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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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VOL. 10, NO. 25
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 1, 1910
Whole Number 493
Liquor Dealers Protest
Ono of tlie ofllcers of the Chicago Liquor
Dealers Protective Association writes The Com
imoner condemning the narrowness of the saloon
keeper who discontinued The Commoner because
of its editorials on the liquor question, and calls
attention to the attitude of the liquor dealers
association on the subject of disorderly houses.
The president of the association, Mr. John W.
Maskell, says: "It is very gratifying to he able
to announce that Mayor Busse has directed bis
chief of police to forbid the sale of liquors by
the owners of disorderly resorts and to forbid
the use of women boosters by saloon keepers.
This means the absolute divorcement of the
liquor traffic from prostitution arid every man
who runs a decently conducted saloon should
aid and uphold the mayor in his efforts to en
force this decree."
This is very good It is gratifying to have
the influerfce of the Chicago Liquor Dealers
Association thrown on the Bide of the mayor in
the enforcement of the law against the sale
of liquor in disorderly houses, but the argu
ment taken by the liquor dealers association
proves that the position is taken not because
of any righteous indignation of the business
now condemned, but because the existence of
the disorderly houses in connection with the
saloon give the1 "anti-saloon orator" a chance
to hold the saloon up as "a horrible example."
In fact, the attitude of the organization on the
subject is very ivell shown by the statement
in the letter of the president of the association
tbxt "it will be no longer possible for those
pompous and swell-headed hypocrites and
Pharisees who visit disorderly houses to explain
that they were slumming, etc."
However, it is gratifying to have the repre
sentatives of the saloon business assist in any
sort of reformation, even if they go into the
reform from fright rather than from a genuine
interest in reform. If they were far-sighted
they would have seen long a'go that they are
themselves responsible for the growing opposi
tion to the saloon. So many of those engaged
in the business have been actuated simply by
the desire to make money out of the business
regardless of the harm done, that they have
brought the entire business under condemna
tion. Even those who would like to have liquor
Bold under reasonable conditions and under re
straints that would reduce the evils of intem
perance to a minimum are unwilling to be in
partnership with those who stand for the busi
ness as it is generally conducted.
WHY NOT WALL STREET?
The New York World, a paper that has al
.ways been partial to Governor Hughes says:
"Senator Grady hints of a mysterious $800,000
republican campaign fund in 1908 as one of the
reasons why th.ere is no legislation at Albany
to ourb Wall Street gambling.
"Whatever the explanation may be, there
Beems to be complete harmony between Wall
CONTENTS
LIQUOR DEALERS PROTEST
LAST GREAT PRIZE FIGHT
WHAT IS A REPUBLICAN?
.TIMELY QUOTATIONS '' .
PRACTICAL TARIFF TALKS
GRATITUDE FOR COMMON THINGS A
THOUGHT FOR THE CHILDREN
"IF THE PEOPLE RULE, WHY DON'T
THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT?"
WHERE BATTLE RAGES
DEVELOPING A MENTAL NEGATIVE
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON NEWS
Street and the republican organization. So far
as Albany is concerned, Wall Street is left free
to reform itself or not to reform Itself, as it
sees fit.
Plainly there will be no Wall Street legisla
tion worth while unless Governor Hughes takes
the initiative, and none at all unless ho acts
soon. Nothing can bo expected from the leaders
of the senate and assembly. In a way this is
Mr. Hughes' last chance as governor of New
York to safeguard legitimate business and in
sure prosperity againBt the evils of unrestricted
speculation.
"It is not necessary to argue with Governor
Hughes about conditions in Wall Street or about
the character of most of the transactions on the ,
New York stock exchange. It is not necessary
to remind him that the stock exchange has not
yet carried out tho most Important of the very
mild recommendations which the governor's
commission made nearly a year ago. It is not
necessary to tell him that trade and commerce
and industry are quite as much at the mercy
of lawless stock gambling as they were when
this commission was appointed, and that Wall
Street is still exploiting the savings of the people
for its own profit.
"The governor has shown a commendable de
sire to bring the telephone and telegraph com
panies under the authority of tho public service
commissions; but here is a stock exchange the
par value of whose monthly transactions aver
ages more than fifteen thousand millions, yet
it is not even incorporated, much less regulated.
"It may be too late for Governor Hughes to
carry out a far-reaching plan of Wall Street re
form; but he can begin the work, and there is
no more important task at hand."
How does it happen that Governor Hughes,
who has been so active against race track gamb
ling, and who has not failed to see the impor
tance of bringing telephone and telegraph com
panies under public authority, has been so blind
that he could not see the importance of curbing
the stock exchange. Where race track gambling
affects one man, stock exchange gambling affects
millions. Can it be that Governor Hughes failed
to proceed against tho Wall treet game for the
same reason that he vetoed the two cent faro
bill and helped to destroy the income tax?
