ir "?- ir;gTjfV
The Commoner.
3
APRIL 1, 1910
was doing his best day by day to servo his
country.
Coupled with these displays of presidential
weakness comes the word that there is a well
organized movement among republican leaders
to force Colonel Roosevelt to again become a
presidential candidate. The report that ho
wired to Mr. Pinchot to meet him at Paris, and
Pinchot's departure five days ago; the over
throw of Cannon; the wider and deeper chasms
in republican harmony that are developing from
day to day; all capped by Fobs, democrat, car
rying for congress the republican Gibraltar of
Massachusetts, have created a stampede for
Roosevelt that it looks now nothing can stop
unless it be Roosevelt himself.
Will he stop it?
That will not be learned, so far as Cdlonel
Roosevelt's utterances will solve the riddle, un
til he is on the briny ocean and more than likely
not until several days after he reaches New
York. Washington dispatch to the Denver
Times.
NOW FOR LODGE'S SEAT
Special dispatch to the Denver Times from
Boston, Mass. Stunned over the realization of
the complete defeat of their candidate, republi
can leaders are trying today to figuro out just
what the result in the Fourteenth congressional
district means. The election of E. N. Foss, re
publican, running as a democrat, and the over
turning of the strongest republican district in
Massachusetts, is a direct reflection of the feel
ing of the people toward the insurgent move
ment, according to democrats and republicans
alike. The inevitable result will be a fight to
a finish for the toga of Senator Lodge. Lodge
will be a candidate for re-election when the next
legislature assembles. To insure his election,
the organization must nominate reactionary can
didates for the legislature. The democrats and
the progressives are likely to combine, and today
there is a disposition to start a boom for Foss
as Lodge's successor.
WHAT NEW YORK LEGISLATION COSTS
George Seward, president of the Fidelity and
Casualty company, appeared before the New
York legislative investigating committee. He
said that for years insurance and casualty com
mittees had been held up by boodle bills intro
duced into the legislature. The Associated
Press gives the following report of Mr. Seward's
testimony:
Mr. Seward told of an attempt to force him
to pay $10,000 for killing a bill adversely affect
ing casualty companies.
"A man named Brown," he said, "telegraphed
to me from Sing Sing that he wanted to see me.
"I went in response and saw Brown at Sing
Sing prison.
"This man Brown said to me:
" 'Tim Sullivan will put this bill off for
$10,000.' "
"What did you say?"
"I told him I would give my reply as a tele
gram to Mr." Sullivan. My reply was: 'Mr.
Seward says you can go to ."
Mr. Seward testified that "Tim Sullivan" who
a man named Brown has represented "would
put off" the bill for $10,000 was "Big Tim
Sullivan."
"You mean 'Big' Tim Sullivan, the present
senator?" asked Mr. Hotchkiss.
" 'Big Tim,' " he said.
"I didn't know there was any other. He was
persistently active."
"GONE TO SMASH"
Representative Foelker of New York, repub
lican, commenting upon the democratic victory
in Massachusetts, said: "My state has gone to
smash and that's all there is to it. There is no
use trying to argue that this election (Massa
chusetts) has no bearing on the coming congres
sional election. It proves very conclusively to
me that the democrats will carry the house."
VIRTUOUS MOUTHPIECE OF VIRTUOUS
PARTY
Speaking of Elijah R. Kennedy, the press dis
patches say:
"He was president of the New England Asso
ciation of Brooklyn, and is one of the cleverest
after-dinner speakers in that borough. In po
litical campaigns he has won praise by his fierce
oratorical .denunciation of democratic corruption,
and has always occupied a very high moral plane
in his public utterances. He was a warm friend
of President Roosevelt."
This is the gentleman who now confesses to
having spent $10,000 in obtaining legislation
wanted by the lire Insuranco companies. Ho
gave $500 sums to politicians as "presents" and
gave $5,000 to the republican bosses for "cam
paign purposes." Splendid citizen, he is, to
attack tho democratic party! Editorial in
Buffalo, N. Y., Times.
LONGWORTn AGAINST CANNON?
Washington, D. C, March 25. Nicholas Long
worth, son-in-law of Mr. Roosevelt, has broken
with the Cannon machine, according to a per
sistent rumor in republican circles today. Long
worth was slated for membership on tho new
committee on rules. When Tawney took tho
slato to Cannon for approval before tho repub
lican caucus Cannon ordered that Longworth's
name bo stricken off. The reason is reported to
be a statement by Longworth that ho thought
Cannon had not treated the insurgents fairly.
Longworth would not affirm or deny tho story
today. "I have never had a seat on tho foot
stool about the great throne," he said when
questioned. Associated Press Report.
TOO BUSY TO SEE THE PRESIDENT
Washington, D. C, March 25. Probably for
the first time in history an opportunity for
a committee to shake hands with the presi
dent has been declined. The Baltimore confer
ence of the M. E. church was to have been re
ceived by President Taft tomorrow morning.
It was decided that tho conference could not
spare the time. Associated Press Report.
IN A NUTSHELL
Editorial in the Chicago Inter-Ocean (rep.):
The program of tho regulars has been carried
out without a hitch. Speaker Cannon and tho
regulars of the house are to all appearances
just as powerful as they wore before last week's
"revolt" with this exception: Then they had
both the responsibility and the power; now they
have the power, with the insurgents bearing the
big share of the responsibility, if anything goes
wrong.
