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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1909)
"wwyjwffrjspr-nfV- wnjBr"- iww- rpiTi rtfiiMBatwpwiPnni OCTOBER 29, 1009 ,i ?oa1' whoro mass meetings wore held at midnight. Enrouto the thousands of curious' spectators thronged the sidewalks. It was an orderly crowd and the churchmen and women were unmolested as they walked, praying and singing. Before the parado thousands of per sons filled the Seventh regiment armory and many thousands, denied admission to the audi torium, listened to exhorters in the streets. The procession, led by a detachment of police start ed on its journey about 10 o'clock tonight The route was well guarded by police, and when the destination of the crusaders was reached, hun dreds of officers of the law wore present to see that orders of the authorities against any dem onstration were enforced. As the marchers, singing I am praying for you 'Onward Chris tian Sojdiors,' 'Rescue the Perishing,' and a score of other -Bongs-, filed through the forbidden streets, throngs of curious people watched silent ly. lor more than an hour the parado contin ued? and then in two large auditoriums, one at a theater and the othor at a church, the crowds listened to an earnest appeal from Gypsy Smith and other preachers. Many clergymen in Chi cago had protested against the invasion, urging that it Would do no good. The men and women behind tho movement declared, however, that daring as was their mission, it was a mission which will arouse Chicago to tho necessity of cleaning up its underworld. Until long past mwnight the public meetings were conducted, and many men and women yielded to the en treaties of the exhorters to -come forward and promise to lead better lives." THE MLXICAN government is anxious tp get hold of L. Gutlierrez de Lara, a socialist speaker, who is held by the United States au thorities at Los Angeles. De Lara says that if the Uhited States government allows him to be 2i'??ed;,t0u?8I,C0 tho Mexlca government .J r1, hI? 1If0 A Los Angeles dispatch car ried hy tho Associated Press says; Fearing this fate, do Lara has retained counsel to fight to the limit any effort to fore him back into the hands of President Diax. 'De Lara was arrested ere .H? . d.a.3f fre3ident Taft visited Los BSS ??iT bu?ed at that time of hav ing uttered threats against Presidents Taft and Diaz. De Lara declares he U a 'marked man' In Mexico and that if the Mexican authorities ever got their hands on him in their own territory he would live very few hours. He has been driven across the Mexican border into the United States five times. De Lara was appointed by the Chicago socialists as an organizer for the party and the national party Is expected to make a strong effort to keep him out of Diaz's hands. Friends of de Lara today launched a campaign to raise $5,000 to be used as bail for the pris oner. While no specific bail lias been set, they bellevo that this amount will suffice. A mass meeting will be h.eld this week to protest against the deportation of the prisoner. De Lara's wife declared today that if her husband was returned to Mexico he would be assassinated by his ene mies. ,The carpenters' union here last night adopted a resolution protesting against 'the Russian methods used by the enemies of de Lara,' and offering the services of tho union, which has 158 members, in opposition to 'meth ods that would shame the czar, and are a dis grace to any civilized community.' The resolu tion also declares that the exposure of alleged frightful conditions among the' Mexican working claBses 'has aroused in thetr despotic ruler an unrelenting hatred against de Lara causing our government to be used as a tool with which to convey him to a Mexican dungeon or be served as was Professor Ferrer at" Barcelona." CHARLES N. FOWLER, congressman from the Fifth New Jersey district, the gentle man who wrote recently a stirring letter to Speaker CannOn, has written a letter to Senator Aldrich relating to the proposed central bank. Mr. Fowler's letter to Senator Aldrich follows: Just before you started for Europe in August, it was stated in the press uf tho country that as a result of & meeting of the monetary commis sion of which you are chairman, a central bank was to be advocated by your commission, and that upon your return from Europe you would proceed with a view of instructing the people upon the financial and currency needs, and recommend as1 a 'cure-all' a central bank. After your departure there was an1 evidently inspired and well organized propaganda in favor of a central bank, conceived and carried on for the purpose of preparing the way for your home coming, and your arrangements to 'swing around l he Commoner. nfti oUio mysteries of your central bank n i,i n,mch am convinced that the one thing above all others that this country m.!0twnnt 1S conlral bank bpcauro It will not affect nor accomplish the necessary rororms, hut, in the end, will inako a bad condition im measurably worse, therefore In order that the American people (which I know will decide this most Important question now pending beforo tiioni for consideration and determination right as they did that of the gold standard, if only they can pc given an opportunity of having both sides of it fully presontod and thoroughly dis cussed) may be informed as early as possible I now challenge you to a joint debate upon tho following propositions: First, A contral bank will not effect nor accomplish tho necessary re forms of our finances and currency; is unsuitcd to our conditions; will accentuate many of our present evils, and precipitato and develop other evils of a most serious nature. Second, Our financial and currency problems must be solved upon economic linos of an entirely different character. I assort that you can not successfully and beneficially suporlmposo a monarchical form of banking upon nearly 25,000 Individual Inde pendent, free banking Institutions which have grown up and developed in harmony with the principles of our republican form of govommont, and are themselves republican in form and char acter, To establish a central bank in this coun try under existing conditions, would bo undemo cratic, unrepublican,, un-American and inimical to the general welfare of tho people, because with a'.central bank will come a most discourag ing and disheartening favoritism, tho gradual breaking down and ultimate destruction of our purely individual and independent form of bank ing. I will meet you in joint debato upon tho above propositions, at