For there is no mistaking the
fact that the leading southern senators and
representatives are either lukewarm or hostile
toward Bryan. So are the most influential
h rf?nnT?nTilPaS?r.8, Fusions of dislike for
him personally, distrust of his policies, and de
spair of success under his leadership, could be
quoted by the column, from those who are sup
posed to mold public opinion In the south. Yet
Mr Bryan has gone behind tho official leaders
J?Q? hfc VtTiy nd 8h0V W& he com
mands a majority of the democratic voters
Aiid ho has done tbJi In o&ej ffrEd
west, as well as in Alabama and tho south. It
is a remarkable demonstration of political
strength. Whether we like it or not, we are
bound to recognize it. Even if wo distrust the
man, we must admit that he has a wonderful
hold upon the mass of his party. As It was
said of the popularity of Dickens, that it was a
part of the total fact which critics ftad to ex
plain, so the most convinced opponent pf Bryan
can not deny his political strength,.. or ..escape
the necessity of studying the secret of iV
i
A DISPATCH to the. St. Louis Republic under
date of Fayotteville, N. C, May 22, says:
"Solicitor N. A. Sinclair returned last night
from Savannah, Ga., where he attended the
funeral of his aunt, Mrs. Mary McNeill. On the
train with Sinclair was Secretary Taft and three
attendants, two white men and a negro. The
secretary and his party boarded the train at
Charleston, S. C, having returned from a ,trip
to Panama, and being then, on their way to
Washington. The secretary ordered four covers
laid on his table for dinner. On, account of the
considerable bulk of the secretary, it was found
necessary to extend the table, which usually ac
commodated four people, in order that the party
might find seats about it. As the big man and
his three companions appeared in the dinmg car
and were preparing to take their seats the con
ductor of the train appeared an,4t quietly in
formed Mr. Taft that in. South Carolina, where
the 'Jim Crow' laws are stringent, colored people
are required to wait until all the whites on the
train have completed their meal before they
are allowed to eat. The negro companion of
the secretary was forced to retire, in spite bf
the protests of Mr. Taft. This, is considered to
be a rather high bid on the part of the secretary
for the -southern negrb' vote." The in6iderit is
being considerably discussed among the'southWn
people." i
WRITING TO -the Chicago Record-Herald
from Washington, Walter Wellman says:
'Republican discontent with the winter's work
and anxiety as to the outcome of next fall's
presidential and congressional elections are the
dominant notes of the closing days of this ses
sion. It would not be accurate to say that the
republican leaders are in a panic. They are
not. But from President Roosevelt down they'
are discontented; they blame one another for
the collapse of party leadership and failure to
carry out a program that will satisfy tho coun
try, and they are fearful that Bryan may beat
Taft in November. President Roosevelt places
the responsibility upon the leaders in congress
who were trying to 'get even' with him, and
the leaders on the hill place the blame on the
shoulders, of the president for what they call
his ill-advised effort not only to dictate legisla
tion but to name his own successor."
EEPUBLICAN LEADERS certainly take a
gloomy view of the situation. In the same
dispatch Mr. Wellman says: "Not for many
years have, the republicans finished a. session of
congress upon the eve of the national conven
tions and the presidential campaign in as bad
humor as they are at this moment. No one ap
pears ,to . be content. Everyone appears to be
fearful of what is to happen in November It
is the almost universal belief here that Taft
and Bryan are to be the rival candidates, and it
is a curious fact that, whereas a few weeks
ago very few democrats felt any, hope of Bryan's
election and very few republican's would admit
the possibility of defeat of their ticket, now
most democrats are hopeful, while some are
confident and a great majority of the republi
cans are pessimistic. A few republicans go
farther and confess their belief that Bryant 'is
going to win. One man, prominent, in republi
can councljs and a powerful snpafter on itho
i1? ? SyrL camPaten, admitted tp me;i.his
belief that Taft would, be beaten at the polls.
Of course this is only ,one .mjan'S jopinipn, and
does not count for much,, but mm f thpr-rpar
sons-which he gave fpr-hl8,,ResAmm'iwqr.Jn.
torestinf , to say the least; "piQrt po.wiMr
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