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The Commoner.
4:
VOLUME 9; NUMBER 48
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The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY.
Entered at the Postofflco r.t Lincoln, Nebraska,
. second-class matter.
William J. DnrAJx
Editor and Proprietor
IUciiAitn L. MicrcALKtc
Associate Editor
CnAiu.rs W. Bryan
Publisher
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THE COMMONER, L ncoln, Nob.
JtWhem Congressmen Stand
Tho Commoner will be pleased to publish
brief letters from congressmen and democratic
candidates for congrcso, giving their opinion
of tho tariff platform suggested by Mr. Bryan.
Boston, Mass, October 22, 1909. Mr. Charles
W. Bryan, Tho Commoner, Lincoln, Neb. My
Dear Mr. Bryan: I have ycurs of October 19
asking me, as a democratic member of congress,
to express my opinion in reference to the tariff
platform. Permit me to say that it fell to my
lot recently to write the platform for the demo
cratic party of Massachusetts, which was adopt
ed at their state convention. My idea of what
the democratic platform in reference to the tariff
should be, la contained In that platform, which
reads: "We demand an immediate reduction of
tfio 'tariff duties on the necessaries of life."
Very respectfully yours,
JOSEPH F. O'CONNELL.
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Helena, Ark., October 23, 1909. Mr. Charles
W. Bryan, Publisher of The Commoner, Lincoln,
Neb. Esteemed Sir: Replying to your favor
of tho 20th instant requesting a letter from mo
giving my opinion of the tariff platform recently
suggested by Mr. Bryan and read by hira in his
DallaB, Texas, speech September 14th, I will
say tbat.l cordially endorse the propositions set
forth by him to the effect that a platform is a
pledge by tho candidate to tlTe voters and when
ratified at the polls becomes a contract between
tho official and his constituents and should bo
as sacredly observed as any contract that could
pqssibly be made between man and man. I
do not deem it necessary for me to take up the
other suggestions made by Mr. Bryan as my
speeches in congress upon the tariff question
clearly disclose -that I am an anti-protectionist
from head to heels. The very thought of pro
tecting one class of individuals or business as
against another class of Individuals or business,
except as against criminals, such as highway
robbers and sneak thieves, Is so repugnant to
my senEe of right and justice that It is hard for
me to express myself upon the subject without
losing my patience. 1 believe that when the
great Creator of all things made man and placed
him upon the earth he Intended that he should
have a free race to the goal unhindered by his
-fellows and that for any one of them to obstruct
his course by digging pitfalls or erecting bar
riers to Interfere with his progress would b
unbrothorly, unmanly and contrary to very
Who Fooled President Taft?
. Following is an Associated Press dispatch:
Chicago, October 19. President Taft appar
ently was led into a serious blunder in the clos
ing days of the recent session of congress when
he changed his attitude on the prinfpaper sched
ule, according to an open letter addressed to
the chief executive and signed by Herman Rid
der of New York, president of the American
Newspaper Publishers' Association.
Mr. Ridder's letter was written some time
ago and was made public today following its
endorsement by the Inland Dally Press Associa
tion. Mr. Ridder's letter is as follows:
"To the President: The full text of your
address at Winona, Minn., on the tariff bill has
just come to hand. With the utmost respect, we
submit that your statement respecting the paper
schedule shows that you could not have correctly
read or understood what the print paper para
graph contained as it passed the house of repre
sentatives. "You iere apparently misled by designing
men tnto a serious blunder when, in the closing
days of tho tariff conference, they induced you
to reverse your previous attitude upon print
paper, and changed your notions of what the
Mann committee recommended, and of what the
house of representatives had approved.
"The Mann committee, after a ten months' in
vestigation, marked by unusual thoroughness,
reported that a rate of $2 would cover the dif
ference in cost of production at home and abroad.
The draft proposed absolutely safeguarded
American paper mills against the serious Cana
dian tangle which your advice to the tariff con
ference has jince precipitated.
"The fixing of the rate on print paper at $3.75
per ton, which you advised, has decided the
province of Quebec to prohibit the exportation
of its pulp wood, and many American paper mills
must close or give to Canada, to obtain their
supplies of raw material-
"The country is now in a fair way for a trade
war with Canada, because of your apparent N
failure to correctly read the Mann committee's
recommendations. We are threatened with an
industrial, disturbance which will involve busi
ness inter-changes with Canada, amounting to
$285,000,000 per annum.
"We sincerely trust that you can find some
method of rectifying the mistake Into which you
were led. We fully appreciate the difficulties and '
responsibilities of your exalted office, and we
believe you are trying to do the best you can.
We know you must rely upon others for your
information. We feel that every, citizen is under
obligation to help you. Therefore, we write this
letter to help you.