ono or more of our lead-, ing cities up to 100 or more of thorn if you choose, at such times and upon such conditions or terms as may be agrood upon by us hereafter," 7 - . Practical Tariff Talks' If any student of the tariff desires an Illumin ating illustration of how boldly these schedules arc often mnde in tho Intprests of the trusts, let him "pursue the hiBtory of tho tobacco schedule. The tobacco growers of tho south have long been engaged in a deadly conflict with tho trust be cause it assumes to say at all times what they shall receive for their product. At tho request of southern congressmen the house adopted a paragraph expressly stated to bo drawn in the interest of the growers of bright tobacco. It provided an increase in the tariff of 40 cents a pound on Turkish tobacco, and the amendment was intended as a retaliatory measure in part. It was also a tax upon an imported luxury, but the real reason was that it compelled the trust, which imports this Turkish tobacco, to either pay more for it or buy at home. Thus, it would have been putting a weapon in the hands of the men who were fighting tho American Tobacco company. Its revenue feature, its incidental protection " and its" being a tariff on a. luxury didn't appeal to Aldrich, when he got hold of that paragraph. In the house and before the hearing in the ways and means committee arguments were made" on behalf of the taTiff, and nowhere was there any opposition. When the senate financo committee took up and struck out this para graph a. paragraph that had passed the house unanimously they ' called in no witnesses to testify, asfced none of the tobacco men's repre sentatives about the schedule, did not call upon the southern congressmen who had championed it in the house, and did not even give Senator Daniel, a member of tho committee and repre senting the tobacco growing state most interest ed, information when it was considered or an opportunity to protest. Under these circum stances, it might well be asked, what force waB it so powerful as to secretly defeat these plant ers of the south? Who really did it? This was not all, however. Tho senate 'stopped the tariff debate long enough to in crease the revenue tax on manufactured tobacco from 6 to 8 .cents a pound, and put a large Increase on cigars and cigarettes; As the trust 'manufactures tobacco, at first glance this looks like a thrust at that combination. Investigation discloses that it is nothing of tho ii r fiort, Tho trust Jinn opposition; thorcWo'fn , dependont manufacturers who control nbouMb Ln0!10 tra,,!o- Thoy have boon ITaflli . tSZ i fi,t loillnnlnn tholr position compet ing u llh n combination controlling tliroo-fourftuj. I i. ,,iU8lnowi nd therefore, in a position to absolutely malco prices. Thte means that ihS ' truat can and It will paH3 tho tax on to t"ht confining public or olso doproBH tho prlco It -pays the grower and make him pay it. In ' pro ably will U biK and K,Vn lho 0,inil0 U ' It Is ostimatod that this Incronso In the rev-' Sy'eJ WM Elvo the government about S10, 000 000 moro a year. If the trust actually paid It, doing 80 per cent of tho manufacturing It would havo to pay $8,000,000 moro a year. U is significant that, while tho small Independent concerns were vociferous In opposing It, assort ing It was burdensome and (hat the government was thereby arming the trust with a weapon that would bo used to tholr disadvantage tho American lobacco company at no time protested against tho increase. Which is good proof that it knew the advantage the Increase gave to It i ins amendment was mado in tho sonato, wher tho increase in tho Turkish tobneco tariff wan , ci led. In both cases tho legislation was In th-9 interest of tho trust, and it is most significant, mat In ono cuso itu power was oxorted tp. kill', and In tho othor to create, making impossible any coincidence or action and making plain how far its influence, when opposed by either tho Interest of the grower, tho government or tho consumer, can reach with conclusive ofToct. C. Q. D. AhVHKU OMiNDOUF Again Death has called. This time ho Mn summoned one of tho most loyal of democrats Ono of tho. most upright of citizens, ono of tho most kindly of men, Alfred Orondorf of Spring field, Illinois. During tho months covorod by falling hoalth he had abundant evidenco of tho affectionate regard In which ho was hold and what sweeter compensation Is there for a well spent life? True to every duty, faithful ln every position and useful nlways he illustrated tho best in all things. His multitude of frienda mourn, but minglod with tholr mourning there is grateful appreciation ot tho good tho de ceased has done, and memory assungos grief. FOK THIS, MANY THANKS 1 nolo with great Interest and satisfaction that radium has been placed upon tho freo list. The poor man can now sit down to his morning, paper with a Carolina pcrfoclo between his liris". ' securo intho happy thought that his dail sup ply or radium has not been lessoned by a cruel government. Morton A. Mergenthelm In Chi cago Democratic Bulletin. ' ' f i NOTHING IN JAW. Nothing in Jlfe? Ah say not so. On a thousand hills there are dreams aglow, v In a thousand valleys tho gold mist lies , . 4rt 'Neath the ambient gleam of tho autumn skioa; ' In a 'million cities tho thunder boats , - Of life Jn tho thronged and throbbing streets;, There are homes to build and hearts topheer, And a joy where the sweetheart lips lean near, , Nothing in life? It is running over With hills ol blossoms and dales of clover, With simple duties and noblo toil , , Where the plowshares loosen the fallow soil, , Where tho spindles hum and the shuttles fly , And over us always the sweet blue sky, , ; With little gray songsters of God a-wlng Whero the world turns ba'k to an April thing. Nothing in life? It Is full and flno For the hearts that trust and the eyes that shino With bo)o and courage and forthright zeal In tho comrade spirit that all should feel; ' .. Ii is bright and bounding and brimmed with . chance For honest effort-r-wlth song and dance, '". With rosy faces and Uj.b of gleam And the frugal board, and the sweetheart dream, Nothing in life? Oh, trust its care, . -f ; Tho sun Uj shining for all somewhere, r:.- The clouds will lift and tho shadows flee r vi And tho green world ring with tho song bird'p glee. , -'. Go on with courage; tho clouds will clear,, i Tho green hills glow and the blooms bend;rieac;i A thousand valleys aro fair and sweet ni e? For ono dull loom In a city street. Baltimore Sun, t 6 f I l 1 : t Ja. ,ja&l&L ,&JL.