'!! lU.llllllj
DECEMBER 11, 1908
needs no argument as it Is a moral question
only. Postal savings bank3 will be more popu
lar than the guaranteed bank, for the simplo
reason that the law creating the guaranteed
bank will create a distinct and aristocratic class
of citizens, who produce nothing, but live off
of the earnings of their depositors and it will
in ihe end make by compulsion a money holding
class trusted and entrenched powerful and dis
tinctly aristocratic, whose power will finally pass
into, the hands of a few. It is in my judgment
the most dangerous doctrine that the democracy
ever advocated. We marvel that the bankers
were not for it to the man. Other measures
took their attention or they would have seen
the advantage to be gained In the end.
S. F. Stambaugh, Shelby, Ohio. We elect
ed Hon. W. G. Sharp, being the first democratic
congressman in this the Fourteenth district In
twenty-four years. Still by the republican man
ufacturers by a seemingly concerted action, pre
tending to show orders to be delivered in the
event of Taft's election and to be countermand
ed in the event of Bryan's election. These
orders, in many cases, were thoroughly investi
gated and proved fakes, pure and simple; al
though thousands of democratic workmen bit
on the old chestnut, and voted for Taft, as
against their best judgment and inclination, on
the fake order scheme. In the event the fake
order scheme was worked as successfully else
where as here in Ohio, over 500,000 democratic
workmen voted for Mr. Taft in the United
States. Thousands of republican workmen
voted for the peerless leader. Yes, the time is
coming, that the democratic jpaTty will gain con
trol of the federal government.
B. F. Baker, Bellevue, Mich. In 1904 the
republicans carried our township of Kalamo. The
republican candidates for electors receiving 214
votes, the democrats 99 votes. Republican ma
jority 115. In 1908 republican electors re
ceived 162, the democrats 133. Republican ma
jority 29. You can see by this that there is
no mystery to solve in Kalomo in 1908.
John F. Lundquist, Aberdeen, S. D. What
course shall reformers adopt for the future?
Thorough organization of the democratic party
with, workers in every precinct and subdivision
and making plain the stand of the democratic
party on .questions of popular concern. Read,
work: and organize. Can the democratic party
hone ever to gain control of the federal gov
ernment? Yes. If the democrats will stick to
their paTty, which is the champion of the peoples'
rights. Many of the members of the other
parties believe in the reforms advocated by the
democratic party and which are opposed by the
republican pary. Upon the failure of the re
publican party to make these reforms law, I ex
pect to see many reformers walk over into the
democratic party and with these, we ought to
win. Since Mr. Bryan has been defeated, cor
poration men will try to get control of the dem
ocratic party and if they succeed, will have
both parties representing special interests. The
democratic party will not allow this, but it is
well to be on the lookout.
J S Ewlng, National Military Home, Kan
eas. First, Ninety-eight per cent of the sources
of information was controlled by the republi
cans. Second, The Catholic vote was very large
ly thrown to Mr. Taft. Third, And main cause
the Mexlcanlzing of policies in the United States.
We aTe now an oligarchy. J. D Rockefeller
has more influence in shaping legislation in
this country than has King Edward in the
British Isles. I have a letter now before me
from a friend in British Columbia in which ho
laughs at the stupidity of American labor and
'American farmers. He says even the half civ
ilized lave could have detected the bunco
methods of the republicans in threatenlng
panics and poor crops in the event oi the : de
feat, but he thinks the average voter is simply
putting off the evil day, which he ys every
body seems to know except Americansthat is,
that it will take a revolution to wrest from the
hand of greed and special privileges the gov
ernment wnich Is now in their control He says
japan is only waiting r toat Umo to tafc e the
Philippine and Sandwich Islands. He . says that
by their millions of expenditure and with their
subsidized press they have discredited the
Declaration of Independence by calling it a a
BryaSamuel H. Martin, Whitewood, S. D.Thls
precinct made democratic gains from both re
publican and. socialist party of thinking men
and no democrat voted the other tickets. No
losses here, I think, due to the number of papers
and magazines taken. Reading is superior to
The Commoner..
speaking in loading people to think. Show tho
monarchical tendency and tho danger to rights
and happiness of tho common people in grand
stand play enacted by tho republican admin ti
tration to fool tho people. It is doubtful. Tho
influence and power of the wealthy men and
corporations is fearful and tholr greed unlimited.
