The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 10, NO. 15
Lincoln, Nebraska, April 22, 1910
Whole Number 483
The War is On
The New York World says: "When John
Adams and Alexander Hamilton became enemies
they did not preach at each other on texts of
brotherly love, nor did Clay and Randolph, nor
Jackson and Calhoun, nor Douglas and
Buchanan, nor Blaine and Conkling, nor Cleve
land and Gorman. When democrats split into
free-soilers and hunkers, whigs into silver grays
and conscience men, and republicans into stal
warts and half-breeds, the time for reasonable
remonstrance 'had passed. They met at Philippi.
In the existing party quarrel at Washington
both factions claim to want the same thing, and
the president and his cabinet declare that they
want it more than either, and yet they can not
get together and give the country much of any
thing. If there is to be a pitched battle between
the insurgents and the regulars a good many
people would like to have a diagram, a bill of
fare, a book of the opera, a score-card, or what
ever it may be called, for . instruction and
guidance."
If "the existing quarrel" at Washington were
(merely a personal quarrel, it would be unworthy
of serious attention, although it might be very
interesting.
If it means anything at all, it means that the
dominant forces in the dominant party have
delivered the machinery of the party into the
keeping of the special interests. It means that
the policies of the administration and the legis
lation sought to be enacted are shaped to suit
special interests, rather than' public interests.
Now if the cause of the insurgents is worthy
of respect then these men stand for the public
policy against which the administration is wag
ing war. If it were true that "both factions"
were striving for the same end, then there
would be no serious quarrel. They might have
differences but the differences could be readily
adjusted if all of them had the public interests
exclusively at heart.
If Aldrich intended to be the representative
of the people, such, for instance, as LaFollette
is, instead of the representative of the Standard
Oil and the great railroads then there would
be no serious quarrel between Aldrich and La
Follette. If Cannon intended to servo- the people as
some of the republican insurgents in the house
do, then there would be no serious differences
between Cannon and those insurgents.
The truth is the differences between the reg
ular republican and the insurgent republican
can not be compromised. All too long republi
can insurgents have insisted that they do not
mean to criticise the president's policies and
that they are devoted to Mr. Taft's plans. But
'the people are rapidly learning that Mr. Taft's
plans are the plans of Messrs. Aldrich and Can
non. If the republican insurgents would serve
their country effectually they must cease to de
clare their devotion to the Taft policies. They
must make war against Aldrichism and Can-
CONTENTS
THE WAR IS ON
MR. BRYAN'S POSITION
SOMETHING OF A WARNING
POSTAL SAVINGS BANK
EDITOR MUNSEY'S HONEST CONFESSION
TIMELY QUOTATIONS
INCOME TAX AMENDMENT
CANNONISM REVEALED
ORGANIZE FOR THE FIGHT
WHERE THE OLD SHIP IS LEAKING
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
-; NEWS OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON NEWS
nonism In the White House, oven as they mako
war against Aldrichism and Cannonism in the
capitol building.
The peoplo have the diagram and it shows
that in the conflict now going on in Amorica
there are but two sides; ono represented by the
special interests; the other by the public in
terests. Plainly the Taft administration is com
mitted to the special interests; plainly there is
now no hope for redemption on that line. Sen
ator LaFollette sounded the keynoto In his ad
mirable speech in the senate the other day. The
war is on and the battle is between the people
and the Interests.
"rURGE AND PURIFY"
"Purge and purify" Is the keynoto of Gov
ernor Hughes' special message to the New York
legislature. "Purge and purify" is the key note
of Governor Fort's public statement with re
spect to the disgraceful proceedings incident to
the closing hours of tho New Jersey legislature
"Purge and purify" is the key note of tho re
publican insurgents in their pathetic protest
against the destruction of their party by trust
influences. "Purge and purify" is a good slogan
for men who really intend to protect public
interests. At this time when questionable trans
actions on the part of public officers are being
exposed in nearly every section of the country
"purge and purify" should be written Into every
political platform and the spirit of this slogan
should be Impressed by a' thoroughly aroused
people upon every aspirant for public office.
INCOME TAX IN KENTUCKY
Governor Wilson of Kentucky says that he
is in hopes that the resolutions approving the
income tax which at different times passed both
houses of the Kentucky legislature may be so
interpreted by the attorney general of that state
that Kentucky's vote will be recorded in favor
of the proposed amendment.
It is to bo hoped that Governor Wilson is cor
rect on this point. It would have been better,
however, if the great state of Kentucky had
registered its votes on this important question
in a way that could not possibly be misinterpreted.
