fKSJBSFSSWf OCTOBERv2,ji9Q8 ; The Commoner. MR. TAFT'S" GUARDIANS OF REFORM" Commoner readers and voters generally will be particularly Interested in one chapter of the democratic campaign text bock, which chap ter is entitled " "Republican guardians of re form;"' ttero it is.' REPUBLICAN ' GUARDIANS OF REFORM When tho publican national convention, at Chicagoi with the aid of a combine mado be tween thb federal bfflceholders and the "system" in Wall 'Street, succeeded in nominating Judge Taff fdr-li pYesldehcy, the managers; whb had ah eye to business; immediately directed all their efforts tosecuring complete control of tho partly organisations r Tho Harriman bankers, K'uhn'Loeb & Co,, 'the Piorpont Morgan man ager, Mri Perkins, the steel trust manager, Judge Gary,' hatf united' with tho forces of the presi dent for'tli'e nomination of Taft for the avowed reason'" that ".they' prbposed to take no chances of t'lib' nomination of the president himself, hav ing been: told that "they will either take Taft or take' 'met" Having concluded this patriotic Work1' they determined that the "organization" beefier' slibultt b'd in the hands of their' friend && tn'd flr'stJ step in that direction tho so-fealled'' progressive's in the national conven tion wlio dbsWed . to nominate a man like Gov ernor Cummin'siof:!Iowa fdr vice president, were1 told 'to step' dtiide;4 the autocrat of the hoitse; Mr. Joseph 'G! Cannon, took the platform after having had tils ! Tn'ning as a candidate for the presidency, and demanded the nomination of his chief henchman In tho house of representa tives, the Hon. James Schoolcraft Sherman, for vice president, well knowing that if 'Mr. Sherman could be safely landed in this position tho first step in the great work of organization would be accomplished. Mr. Sherman ns chairman of the republican congressional committee had won a well established feputatibn as a "fat fryer;" he was a me'raber bf the committee on rules of the house of representatives, appointed by Speaker Cannbn, Which strangled eVe'ry- effort af'fefoiedial 1'egisfatloh 'which Was "made; in 'the last congress, and had never hesitated to do he bidding of the system. The Cummins forces were routed and Sherman was nominated. The rest was easy. , After two or three weeks of seeming con tention young' Mr! Hitchcock, who had been 'flic" manager of the steam roller at. Chicago,,' was selected as chajrniah'of the national committee,' and In a few days' it was given out that Mr. William"B. McKinley of Illinois would-be treas urer of that conlm'ittee. Mr. Hitchcock went to Hot4Sprihg$, VaV,' .to confer with thb ' tfresf-' dentlaj candidate, ; Judge Taft, when suddenly, Mr, Wiiliani Neis&h promwell of New Ybrk, ttie' great'. Wall Street lawyer, attorney for thVPan ama 'catfal cb'nibIn4ff,1Kuhn, Loeb & Co., the; Har-' rlman- interests;'1 tlie sugar trust, Standard' Oil tru't' et' al;J) HWeardd upon the scene.' In ttie' twlnltiiifg bf :'att eye' Mr. McKinley was set aside a'ntf, 'Mr1. ;Geor'g'e,,fluirisey Sheldon of No. 6 Wall Street,irmnltifjiion'ire, and officer and director in more 'tn'aih' twenty corporations, was chosen, treasurer of the national committee in his stead. Frederick $pham of Chicago, a million aire several times over, member of the state board 6f reviev- 'which passes upon the amount of taxes'' which cctfpbratidns and large estates should pay In'Tllihols, and a director in several corporations, was appointed western treasurer of th'& national ctotnmlttee. Mr. 'McKinley bf Illinois was switched to thechalTmafasbip'bf'.the congressional commit tee, which'Mr Sherman, the candidate tor 'Vice president; was 'Cbnipelled to resign. Mr.' Mc Kinley1 tirftifcelf' is several times a millionaire and Is the "president and, manager of a number' of railroad an d: -Iii term-ban railway companies In the state bf Illinois;1 ' '' An executive' committee of nine was then appointed as the assistant guardians of this ''re form campaign." The state of Indiana, admit tedly a doubtful state, was not considered In the appointment of this committee. Mr. Harry New, who'had; been acting chairman of tho na tional committee since the resignation of Mr. Cortelyou and who' had been re-elected a mem ber of the committee, from Indiana, was sent to the woods and has not been heard from since In the republican organization. Among those appointed upon this executive committee of nine were: Charles F. Brobker of Connecticut, million