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The Commoner.
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WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
2
VOL. 10, NO. 35
Lincoln, Nebraska, September 9, 1910
Whole Number 503
The Democrats of Arkansas need not be afraid to vote for the Initiative and Referendum
amendment otherwise known as'" Amendment No. 1 0." If it has any defects the people can
correct them through the provisions of the Amendment itself. The election will be held
throughout Arkansas September 1 2. Every Arkansas voter should go to the polls and help
to put his state in the forefront through the adoption of direct legislation.
Forward, March!
The people of Arkansas will adopt or reject
the Initiative and referendum at the election to
bo held September 12.
. Arkansas voters should not be misled by tho
plea that there are defects in the measure. Con
stitutions and statutes written in behalf of tho
people have often been defective in phraseolgy,
but when it was shown definitely that corrections
were necessary they have been made. If the
men who oppose "amendment No. 10" really
believed that what they call the "joker" is a
serious error they would be very glad of tho
error's existence. But in most cases tho men
who aTe laying emphasis upon what they call
tho "joker" are most interested in tho defeat
of direct legislation itself. It is not "jokers"
nor other alleged defects they fear, it is tho
power of the direct legislation principle, for
t;hat principle, faithfully applied, restores gov
ernment to the people, and that the interests do
not want.
The enemies of direct legislation know that
if they can persuade the people of Arkansas to
defeat amendment No. 10 the fight for direct
legislation in that state will be put back for
many years.
Do not be deceived, voters of Arkansas.
Stand faithfully by Governor Donaghey and tho
other brave men who are leading the fight for
direct legislation. It is your fight, not theirs.
The least ypu can do in return for the great
service they are rendering you is to refuse to
be misled by the opponents of direct legislation.
The least you can do is to go to the polls and
cast your ballots in behalf of the public interests.
A FALSE NOTE
There are a few unfortunate phrases in tho
Ossawattamie speech, one of the most unfortu
nate of which deals with the trusts. Mr. Roose
velt adopts the socialistic idea that tho trust is
an economic development and has come to stay.
Ho says:
"Combinations in industry are the result of
an imperative economic law which can not bo
repealed by political legislation. The effort to
prohibit all combinations has substantially
failed. The way out lies not in attempting to
CONTENTS
FORWARD MARCH
"DIVINE RIOHT" AGAIN
GOOD FOR COLORADO
REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN IN ARKANSAS
PROGRESS IN KANSAS
WHERE ROOSEVELT STANDS
PRACTICAL TARIFF TALKS
JAPAN'S BENEVOLENT ASSIMILATION
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
IF THE PEOPLE RULE WHY DON'T THEY
GET WHAT THEY WANT?
THE DOOM OF LANDLORDISM
NEWS OF THE WEEK
prevent such combinations but in completely
controlling them in tho interest of tho public
welfare."
This is a dangerous fallacy. Ho had a coven
years' trial with all tho executive powers of tho
government at his command and there wero
more trusts when ho wont out than when ho
went in. One of tho worst of tho trusts actu
ally coerced him into consenting to tho absorp
tion of a rival and then, In return, helped him
to nominate his candidate. It is futile to think
of CONTROLLING private monopolies. "A pri
vate monopoly is indefensible and intolerable"
that .is the democratic platform and it presents
the only sound remedy. It is useless to talk
about, driving corporations out of politics as
long as they have millions Invested in legisla
tion and must control the government In order
to' secure extortionate dividends.
wlfaJMr. Roosevfclbcan convince the.country
tnat a private monopoly is necessary then tho
only question will bo whether a few people
shall continue to corrupt tho government and,
through this corruption, enjoy the benefits of
the monopoly, or whether the government shall
own the monopoly and give the benefits of It to
the public. But Mr. Roosevelt will not bo able
to convince tho public that tho monopoly is
necessary. When tho public understands tho
extent to which the favor-seeking corporations
no"'jconcrol the government they will join with
tho democrats and make it impossible for a
private monopoly to exist.'
