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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1910)
SrrfllaTr1!,',''W4'J'f '.'"' &rp '( :-w.' 4 The Commoner. IN KM Where the Battle is Raging OREGON PRIMARIES Tlio Oregon primaries were hold September 25. Tlio ABsoclatcd Press report says: "A.. W. Lafforty, Insurgent and anti-assembly, secured tbo republican nomination for congress from tho Second district by 2,000 plurality. In tlio First district W. 0. Hawley, incumbent, tlio assembly candidate and standpatter, was renom inated by about 2,500 majority over IiIb insur gent opponent. For governor Jay Bowcrman, tho assombly candidate for tho republican nom ination, won by about 1,200 plurality. Tho nominees for tho legislature from Multonah county (Portland) are" overwhelmingly in favor of 'statement No. 1' the pledge of a legislator to support the popular nominee for United States senator regardless of tho nominee's party afllliations. In tho state at largo the victory of the 'statement No. 1' candidates has not been so nearly unanimous, but tho majority of the republican nominees throughout tho state aro heliovod to bo pledged. Tho democrats put up a legislative ticket in few counties and tho vic torious candidates are practically all plodged. Oswald "West won tho democratic nomination for governor." DISCOURAGED A Washington dispatch carried by the As aociatod Press says: "Discouraged at tho dis mal outlook for their party in tho approaching congressional elections and the bright prospects of tho democracy, tho Washington branch of the republican congressional campaign commit tee has reduced its office force about three fourths. Those who have been told their ser vices were no longer needed say that since Maino wont democratic and Washington practi cally did tho same thing by nominating Poin dexter for governor tho demand for the repub lican campaign Htovaturo hna slumped to such, an extent as to justify only the employment of a smaller number of clerks; while tho republi cans aro reducing their working force, the dem ocratic congressional campaign committee is in creasing Uio number of Its clerks, in order to moot the growing demand for literature of tho democratic sort. Tho campaign books recently issued by the democratic congressional commit tee are going like hot cakes, and a notable fact in this connecton is that they aro being sent into congressional districts heretofore regarded as normally republican. A leading republican official who called at the White House this afternoon, is saying tonight that the president is looking decidedly 'blue' as a result of recent political happenings." NEW YORK REPUBLICANS Theodore Roosevelt won a pronounced victory over tho "old guard" in the New York republi can convention. Tho Associated Press report gavo the following synopsis of the first day's proceedings: "Theodore Roosevelt as a delegate from Nas sau county, L. I., was elected temporary chair man of the republican state convention by a vote of 568 to 443, defeating -by a majority of 125 Vice President James S. Sherman, who was sup ported by the so-called old guard. Twice tho state committee, under old guard dominance, had selected Mr. Sherman for the position, only to be overridden on tho convention floor today. In control of tho convention, by an adroit amend ment, quickly named committees of his own choosing, including the committee on resolutions which will draft the platform embodying the direct primary plank for which tho ex-president is fighting. "Defeat of tho old guard in tho first skirmish was followed by delegates from the Sixth, Kings county (Brooklyn), congressional district turn ing against State Chairman Woodruff, electing A. E. Vass In his stead as a member of tho com mittee. It is expected, however, that another district will re-elect him, but as the progres sives will control the new committee ho will be. retired as chairman, "although still leader of' Brooklyn. "Elihu Root, United States senator from this state, was selected as permanent chairman of tho convention. "Tho convention was marked by hoots and hisses aB the detractors of Colonel Roosevelt addressed the delegates. Abraham Gruber, a Now York lawyer, mado a particularly bitter at tack. "Colonel Roosevelt, in his speech, spoke against political and business corruption in char acteristic vein and praised the administrations of President Taft and Governor Hughes. "William Barnes, Jr., of Albany, leader of tho old guard, issued a' statement tonight denounc ing Colonel Roosevelt as he has done heretofore and praising those of the old guard who stood firm. "Interest in the Roosevelt-Sherman struggle occupied so much of tho stagv that discussion of candidates was overshadowed. But promi nent among the possiblo gubernatorial nominees are Representative William S. Bennett, Henry L. Stimson, State Senator Harvey D. HInman and William A. Pendergast of New York. No decision had been reached late tonight. "Two drafts for the platform representing tho ideas of tho progressives and the old guard re spectively were being threshed out tonight." Abraham Gruber of New York, who had been elected to fire the broadsides cf the old guard against Colonel Roosevelt's election, was recog nized. Colonel Gruber said in part: "Twelve years ago, on this platform, I warned a republican convention against turning tho executive mansion into a shooting gallery. My advice1 was not heeded. Since that memorable day the man who has ever since been shooting has seen his party organization divided in every state, his party's candidate overwhelmingly de feated, business depressed and tho intelligent and honest, workingman without employment and hungry. Looking for other fields for shoot ing practice, this man is now shooting at the courts and its judges. Himself posing as a law yer, who never had a case or drew a brief, he now finds himself holding up the courts and judges to. the scorn of the mobs, but this is not a now symptom. It is an old disease. This apostle of derlnger practice, while he was presi dent, abused Judge Humphrey, of tho United States court, a gentleman and honest man, for rendering a decision .which "was according to the law and to this day is unreversed. When the United States appellate court reversed Judge Landls, the same shooter,, told the people of the United States that the judges had been guilty of miscarrying justice. "Workingmen of tho United States, do