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OCTOBER 15, 1900
The Commoner.
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I INFERRING to the death of the grand old
X man of Illinois the New York World says:
"Of the generation to which William R. Morri
son belonged few survivors remain. Ho served
under Zachary Taylor in tho Mexican war and
commanded an Illinois regiment in the civil
war. " He was a 'Forty-niner having gone to
California in the early days of the gold excite
ment. But it wa3 as 'Horizontal Bill,' the chair
man of the committee on ways and means in a
democratic house in 1884, who sought to se
cure a straight or horizontal reduction of 20
per cent in the tariff, that he was best remem
bered. Bitter recollections of his experiences
at that time with protectionist democrats led by
Sam' Randall must have been revived as he wit
nessed tho betrayal of party pledges during the
recent session of congress by democrats who
aligned themselves with' the republican stand
patters whenever tariff revision threatened to
affect certain local interests."
RETURNING FROM a trip abroad William
Allen White, tho Kansas editor, said: ,rCan
you imagine a self-respecting Kansas farmer go
ing around jgrabbing his hat all tho time to a
ntan who has no other distinction except that
lie happened to have a whito shirt? No?
Neither can I. That's one of tho things that
inakes a man proud of America the fact that
there is no peasant . lass here. Over all Europe
a man that works with his hands, whether he bo
a farmer, railroad man, or mechanic, forever is
putting his finger to his cap or pulling his hat
off. He has a servile attitude, and tho finest
thing in the world I foiihd when coming .back
to America was the American farmer and work
man, who looked you squ,arely in tho eye, and
kept their hands in their pockets, and who in
dicate by their general attitude that jif you don't
like their style you- can go straigh't up. The
present burning issue in, England is a form of
-what in America is known as the single tax.
The government that's their cabinet and mem
bers of the majority party in parliament pro
posed a finance bill which purposes to put a tax
on the unearned increment in land, including
mineral, coal, and the like. This is taking a
direct drive at the landlord system in England.
The cry of the government party is 'down with
the dukes.' You see it on banners in proces
sions, hear the titled members of the majority
party crying it in political meetings. The gov
ernment feels perfectly confident of passing
the bill, and the Tories are much disheartened."
IOUISE, DAUGHTER of Mr. and Mrs. Ross
j L. Hammond, passed over at tho
parents' homo at Fremont. Mr; Hammond is
the editor of the Fremont (Neb.) Tribune and
for that paper the father wrote this beautiful
song of Immortality: "We can really know only
that which we feel. In thirty years of writing
a thousand times of others' woes effort has
been made to soften them with a touch of sym
pathy, but there was not full knowledge of the
bitterness of their grief till yester morn when
the angel of death passed the portals of the
home and touched the fair young brow or one
with whom we wero all in such deep love that
we were not aware. But now knowledge is full
and sad and if life shall be 'spared to write a
score and ten more years the heart will under
stand the words the fingers form. The birth
of a daughter was to the father a great miracle,
almost as if a new world had been flung from
the Creator's hand into an azure space of the
starry sky. A new tune was struck in the sanc
tuary of the heart that thrilled with ecstacy.
Day by day and year by year she grew and
twined herself about the affections. Sho nestled
so close and warm and loving. Through child
hood's happy hours she dwelt as one sent to
make glad with the music of her sweet voice.
She grew beside the dear mother until her
stature filled the full measure of her who had
felt the anguish and the joy of the miraclo that
had brought her forth. No picture of pigment
and canvas ever portrayed the beauty of these
two walking side by side in tho home, entering
bo completely, unreservedly, and affectionately
Into each other's lives. So gradually was this
picture formed and framed that the one who
saw It as it dovcloped In its beauty could not
say whon the lines were drawn that gave It
grace and form and color. He know only that
by constant and delicate touch the masterpiece
was created and that it was rovealed in a bcciio
that was divinely fair. That younger soul was
beginning to search tho universe. With a pas
slon to know God's great truths sho delved and
digged and sought. Every now discovery wan
a great delight. With glorious zeal sho strlved
to fathom tho facts and pocrots and mysteries
of the great wide world. With dignity and
serenity and sweetness that those about hor
sensed and know sho dwelt in tho homo ik u
sweet benediction. At rarest intervals she
showed tho traits that made her human. Ah
she camo into tho greater, deeper experiences
of young womanhood tho parents felt a sense
of profoundest satisfaction. But in a twinkling,
like a flash from tho sky, tho beautiful picture
was riven. Broken is tho golden bowl, the spirit
flown forever; let tho bells toll for a saintly soul
has crossed tho Stygian river. Tho mystery of
death is greater than tho miratjlo of birth. Forth
again into that life front which it camo. Pa
rental hearts are iu tho ground but their hope
Is in the skies. Just as suro as that they jour
noyed with her on that hard and lonely path
close down to tho dark river's edge are they
that she was helped across by tho hand of God .
and that all tho joys of heaven aro her's. That "
this sweet young girl was not more to thoso who
loved and lived for her than liavo been others
who have gone on the unknown Journey, to thoso
about them, proves to newly-stricken hearts
how great is tho sorrow of tho world. And
with this new lesson of rhgulsh is tho com
pensating one of knowledge of human syni-'
pathy. A deluge of tender messages of sym
pathy and appreciation from far and near in
some measure mitigated the grlof that shows
that though stricken in tho rosy morn of life
dear Louise did not live in. vain."
