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The Commoner,
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 4
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Democracy and Insur
gency
fUlitorial in Omaha World-Herald)
' ThoiiBandH of members of tho World-Herald's
groat family of readers who, for a good many
years, woro charmed, Instructed and inspired by
tho oioquont gospel of pure democracy as ex
pounded In these columns in editorial articles
Written by Ill-hard h. Motcalfo, will take especial
ptaasjuro in reading tho message from Mr. Met
calfo's pon published on this pago today under
tho heading, ''Democracy and Insurgency."
In theso turbulent days of soothing political
unreat and bewildering change, when a great
many inombcrs of both parties show that they
aro In danger of losing their bearings and either
drifting or steaming blindly ahead In tho fog,
It is a sourco of much gratification to this news
papor that so earnest and truo a democrat a-:
Mr. Motcalfo joins with such a democrat as Gov
ornor Folk to lndorso its policy and Its attitudo
toward insurgency and tho democratic party.
Mr. Motcalfo, with his old-time brilliant logic,
covers tho question so thoroughly and so con
vincingly, In our humble judgmorit, that It leavps
nothing further to bo said. Wo commend his
artlclo ndt only to those of our readers who en
Joy tho fair and ablo discussion of any great
quostlon, but particularly to those who aro thom
boIvcs In doubt and who aro seeking guidance
concerning an Important matter with which they
will soon bo called on to deal.
DEMOCRACY AND INSURGENCY
Lincoln, Nob., January 24. To tho Editor of
tho World-Herald: I have boon interested .
roadlng two sorts of criticism concerning tho
World-Herald's policy. In one quarteryou aro
condomncd on tho theory that you aro giving
too much encouragement to the "Insurgent re
publicans." In tho other you aro criticised be
cauao you do not agree with Sonator Gore's
recommondation that democrats should not
nominate a candidate against an insurgent re
publican congressman.
I happen to know that, In tho language of an
old-time journalist, "newspaper writers like a
kind word now and then just tho same as human
bolngs do;" and because I can indorse your
course against both sorts of tho criticisms re
ferred to I send you this lottor.
Glad as I am to glvo a word of clieor to a fol
low newspaper worker who will never receive
tho tenth of tho cheors that aro coming to him
I would not writo this lottor solely on your ac
count. I would not write it If I did not think
it of tho highest importance that tho subject to
which it intimately relatos bo presented, with
tho utmost frankness, by those who take tho
view I do.
In tho beginning those who criticise you for
giving so much space and encouragement to tho
Insurgent republicans overlook first the require
ments of your ofllco as a news dispenser and
thon your editorial duty to give encouragement
to all men everywhere who aro making any sort
of a fight against usurpation in any sort of a
party and any sort of a' strugglo for reform
Tho important criticism, however, rolates to
Sonator Gore's proposition. I think I appreciate
tho services of tho insurgent republicans I
know something of tho courage necessary for
an offlcoholdor to rebel against tho authority of
porhaps the best disciplined political organiza
tion lik tho world's history. I would not with
hold from theso gentlemen tho credit marks thov
navo won. '
But in moving for relief it is important that
mon remember that it is the republican party
that is doing tho damage to the people: it is
tho organized power of tho republican party
which tho people have to fear; it is tho repub
lican party which those who understand the
dangerous trend of affairs have to overthrow
Will it bo possible to overthrow that party
by electing to congress men who are subject
to its wonderful powers of discipline' auujecc
In his letter printed in Saturdays WnHri
Herald Mr. W F. Porter says o would vofe
for Mr. Norris "regardless of who might bo his
opponent." Yet, with all of his insurgency Mr
Norris, I think, voted for Mr. Cannon on tho
final vote in the house of representative? Al
--, .. mwiB xur. morris was not
ablo to make similar protest in the house or to
. vote against that palpable effort to -give a little
aid to a cabinet ofllcer who was about to be in
vestigated. While condemning the republican
tariff law and denouncing what he calls Aluricn
Ism and Cannonlsm, Mr. Norris frequently re-,
asserts his confidence in the Taft administration
and his loyalty to tho "Taft policies." '
This professed devotion to the ."Taft policies .
characterizes the utterances of most of tho re
publican leaders that are just now insurging.
Yet, in his Winona speech Mr. Taft pro
nounced the Payne tariff law the best ever placed
upon the statute books; in his Boston speech
he proclaimed Mr. Aldrich one of the safest of
counsellors 'for the people, while it is an open
secret that he gave of his great influence to the
re-election of Mr. Cannon as speaker of the
house.
I do not say these things for the idle pur
pose of criticising these insurgents. In view of
the great resources and the superior discipline
of the republican party these gentlemen are do
ing all that may reasonably be expected of them.
Great courage is shown in a mere protest against
the program of a political organization whose
members have been taught that the organization
acts under divine decree even though it ob
tains its campaign funds from special interests
whose managers sometimes appear to be intense
ly human.
Unquestionably the insurgent republican con
gressmen find it to be the part of wisdom to
shout adherence to the "Taft policies" while re
belling against the policies of Aldrich and Can
non. But tho people whom congressmen are
presumed to represent should have no concern
in republican party discipline. They can not be
consoled for trust impositions by a fine distinc
tion between the policy that fights "Pinchotism"
in tho capital building and the policy in the
White House that throws Pinchot out of office.
They can not differentiate between the point of
view that permits Aldrich and Cannon to enact
the Payne tariff law and the point of view that
permits Mr. Taft to declare it to be the best
tariff law ever passed by an American congress.
They can not see great difference between the
capital building spirit that exercises partisan
care in the selection of the Ballinger investigat
ing committee and the White House spirit that
keeps Mr. Ballinger in office while retiring Mr.
