i rvffT''rr'r',v TtTf The Commoner 4 VOLUME 9, NUMBER 48 'y 'wV J? r-''Tr' l m lb mm The Commoner. ISSUED WEEKLY. Entered at tho Postofflco f.t Lincoln, Nobraska, as second-class matter. . WlI-MAM J. Bhvan Editor and Proprietor HICHAM) L. METCAIJT5 Associate Editor CUAJILKS W. BUYAN Publisher Editorial Rooms and Business Onico 821-330 South 12th Street Three Months 2R Single Copy Samplo Copies Free. Foreign Post. Be .Extra. Ohc Ycnr. $1.00 Six Month........ .00 In Clubs of Five or more, nor year... .75 SUIISCIUPTIONS can bo sent direct to Tho Com moner? They cn bo sent through newspapers wS have advertised a clubbing rate, or through local agents, , hero sub-agents have been aipolnt Sd. All remittances should bo sent by fcOHtolllco monoy order, express order, or by bank draft on flew York or Chicago. Do not send individual checks, stamps or monoy. 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Addross all communications to THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nob. Where Congressmen Stand - Defiance, O., October 16, 1909, C. W. Bryan Publisher The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb. Dear Sir: I recently wrote Colonel Bryan that I was in jheartyj. accord, with, the tariff platform .pro posed by him. It ia sound democratic doctrine and had the democratic senators and congress men stood solidly for the democratic idea during the late lamented special session our position would have been impregnable. Very truly yours, T. T ANSBERRT. FERRER The New York Tribune says: "We can not believe that even the present reactionary gov ernment of Spain would be so fatuous and. so wicked as deliberately to make a martyr to free thought and to put such a man as Mr. Ferrer to death for no other reason than his 'modern ism;' If it had done so it would be guilty of one of the most foolish crimes and most crimi nal follies of the age. It must be that there wore other reasons for its action. In that uise, for its own sake and for the sake of humanity, it is to be hoped that it will speedily make those reasons known so clearly that the world will be convinced of their sufficiency and justice." But Spanish authorities have already shown signs of regretting the killing of Ferrer and it seems to be agreed that the king quarreled with his premier because of the execution. What ever may bo the differences of opinion, with respect to Ferrer's teachings history reveals that governments make mistakes when they seek to meet argument with blows or undertake to de stroy organized movements by the killing of the leaders. The answer to Ferrer's teachings was a Span ish government which the people would love rather than fear. Conditions are only aggra vated when the government resorts to methods which increase popular hatred for it. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS It is an old saying that the blood of the mar tyrs Is the seed of the church and the phrase embodies an important truth. The punishment of one who is not a criminal but merely the representative of a righteous sentiment Is sure to strengthen the sentiment. If Mr. Gompers and his associates are imprisoned they can well afford to endure it with patience because they could not in any other way advance their cause so much in so short a time. Prisons were not intended for those who battle for human fights and the use of them for such a purpose reacts against tho persecutors and, In tho end, hastens justice, President Taft'g message delivered to con gress December 7 is not a long address nor a particularly impressive one. In the beginning tho president says that the relations of the United States with all foreign governments "havo continued upon the normal basis of amity and good understanding and are very generally satisfactory." Several pages are devoted to a description of our relations with several European countries. In this it Is said that the questions relating to the fisheries on the north Atlantic coast which have been a cause of difference between the United States and Great Britain for nearly seventy years, have been submitted to the per manent court of arbitration at The Hague; tho treaty concerning the Canadian international boundary provided for the appointment of two commissioners but these commissioners failed to agree and this question must now be sub- mitted to arbitration; a system of uniform in ternational regulation for the protection of food fishes in international boundary waters of the United States and Canada has been completed by the-international fisheries commission and will be submitted to congress for the enactment of proper legislation; Great Britain has not yet ratified the treaty approved by the United States senate March 3, 1909, and providing for the settlement of differences between the United States and Canada, relating particularly to cer tain of the boundary waters; the United States has apppinted commissioners to act with those of Canada In examining obstructions, in the St. John river; negotiations are in progress lor au international conference between the'- United States, Great Britain JapaiTahd Russia' for an arrangement for the protection of the fur seals in, the north Pacific; the "declaration of Lon don" agreed to, in February 1909, by the United States, Austria, Hungary France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia and Spain, agreed upon certain provi sions relating to .the subjects of blockade, con traband, the destruction of neutral prizes and continuous voyages and the president hopes for the "adoption of this declaration in International maritime law; a project concerning the limita tion of the responsibility of ship owners and one concerning marine mortgages and privileges have been submitted to the different governments; a conference of these governments will be held again April 11, 1910; an International confer ence for the purpose of promoting legislation concerning letters of exchange will meet at The Hague in June, 1910; congress is urged