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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 14, 1909)
imniftlnHHWIHIHHH WHWMI iwi,ijmim'wii '$' " P nirTS'imr'vm'et? "." - '-'-'' 94 't. -; --i- I u -Ti v 2 VOLUME 9, NUMBER 18 ,.,.,. . p. a. i nnmw . -'inn mm m i hemw fcr And Mnlno last fall. Whcro tho systom is under Btood it is moro popular than any other reform advocated by oitlior party. Tho fact that it has boen adopted In Oklahoma, in South Dakota, in Orogon, In Malno and in Missouri, together with tho strength which it has shown in othor states, proves that it appeals to tho people o the coun try without rogard to section or party afliliation. I believe it is tho most important single proposi tion now boforo tho several states. Tho Ne braska legislature, which recently adjourned, would havo submitted an amendment providing for tho initiative and referendum had it not been for tho fear of a few senators that tho system might bo usod to securo a voto upon tho liquor quostion, but this defeat Is only temporary, for however much such a fear might influence a fow legislators, it will not influence tho public generally, and I am confident that the next legis lature will act favorably upon tho resulutidn submitting tho nocessary amendment. To show tho growth of tho sentiment in favor of this roform I might cite tho fact that two years ago tho legislature of Arkansas opposed this reform by a largo majority while it endorsed tho meas ure this year by an almost unanimous vote. I conclude by emphasizing tho fact that, as governments derive their just powers from the consent of tho governed, they are good in pro portion as thoy reflect tho ideas, purposes and tho aspirations of the people. The nearer tho government is brought to the people, the better it is, and if a party deserves to be called a demo cratic party, it must bo the aim of that party to, make tho government what tho people want it to be, and to do through tho government what tho people want done. If all democrats entrusted with power would bo faithful to their duties, and livo up to their responsibilities, our party would soon bo completely triumphant, for, there never was a time when tho country more'sorely needed to havo tho principles of Jefferson and Jackson applied to tho problems thaijcequjre solution. In thanking you again for the compliment ,that your Invitation Implies, allow me to express the hope that the present legislature will strengthen our party's position in the slate and in 'the na tion by Us loyalty to democratic" principles, and by its fidelity to the Interests of tho Whole people. I am, with great respect, etc.,. , ' Very truly yours, . . ,,. W J, BRYAN. LOG-ROLLING A democratic congressman is quoted as say ing on tho floor of the house, "If the republi cans will give my people the protection they want, they (tho republicans) can write the Test of the bill." That is consistent. The protective tariff la mado up of log-rolling, and its success deponds upon tho ability of those who favor it to get enough congressmen who are willing to stand together for tho exploitation of the rest of the people. If a man is going to demand pro tection for himself, ho must concede it to others, at least to enough others to securo a majority and then the majority can bo indifferent to the rights of the minority. Some of the democrats In congress seem to think that they can got protection for their districts and then cut down the tariff on everything else, but they are mis taken. Tho man who starts out to defend the protective tariff might as well make up his mind in advance to sacrifice everything and everyhody to get the protection that he Wants, for a pro tective tariff bill can be constructed on no other i llf ?h?tom a,n bo ls saueamish about rais ing; tho; tariff all along the line will soon find himself; out of harmony with 'the men who are now engaged in the task of revising the tariff FIXING TIII3 BLAME Harper's Weekly blames Mr. Bryan for the failure of the democratic minority in the house of representatives to make "a united and an ag gresslyo fight in behalf of tho consumer." The New York World suggests that ''democratic treachery to tariff reform is much older than Mr. Bryan's leadership of tho democratic party but .after reviewing tho history of tho assaults mado byi protectionist democrats upon the his toric policy of the party, tho World declares that Mr. Bryan "may be fairly blamed for the long diverting of public attention from tho issue of honest vision," etc.. Lot tho World and porMr, McKinley In&Wt sqon after, .the .on--$?Wt of tho McKinley bill and, when Mr. Mr da& m4?$if aato in 1896 that enabled the republican party Tk$ Commoner. to claim credit for-the good times that came with good crops and with a larger volume df money; it was the republican victory of 1396 that plunged this country into the folly of imperial ism, and gave to predatory wealth the Satur nalian feast that It has enjoyed for twelve years. Those who supported Mr. Bryan are in a posi tion to criticise if he has failed to make use of tho opportunities the party has given him, but those who helped to defeat the democratic party and :to inaugurate all the evils that have fol lowed that 'republican victory are hardly in a position to shako their gory locks at him. Mr. Bryan has been au advocate of tariff reform in all three of his campaigns, although in 1896 the money question was declared to be paramount, and in 1.900 the question of imperialism was put to the front. Mr. Bryan, however, was not responsible for the conditions that relegated the tariff question to a position of second impor tance in those campaigns. The Chicago plat form was almost completed before Mr. Bryan's delegation was seated in the convention, and while ho was thoroughly in harmony with the platform he had less to do with writing it than ho had with the writing of the platform, of 1904. In the Kansas City convention there' was no division among the democrats as to the making of imperialism as the paramount issue, and but for Mr. Bryan and those who believe with him, tho democrats of the New York World type would havo made a1 much weaker tariff reform plank than was finally adopted in 1904. The pro gressive democrats of the country are, as a rule, tariff reformers, as can be ascertained by read ing tho speeches in congress or analyzing the vote cast. If one wants to find a republican democrat and an apologist for all kinds of in justice from high protection to private monopoly, he has only to look am'bng those who 'quote the