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OCTOBER 29, 190J
The Commoner.
Some Texas Opinions on the Tariff Question
3'
TO the Editor of Mm "Ronr,!
Colorado, Texas, September 29. Gontlemon:
Looking over the Fort Worth Record of yoster-
y Jaw the follov'ns In large rod lottors,
viz: Bryan answors Senator Bailey's froo raw
material speech with general abuse."
That Mr. Bryan would abuse any person In
a speech was news to mo. I have read every
important speech ho over mado and had never
discovered any abuse. So I read this particular
speech with all the capacity I have, aiming to
discover the said "general abuse." Well, I must
confess that in finding said abuso I utterly
Si ?" a 1InG' not a Bentence, not a word
i, u ,' 0f coursP tho man who wrote the
said head lino saw the abuso in Mr. Bryan's
speech, and can substantiate his statement. Just
tell said head lino writer that this correspon
dent lived forty years in Missouri and has to
bo shown.
Now, I will tell you which, one of tho boys
X am. In 1861 I was with General Pricb when
he retreated from tho Missouri river to Cow
Skin Prairie in McDonald county, Missouri.
After being in camp a few days I was sent with
a detail In the country in search of something
to live upon.
As we rode Into camp wo noticed tho arrival
of some strangers In camp.
Not knowing who they were wo askod ono
nearest us, cavalry or infantry? The young
soldier boy poked his fingers under his hat and
answered no no "private in ranks and belong
to walking company." That tells you who I am.
Private in ranks and belonging to walking
company. j. T. HARNESS.
PREDATORY WEALTH AND PROTECTION
A neighbor of ours has a Bermuda pasturo In
which the grass grows every year, and would
yield a harvest but for the fact that he permits
his friend, for a stipulated sum, to pasturo their
stock in it. As fast as tho grass carpets tho
soil it is nipped by the feeding stock. Although
the soil is rich and the grass grows rapidly, tho
constant nipping of these predatory aniinalg
keeps tho grasses just struggling for existence.'
'We wish to mention this because we wish to
liken tho industries and people of this nation
to this pasture the stock grazing therein to
the predatory wealth and protected Interests,
and tho republican party, supportod and aided
by some Ceraocratic senators, to the owner of tho
pasture. The owners, or predatory wealth and
protected interests, contribute to tho campaign
fund and loan a few senators money, and they
have paid the stipulated price for which they
are permitted to nip, nip, nip at the resources of
the people. However activo and industrious the
people may be, and whatever resources they
may put forth, these aTe nipped to the very roots
by,, the sugar trust, the meat trust, the lumber
trust, the steel trust and the transporation com
panies or combination, of . companies. Tyler-Oourler-Times.
PARTY PLEDGES
Governor Campbell sounded the alarm of war
in his Labor Day speech when he said: "I say
tha,t every man that takes office on a democratic
platform is in honor bound to live up to that
platform, and if he fails to do so he should bo
whipped from power." It was said at onco that
the governor had made a thrust at Senator
Bailey, when he had reference, no doubt, to those
who voted and worked against submission in.
the last legislature when the state democratic
platform had declared for submission. But fol
lowing tho governor's speech a few days later
William J. Bryan, the great democratic states
man, appeared in Dallas and delivered a speech
of the old democratic type, setting forth tho
principles of democracy as have been declared
on the tariff question, and declaring that all
platforms of the democratic party are binding
on the officers of the party, and the howl was
immediately made that he had opened war on
Senator Bailey. The fact is- that neither Gov
ernor Campbell nor Mr. Bryan has mado war
on any one, but each has made a speech which
declares that an officeholder is a servant of tho
people and not their boss, and it does not set
well with those who regulate the pledges of the
party and the wishes of the people.