aire, engaged In "the banking and railway busi ness, member1 of -the New York -chamber of commerce,, and vico president of tho board of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad company, against which a government suit is now pending. Frank O. Lowdon of nilndls, multl-mllllon-aire, son-in-law of the late George M. Pullman and now vico president' of and heavily Interest ed in that widely known monopoly, 'the Pullman Palaco Car company. Edward 0. Duncan of North Carolina, ex collector of internal revenue, n director of tho Atlantic and North Carolina railway and othor corporations, appointed receiver of tho Seaboard' Air Lino railway as a political plum and fed eral patrora-je. dictator in North Carolina. . T. Coloman Duportt of Dolawaro best known as a member of the Dupont Powder oom pany, controlling factor, m -itho rpowdor trust whoso milking of tho fed6ral treasury In pbwdci' contracts has been thoroughly oxposcd in 'con gress and against which a suit is now pen'dlng, brought by the department of justice, for Its' dissolution. . And last, but by no meaiis least, the great political reformer of Pennsylvania, Boles Pen rose; tho political heir of Boss Quay and, since the latter's death, boss of the corrupt political machine In Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, a machine which has not been equalled in politi cal turpitude since the days of Boss Tweed In New York. These fiVe constitute a majority of tho members of the executive committeo. "By their fruits shall yo know theni. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?" It might be added that In tho state of In diana Mr. Fred A. Sims, secretary of state for Indiana, and by virtue" of his ofllco, chairman of. the state tax board, has been made acting chair man of the republican state committeo. Mr. Roy West of Chidago, chairman of the Illinois state board of equalization, is also tho chairman of tho republican committeo for tho state of Illinois, of which' his friend and co worker, tho western treasurer of tho national comnti'tteei Mr. Frederldk W. kUpham, is like wise a member. Is there "method in their madness," or is it merely a coincidence that the chairman of the board of equalization which fixes the value of property for taxation, in tho groat states of Illinois and Indiana are at the heads, of their respective? state committees, or are 'they there for the purpose of serving notice upbri wealthy corporations and Individuals that it would bo to their interest to come-and see somebody at as early a time in the campaign' as convenient? Do thesd facts, which can not tie disputed, furnfsh some of the reasons why no publication of campaign subscription's are to be made until after the election? .. Tho press bf the country, democratic dnd independent as well as republican, has taken notice of the facts herein stated -and we'append a few selections which we commend to the con sideration of the reader. THB REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION , The Indianapolis News, a leading independent republican paper of Indiana, has published sev eral editorials discussing the present organiza tion of the national republican party, .'showing that the party management fs controlled by the men who are known as representatives of "the interests." In its issue of tho month bf July tho News says: "Wo doubt whether any political party ever had a more 'efficient' organization than the one now possessed by the republican party. ; ltd relations with tho trusts and money interests generally will be close and confidential. The man who is to be treasurer of tho committee, George R. Sheldon, was apparently not thought bf till his name was presented by William Nel son Cromwell. Xt is, therefore, important to know who Cromwell Is. He Is a representative of the Harriman interests, of the Standard Oil, and of the sugar trust. Hb defended the promi nent men involved In the recent insurance scan dals. Probably no man In' the country has dono more business with and for trusts than Mr. Cromwell. Even the Associated Press admits that there is some "mystery about the choice of Sheldon. There had been, so the Illinois dispatches say, a practical agreement on Rep resentative McKinley bf Illinois, who, it Is said, had been told that he would be 'drafted.' Up to yesterday Sheldon's name had not been con sidered. This was tho situation when Crom well arrived, having telegraphed ahead urging that no selection