CANNON FOR RE-ELECTION
Washington dispatch to tho St. Louis Globe
Democrat (rep.) : That Joseph G. Cannon not
only will be a candidate to the next congress,
but will also be a candidate for re-election as
speaker of the house, is the firm conviction of
one of his loyal friends who had a talk with
him today.
FIXING THE BLAME
News Item in Washington, D. C. Star: "Say,
you," cried a real regulaT republican, pointing
an accusing finger at a genuine untamed demo
crat on the floor of the house Saturday after
noon just after the excitement was all over. "I
know what's the matter. I know why wo have
been beating each other to death today. I
know why we have assaulted the speaker. I
know why there's blood on the moon. It's so
simple I wonder why somebody didn't think
of it before."
"Tell me, little one," demanded the democrat,
cupping his hand behind his ear and fdigning
acute attention.
"Why," gurgled the real regular republican,
"this is William Jennings' birthday."
"Discovered," bawled the genuine, untamed,
slapping his forehead in well simulated agony.
And then, laughing like a couple of kids, they
locked arras and chased off in search of a drink.
The republican was right. It was Mr. Bryan's
birthday. He is 50 years old.
IN TILE EAST, TOO
Chicago dispatch to the Denver Times: That
the east as well as the west is dissatisfied with
the Aldrich tariff bill is shown not only by the
election Tuesday of a' democrat to congress by
5,640 majority in a Massachusetts district,
which two years ago was republican by 14,250,
but by the result of a poll made by the Tribune
of republican editors of eastern newspapers
After the publication of the poll of the west
ern states, which showed an overwhelming dis
approval of the Aldrich law and the Cannon
speakership by western republican and inde
pendent editors, the Tribune sent similar queries
to the editors in the east. The answers of the
eastern editors were received before the now
historic revolt of the insurgents against Speaker
Cannon.
The result of the poll now has been carefully
compiled and it shows that the opposition to the
Aldrich tariff is stronger in New England than
in any other section thus tested and that the
editors of tho Atlantic and eastern states show
a stronger proportionate opposition to tho new
law than tho west. This is the vote:
Aldrich Law New England
Republicans For, 39; against, 184; not an
sworing, 157.
Independents For, 3; against, 57.
Total For, 42; against, 241.
Tho following shows the percentage of repub
lican oditors for and against tho Aldrich law by
geographical sections:
Aldrich Law (Republicans)
Now England Against, 82.5 per cent; for,
17.5 per cent.
Eastern states Against, 74 per cent; for,
26 per cent.
West Against, 77.1 per cent; for, 22.9 per
cent.
South Against, 62.8 per cent; for, 37.2 per
cent.
This is tho voto:
Eastern (Atlantic) States
(Excluding Now England)
Republicans For, 142; against, 406; not an
swering, 497.
Independents For, 13; against, 142.
Total For, 155; against, 548.
Total for East
Republicans For, 181; against, 590; not an
swering, 654.
Independents For, 16; against, 199.
Total For, 197; against, 789.
At the same time tho poll was taken on tho
Aldrich tariff law tho Tribune asked tho eastern
editors whether or not they favored tho re-election
of Cannon to the speakership. An over
whelming majority of those replying declared
"No," and, although events sinco they sent their
answers have done much to settle the question,
yet tho figures will be of interest.
New England
Republicans For, 32; against, 205; not an
swering, 143.
Independents For, 1; against, 01.
Total For, 33; against, 266.
Eastern States
(Not including New England)
Republicans For, 119; against, 465; not an
swering, 447.
Independents For, 3; against, 148.
Total For, 122; against, 613.
Totals for East
Republicans For, 151; against, 670; not an
swering, 590.
Independents For, 4; against, 209.
Total For, 155; against, 879.
In every eastern state tho majority of the edi
tors are recorded against Cannon for speaker.
In only two districts In tho east, tho Second of
Rhode Island and the Nineteenth (or Yonkers)
district In New York, does a majority of tho
republican editors go on record In favor of tho
re-election of Cannon as speaker.
To all subscribers who renew their subscrip
tions to The Commoner during the month of
April wc will send the American Homestead
ono year, without additional charge. The two
papers will be sent to different addresses upon
request.
Practical Tariff Talks
Mustard is a very common article of table
use, very largely used by the masses, and it
would seem that a congress bent on a revision
downward would include it in those articles
upon which the tariff should be reduced. Tho
mustard flour industry was in its infancy in
1862, and a duty of 16 cents a pound was levied
thereon. As it grew the tariff was reduced to
14 cents in 1872 and to 10 cents in 1883. Al
though under this high protection there have
been a great many mills built, for twenty-seven
years there has been no reduction in the rate.
At the last session the request was made that
it bo reduced to 2 cents, and figures were
presented showing that this would be amplo
protection. It was not reduced, however. Tho
10 cent a pound rate is so high that it bars
out of the home market all but the finer and
more expensive mustards, those which graco
tho tables of the wealthy.
This rate of duty compels the importer to
add the tariff to the cost of his stuff and this
price fixes that of the home product, since the
American manufacturer need but undersell the
Importer slightly to capture the bulk of tho
-" M.-.lUV:llJ5. Bvw.t4-
ulwiH . .--rtu -
. Wl. fc V .