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The Commoner.
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NOVEMBER 4, 1910
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braska. In tho latest issue of the Trado Review
Mr. Buslmoll speaks of Senator Burkott in these
.words:
"Why should business men of Nebraska, who
have constantly to advance trust-raado goods
which thfcy sell, make more and more burden
some their business by sending men to WaBhing-
ton to voto with Aldrich and Crane and the
Louisiana senators, instead of voting with men
of the west and for home interests? Why
should Nebraska, the business men of Nebraska,
keep in the senato of the United States a senator
to voto for that which Rhode Island wants rather
than for the things of vital interest to this
state?
"Why should a senator from Nobraska voto
to make barbed wire higher to the consumers
of this state, to make cotton and woolen goods
higher, to make rubber goods higher, voto
against free lumber, vote with the harvester
trust and with the sugar trust, and then expect
business men to vote to return him to misrepre
sent them into an indefinlto future?"
Here is another pestiferous progressive repub
lican who gets his facts from the Congressional
Record rather than from Senator Burkett.
His seditious utterances right at this time give
fresh point to the moral that a senator who is
standpat in Washington and insurgent out on
the hustings has a hard row to hoe. Omaha
World-Herald.
SENATOR DOLLIVER'S DEATH
The death of Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver is
a real loss to the country. He was stricken down
In the very zenith of his power, and his place
will not bo easily filled. His long experience in
public life and his large acquaintance, together
with his great ability, gave him a commanding
position in the senate and in the political world,
while the zeal with which he attacked and ex
posed the predatory interests made him a tower
of strength to the progressive element of the
country.
The cause of tariff reform seemed to arouse
his energies to their maximum he was at his
best when he was inveighing against the 'mon
strosities of the Payno-Aldrich bill, and his
fame, like the fame of Senator Hoar, reached its
highest point in opposing rather than in defend
ing the policy of his party.
Democrats who formerly feared Senator Dolli
ver as the most brilliant and resourceful of the
republican orators, have been drawn toward him
during the past year as they saw him measuring
swords with the leaders of privilege and favor
itism. The deep and universal sorrow expressed
at his sudden taking off is evidence that devo
tion to the public welfare is really appreciated
by the people.
THE SUPREME QUESTION
There, is one issue and only one which
manifests itself everywhere and at all times; it
is the conflict between the organized few who
clamor for privileges and favors, and the un
organized many who ask nothing but the right
to enjoy the proceeds of their own toil under
laws which guarantee equal and exact justice.
This is the never ending struggle which Is go
ing on in all lands in the United States as well
as in other countries.
It is of vital importance that every senator
and congressman shall be on the side of the
people; that every one who represents the people
at Washington shall say what the people wait
said and do what the people want done. See
that the men you support for congress and the
senate are on your side. See that their hearts
are right, for out of the heart are the issues
of life. A man's head may lead him astray on
some questions but his heart is wrong" if he
takes the side of those who want to use the
government as a private asset In business.
POLITE
An average of 89 per cent duty on woolen
goods makes such goods cost nearly twice aB
much as they ought to. If, instead of substi
tuting shoddy or cotton for wool, the men wear
only one woolen sock out of courtesy to a lilgh
tariff law they would soon know what it costs
to be polite to the protective principles.
Our government can not be accused of undue
haste in recognizing the republic of Portugal.
If Portugal had been as far south as Panama or
as far west aB Hawaii the president might havo
acted more quickly.
The Nebraska Situation
In speaking at Lincoln, Nob., on Monday
night, October 31, Mr. Bryan discussed national
issues, following the lino of Ills Indianapolis
speech. Ho concluded with a statement of his
position on tho local situation as follows:
After what I havo said In rogard to tho Im
portance of national issues I need hardly add
that I regard them aB paramount when wo are
considering tho claims of those who aro candi
dates for national offices. Our democratic candi
dates for congress and tho United States senato
in this .state all stand for democratic principle
and policies as those principles and policies aro
set forth in tho democratic national platform
of 1908, and I believo that they are entitled to
tho votes of democrats whatever their position
may bo on local questions and on minor national ,
questions.
I havo on former occasions' Btatcd my position
on county option and tho eight o'clock closing
law, and it is not necessary to reiterate what I
havo said on these subjects. Noithor is it neces
sary to discuss tho initiative and referendum
since all parties havo endorsed it in this state,
and I take it for granted that candidates for
tho legislature are all committed to It. Our
United States senator must be elected by tho
legislature, and theroforo wo must elect him
when we elect tho legislature, but fortunately
our state has adopted tho Oregon plan, which
enables us to'soparato local issues from national
ones If tho legislators aro willing to do so. In
any district in which tho republican candidato
refuses to sign Statement No. 1, agreeing to
support tho senatorial candidato receiving tho
highest number of votes at" tho election, In such
district the democratic candidato should, in my
judgment, bo elected, no matter what his posi
tion may be on stato issues. Where both candi
dates sign Statoment No. 1 national questions
aro eliminated and voters can bo governed by
their views on local issues. In such districts
I would advlso democrats to voto against demo
cratic candidates committed to tho program of
the liquor interests, provided tho opposing re
publicans are committed against tho liquor
program.
Tho stato ofllcers, except tho govornor, havo
nothing to do with legislation and but little to
do with shaping tho policy of the party on public
questions, and I shall support tho democratic
candidates.