IN THIS CONNECTION an ineidont may be of
service to men everywhere. The Fremont
Tribune is a strong republican paper, its editor
being foremost in the republican leadership of
Nebraska. The Fremont Horald, edited by
Marc G. Perkins, is a strong democratic paper.
In the democratic paper Editor Perkins pays
this beautiful tribute to the daughter of his
business and political rival: "Death has en
tered the home of a brother worker. No other
raj'stery is so impenetrable as that of God's will.
Why must loving hearts be torn with grief;
why must tho most innocent and affectionate,
the dearest of them all be taken away? Cher
ished from the cradle, almost riponing into
womanhood, attaining that sweet ago where she
stepped from childhood to the companionship of
mother and sweetheart of father, Louise was
stricken with a fatal illness, and today her dear
body will bo laid away. No words can come
to JQ11 the measure of sympathy needed but from
those who have suffered the agony of such loss.
Language can only express a Bincero, prayerful
sorrow for the parents and a hope that in those
who live to fill her place may bo found a con
solation for their distress and that God may be
merciful to them in their deep affliction." It
would be well if men and women habitually put
the proper value upon such incidents as these.
ri OVERNOR COMER, of Alabama, has given
JC out an Interview replying to an attack made
upon him by Thomas G. Jones, judge of the
United States court in Alabama. Governor
Comer boldly declares that Judge Jones had
made up his mind to enjoin tho state rate
laws before he heard tho testimony, and that
tho railroads, against which the laws vero di
rected, knew that he was going to do so. "I
have criticised Judge Jones," tho governor said,
"and have stated that on account of his en
vironment ho was not fitted to sit upon the rate
cases in Alabama." The governor then goes
on to recite that Judge Jones was an employe
from youth of the Louisville and Nashville road,
that many bf his family were employed in the
same way, that he was a virtual protege of
Milton Smith, president or tho road, that ho
continued in the employ of tho road until hu
went on the bench, and that Milton Smith
helped to put him on tho bench, ho had been
informed. "With this environment and his dis
position It was Impossible for him to give tho
state a fair, Impartial trial, continues tho gov
ernor. "The Hacrodnoss and Justlco which by
common consent is accorded to every court,
could not bo conceded to his court In the trial
of those casos." The governor also says that
tho partisanship or the Judge to tho railroads
compelled him to take as conclusive ovldonco
tho oxport's statements or (he railroads, al
though ho fhould have known such ovldonco to
bo questionable rrom the very nature of tho
caao. Ho charges "that It was very gonorully
believed thut by his Invitation ho (Jones) had
railroad employes come to his chambers, whore
in the most spectacular mnnner he assured thorn
of tho protection or his court." Tho govornor
further asserts that the attorney general rcrusod
to appear in the court because tho Judge; beroro
hearing the side of the state, pointed out his
course in a newspaper Interview. Tho citing or
Solicitor Steagall for contempt because ho (alkod
back to a deputy of tho fedoral court "shocked"
tho governor. Ho speaks of. tho "exaggerated
egotism" of the Judge, and says that tho talk
of civil war was only in his "fevcrod brain."
Tho govornor declared that former President
Roosevelt intimated to him that If state oflicors
wore fined for contempt of the Jones couit thoy
might be pardoned.
rpHE NEW YORK Independent prints this
JL , human Interest , story: ., "The foUowr
Ing lettor from William 13. Barton, D. D., ,6l
,Oak Park, 1)1., tells a .kindly story and preaches
a short lesson: 'Some months ago I made re
quest through your columns that picture voutnl
cardrt'bo sent to a frlond ofinuo in prson. May
1 now bo permitted to thank those who respond
ed to that request, and to say that It will not
bo necessary to send any more? The gentle,
kindly man to whom this kindness was extend
ed, Ifas been released, and Is doubly free; he
died a rreo man. Friends who sent him postal
cards without knowing his name will be Inter
ested In knowing that there came to him through
tho malls 1,000 illustrated postals, from every
part of tho world, and that he found great satis
faction In arranging them, and that every o'nq'
of them touched his heart with a sense of tho
kindness of unknown friends. It is something
to have brightened the last months of a life
as those did who remembered him In bonds. As
his name was not mentioned before, lot -It still
rest in the silence cf this quiet ministration.
But let mo preach this little sermon to men who
aro trusted as he once was trusted, and honored,'
as he once was honored. Kgop trust funds sep
arate from 2 jur own money. It Is a vory .simple
sermon, but for lack of following its direction
some kindly men, generous and good, have
learned bitter lessons..' " -
r PEAKING TO a reporter for tho Washing
O ton (D. C.) Herald, Dr. V. W. Holder of
Philadelphia says: "Speaking of words that
aro overworked, I want to put in a mild pro
test on behalf of the word 'most.' Now 'most'
is a good word, and may bo put to a great many
uses. But in my judgment,'' continued the
pedagogue, "it is greatly overworked, and tho
fact is particularly noticeable in tho society col
umns of newspapers. Like a great many other
qualifying words, used so frequently for the
purpose of strengthening a phrase, 'most when
used without fine discrimination, has Just the
opposite effect. It weakens and detracts from
the sentence. It is never well for the writer to
allow the suggestion of gushing, or gaudy ful
someness to crop out between the lines, and
this often happens whon qualifying words arc.
used. 'Most' is simply one of tho many words
that are pressed into service often enough to
become offensive. Such expressions as 'most
beautiful,' 'most brilliant,' 'most graceful
'most eloquent,' 'most unique,' and so on, are
constantly appearing in newspapers and periodi
cals, and theso expressions, and others of- the
same kind are commoner now than ever bafore."
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