M '"fi 'wyn t iji up ii-myi j inwffi 1
The Commoner
AUGUST 7, 1908
P"vm, Tt-itv? --wmrk "pfitrrtpnivff rK wr-
Bane, sober man bent upon equal justice for all,
and it will probably have no little effect with
those independent voters whose, support is in
vited in the closing words."
Mr. Taft did, it is true, have a great deal
to say about Mr. Roosevelt and the Roosevelt
policies. But before the Record-Herald can
.persuade the masses that they may depend upon
5Mr. Taft for reform measures it will have to
explain how it happens that in spite of his ex
travagant praise for the Roosevelt policies Mr.
Taft yet retains the enthusiastic support of tho
representatives of special interests.
For instance, in the same issue in which
tho Record-Herald says editorially, "The speech
justifies the faith of tho republican masses who
believe that the candidate is more progressive
than his platform," we find the following ex
tracts from editorials printed in newspapers
that are generally recognized as tho spokesmen
for special interests:
New York Sun: Mr. Taft's speech, deplor
able as it is, will not lose him a republican voto.
What a relief it must be to him today to have
the fearful thing off his mind, and off his con
science; and how ardently he must look forward
to the time when he can say things and do
things not because they are to make votes for
him, but because they are the right things to
say and the right things to do. The nauseating
incubus beneath which he staggers in nearly
every sentence would suffocate any ordinary
man. William H. Taft deserves the prayers as
well as the votes of every decent citizen in the
country. And when he Is freed from his dread
obsession and once more walks in sunshine that, .
knows no mortgage, he will show his fellow men
that no vicissitudes save death alone can forever
frustrate or subdue an honest man. ,
Milwaukee Sentinel: A pervading tone of
calm good sense and a marked absence of stump
oratory claptrap and stage thunder agreeably
characterize Mr. Taft's speech of -acceptance. - It
therefore affords a needed relief from a style
of declamation that has been much dinned in
the ears of our people of late years. "Come, let
us reason together," may be called the keynote
of the republican candidate's, discussion of prin
ciples at issue between the parties. The speech,
therefore evinces that genuine respect for tho
intelligence and fundamental fairness of the peo
ple which the harangue, of the demagogue al
ways lacks.
' In the same issue, the Record-Herald prints
an interview with George Gould in which that
great railroad magnate gives enthusiastic en- .
dorsemont to the republican candidate.
t6 d $ &
r AN "ENTHUSIASTIC" ENDORSEMENT
In his speech of .acceptance Mr. Taft says:
"With respect to the election of senators by the
people, personally I am inclined to favor it, but
it is hardly a party question."
What is it if it is l.ot a party question?
It is a public question and a very pressing one.
Tlie democratic party declared in favor of it.
The republican party is silent on it. And the
best' that the republican candidate convinced
Bince the convention of the popularity of the
plank can do, is to say "personally, I am in
clined to favor it." His remarks clearly indi
cate that he does not attach importance to tho
proposed reform.
l2r ? C?
UPHELD BY GOOD LAWYERS
In his speech of acceptance Mr. Taft, refer
ring to the suggestion that trial by jury be re
quired in all cases of indirect contempt, says:
"Never in the history of the country has there
been such an insidious attack upon the judicial
system as the proposal to interject a jury trial
between all orders of the court made after full
hearing and the. enforcement of such orders."
But the United States senate in June, 1896,
undertook to make just such provision. Senator
Piatt of Connecticut was the only republican- to
speak against it. John Sherman of Ohio, William
B. Allison of Iowa, Eugene Hale of Maine,
'Joseph B. Hawley of Connecticut, Justin S. Mor
rill of Vermont, Knute Nelson of Minnesota and
Francis E. Warren of Wyoming were among the
republican senators present when this bill
passed. Presumably they voted for it. There
was no roll call. At least they did not vote
against it nor did they speak against it.
" In the senate at- the time and voting for
this measure there were besides, the distin
guished republicans above named such good
lawyers as David B. Hill of New York, Senator
Vilas of Wisconsin, Senator Pugh of Alabama,
Senator Georgo of Mississippi, and William V.
Allen of Nebraska.
Does any republican believe that John
Sherman, William B. Allison, Eugene Halo,
Joseph B. Halley, Justin S. Morrill, Knute Nel
son, all distinguished republicans, would either
cast their voto for or by their silenco acquiesce
in- "an Insidious attack upon the judicial sys
tem?" Does any one believe that lawyers like Sen
ators Villas, Allen, Hill, Pugh and Georgo would
participate in "an insidious attack upon tho
judicial system?"
c5 W W
IF NOT, WHY NOT?
In his decision In tho Standard Oil case,
Judge Grosscup said: "No monarch, no parlia
ment, no tribunal of western Europe, for cen
turies, has pretended to have tho right to pun
ish except after due trial under all tho forms of
law. Can that rightfully be done here, on no
other basis than tho judge's personal belief that
the party marked by him for punishment de
serves punishment? If so, it is because tho
man who happens to bo tho judgo is above the
law?"
Are those republican organs that enthusi
astically commend Judgo Grosscup's decision
willing to apply that doctrine to the laboring
man confronted with the charge of "indirect
contempt?" If not, why npt?
; WITH EVERY HOPE OF SUCCESS!
In his letter of acceptance Mr. Taft says:
"If I am elected president I shall urge upon
congress, with every hope of success, that a
law bo passed requiring the filing In a federal
office of a statement of the contributions re
ceived. by committees and candidates in elections
for members of congress, and In such Sfther
elections as are constitutionally within the con
trol, of congress. Meantime the republican party
by the election of a New York treasurer has
subjected all its receipts and expenditures to tho
compulsory obligation of such a law."
