N
The Commoner.
4
OCTOBER 28, 1910
it
It
I
pcoplo of tho state, and often, tho pooplo of but
a part of tho state. And third, it Is much moro
difficult to chango a national policy than it Is to
change a law in which only tho state is concerned.
I shall speak later of some questions upon which
a senator will bo called to act. I shall not dis
cuss these questions immediately, but Bhall refer
bow to two or three. Your senator will bo called
upon to act on the question of tho national In
corporation of railroads, and If railroads are given
national Incorporation, It will tako a generation
to change the law. Your senator will bo called
upon to act upon tho question of ship subsidy;
and a ship subsidy, onco established, could not
bo withdrawn for many years. Your representa
tive will be called upon to act upon tho question
of a central bank, and a central bank, onco estab
lished, could not bo dls-cstabllshed In a life time.
These arc some of tho questions of national im
portance upon which your representative in tho
senate will have to act. And for tho reasons I
havo given I believe that In electing a legislature
you should first remember that that legislature
elects a senator, and let your vote on tho legisla
ture represent your desire on the scnatorshlp. That
is tho flrst thought that I desire to submit for your
consideration.
DEMOCRATS SHOULD STICK TO KERN
Tho second thought is for tho benefit of thoso
democrats who may bo asked to vote for Mr.
Boverldgo on tho ground that ho is a progressive
republican. I want to show you that thcro is
no reason why any democrat should prefer Mr.
Boverldgo to Mr. Kern, if that democrat desires
progressive legislation. I recognizo that when
I 4iso tho word "progressive," I am dealing with
what wo knew In school as "X" which Is used
to ropresent tho unknown quantity in algebra;
for, so far, tho word "progressive" when applied
to republicans, has defied definition. Thcro aro
about as many different kinds of progressivenoss
as thoro aro progressives; and sometimes ono
progressive exhibits a largo variety of progressive
noss. Take, for instance, Mr. Roosevelt who, in
this state at least, wo can recognizo as tho leader
of tho progressive republicans. I havo been try
ing to locato him for some weeks. When ho
was in Kansas and gave a sweeping endorsement
of tho Kansas platform, I thought I had him
located, but when ho got back to Now York ho
slipped away from mo; for In Now York ho ap
pointed a commlttoo to write a platform, and when
tho committee brought back that platform ho sat
in tho convention and saw it adopted, without
raising his voice in protest, and as ho talks so
much about moral courage, I must assume that
ho would havo had the courage to say some
thin, if it had not agreed with him, or ho with
It. And yet that was directly opposed to tho
platform in Kansas. Ho comes hero and tells
you to elect Mr. Boverldgo becauso ho is a pro
gressive. Ho goes to Nebraska and urges that
Mr. Burkott should bo elected, and ho is a stand
patter; and then ho will go to Massachusetts and
make a speech for Senator Lodge, who is tho
near-friend of Aldrich and his most conspicuous
ally in forcing tho Payne-Aid rich bill through tho
sonato. Now when a man differs In his own posi
tion, so much, in different sections, it is hard to
tell just how to describe him. It seoms that when
he gets into his progressive automobilo and starts
for a rido, he carefully observes tho speed limits
.of tho different sections that ho traverses. When
he is out upon the broad plains of Kansas ho
is a joy rider; but when ho comes to tho crowded
thoroughfares of New York City ho slows down
until ono must got behind tho machino to bo run
over.
MEANING OF "PROGRESSIVE" REPUBLICANISM
What is progressive republicanism? Ho did not
defino it out hero; but ho did describe your cam
paign out hero. Did you read tho speech ho mado
at Crawfordsvlllo? I am not suro whether I can
read this small print tonight, or not, but I havo
It almost by heart. Yes, I can read it. At Craw
fordsville he said: "I havo not been very long in
Indiana today, but I havo been here long enough
to catch somo of your spirit, and I feel as If I
wore taking part In a republican campaign of half
a century ago. Then tho republican party won
becauso it appealed to tho people on straight,
clean-cut principles."