TIIE QUANTITATIVE THEORY
Mr. Taft is not the only republican who haB
in recent years confessed that the quantitative
theory of money the theory for which the
democrats contended in 189G is correct. For
instance, in 1907 the Wall Street Journal said
that the quantitative theory of money is gen
erally accepted adding: "Can a democrat be
blamed if he becomes a bit dizzy these days
when he sees men who In 189G sneered at tho
democratic doctrine hurry to plant themselves
upon the Chicago platform?"
PREDICTING VICTORY
The New York News Bureau, said to be tho
official organ of Wall Street and the interests,
has issued a bulletin in which it predicts demo
cratic victory. It says that the odds are about
live to four in favor of a democratic house and
adds: "It is up to the financial and industrial
interests of the country to decide whether the
prospect is pleasing or not." When did it cease
to be true that decision, in our form of gov
rnment, rests with the people?
SENSITIVE
The Commoner alludes to Major Hemphill
as "a recent importation from Charleston." Mr.
Bryan's ."sub" is really impressive when he
stands in the way of sinners and sits in the
seat of the scornful. Houston, Texas, Post.
Why should Colonel R. M. Johnston's su
perior be so sensitive when reference is made
to one of the members of the mutual admira
tion society?
A ROYAL MATCH MAKER
Mr. Mulvery, a White House policeman, has
won the heart and hand of Miss Martha Peterson
the White House .first cook. Surely Mr. Taft
has earned the title of "a royal match maker."
Mr. Bryan s Position
Thoro Is no oxcuso for the constant attompt
on tho part of unfriendly papers to misrepre
sent Mr. Bryan's position on tho liquor ques
tion. Ho has been entirely frank in stating his
position and in giving tho reasons therefore
But as soon as ho published in The Commoner
a series of oditorlals dealing with certain phases
of tho liquor question tho opposition, Instead of
attempting to combat tho proposition advanced
by him, at once sought to impugn his motives
and to accuse him of trying to mako prohibition
a national Issue.
Surely no Intelligent person can believe that
Mr. Bryan Is seeking political advantago in op
poslng the demands of the liquor Interests. They
have enormous resources and a inultltudo of de
pendants, not to speak of a still larger number
of dupes, and they act as a unit and are utterly
unscrupulous in tho use which they make of
their resources, their dependants and their
dupes, while tho temperance people are busy
discussing other economic and political ques
tions besides the liquor question and do not act
together on any question.
In speaking out against tho evils of intem
perance and in proposing remedies he not only
has nothing to gain politically but ho risks the
alienation of valued friends who agree with him
on other questions but do not agree with him on
this. Nothing less imperative than a sense of
duty could lead him to take a position that may
separato him from men whose companionship
he has prized and whose support he gratefully
appreciates, but these issues are here and tho
citizen must meet them.
The liquor interests, recognizing the force of
the moral movement which Is everywhere at work
for the uplifting of society, is audaciously and
insolently endeavoring to coerce both the demo
cratic and the republican parties Into inaction;
Its lobbyists infest the capital of the nation and
the capitals of all the states. Mr. Bryan would
not deserve the confidence which has been re
posed In him if he kept silent In the prosenc3 of
this gigantic conspiracy against the home, society
and the state. Whether he is able to accom
plish much or little he will at least register his
protest against the saloon in politics as he has
registered his protest against the trust In poll
tics, and if it "kills him politically," as tho
emissaries of the liquor traffic boast, he will die
honorably and his political death may at least
help to convince thoughtful people of tho mag
nitude of the powers that are banded together
to do evil.
In Insisting that tho liquor interests should
not be permitted to run the government and
write the laws Intended for the regulation of
the traffic, Mr'. Bryan Is not taking an undemo
cratic position. The democratic party contends
that trust magnates should not make tho laws
dealing with the trusts why should the brew
ers and distillers write the liquor laws? Who
can justify the action of the liquor interests
of Nebraska in preventing. the submission of tho
initiative and referendum last winter? Self re
spect requires that the democratic party shall
rebuke those who brought disgrace upon the dem
ocratic legislature by pledging every democratic
candidate for tho legislature to support a reso
lution submitting the initiative and referendum.
While Mr. Bryan Is himself a teetotaler and
by precept and example advises total abstinence,
he has no desire to force his personal views on
others or to prevent the use of liquor under
conditions which relieve its use of the evils
which attach to it at present. He believes that
the abuses which attend the sale of liquor are
such as to justify the people in insisting upon
the right to prescribe the conditions upon which
it can be transported, sold and used. He
'further believes that those who desire to use
liquor in moderation and under reasonable
conditions ought to join with the temperance
forces and enact laws which will discriminate
between the legitimate and illegitimate use of
liquor and reduce the evils of intemperance to
a minimum. The moderate drinkers have too
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