to ac cept Belgium's cordial invitation that "a fitting display of American progress in the useful arts and inventions" be made at the world's fair to be held at Brussels In 1910; with respect to the Belgium annexation of the independent state of the Congo, the president says: "The attitude of the United States Is one of benevolent en couragement coupled with the hopeful trust that the good work responsibly undertaken and zeal ously perfected to the accomplishment of the re sults so ardently desired, will soon justify the wisdom that inspires them and satisfy the de mands of humane sentiment throughout the world;" negotiations are being made for the placing of American Inventions on the same footing as nationals, have recently been initiat ed with European governments whose laws re quire tho local working of foreign patents; the report of our commissioners to the republic of Liberia will, in the president's opinion, result In some measures helpful to both countries. Under the title "The Near East" the president says that our relations with Turkey under the new sultan aro satisfactory and that we ought to get a' large and increasing share of the trade of "tho near east." Under the title "Latin America," the presi dent shows his gratification by the settlement of the dispute between Bolivia and Peru; calls attention to the fourth Pan-American conference to be held July 9, 1910, at Buenos Ayres- and asks for a liberal appropriation for "a distin guished and representative delegation;" calls attention to the International agricultural ex position to be held at Buenos Ayres from May to "November, 1910, and advises participation by this country; he emphasizes the importance of tho government granting full protection to American citizens doing business in South America; points with pride to his meeting with President Diaz; expresses gratification that all but one of the cases which for so long vexed our relations with Venezuela have been settled; says the government of Panama has agreed to indemnify the relatives of the American officers and sailors 'who were brutally treated by the Panama police; says Cuba is maintaining the sanitary improvements inaugurated by this gov ernment; says that the United States was obliged to intervene diplomatically to bring about a settlement of the claim of the Emery company against Nicaragua, effecting settlement in September, 1909. In referring to the trouble of the Zelaya government of Nicaragua, the president says that many complaints against this government have been made and that our rep resentatives have acted very carefully. . He re fers to "the sad tale of unspeakable barbarities and oppression alleged to have been committed by the Zelaya government" and he adds: "Re cently two Americans were put to death by order of President Zelaya himself. "They were report ed ,to have been regularly commissioned .officers in the organized forces of a revolution which had continued many weeks and, was proceeding in an orderly fashion in control of about half of the republic, and, as such, according to the mod ern enlightened practice, of civilized nations, they would be entitled to be dealt with as pris oners of war," In a chapter entitled "The, Far East" tho president says we, are doing weJU with China. He says that jthe administration encouraged a group of American bankers to participate in the Chi nese railroad lQan and that one of the terms was that American railroad material should bo put upon an exact equality with that of other countries joining in the, loan He says that no monopoly was Intended or accomplished, in min ing privileges along the South Manchurian and Antung-Mukden railroads in the September 4 agreement between China and Japan. The president makes brief reference to our relations with Japan, saying those relations are" as cordial as usual and that the matter of a revision of the existing treaty, which terminates in 1912, is receiving the study of both govern ments. In a chapter entitled "The Department of State," the president recommends favorable ac- tlon on the recommendation of the secretary of state to the effect that there be created divi sions of Latin-American and far eastern affairs together with a certain specialization in 'busi ness with Europe and the. near east. On the question of "government expenditures and revenues" the president appiovea the pro posal that the deficit be met by the proceeds of bonds issued to pay for 'the Panama canal. The deficit in the ordinary expenditures for c fiscal year ending June 30, 1910, will exceed the estimated receipts by more than $34,000,000. Ho says the Panama canal will be completed by January, 1915, and that its cost will be $297, 766,000 instead of $139,705,200 as originally estimated. The president recommends the establishment of some system of civil pensions for superanuat ed governmental employes. In discussing tho question 'of public expenditure, the president says "we can not, in view of the advancing prices of living, hope to save money by reduction in the standard of salaries paid. Indeed, If any change Is made in that regard an increase rather than a decrease will be necessary." Referring to the frauds "in the collection of customs at New York City he says that criminal prosecutions are now proceeding and efforts will be made to discover all the wrongdoers including the officers and employes of the companies who may have been privy to the frauds. Referring to the maximum and minimum clause In the tariff act, the president points out that that clause provided that if the president finds that the laws and practices of a country are not unduly discriminatory against the United States the minimum duties, provided in the tariff bill, are to go into court, otherwise the maximum duties, being a 25 per cent ad valorem Increase over the minimum duties, aro to do enforced. The president says that there need be no worry that this power conferred upon tiif 1 t 'M TM-mm-----------i!1- jJ-jfciM'l-MBBjBB