bo mado till ho came, as ho had a candidate. Ho camo, and his enndidato was accoptod. McKinloy was not 'drafted.' "As to Sheldon himself. It In to bo said that he, too, Is a trust man. Ho Is said to bo inter ested in tho Republic Iron and Stool company, the American Locomottvo compnny, tho Paper Bag trust and various railroad and trolloy syn dicates, no was one of the organizers of tho famous shipbuilding trust. Sholdon was at'bno time,, if not now, interested in tho tobacco trust. ho is a man of prominence and president of tho Union Leaguo club of Now York. It Is nfild n!atJie' ?? l Now Yorkcr, will be governed by the Jew York statute requiring publicity in tho matter of campaign funds, and that this wan the principal reason for his appointment. J3ut it is" hard ,tp pee how a Now York statuto can control tho conduct of an officer of tho national committeo except In relation to New York ar fairs. That there will bo plenty of monoy wo do not doubt. If Cromwell and Sheldon caw not got' it, no one can. '''I , , "T!l? ,noaIUon o( assistant treasurer, It In said, will bo tendered to Mr. McKinloy. Ho hi known as Speaker Cannon's right-hand man, especially in any negotiations that it may bo necessary to carry on with the trusts. Tho rul lng influences, ot the house are thus represented on tho committeo, and thus the committeo ought to bo able to 'mako good' on any pledges It may spo nt tb give. Further than this Mr. Sherman, candidate for tho vico presidency, Is to continue as chairman of tho congressional committee. Mr. Sherman is a member of tho Inner organiza tion of the house, a membor with Speaker Can non of tho rules committee, which tells tho houso what it must and must not do. With Mc Kinloy and Sherman In tho foremost of tho cam ' palgn, and with Cannon behind them, thero will bo no troublo in shaking tho plum tree. Can non, McKinley and Sherman can say whethor or not thero shall bo any tariff legislation, and if so, of what sort. Thus tho republican organs zation is made up of trust magnates, of tho speaker acting through agents, of ono of tho speaker's representatives in dealing with the trusts, and of tho rules committeo which con trols the action of the house. No man who gives money need do so without knowing exactly what ho Is to get for it, or without the assurance that ho will get it. "Last of all thero is tho now chairman, Frank, Hitchcock, formor first assistant postraasr ter general. People will wonder whethor tho selection, of Mr. Hitchcock is to be taken as evidence that tho federal officeholders aro to bo. used to bring about tho election of Mr. Taft as they were used to bring about his nomina tion. : Mr. Hitchcock is an able leader and a good organizer, bat it must be remembered that he had great advantages in his pre-conventlon campaign. That is;he was helped by thousands of federal officeholders who were under tho compulsion to do his bidding. But still ho is an efficient and capable man, and ivJth tho help of Cromwell, Sheldon and the trusts, and -of tho iriner organization of tho houso as represented by McKinley and Sherman, ho ought to get results Clearly the new organization was made by 'practical men' for practical men. McKinley would no doubt have mado a good treasurer, for he, too, knows a good deal about trusts and their habitat. But on the whole it will have to be admitted that Cromwell's candidate is to be preferred. The party will have a great, efficient, smoothly-working organization composed Jn about the right proportions of men who want and men who can give things." Discussing tho republican executive com mittee, the Indianapolis News says: "We have had something to say occasion ally of tho remarkable efficiency of tho republi can national organization. Mr. Hitchcock, tho national chairman, has already proved his qual ity. His success. In rounding up delegates with tho assistance of federal officeholders many of the delegates themselves being federal office holders proves that he Is an extraordinary practical politician. Mr. Sheldon, the treasurer, is a trust man, sustaining close relations to the great interests. He was appointed. It will be remembered, on the recommendation of William Nelson Cromwell, himself a trust man, and Har riman's attorney. Only the other day Frederick W. Upham, of Chicago, was appointed assistant treasurer, with headquarters at Chicago, clear . outside the scope of the New York law- rcquir- 4 4:i $ i i i m i & m 4' - -.