you realize that when Hayward and Moyer were on trial for their lives, this same shooter, with all tho power of the president of the United States, sought to influence the jury by holding up these leaders of labor as undesirable citizens? "A Frensh king once said, 'I am the state.' No sane man may ever say, 'I am tho United States.' The lungs of the country are not its brains. Men who, a few months ago believed, now disbelleye, men who worshipped then, now exeorete, and throughout the country the busi ness men are facing panic and as lovers of their rights and liberties are fearing revolution. From Caesar to Napoleon, from Napoleon to American Jack Cade. When given power to show the trust, ho drew a line between the good ones and the bad ones. The steel and sugar trusts were the good oneB; those which would not help along the shooter's political schemes were the bad ones. And now those who cry 'Vivo Lerol' are good republicans and thoso who are putting patriotism above all else and therefore will not join those cries are bad republicans. "While under tho table, I touch Cox's feet, "I can not with Lorimer sit down and eat. "Fellow citizens of New York, has the cor respondence with Harriman passed from your minds? While the firm was Roosevelt and Harriman and not Roosevelt and Lincoln, the shooter and railroad man were engaged 'in a joint plan to get money and, in writing the senior member of the firm assured Harriman that they were both practical men and had bet ter keep the partnership under cover. "Every generation gives opportunities to tho patriotic and brave to keep our ship of state headed In the right direction, and all of us business men, farmers, laboring men, profes sional men and, yes, even the women of this country may now, if they will, join in the great fight begun in the convention, to prevent a third term or something worse." No one enjoyed Grubor's speech more than Colonel Roosevelt, who chuckled repeatedly. Gruber stated that it would be found that two- VOLUME 10, NUMBER 39 thirds of Roosevelt's strength in the convention came from federal officeholders. At one point 'the Jeers and catcalls became so great that Colonel Roosevelt leaped to his feet and, waving his hand at the delegates, cried: "I ask a full hearing for Colonel Gruber." The speaker continued, but hisses almost drowned his attacks on- Colonel Roosevelt. The convention then nominated tho .following ticket: For governor Henry L. Stimson . For lieutenant governor Edward Schoenek. For secretary of state Samuel S. Koenig, re nominated. For state comptroller James Thompson. For state treasurer Thomas F. Fannell. For state engineer Frank M. "Williams re nominated. ' For attorney general Edward R O'Malley, renominated. For associate judge of court of appeals- Irving G. Vanu, renominated. NEW YORK REPUBLICAN PLATFORM The republican platform adopted- by tho Roosevelt convention in New York was distinct ly a disappointment to western insurgent repub licans. The platform declares relentless war fare against official and legislative wrong-doing in this state and asserts that dishonesty in pub lic service Is, next to treason, the most flagrant of crimes. Continuing, the platform says: "In ridding our institutions of this cancer growth we know no party distinction. The crimes which have been commitlcd have involved members of both parties, and the fact that some of the wrongdoers have masqueraded under the name of republicans, neither has gained noi shall gain them immunity from punishment by repub licans." President Taft's administration is endorsed in the following language: "We enthusiastically endorse the patriotic and statesmanlike leadership of William Howard Taft, and declare our pride in the achievements of his first eighteen months as president of the United States. Each succeeding month since his inauguration has confirmed the nation in its high estimate of his greatness of character, intel lectual ability, sturdy common .sense, extraordi nary patience and perseverance, broad and states manlike comprehension of public questions and unfaltering and unswerving adherence to duty. He has strengthened our prestige with foreign nations and treated with vigor and wisdom im portant international problems, notably our tariff relations with Germany, France and Canada. Under his administration the prosecution of those Implicated in the sugar and other customs frauds have been mqdo and convictions obtained; there have been impartial and energetic enforce ment of the Sherman anti-trust act; a substan tial reduction of governmental expenses; the establishment of better business, methods, which will result in greater efficiency and real econ omy; remarkable progress in the construction of the Panama1 canal, and the withdrawal, from pri vate entry of our 71,000,000 acreg of public domain, to preserve, for the public benefit, valu able and other mineral deposits, timber land and water power sites. "On his recommendation, congress has pro vided for a committee to investigate and report on tho regulation of the issuance of stocks and bonds by public service corporations engaged in interstate commerce. He has advocated a new system of appropriations for river and harbor improvements, under which each item, after in vestigation by experts, shall be approved and carried to completion as a separate measure. This recommendation wo heartily endorse." The tariff plank reads: "The tariff law reduced the average rate of all duties 11 per cent. By increasing the duties on some luxuries and articles, not of ordinary use, making, however, no Increase on any com mon, food product, it turned a national deficit into a surplus. Under its first year of operation the value of Imports free of duty was the great est In our history by $109,000,000, and the aver age rate of duty was less than under the WilBon law. Unlike that law its great reductions of. duty have not stopped industry or depressed labor of any part of its hire. It gives free trado with the Philippine islands, and it establishes a customs courj;. Its maximum and minimum rates give us for the first time opportunity with, other nations in -our foreign trade. "In providing, upon the suggestion of Presi dent Taft, for a tariff board, it affords the means of still more accurately determining the differ ence of the cost of production at home and abroad. "A republican congress is necessary to provide fl',iHU fjfefctl I ( ri .- j .