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The Commoner.
SEPTEMBER 4, 1908
THE BUFFALO (New York) Times Is curious
to know where those people who profess
ignorance concerning Vice Presidential Candidate
Sherman have been hiding themselves all these
years. The Times says: "Fis name is carved
deep in the history of the nation. Ho is the
'My Dear Sherman' addressed in a letter on the
subject of Harriman campaign contributions
written by President Roosevelt; the very man
who approached the great railroad magnate but
heard abuse of the president from him instead
of getting a check worth photographing; who
reported the ihatter to the president and re
ceived from that official the same day the
famous 'undesirable citizen' letter which
brought from a pigeonhole the equally famous
'practical man' letter from the. president to
Mr. Harriman; altogether one of the most no
table incidents in political history. It is true
that his record of about eighteen years in con
gress is not marked by any advocate or sup
port of legislation in the Interests of the masses,
but he has usually been in attendance at the
sessions of the house and has always drawn his
salary and mileage regularly. It is plain that
the delegates who wanted to know who Sherman
was were poor trash, for all the rich men of
the republican party know him well. In the
capacity of official fat fryer he called upon them
all and severally, or words to that effect, in
1906, and with his story of financial necessi
ties of his party touched them deeply; except
ing, of course, Mr. Harriman, who made the
fuss that made the president angry and Mr.
Sherman famous."
WRITING' UNDER date of June 11 to the
Utica (N. Y.) Daily Press, Amelia Sha
cophy says: "I wish to call your attention. to
the injustice of the unequal prices demanded
for ice in this city. The same sized piece of
ice delivered daily costs $2.50 a month, or at
the rate of about eight cents a piece, while if
delivered only four times a week they charge
$2 a month, or at the rate of eleven cents a
piece. Is not this an unfair discrimination
against the poor who can not afford to buy ice
every day and so must pay one-third higher
for the same weight of ice? If two families
living in one house or next door neighbors,
wishing to take advantage of the lower price
for daily delivery should pool their outlay for
ice the company refuses to deliver that way.
Also they will not sell a ten cent piece from
the wagon, thus compelling the people to sub
scribe or go without ice. In Syracuse the com
panies tried that last year (although the price
by the month is lower than in Utica), but the
newspapers took it up so vigorously that the
common council was compelled to act, and
passed an ordinance requiring all ice compa
nies to sell as small as five cent pieces of ice
from the wagons, thus recognizing the fact that
there are many poor people to whom ice is a
real luxury in any but extremely hot weather
or in case of sickness or infants' needs, and who
could buy single pieces when needed, but could
not possibly buy by the month and have a de
posit of $2 in advance. If the newspapers of
Utica would take this matter up I feel sure
they could accomplish wonders, as the Syra
cuse papers did, and so prove to the public that
they actually have courage to take up a worthy
cause against a monopoly. I have not heard
that any of the ice companies of Syracuse have
failed under their existing laws and because
there was a scarcity of ice two years ago, that
the price shall have remained up. They
have not even the excuse that they are paying
higher prices for labor this year, for they are
not paying too much these hard times when
laborers are plentiful. I trust you will give
this your careful consideration, as I feel sure
you will find that it deserves it."
HILARY A. HERBERT, who was secretary
of the navy in Mr. Cleveland's cabinet,
sent to the New York World, under date of Port
Carling, Ont., this report: "Mr. Bryan was
not my choice, but he and Kern are both able
and clean and they are the andoubted choice
of the democracy. I do not approve everything
in the Denver platform, but it is infinitely pre
ferable to the republican platform, and Bryan
and Kern will receive my hearty support. If
the contest ought to turn on tariff reform and
fair elections, now is the time, now the oppor
tunity, for the old fight over again between the
people and tho protected Interests. Mr. Roose
velt has blazed tho way. Ho saw soon after ho
came Into ofllco that tho rapid growth and In
finite multiplication of trusts unl combines, fast
following tho passage of the Dingley law, rob
bing the people by arbitrarily raising prices,
would be laid at tho door of the party that
passed that act. Logically he should have as
sailed the law, but that ho either cared not or
dared not do, yet he was brave enough to show
up tho iniquity of the trusts in messages and
speeches and to pursue them in the courts until
they spoke of him through the press as a crazy
anarchist. Perhaps Mr. Roosevelt, by pursuing
this course, has saved his party. That cer
tainly was his purpose, but possibly Mr. Roose
velt has failed in this end, and ' o certainly has
if the people can only bo made to see that tho
trusts have been robbing the people, just as the
president says they have, and further that those
trusts, thriving under prosecution through the
courts, have their citadel in the Dingley law.
Let tho people further understand that there is
no free silver law issue, and it is not anarchy
to insist on fair tariff laws. Then let us declare
that we will have published to the world an ac
count of all contributions to our election funds,
not after the election, but before, and not only
an account of moneys received by some one per
son called treasurer of a national committee,
but by all treasurers everywhere. Pushing these
issues to the front the democracy ought to win."
party throughout the state. "While Mr. Gardner
has not boon prominent In politics, indeed has
never entered the political field before, he Is
probably as widely known as any man In Maine
from his long connection with the agricultural
interests of tho state. For twenty-two years
Mr. Gardner has been very closely identified
with tho grange, being one of the charter mem
bers and first overseer of Pleasant Valley grange,
Rockland, and Its second master. Ho served
for night years as a member of the executive
committee and might have continued longer in
this capacity but refused election. In 1897 Mr.
Gardner was elected master of tho Maino state
grange and was re-elected each two years until
1907, when he was defeated in a closo contest.
It is stated that a number of Mr. Gardner's
closest friends, who are members of the demo
cratic party, opposed his re-election as master
because of the desiro to have him receive and
accept tho democratic gubernatorial nomination.
The Maine states grange owes much to Mr.
Gardner who, during his years of service as its
master brought about by his energy, enthusiasm
and skill as an organizer, many salutary changes
and tho membership nnd inlluence of the organ
ization was vastly increased under his wise lead
ership. From a membership of 21,515 in 1897
the grange has steadily grown until tho roll of
members now numbers more than 55,000. It Is
not alone, however, among the agriculturalists
of the stato that Mr. Gardner Js well and favor
ably known for ho has a wide acquaintance with
the leading men and is highly respected for his
honesty of purpose and his frank and open posi
tions on the leading questions of the day. Ho
is clean an.d wholesome in his public and private
life and a worthy candidate for the suffrages of
tho people.".
O
ONCERNING the democratic nominee for
governor of Maine, the Bangor (Me.)
Comnaorolal oayo; "The Maine dprnne.ruoy.
through its duly accredited delegates, on Wed
nesday nominated Obadiah Gardner of Rockland
as Its candidate for governor of Maine in an
enthusiastic and harmonious manner and there
by made a choice of standard bearer that will
be universally endorsed by the members of the
Tlio X.oilcfi;ir FvOnJnfl' Pnot UAireimnil ihn
hope that Mr. Bn'an would prune words, not
ideas, when he began condensing his speech of
acceptance. The Post seems to have been. con
vinced that ideas wero none too numerous in
the 1908 speeches of acceptance delivered prior
to August 12.
GUARANTIED ' j&f J Jlk
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HVPJ
TWO POLICIES; AS 31 R. TAFT SEES THEM
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