"Yours respectfully,
"(Signed) HERMAN RIDDER,
"President American Newspaper Publishers'
Association.
Following are United Press dispatches:
Chicago, October 20. The placing of wood
pulp on the free list is the only solution to the
impending trade war between the United States
and. Canada', caused by the new print paper and
wood pulp tariff incorporated in the recent tariff
bill. This is the belief of John Norris, chairman
of the standing committee on print paper of the
American Publishers' Association, as expressed
before the Inland Daily Press Association. Norris
declared that only a free schedule for print
paper and pulp would now be accepted by tho
Canadians.
"Had the $2 duty been fixed at the time the
tariff bill was in the making," he said, "Canada
would have accepted it but now the Canadians
are aroused and they believe that, with the
United States sticking for a duty, they will pull
the $500,000,000 invested in this country in
paper manufacturing properties over into
Canada.
"That is the talk of the pulp men. their paper
manufacturers and their newspapers. And any
change in the attitude of the Canadian govern
ment toward a compromise duty would mean the
downfall of the men at the head of that gov
ernment." Resolutions urging upon congress such
changes in the tariff provision on pulp and print
paper as will insure a full supply of pulp wood
for American paper mills were adopted by tho
convention, which also endorsed a letter of pro
test to President Taft prepared by the American
Newspaper Publishers' Association.
THREATS OF TARIFF WAR
Washington, October 20. A tariff war of
gigantic proportions threatening to demoralize
trade between the United States and France,
and eventually to lead to the prohibition of
French imports to the United States, is loom
ing up.
Although the French government has issued
no proclamation imposing maximum rates on a
number of American products now being ad
mitted under the minimum rate, notice that such
a proclamation would be issued has been pub
lished. It is assumed that this change will go
into effect November 1.
In the opinion of officials in whose hands will
lie the readjustment of the tariff under the
maximum and minimum clause of the Payne
Aldrich .bill, this action by France is unneces
sarily vindictive and harsh. If these condi
tions are imposed upon American products,
President Taft would have authority to retaliate
by shutting French imports out altogether un
der section five of the act of August 30, 1890,
which gives him authority to declare illegal
import from countries which unduly discriminate
against American products.
Under the proposed French schedule, the duty
on mineral oils will be double the present rate
and the duty on coffee will be 29 cents per
pound. The raises on other American produc
tions are as great and the effect will be practi
cally to shut out American trade.
The apparent cause for this resentment pn the
part of the French legislators is the fact that
Germany has been granted a period of grace
three months longer than that allowed to
France.
Christian spirit implanted In the breast of man
by his Creator.
Very sincerely yours,
R. B. MACON.
Butler, Mo., October 21, 1909. Mr. Charles
W. Bryan, Publisher The Commoner, Lincoln,
Neb. My Dear Sir: I concur in the suggestion
recently made by the Hon. William J. Bryan as
expressive of the proper democratic doctrine
updn the tariff, and would like to see the dema
cratic party everywhere make it, by platform
declaration, a cardinal tenet of party faith. It is
only by making the welfare of the masses of the
people the chief concern of our party that we
can hope, or should hope, tor political victory
through their support. A party to merit suc
cess should not only give due heed to the wise
teachings of the great men of past generations,
but should fearlessly oppose the wrongs of to
day and unequivocally champion the right.
Very respectfully,
DAVID A. DE ARMOND,
fair dealing and the far-seeing policy of doing
the right thing which are animating our business
men everywhere will be found ably developed by
Mr. Taft."
The steel trust has been burning incense in
honor of Mr. Roosevelt ever since he permitted
the Tennessee Coal and Iron company merger.
Mr. Roosevelt is the only president who has had
an indorsement at a meeting of the directors of
the steel trust. He is the only president who
awakened public conscience to such . an extent
that even the chairman of the steel trust can
not get over it but must refer. to it at least onco
a week. Incidentally he is the only president
who ever suspended a wise and- just law for tho
sole benefit of the steel trust.
There are some Americans who would be glad
tn have the steel trust embody Its obligatiocs to
Mr. Roosvelt in a series of whereases and reso
lutions, engross them handsomely on parchment
and deliver them once and for all to the great
awakener of public conscience who put the anti
trust law to sleep when one of the greatest of
trusts was wide awake. New York World.
INCENSE
Whatever else may be said of it, the steel
trust is properly appreciative and grateful. In
London the other day its chairman. Judge Gary,
remarked: "Mr. Roosevelt sounded a much
needed warning and did well in awakening the
public conscience as he did. Now the spirit oi
With what a thunderous voice blood speaks!
And yet foolish kings continue to swell tho
clamor for reform by those who ask for larger
liberty. How long will it be before Power
learns that arguments must be met hot with axo
but with arguments?
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