Mi Bryan made himself very clear on the
tariff question and showed that a person could
not argue' for a tariff on any one thing for his,
section and at the same time claim to be for a
tariff for revenue only. When we ask for a
tariff on wool, because a few men in Texas raise
fnpHni, T BRl th0 rP"bcan doctrine of pro
nrnVl' or th0 rcason thnt wo 'aro asking It to
S? ii SOm t0f our 500d8- Th0 oan10 said
Jwii ?J??r' aindra man can not b0 ft Good demo
crat and ask for a tariff on lurabor, claiming
that ho wants it- for rovonuo
Tho lino is drawn In tho party nnd thoro Is
no way out of it except to accept tho theory of
the republican party and ask for protection or
get on the old-time democratic platform and put
everything possible on tho free list, leaving
tariff on such goods as will bring enough
rovenue. b
Tho last national democratic platform declared
for free raw material in a fow instances, and
especially asked that every trust-controlled
aitlclo bo put on the free list. A few democrats
lined up with tho republicans and repudiated
the democratic platform and are now trying to
explain their votes to tho pooplo and aBking
that the democracy of their districts indorso
their actions. Mr. Bryan condemns such plat
form jumpers and refers to thorn as cowards,
or people who get scared when a shoop bleats.
Of course Mr. Bryan's argument was In regard
to thoso In congress and had no roferenco to
those in tho legislature who voted against tho
demands of tho party.
Tho line-up is now started and wo will seo
It mado on the lines of a protective tariff, head
ed by Senator Bailey, for tho benefit of "friend
KIrby and his lumber" and a fow rich wool
growers, supported by thoso who aro opposed
to the people having a voto on prohibition in
Texas.
It will not be a question of whether protection
is right, or that it is right to rofuso tho pooplo
the right to say whether or not tho saloons shall
bo closed In Texas, but It will bo tho rich sheep
raisers and the head of tho lumber trust saying
to tho brewer, "You tlcklo mo and I'll ticklo
you." Grand Saline Sun.
0000
WELL' STATED ,
The Tyler (Texas) News make this
clear cut statement: "If ttio pooplo aro
not competent to construct a party plat
form demanding tho official to enforce
it, then tho people aro not qualified to
elect a man to mako laws. The News
believes that tho people aro capable,
hence tho servant who disobeys his in
struction snouiu do canea down and out
and replaced by one that will."
0
BRYAN'S RIGHT TO SPEAK IN TEXAS
Some of his friends aro trying to gain sym
pathy for Senator Bailey by saying that Mr.
Bryan had no right to come down into Texas,
the homo of Mr. Bailey, to jump on him. Tho
contention between tho two men is upon an Issue
that affects the entire nation, and is by no means
confined to any state; therefore, wo contend
that Mr. Bryan, as a leader of tho democracy
of this nation, has as much right to discuss a
national issue in Texas as Senator Bailey, Presi
dent Taft or any one else. Tho tariff question
is not a stato issue but a national Issue. Sen
ator Bailey voted with the high protective tariff
republicans In defiance of tho national demo
cratic platform, and for these reasons Mr.
Bryan has called his hand. Senator Bailey has
repudiated the platform upon which he was
elected, and betrayed the confidence and trust
imposed in him by his people; and glad wo aro
for at least one man in the democratic party
who is able to administer to the senator a good,
gentle spanking for his conduct. Troy Enterprise.
MUST QUIT PANDERING TO PROTECriOX
Tho great political sensation of last week was
the discussion of "democracy and tho tariff" by
William J. Bryan and Senator Bailey at Dallas,
both of whom made strong speeches from their
respective standpoints. They spoke on different
dates, and Bailey's speech was avowedly In re
ply to that of Bryan.. Both the speeches took
high grounds, and both speakers discussed prin
ciples, free from personal references. That
these were the opening speeches of a great dis
cussion that will go on within tho democratic
party for tho next three years no one doubts.
That neither has made the subject entirely clear
to us we candidly admit. In fact, there are a
!.t ?. i ,gB ,ab0,ut th,fl lnr,ff nucfltlon. wo do
not understand. Bryan may bo right, or Balloy
may bo rlght-wo don't know. Posalbly both
nnd ?,? J r'rg V ni,d PnrUy wron lHCU86lon
?n r!S.dK f ith.. !,0B"on '! olP I" people
to reach tho right conclusion In tho ond.