But why "with every hope of success?"
Did the letter Mr. Taft wrote to Senator
Burrows, urging the adoption of such a law,
have any effect upon the republican congress?
Did the recommendation of Mr. Roosevelt
have any effect upon the republican congress?
The Taft letter and the Roosevelt recom
mendation were given to congress while a presi
dential election was approaching. If a republi-
MR. TAFT'S BIG BLUNDER
Lincoln, Neb., July 29, 1908.
To the Editor of The Commoner:
It behooves the leader of a great po
litical party to be accurate in his state
ments, for ordinary people are very
likely to accept him as authority. In
his speech accepting the nomination for
president of the United States at the
hands of the republican party, made at
Cincinnati, July 28th Inst. Judge Wil
liam Howard Taft, speaking of the jury
trial in cases of constructive contempt
for disobeying an injunction, makes use
of the following language:
"If now their (the courts) author
ity is to be weakened in a manner never
known in the history of the jurispru
dence of England or America, except in
the constitution of Oklahoma, how can
we expect that such statute will have
efficient enforcement."
It seems Incredible that a man who
held a position of federal circuit judge"
for eight years, and who dealt with this
very question should be ignorant of the
fact that the English parliament enacted
a law, restraining chancery jurisdiction,
and forbidding arrest, conviction or for
feiture without a jury. See 3 Edward
II A. D. 1309. In his work on Federal
and-State Constitutions (1908) Profes
sor Stlmson refers to this act of parlia
ment as "a principle only recently re
vived in the constitution of Oklahoma."
See page 14. Judge Taft was doubtless
aware of the further fact that Sir Ed
ward Coke sarcastically referred to tho
court of star chamber as "A court of
criminal equity." The framers of the
Oklahonia constitution were not so orig
inal as you credit them with being,
Judge Taft. Sincerely,'
1 WILBUR Ft BRYANT.
.
'
0
can congress would not act under those clrcum-.
stancos with what reason d6us Mr. Taft say'
that after the presidential election he would
urgo such a measure "with' every hope" of
success?".
Tho republican party in national convention
assembled voted down a publicity plank by 91
yeas to 880 nays.
Meantime let it bo romomberod that tho
publicity favored by Mr. Taft is an "AFTER"
eloctlon publicity. In other words, tho puoplo
will bo told who tho financial backers of tho
republican -party are when It is too late for tho
people to profit by tho Information.
CAMPAIGN FUNDS
If bank deposits aro guaranteed as rcom
mended in tho democratic national platform,
funds in bank will bo as good as gold in tho
pocket. There will bo no more money panics
because there will bo no moro lack of confidence.
Washington will not havo to go to tho aid of
Wall Street banks In troublo becauso all bank
ers, being jointly responsible, will watch tho
Wall Street bankB and see that they do not do
dangerous and irregular business. Big bankers
do not want deposits made absolutely safo In
all banks becauso it will give them less power -with
their big banks. They oppose tho demo
cratic guarantee.
Large industrial interests enjoying special
favors at Washington oppose tho popular elec
tion of United States sonators becauso such a
method would soon result in breaking up the
present powerful senatorial oligarchy headed by
men who shnmlessly rcpresont Standard Oil.
All these big interests fight this plank In tho
democratic platform.
The republicans will not materially reduce
tariff schedules becauso tho tariff barons con
trol their organization and provide their cam
paign funds.
To prevent the adoption of reform measures
tho republicans will havo an enormous cam
paign fund contributed by tho powerful Inter
ests most deeply concerned. The rigid policy
governing the campaign funds of the democrats
does not govern with tho republicans. They
toll nothing- until tho fight is over. Then it can
be shown that large sums were paid to minora
organizations and men who co Id not rendetf
detailed reports. With the democrats theref
must be weekly reports.
If the government at Washington is to be
rescued from tho powerful few and turned over
t the whole people tho people must help now.
The democratic managers need nloney for tho
legitimate expenses of tho campaign. Thoy do
not require and do not expect anything like tho
millions which will be used by the republicans.
They have no vast organization with thousands
of men, from the topmost to the lowest, receiv
ing extravagant salaries. But they do require
money to see that the republicans do not im
properly use the vast sums put at their disposal
by rich men who want to continue the govern
ment of tho few. They require money for the
preparation and dissemination of literature and
for the expenses of national headquarters.
Elsewhere In this paper will be found a
coupon which can be filled out, giving name and
address of sender with amount to bo subscribed
to democratic national committee. The commit
tee pledges itself that every cent forwarded In
answer to this appeal will be carefully expend
ed and accounted for. A special account will
be kept and a derailed report will bemade. It
Is a fight of the many against the powerful few.
The people must work together In making this
contest or the well-organized few with their
millions in campaign funds will win.
(All newspapers that are supporting Bryan
and Kern aro asked to print a rending notice
similar to the above and to reproduce the dis
play notice and coupon printed on page 7.)
O w 5 5
GOOD WORK AT MEMPHIS
Memphis, Tenn., July 28, 1908. The Com-.
moner, Lincoln, Neb.: The Commercial Appeal
find passed the one thousand dollar mark at
6 . p. m. today. The work Is speeding. The
ladles of Bollver county, Mississippi, are form
ing a state organization to push the work.
COMMERCIAL APPEAL,
C. P. J. Mooney,
Managing Editor.
&& i&9 lis to
PLEASANTRY
Tho usually accurate Houston Post says'
editorially that "the next vice president has al
ready been invited by Mr. Bryan to share the;
White House .with him during his term of office."'
The Post has taken, in all seriousness, a bit of
pleasantry.