I have, in tho heat of passion, said somo un
kind thinga about tho republican party, but nevor
yet havo I said that you had to go back fifty
years to find a republican campaign that was
run on straight and clean-cut principles. What
an astounding confession! And it is entirely in
harmony with tho statement of a prominent In
dlanalan, who said that It was tho flrst republican
campaign In which ho over took part, that ho
didn't feel like ho was handling gold bricks. What
kind of campaigns they must have been having In
.these later years! And to think that Mr. Roose
velt should turn state's evidence, aftor having
been elected In several of these campaigns! And
yet that was his statement, when ho camo into
this state. Well, it helps mo out again. You
know I am so conservative in methods of thought
and statement that whenever I want to say any
thing harsh I always quoto what somebody elso
has said, and fortunately somebody has said worso
things on every subject than I havo cared to say.
When I want to criticise a standpatter I quoto
what an insurgent says, and when I want to
criticiso an Insurgent I am ashamed to quoto
what a standpatter says. But of all tho quota
tions that havo been given mo by political oppo
' nents, there are none that I prize so highly as
tho voluntary contribution that Ex-President
Roosevelt made to my vocabulary when ho spoko
at Crawfordsvllle.
KERN IS A PROGRESSIVE
Now lot mo prove to you that Mr. Kern Is &
better progressive than Mr. Beverldgo; let mo
provo to you that whenever Mr. Beverldgo has in
surged onco, Mr. Kern has lnsurged many times;
that ho began Insurglng earlier, has kept it up
longer and has lnsurged on moro questions. Let
me give the history of tho last eighteen years that
I may how you something of the 'progress, In
this nation, of several great reforms. I am as
tonlshod that Mr. Roosevelt, in speaking to you,
did not mention the great questions that tho peo
ple havo had under consideration and havo today.
You may bo astonished at thc record that I shall
present to you. If you aro republicans you doubt
less think that tho republican party has booh In
power for tho last fourtocn years. But you aro
?5;$&n5.. t.no.. republican party has boon In
SJ'J' -but tho democratic party has boon In
POWER for fourteen years; tho republicans havo
drawn tho salaries, but tho democrats havo mould
ed public opinion and lod tho way. I would nithor
bolong to a minority party that leads tho majority
than belong to a majority that Is led by a mi
nority. They used to say that the republicans
led and tho democrats followed; they used to even
accuso us of camping whero tho republicans had
camped tho day before It Is not truo today; wo
aro In front and they are behind. Now whan a
republican wants to bo a reformor ho looks around
until they find democratic tracks and then ho says
como on, boys, they havo been here."
Tako tho election of senators by direct voto of
the people compare that, as a reform, with tho
things Mr. Rooscvolt discussed. It Is tho gateway
to other roforms; It Is a thing that wo must se
cure before wo can hopo for ofTcctlvo remedial
legislation. Tho democratic party began to fight
for this reform clghtoon years ago. Don't tell
mo that It waB suggested beforo that; don't tell
mo that Andrew Johnson suggested It In a mos
,sago forty years ago. It Is truo, but no repub
lican will claim credit for his party on that ac
count, because thoy tried to Impeach Androw John
son. Don't tell ino that General Weaver suggest
ed It In congress thirty years ago. Ho did, but
tho republicans can not claim credit for that, for
General Weaver has supported mo in throo cam
paigns. Eighteen years ago tho democratic party
favored this, and In tho houso of representatives,
by nearly unanimous vote, adopted a resolution
submitting It It did tho samo In tho npxt con
gress, sixteen years ago. Then two republican
congresses met, adjourned without notion, and
then a congress met that was republican, and It
followed tho domocratlc example, eight years after
tho oxamplo was set; and then two other repub
lican congresses acted likewise flvo altogether,
bomo two-thirds of tho states of tho union havo
acted favorably about as many republican us
democratic states. It is a universal sentiment;
you aro all In favor of It. I will provo It to you.
I am going to ask you to hold up your hands, If
you aro In favor of this and when you put your
hands down I will see If any aro opposed to It.
Thoso In favor of electing senators by direct voto
of tho people, let mo seo your hands. (A multi
tude .of hands went up.) Now are thoro any who
nro opposed to electing senators by direct voto
of the people? Lot us see your.handB. I seo
no hands. If thcro aro any they aro so few that
they need scarcoly bo counted against tho tre
mendous voto In favor of tho proposition.
DEMOCRATIC HISTORY ON SENATORIAL
ELECTIONS
Now let mo glvo you a little moro history. Tho
democratic party has threo times, In national con
ventions, declared In favor of tho oloctlon of sen
ators by direct voto of tho people In 1000, In 1901,
and In 1908. Tho republican party has never de
clared for' this rofprm In a national convention.