GOOD FOR COLORADO
Tho United Press, under date of Denver,
September 1, carried to the democrats of Amer
ica this good news:
"The people of Colorado at tho November
election will vote upon a proposed amendment
to the state constitution to provide for exactly
the same initiative and referendum law as Is
now in effect in Oregon. This was made pos
sible when the state senate, at its session today,
passed a bill providing for tho proposed sub
mission of tho amendment, by a vote of thirty
to two. The house has already passed the bill
which now goes to Governor Shafroth for his
signature. He will sign it at once. This Is
the first of tho platform pledges of the last
democratic stato convention that the legislature
has redeemed. To pass this bill and several
others embodying reforms of a like character.
Governor Shafroth called tho legislature in
special session early in August. Bills embody
ing the other reforms demanded are now
pending."
Governor Shafroth and his associates who
worked faithfully to bring f.bout this desirable
result are to bo congratulated. There is no
more important work than the effort to advance
the cause of the initiative and referendum. In
every section of tho country public sentiment is
being aroused to tho importance of this great
reform.
IS IT TREASON?
Never since Lincoln criticised tho Dred Scott
decision has any prominent public man criti
cised a decision of tho United States supremo
court as harshly as Ex-President Roosevelt did
the decisions referred to at Denver. Possibly
the judges aro human, after all, and, like other
human beings, Hablo to be biased and prejudiced.
"Divine Right" Again
Emperor William of Germany has stirred up
a good deal of democratic opposition by claiming
tho throno by dlvino right. In a recent speech
he said:
"My grandfather, Emperor William I., again
In his own right placed tho Prussian crown upon
his head and again proclaimed it to be be
stowed upon him by God's grace alono, and not
by parliaments, assemblages of the people, or
resolutions of tho people, and declared that ho
saw in himself tho chosen instrument of heaven
"and as such regarded his duty as regent and
ruler.
"And I, considering myself equally jMtftuc in
strument of the Master, regardless of passing
views and opinions, go my way, which is devoted
solely to the prosperity and peacoful develop
ment of our fatherland."
Ono of tho German papers, a favorite among
army officers, commenting apon tho emperor's
speech, says:
"This speech means a storm. Never before
has Emperor William set into such clear relief
his romantic, medieval idea of his non-responsibility
to man's judgment, of his not being
bound by the constitutional co-operation of tho
people, and of ruling by God's free grace,
against all thoso convictions and feelings which
today determine our existence as a state. Why
should the emperor choose this moment to em
phasize his ruling by God's grace and his own
right, when it will nourish an anti-monarchical
agitation and cause good monarchists to bo
thrown into a condition of tragic disruption?"
It is unfortunate that tho emperor should
baso his claim to tho throno on a discarded
theory when he has a better one, nanlely, that
tho people want him. If his "divine right" is
attacked ho will have to defend his right with
arms and a willing people will have to furnish
the arms. Even a king can afford to recognize
tho people as tho source of power. And yet
the Imperialist who thinks that wo have a dlvino
right to rule the Filipinos relies on the same
exploded doctrine that tho German emperor
invokes.
WAIT FOR NEW YORK
Representative Murphy of Missouri Is sponsor
for Vice President Sherman' presidential boom
let. It would bo well, however, to wait until
after the republican state conventfon for New
York. If Mr. Sherman can hold on to tho office
of temporary chairman of that convention in
spite of Mr. Roosevelt's efforts to deprive him
of it, then his friends may be justified in groom
ing him for a 1912 contest with tho gentleman
who now seems destined to become the real
leader of republican insurgency.
PRIMAREE8 FOR PRESDDENTS
Senator Cummins suggests a primary for tho
nomination of presidential candidates. Why
not? If a president is to servo the people why
not allow tho people to select him. And it
might not be a bad idea for United Stale
judges.
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