The republican party seems to belong to them.
Witness tho weak lawB and the poor enforce
ment of them. They have the means in hand
to rob the people of any amount of money to
keep tho control of law making and adminis
tration abetted by that dangerous thing, party
prejudice.
John Harrington, Oshkosh, Wis. Three,
Keep up tho fight. Adhero to our prlnelploH;
state them more definitely and more radically
if necessary; and make no compromise. Four,
The democratic party may hope, not only to
gain control of tho federal government, but It
can not help gaining such control, provided It
does not surrendor to tho plutocratic element
In the party, and allow that elomont to dom
inate, as it did in 1904. Tho majority of tho
people still think that the people do rule, and
not the trusts and corporations; otherwise tho
result this tlmo would have been different. But
the number of voters who feel that tho people
do not rule is increasing. The people are watch
ful, and as soon as It becomes clear to those
who are now only suspicious, that our govern
ment is dominated by the predatory Interests,
the overturning will come. There were a very
large number, enough to reverse tho popular
decision, who voted the republican ticket this
year with little enthusiasm and much hesitancy.
They voted as they did, hoping" for the best
rather than feeling any certainty. Unless tho
new administration gives the best of satisfac
tion, and carries out its best promises both In
letter and in spirit, the "deluge" will come in
four years. The democrats have one prime duty
to perform, namely, to keep the organization in
the control of the progressive element, and
nominate a progressive four years from now,
who will be of national caliber, who will make
no compromise with the reactionaries, and who
will inspire the full confidence of his party.
For my own part I believe tho party did tho
wisest thing in nominating yourself to lead In
the recent campaign, and can not do a wiser
thing than to nominate you again In 1912; un
less, Indeed, tho new administration should
prove a good administration for tho people, In
which case Mr. Taft will be re-elected. In any
event, as I see it, the highest duty of The Com
moner and its editor will bo to see that no
servant of special interests and no reactionary
is nominated by our party four years hence.
J. F. Brown, Cambridge, Mass. First, In
this city of 12,000 voters, Taft had a plurality
of 1,082. Parker in 1904 had a plurality of
63. Second, The falling off is due to the belief
that tho republican party can make or unmako
business. All reforms the right to vote itself
are as nothing compared to this. Third, Tho
people versus monopoly. Hew to tho lino as in
dicated in Mr. Bryan's speech of acceptance, for
only by Introducing morals into politics and
business, can government or industry progress,
and permanent prosperity be secured. I con
sider tariff abolition the most vital question.
Fourth, Yes. When the corruption in the re
publican party wrecks It upon another and se
verer panic, then the average voter will be con
vinced that republican manufacturers can not
compel or abolish a market. Tho next severe
failure of crops will be the end of the g. o. p.
A. F. Davis, Sprjngfield, Mo. I will answer
your question, "What was tho cause of tho do
feat of tho national democratic ticket in 1908,"
by asking you a question: What would the re
sult have been if the Standard Oil, steel, iron,
railroads, and banks, and all other large cor
porations had said, if you elect Taft we will
cut wages, quit business, etc.? Tho fact Is you
did all that' man could do and I thought you
would be victorious up to the time that the
bankers held their convention at Denver. The
bankers have a big influence among the small
business men.
H. C. Forsher, Roachdale, Ind. Second,
Push right on for the reforms which we advo
cate. The truth and right must prevail. Third,
We live In hope, bnt we have the money power
and ignorance to fight.
