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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-
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