Glavls to private life.
Without undertaking to enumerate the evils
against which there is just now popular pro
test, it may be said the republican party is re
sponsible for those evils; and the only way to
destroy them is to drive the republican party
from power. This can only be accomplished
by the election of men who may bo depended
upon to locate the responsibility for evils and to
fight evil wherever it raises its head without
apology to White House or capital buildjng.
I make bold to say that if the situation is so
bad as democrats and populists say it is, or so
bad even as insurgent republicans say it is, then
no man who promises any allegiance "whatever to
the party that is responsible for this situation,
is in a position to serve the people in this crisis.
"Ultra-conservatives may say there is no crisis,
but in the light of the complaint against the
high cost of living heard on every hand and
the general unrest apparent in all political
parties, It is not difficult for men who have any
foresight to realize that the American people
aro face to face with a critical situation. The
trouble is not to be corrected by boycotts such
as the one now being organized against the meat
packers, nor by "immunity bath" prosecutions
of the beef trust such as have been carried on
by republican administrations. The evils of
which the people today complain are the logical
results of an administration of public affairs at
the hands of a political party that derives Its
campaign fund from men who profit through
tho existence of those evils.
So long as we are governed by parties we
must move through parties for whatever reforms
wo would have. I do not mean to say that every
man nominated by the democratic party may be
depended upon to do tho right thing Mr
Porter, in his letter printed in the World-Herald
cites the case of the twenty-three men who'
elected as democrats, voted for Mr. Cannon But
theso men no more represented the democratic,
party that the handful of insurgents represented
the republ can party In any of their insurgent
acts, if the hope for relief depended unon
"democrats" like the twenty-three who voteoTor
Mr Cannon or upon some of the men who, elect
ed to the senate as democrats, yet voted for
republican tariff law, then when the burdens
upon the people became unbearable revolution
would be the only recourse. We have the right
to believe, however, that the good recor of
Champ Clark and his faithful followers, rather
than that" of the deserters, represents the pur
pose of. the democratic 'party. -
There is no analogy between the proposed in
dorsement by democrats of insurgent-republican
nominees and the nomination of Mr. Bryan by ,
populists, as Mr. Pqrter. suggests in his letter. -Mr.
Bryan, if elected, . would not havte pvnect
allegiance in any degree to a political party that
was supported by the 'campaign, funds contribut-
ed by the very system against whose impositions ,
the people were protesting.. . , ,f , - t , ,
' I agree, with Mr. Porter- that "voters every
where are becoming convinced that they must ,
bo citizens before they aro partisans."' .. But in,
order to make their acfe, as patriotic. citizens, ',
effective they must have ' a . party to work: ,
through. Caring nothing for mero party .name ,
they must give their efforts, to some paTty-organization
that gives the bes't promise of" relief.
Certainly they will not, at the very time they
aro seeking to overthrow republican policies
elect to congress men who are subject to re-"
publican party discipline even on the theory that
in some particulars these men have vidlated re
publican orders.
Democrats who object, to the indorsement by
the democratic party of an insurgent republican
congressman do not wholly base thejr objection
on the ground as jny old-young friend Harry
B. Fleharty puts it "because he is not demo
cratic all over and clear through," but also -because
with all of his virtues, with all of his in
surgency, he has not shown himself free from
republican party discipline; and he can not, in
the nature of things, be free from that discipline.
He can not, therefore, be free to represent the
people with that thoroughness which the gravity
of the situation demands.
If I lived in a district where the republicans
had nominated a Norris or a Murdock and the
democrats had nominated a man whom I sus
pected would vote with the tariff barons or with?
other special interests, then I should cast my
vote for the insurgent republican with all of
his republican party allegiance. But, living in
that district, I should devote my energies be
forehand to the nomination of a faithful demo
crat, one whom I had reason to believe would,
be true to the people. I might know that so
far as personal character is concerned there
could be no preference between the' democratic
nominee and the insurgent republican nominee.
But I would vote for the democrat rather than
for the insurgent republican because I would
know that no party discipline nor political ex
pediency would require him to defend Aldrich-
Si!S i ? "e THouse any more tha in the
capital building. I would know that he would
go to Washington with the commission to de
stroy, rather than to apologize foreven in a
small degree the system whose present day
program is admittedly, a menace to popular
government. RICHARD L. METCALFE
A PRAYER FOR BUSINESS MEN
We plead with Thee, 0 God, for our brothers
who are pressed by the cares and beset by the
temptations of business life. We acknowLri
before Thee our common gu It fo? tho wir, JE!
and deceitfulness of our efmmercialHfe'wMch
eads so many into temptation and causes even
wT t0 slip and faH. So aong as it
must be that man is set against man in t strug
gle for wealth, help them to make their conteft
cept loss rather than follow the others on ni
Vnuar ESS. itrfS CT
ize that they have high nubile fnnnS real7
let them not betray the interes of all t,Can,d
own enrichment. Grant them faMtehtS w r
otlsm to subordinate their work Kfl J?"
weal and a steadfast determination ?a ?G P?blic
the disorder of the presen? inrn ?V? transform
freer harmony of the future LhlV11
Christ, which goes out from Tbo!nthl & of
ceaselessly pleading within i J SSanS hlch Is
our business life undo Chr?sVlaw nf br,lns
that all who guide the processes nWnJ SG1'vice'
trade may feel that X nil ?f factory and .
divine ealWwhffiTU if es ZfZfeV
the free servants of God and th V?10 aro ?
who are consciously devoting thefr strXV11'
the common good.' '-American Magazine?
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