Andrew S. Phelps, Joliet, 111. I am glad
to observe that an effort will bo made to solve
the "mystery of 1908." I am also glad to con
tribute a "suspicion" base'd upon the following
Sets. The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 election districts
of Will county gave Mr., Taft a. plurality of .254
votes. Tho samo dlstrlota gavo Mr. Stevenson,
democratic candidate for governor, 390 ma
jority; MoNaughCon, damocratlc candidate for
congrons, 191 majority; tho democratic candi
dates for tho loglslaluro 291 majority. Theao
district are co-oxtonslve with the Third, Fourth
and Fifth wards of tho city of Jollot, and those
ward have a solid domocratlc representation of
six aldermen In tho city council, and throo mem
bers In the school boaTd. It Is mnlnly a resi
dence district, well equipped with schoolH, public
and parochial, churches, Institutions, etc. Tho
Catholic population preponderates and main
tains the principal churches and Institutions and
does It very handsomely. About ton days prior
to the oloctlon I mot an old friend, who lives
in a strong Catholic neighborhood and Bponda
tho most of his tlmo about his homo. Wo dis
cussed tho probabilities of tho election and ha
remarked that there was something doing among
tho Catholics, nn unusual amount of visiting
and private discussion, but ho did not know that
It had any relation to tho election. On tho Tues
day preceding tho oloctlon anothor friend of
mlno entertained at his .homo a young lady, a
school friend of his wlfo, now residing In an
othor city, who Is a dovoted Catholic. Politics
being mentioned, sho stated that Mr. Taft was
sure of election because tho "prlosts havo' re
quested our men to voto for him." I do not
think that all tho Catholics In these districts
take their political guidance from tho prlcsta,
but I can conceive that such a request would
havo great influence with many of them. If It
were exerted nation wldo it would probably ac
count for tho emasculation of Tnmmany Hull and
Mr, Gompers' Federation ot Labor as domoc
cratlc forces, and for tho cock-surencss of Mr.
Roosevelt and the republican managers In tho
days immediately preceding tho olectlon.
J. B. Cragon, Lapel, Ind. In this precinct
tho democratic party hold its own on tho na
tional ticket and ran ahead on state and county
tickets attributable to dissensions among the
leading republicans. It should have run ahead
o.n national ticket as I know of several repub
licans and prohibitionists who voted it and thero
was not a democrat objector. In fact wo have
not had as much enthusiasm among tho demo
crats in twenty years as this year nor as llttlo
among tho republicans. Thero was vlslblo evi
dences of both money and whisky being uscll
lavishly, but we wero unablo to locate it. Third,
Stand for tho right of tho pcoplo In opposition
to predatory wealth and stop relying on New
York and tho east and cdncentrato our efforts in
tho w6st and' south. Fourth, Yes. These aro
my views In a nutshell. I believo wo aro right
and will finally prevail. If wo do not all will
bo lost and tho ropubllc will go as did tho Ro
man republic and we will experlenco tho worst
despotism tho world has ever seen.
TILE LITTLE VOYAGER
Ob, the ways are many to Drowsy Land,
Some ono, I know, would try them all.
'Tls hey, tonight, for a big- balloon,
Big and round, like a sliver ball.
Up through the dark it swings along,
Blown by tho night wind's rustling song.
Slowly It sways and swings this way,
Poising at last, just overhead,
When down drops a glimmering rope of light.
And anchors it safe on a tiny bed; ,
And climbing tho ladder of silver beams,
Some one embarks for the land of dreams.
All through tho night, in the shining thing, ,-.
Silent they float through the cool, sweet dark,
Reeds they dip in tho foamy clouds,
Where the summer lightnings glint and spark,
And east or west, o'er tho wind swept sky,
Tho twinkling, golden bubbles fly.
Do you ask me hpw Some One comes home agafjt
When deep In the west dips the silver spheret
Oh, never a thought do I give to that,
Perhaps the sun is the charioteer,
I only know that the tiny bed
Pillows ea-ch morning a golden head. ,z
, Pauline Frances Camp In tne New jngian
Magazine.
rr
REWARDS
-,
.Herbert I. Satterleo has been appointed as?
slstant secretary of tho navy. Mr.,.StterleeU
a son-in-law of J. Plerpont Morgan. yv t
., To the victors belong the spoils. -
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