WIN you explain to mo why it Is that a republi
can congress can act in favor of this, when a
republican convention will not? I will glvo you
my explanation. If you havo a better ono, glvo
it to mo after tho meeting, and I will use yours
next time, Instead of mine. Hero Ib my explana
tion: In a republican congress thoy havo a demo
cratic minority, and that democratic minority
coerces tho majority In doing somo good things.
Sometimes the democratic minority can got a fow
republicans to help, and thus somo good will como
out of a republican congress. Tho last congress,
for Instance, had a number of republicans who
joined the democrats and put tho speaker off of
tho commltteo on rules. Tho democratic minority
can, I expect, sometimes compel tho majority to
concede something to public opinion; but a repub
lican national convention has no domocratlc mi
nority in It, and you can not, therefore, expect
so many reforms of It.
But tho caso Is oven worso than I have stated.
I told you that no republican convention had over
declared for It. Now let mo tell you that tho
last republican convention declared against it. Mr.
LaFollcttc, tho leader of tho progressive repub
licans of tho United States, mado a fight in that
convention, through his friends, and ono of tho
questions specifically submitted was tho election
of senators by tho direct voto of tho people, and
they voted it down by a voto of seven to one. in
tho last republican national convention; and Sen
ator Boverldgo was in that convention as a dele
gate, and ho did-not help LaFolletto in his fight
for that reform.
John Kern ran upon a platform two years ago,
that demanded tho election of senators by the
direct voto of tho people, and when you remember
that Mr. Kern has fought for this doctrine in at
'least threo campaigns and stood on a platform
that declared for It two years ago, and then re
member that Mr. Boverldgo sat silent In that con
vention and saw this proposition voted down by a
voto of seven to one, you can not deny that on
tho question of tho election of senators by tho
people, John Kern is tho man to bo preferred,
INCOME TAX QUESTION-
Now let me take up another great reform. Wo
havo beforo tho country today, tho income tax
proposition. Mr. Taft asked congress to submit
an amendment specifically authorizing an income
tax, and tho scnato responded and endorsed tho
resolution without a dissenting vote. Tho houso
passed it with only fourteen votes in tho nega
tive, and only two of thoso from west of tho
Allegheny mountains. Several states havo already
ratified it, and New York camo closo to it. Tho
senate of New York acted favorably in spite of
adverse recommendation by tho governor of tho
state, and in tho houso only ono voto was lacking
to carry it If that resolution had had one moro
voto In tho house. New York, tho stato with tho
largest concentration of wealth, would havo rati
fied tho amendment; but that ono vote was lack
ing, and It was lacking because a man who had
been pledged to It in his platform, agreed to
voto against It In return for a promlso that ho
would bo given his seat in an election contest
It camo that near to passing in tho state of
New York. You are all in favor of tho incomo
tax At present wo are hampered when wo at
tempt to collect revenues in tbe hour of danger.
In an hour of peril, the government can draft
the oltlzon, but It oan not draft his pookct book;
in an. hour $f peril tho govornmont oan talcs tho
son from tho mother, tho husband from th wife,
tho father from tho child, and stand thorn up lit
front of tho enemy's guns, but In an hour of danger
It can not lay its haudw upon uccumulatftd wealth,
and mako that wealth bear Its share of oxneuses
of tho government that protects It. Why? He
cuuso they nvo put tho dallm above th man,
and mako money more precious than blood. You
are In favor of tho ratification of this amend
mont. I shall prove It. I ask you to hold up your
hands, all who want to seo this Amendment rati
fied. How many of you? (All hands went up.)
Put your hands down. Now any of you who nr
opposed to having this amendment ratified, lot
us son your hands. If It Is not uuanlmouN the
opposition Is Invisible. I knew you would voto
that way; and yet tho democratic party began Its
light for an incomo tax sixteen years ago. Wo
put tho Incomo tax In our tariff bill, but tho
supremo court, by a majority of one Judge, de
clared It Unconstitutional, and that one judge
changed his mind on tho question between two
hearings of tho case. Hut wo put tho doctrine In
our platform in 1890; wo fought for It iik'Uii In 4
11100, and two years ago our platform demanded
tho submission of, tho very amendment that Is now
beforo tho country. When Mr. Tuft wanted to act
upon this subject ho could not find a republican
national platform that endorsed tho Incomo tax,
so ho camo to our platform and took tho plank
that Kern and I ran upon, Mr. Kern has boon
lighting for those platforms all theso years. Find
out when Mr. Boverldgo made his flrst speech In
favor of an Incomo tax, and then you will learn
that Kern was a pioneer on this quoMtlon. I
knew you wero with us. Tho strange thing Is
that peoplo who aro with us so ununlmously can
over voto against us at all.