"WHY DON'T THEY RULE?"
The Commoner begins this week publication
of the replies written by Commoner readers to
Senator, Owen's question, "If the people rule,
why don't the people get what they want?"
This symposium is of more than ordinary in
terest. The question submitted by Senator
Owen is among the most timely and important
of all questions offered to the American people.
It is presumed that in our system of govern
ment the people do rule. The builders of this
government believed they were building in such
-a fashion that the people might continue to
rule. On every hand, however, one is met by
the claim that something is wrong with the
American government. In his speech In the
senate, Senator Owen presented a long list of
things which, admittedly, the people want but
which, admittedly, they have not, so far, been
able to obtain.
Republicans, democrats and men of all politi
cal parties should set themselves resolutely to
the solution of this problem. Let the question
be asked in every precinct, in every state of
the union, "If the people really rule, why ddn't
the people get what they want?"
Read The Commoner's symposium and then
ask your republican neighbor to look it over. .
Perhaps your republican neighbor can an
swer the question to his own satisfaction.
WORDS AND DEEDS
The Ohio democratic state convention defeat
ed, by a vote of 1,099 to 254, the proposition
to nominate a candidate for United States sen
ator; then It inserted in its platform a plank
declaring in favor of the election of senators
by popular vote.
The convention had the opportunity to mako
its deeds square with ita words but It failed.
Last Great Prize Fight
Governor Glllott and tho people of Callforalft
are lo bo congratulated upon tho fact that tk
governor drovo tho JohnsQn-Jcffrles prize flgks
from San Francisco.
This was ono of tho notable Instances In hi
tory whore public sentiment so crystallzod Itself
as to become effective in a matter involving
thousands of dollars to many individuals, at
well as tho opportunity for so-called sport among
many additional thousands.
If wo are to mako real progress In tho edu
cation of children wo must sooner or later drop
tho prize fight from tho list of our practices.
If we are to mako genuine progress In tho effort
to perpetuate peace between nations, we must
mako somo progress In tho effort to maintain
peace between Individuals.
It is not difficult to understand why men be
come worked up over a prize fight. Such con
tests stir the worst sort of passions In men and
aro even more harmful to tho bystanders and
to tho reading public than they are to the prin
cipals in the fight.
There is nothing admirable about these great
bruisers who go through a process of training
to fit themselves for the giving and receiving
of severe blows In order that they may win a
few thousand dollars. The work they aro en
gaged In was badly named when it was called
tho "manly art."
The fight will bo held In tho state of Nevada.
The public sentiment that drove tho contest
from California was not sufficiently strong to
prevent its taking place in Nevada. It is, how
ever, safe to say that this Is the last great prize
fight that will take place on American soil.
The intelligence of America has set itself square
ly against this sort of "sport." Many of those
who object to it find interest in reading of tho
encounter. Indeed, tho story of such a fight Is
attractive to most men, as the fight Itself would
be interesting to a majority; and for this very
reason it should be abandoned. Time is too
precious for men who are seeking real progress
to waste It In giving attention to a pastime that
must bo deteriorating to everyone who witnesses
it or in, at least some degree, to everyone who
reads of It.
Neither the black bruiser nor the burly pug
Is made of the stuff of which real heroes aro
constructed; and neither Is entitled to the re
spectful consideration of tho lovers of real manhood.
A POPULIST MEASURE
An Associated Press dispatch, referring to tho
death of former Congressman John H. Picklcr
of South Dakota, says that Major Pickler intro
duced tho resolution which authorized tho first
rural free mail delivery. That may be true
but it was Thomas E. Watson, then a populist
member of .congress, who Introduced into tho
houso tho first measure looking to rural free
mail delivery. Mr. Watson's proposition was
defeated because It was "a populist measure."
At a later session, however, the plan was offered
by a republican and It was adopted.
EXPENSIVE
Joseph C. Sibley, republican nominee for con
gress In Pennsylvania, says that his renomlna
tlon cost him $40,698.83. Mr. Sibley received
10,466 votes and the Now York World points
out that each" vote represented an expenditure
of nearly $4. Representative John Dalzell says
that his renominatlon cost him $9,200. Surely
there Is need for publicity with respect to cam
paign contributions and publicity prior to elec
tion day.
A CLOSE SHAVE
John Dalzell, Mr. Cannon's chief lieutenant,
was re-no'mlanted by the small plurality of 402.
In one other Pennsylvania district Alfred D.
Garner, another Cannonlte congressman, was de
feated by an insurgent republican. If Penn
sylvania will not "stand pat" surely the old
ship'' Is leaking now.
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