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VOLUME 9, NUMBER 18
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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
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