I was over In Missouri In a republican county a
fow weeks ago, and the. man who Introduced mo
told tho audience that ho knew that It was a re
publican county, and that tho peoplo In tho au
dlenco were republicans. Ho said: "You aro repub
licans 3C5 days out of the year ordinarily, and
3G(J days leap year." And then ho Introduced mo
to that audience, and I told them that tho chair
man was mistaken; that they were not republicans
every day in the year that they woro republicans
simply on election day, and that tho rost of tho
tlmo they wore democrats, and did not know It,
And so you nro democrats, up horo although
somo of you may call yourselves republicans. Over
thoro at that Missouri meeting I told thorn an
oxperlenco I had sorno years ago. I was advertised
to mako a speech In a town In which a republi
can lady was visiting In a domocratlc family.
They Invited her to attend tho meeting, and sho
said sho didn't caro to hoar mo, that sho didn't
bcllovo in mo; but they finally persuaded her to
attend tho mooting, and when I was through with
my democratic speech this republican lady turned
to tho democrat and said; "Well, either ho Is a
republican or I ifm a democrat; for that Is what
I havo believed all my life." And when I was
through a lady In tho audlenco camo up to shako
hands, and sho said: "I am Jiko tho Jady you told
about. I am a republican, but I endorse every
thing you say." And so, rny friends, you ondorso
thoso things for which tho democratic party has
been fighting.
DEMAND RAILROAD REGULATION
Now let mo Bpoak of another roform. Mr. Rooso
volt said that Mr. Beverldgo helped him In his
11 -ht for railroad regulation. I remind you that
wo had a plank demanding railroad regulation, In
our platforms of 189C, 1900 and 1901. Thoro was
no such plaiwc In tho republican platform of thoso
years, although Mr. Roosovelt ran for vice presi
dent In 1900, and for president in 1904 When ho
started out to get railroad regulation, the'ro was
nothing In tho republican platform to Justify him
in doing it, or to order him to do It; but threo
democratic platforms contained a demand for such
regulation. In tho fight in the houso and sonato
tho democrats stood by him better than tho mem
bers of his own party. Yes, the democrats sup
ported a president of tho opposition party hotter
than tho members of his own party did oven when
ho had tho patronage at his command. And tho
bill that passed at tho last session of tho present
congress every good thing In It was put In thoro
with tho aid of democrats. If It had passed as
tho attorney general drew It, it would not havo
been defended today on any stump west of tho
Allegheny mountains.
Mr. Kern has been fighting all theso years for
theso platforms that contained theso demands,
when Mr. Beverldgo was fighting against our
platforms and for platforms that were silent on
this subject.
Let mo taken anothor proposition. Tako tho
matter of campaign contributions, lou heard a
good deal tho other day about "decency" and
"purity" and "honesty;" and you might havo sup-
)oscd that they wero new terms that had Just
ecn invented, and for which a patent had been
applied, but the truth Is they havo been used many
years In this country, by people of somo respecta
bility. In fact, my friends, the demand for purity,
honesty and for decency, grew out of the fact
that tho republicans, in their campaign methods,
had been dishonest, impure and indecent It was
found, in an investigation as to contributions that
had been made, that great Insurance companies
had given as much as fifty thousand dollars aplcco
to tho republican campaign fund and somo men
of high business standing barely escaped the pen
itentiary on nlco decisions, it was found that
one corporation In New York City gave flvo hun
dred thousand dollars In a single year. It was
found that Mr. Harriman, at tho request of Presi
dent Roosevelt, had gone out and collected two
hundred and sixty thousand dollars to use In one
state. Tho peoplo finally becamo so indignant
at what had been done by republican leaders, that
a sentiment was aroused and a demand aroso for
purity, honesty and decency in politics. Ono prop
osition that received support, called for publicity
as to campaign contributions, and beforo tho last
campaign began tho democrats tried to securo
tho passage of such a law through congress, but
they failed, and then tho republican convention
met at Chicago. It met after the democrats had
tried to get this law, and had failed, and In that
convention the platform did not call for publicity.
Why not? Mr. Beverldgo was there. Why didn't
ho fight for decency and purity and honesty la