World's words and denounce as populistic nearly every effort made to t protect the masses from exploitation. ' t " ' i i i ... , PORK! .The manner in which," some of the congress men are scrambling for, a piece of the pork out of the 'protectionists barrel recalls theory told by ..Congressman. John. Allen of Mississippi. One of, his constituents b.ad a sheep, and whenever a tariff bill came up this constituent would write to his congressman and urge him to keep the tariff on wool. Finally a letter came, "Bill's dead. You can vote as you please." If the truth were known it would be found that a good many of the congressmen have been "protect ing" a few pet interests in their districts at the expense of all the rest of their constituents as well as at the expense of all the rest- of the country. SENATOR BAILEY DEFENDS INCOME TAX Senator Bailey of Texas made a strong speech in opposition to the Payne tariff bill a few days ago, giving special attention to the income tax Senator Bailey refused to endorse the charge made by some jthat the rich would lie to avoid the tax. He said that while an income tax is inquisitorial, it is no more so than any other tax. Tho state tax law compels people to tell the source of their income and to enumerate their property in detail. To require a man to ten how large an income he enjoys is. no more Inquisitorial than to compel him to file an in ventory of his wife's jewelry. Further discussing the subject, Mr. Bailey said: . "I would not insult the American people by repeating that charge, but I Will repel It as an unwarranted reflection upon our people. I do not think a self-respecting American citizen will He to escape the payment of a tax, and , if I should find a man who would commit: perjury to escape taxation J would favor disfranchising him. It may bo that rich men will tell a III to avoid paying an income tax, but I will not sefve's0 alth0ugh some of.thm say it;otthem- aJ.'1 .hold J?. brief t0 defend tflo rich men of America. It is not incumbent upon me to stand up here and say they will pay their tfxes, whin so many of thein say they will not. ' f know .some of them will escape an incoino tax, h7 cause I know many of them escape, their pres ent taxes I know it is said, that it is considered a lack of respectability for any millionaire ntt to swear a lip to escape his taxes.- I hope no y qomprehend.hpwarman can revet ilU'. luxury and perjure, hlsmniQrta!; 8oul toWapethl? payment of-,taes..aq H ...jS;w willing to pay for the protection of his property over which, armies and navies "stand in solemn guard." For himself, if he were counsel for the rich, he would advise them not only to sup port, but to advocate an income tax law. "And if they would do that," said Mr. Bailey, "they would do more to silence anaTchy than all the benefactions and charities they can do. It seems to me there are rich men who are willing to give benefactions in order to have them published who are not willing to pay their fair portion of the expenses of the government." The tariff bill is giving the democrats a chance to present some wholesome truth on the subject of taxation, and no one has done it more forcibly than Senator Bailey. LET THE PEOPLE RULE The city of Lincoln, Neb., has gone "dry" by'a majority of 349. Two years ago it voted for license upon the pledge of the excise board thai the saloons would be closed at 7 p. m. Thia year the excise board promised to close the saloons at 6:30 in case the license system was endorsed, but the voters have by a decisive ma jority' declared against the saloon. LET THE PEOPLE (RULE! The change in sentiment that'has taken place since the question was last submitted isf due 'to several causes, among which may be mentioned two. In tho first place there is a growth in the temperance sentiment all over the country. The use of liquor as a beverage Is being more and more condemned. The moral awakening upon which the nation ls entering is making both the individual and the' public conscience more sensitive. Christians are giving increas ing recognition to the fact that they can nbt afford to set an example which may lead weaker persons astray, even if they themselves are strong enough to drink with moderation. But the temperance sentiment has grown f6r a second reason, namely, because of the officious and offensive interference of the liquor inter-' ests in politics. The brewer's lobby disgusted the' people of Lincoln during the last session ofir the Nebraska legislature. It defeated the sub-' mission of the initiative' and 'referendum on the ground that it might -be used to submit a pro-s hibition amendment. ' Instead of being content"" to satisfy a demand and sell vhen the people of a community want to buy, the liquor interests attempt to control legislation and to run the politics of local communities, not to speak of their encouragement of lawlessness. This will not be tolerated long. The saloon is bad enough at its best; it becomes unbearable when it sets Itself up as a political dictator and attempts to defeat popular government. In Lincoln hostility to the saloon is increased ?y,the!act that the cItv is an educational center, ' being the temporary home of several thousand students. Many who might otherwise vote for" saloons feel that Lincoln, in return for the ad-' vantages brought to the city by the university, should as far as possible shield the student from ' the temptations that lead the young astray. Few cities of the size of Lincoln have voted the saloon out but others areapt to do so, especially if those who are pecuniarily Interested in the liquor traffic continue, to disregard both law' and morals. ALDRICH'S HiL.DIWORK . Mr- Aldrich nas taken considerable space to fSfS ni .SP3 ? made ln the republican tariff bill. The Washington correspondent for.) the Nevr York American probably comes mucb aoeser Hi tVUth thaX Mr' Aldr's statement -does. This correspondent says that the Aldrich senate substitute for the Payne tariff bill has Zl? njnety-four schedules over the house JwBan5 decreasfld sixty-four, schedules; also that the decreases are, in many cases, a restora tion substantially of W present Dingley rate. CAN NOT DODGE RESPONSIBILITY . -The St. Paul Dispatch, a republican ninw' saysion'W: Aldrich' is United StateS fi WniTfQfm Rn0d l8linl but lie really represents fromelRhorTnt1(1?Ch:?Ullited States senator, rate S tif ? nlf tii ead6r of the senate by n e pWty, cK S?hi?J? eedafelXlthedoirers thei re S&ttW $WuUBtaiit aim .theirtfde'ter- 2ng ump fels-.mudh aft tlieilftw Mam. .IT.'- AH.i.-iV....