JnJ!? Incnnl,,no t,10l,lH of democrats aro
S!nl?n?iy t0 ombraco cltc tho Bryan or tho
irvi,2 .lhcory " Ml0(tnr,rr- Moth room to bo
tlon, whon many can hoo no tniddlo ground on
which to stand If a protective tariff ?8 right,
lot us have protection; ir free trade Is right, Irt
us have free trade. Tho Hoonor tho Ihruo Is
squarely Joined In this country the sooner it
will ho settled. Tho democratic party has 'led
t hnHL" m 8,mk,c,d, Bround l0 thai
t has lost tho confidents of tho advocates of
! ? ?Smv0WH' , ,T,? party can noL it
half protection and half free trado any rnoro
than our government could exist half slave and
half free. Just as tho slavo-holdlng Interest!!
captured and controlled tho democratic party
S.1 ni,nVftr" H,0havo th0 Ptctod Interest
captured the republican party of today and thono
who favor protection must finally go to that
party. Thousands of thoughtful democrat!
everywhere believe their party mult ceaTc ? pan
dering to protection If It over hopes to accom
plish any permanent good. Granbury News.
NEW ENGLAND'S REAL ATTITUDE
Frank Putnam thinks that New England, New
York nnd Pennsylvania, "scared bltio by tho loss
of their western and northwestern partners In
tho tariff graft," aro making desperato offorts
to capturo tho southorn sfntoH im a partner ho
thoy can maintain tho protective graft system
against future attacks from tho west and north
west, whore the tarlff-for-revonue-only party Is
In tho ascendancy and whero tho "Insurgont"
movomont has only begun. Such a trado, ho
thinks, would Insure a protective tariff for an
other twenty-fivo years, but ho predicts that tho
protective tariff graft is certain to ho overthrown
sooner or later, and that the south will profit
in every way by refusing to bocomo the partner
of Now, England, Now York -and P.cnnBylvanU.
In tho attempted perpotuatlon of tho protective
tariff, oven though tho south (or Its rich in
terns, rather) might profit temporarily by got
tlng tho leaving from tho protection table'
Denton Record and Chronicle.
BRYAN'S DEMOCRATIC KEYNOTE
Hon. W. J. Bryan In his speoch In Dallas Tues
day, struck tho keynote as to roal, slmon puro
democratic doctrine. If tho democrats over
hope to win they must remain truo to tho time
honored principles of democracy and not try
to get a part of tho republican platform or prin
ciples. Tho man out of office and not caring to
hold an ofilco Is more apt to bo truo than tho
man who Is an officeholder or wanting to hold
office, and this Is the way It Is with Mr. Bryan.
Ho Is not an ofilceholdor, nor does ho caro for
office. Ho would not sacrifice principle for any
office, and, too, ho is not a politician and never
has . been. His words aro true. Italy News-Herald.
BAILEYLiM VS. DEMOCRACY.
Tho Corslcana Light says: "Is Texas bigger
than Mr. Bryan? That's the question tho Ner
braskan has put to tho Lone Star democracy,
and followed up by an argument showing on
which side ho stands." Wo fall to discover In
anything Mr. Bryan has said that which would
justify such a contracted view. Mr. Bryan has
declared that democracy in Texas should bo tho
same as democracy in the nation. He expressed
views that are worthy of consideration and gave
his reasons for his beliefs. Mr. Bryan has at
tempted to show that there Is a difference be
tween Balleyism and democracy. Waxahachlo
Light.
IF BAILEY'S LEAD IS FOLLOWED
If Senator Bailey's lead Is to bo followed tho
democratic party must forsake Its position as a
representative of the interests of the people and
become tho representative of the Interests of tho
few; It must repudiate its ancient teachlngscof
"the greatest good to the greatest number," apd
must substitute therefor "tho greatest good to
the favored few;" it must relinquish its claim
as the champion of a tariff for revenue only and
espouse' the cause of protection; It must cease
to stand for a principle of right and adopt In
its stead a policy of Individual self-interest:
Bonham News.
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