The governor, however, stands in a different
position, and I owo it to tho democrats of tho
state to define my own attitude and to set forth
the reasons for withholding my support from
Mr. Dahlman. It might be sufficient to say that
ho was not tho choice of a majority of tho demo
crats who voted at tho primary. He received
considerably less than half of tho democratic
vote polled and owes his nomination to the sup
port of wet republicans who entered ourprl
mary and converted a democratic minority into
a combination majority. , Even then his ma
jority was only about two hundred, and while
this majority, secured in the open primary
through the aid of republicans, gives him a legal
right to the nomination, it does not give him a'
moral right to the democratic vote of the state.
He received 27,591 including tho votes of the
wet. republicans a little more than one-fifth of
the democratic vote cast two years ago. On tho
strength of this kind of an endorsement ho pro
ceeds to announce that ho will veto, if passed,
the proposition which the last democratic state
convention and ho was a member of it re
fused, by a vote of 638 to 202, to condemn. And
not content with that, ho announces that ho
will sign, if passed, a bill repealing tho daylight
saloon law, a law endorsed b"y the laBt demo
cratic stato convention by a vote of 710 to 163.
Surely no democrat should bo asked to voto
for Mr. Dahlman on tho ground of regularity.
He does not expect it, for he presents tho issue
which he embodies as a non-partisan Issue and
justifies his determination to veto a county op
tion bill on the ground that his election will
mean that a majority of tho people want him to
veto it. Since tho issue is presented upon its
own merits and not as a party issue, each voter
is at liberty to cast his vote regardless of the
party affiliations of tho candidate." In tho exer
cise of that right I withhold my support from
i Mr. Dahlman. National Issues are not involved,
and the subordination of all other local issues
to the liquor question makes it impossible for a
democrat to vote for him without endorsing
the position which ho has taken in regard to
tho liquor legislation.
I am not willing to -turn the democratic party
over to tho breweries and mako It tho opon and
avowed champion of tho liquor Interests our
party has a hlghor mission than that. It Is not
necessary to consider Mr. Dahlman's good quali
ties, and ho has many of them, but no man in
good enough to bo intrusted with executive
power whon that power Jh conferred by thoBO
who constttuto tho controlling lnfiuonco back
of his campaign. As domocrnts wo aro opposed
to allowing tho tariff barons to mnko tho tariff
laws; wo aro opposed to allowing tho trusts to
mako and onforco laws against prlvato mon
opoly, and wo can not endorso tho doctrlno that
tho liquor trust tho basest of all trusts-
should control tho making and enforcing of
liquor lawB.
Tho liquor business Is on tho defensive; its
representatives aro for tho most part lawless
themselves and in leaguo with lawlessness.
Thoy aro in partnership with tho gambling hall
and tho.brothol. Thoy aro tho most corrupt and
corrupting Influcnco In politics, and I shall not,
by voico or voto, aid thorn In establishing a
reign of terror In this stato. Even boforo tho
election thoy aro impudently attempting to ques
tion tho democracy of every mombor of tho
party who refusos to allow them to censor his
speeches. Thoy will, if successful in this cam
paign, insist on controlling tho party.
Wo must meet tho conditions that now con
front us, and each ono must net as ho thinks
best. I shall neither speak for Mr. Dahlman
nor voto for him. I hope to see him defeated
by a majority so overwhelming as to warn tho
brewers, distillers and liquor dealers to retiro
from Nebraska politics and allow the pooplo
to act upon tho liquor question aB thoy do upon
other questions.
But whothor Mr. Dahlman is elected or de
feated I shall continuo my protest against tho
domination of our party by tho liquor interests.
I shall contribute whatever assistanco I can to
tho effort which will bo mado to put an end
to tho spree upon which our paTty seoma to
havo ombarked. I am not willing thnt tho party
shall die of delirium tremens. An appeal will
be made from Philip drunk to Philip sober, and
I am confident that tho appeal will bo success
ful, that tho party will rise again to tho high
plane upon which it has conducted Its campaigns
In this, stato for nearly two decades and appeal
once moro to tho conscience and moral sonso of
tho people.
GLOSSARY OP CURRENT POLITICAL TERMS
Initiative A method of popular lawmaking
by which a certain proportion of tho community
initiates legislation without the intervention of
tho legislature.
Referendum Tho submission of public
measure or law, passed by a legislative body, to
a voto of the people for ratification or rejection
Payne-Aldrlch Tariff Tho rates of duties on
imports into tho United States under tho cus
toms tariff act of August 5, 1909.
Cannonlsm Tho term applied to the almost
absolute control of tho house of representatives
through tho speaker and tho commlttco on rules.
Standpatter Ono opposed to any modification
or revision of tho tariff.
Insurgent A republican favoring a moro
thorough revision of tho tariff, and hostile to
various policies of tho Taft administration and
tho republican organization.
Friar Lands Tho estates In tho Philippines
formerly held by religious orders, amounting to
about 400,000 acres, which wero bought for
$7,090,000 by tho government.
Direct Nominations Tho system by which
members of a party directly select its candidates
instead of electing delegates to a convention to
chooso tho party candidates.
New Nationalism Tho body of doctrines laid
down by Mr. Roosevelt In his speech at Osa
watomle, Kan., August 30 last.
".My Policies" The term applied by Mr.
Roosevelt to tho various measures which ho
favors.
Inheritance Tax A tax levied on estates
passing to heirs of former holder.
Plank That part of a party's platform or
declaration of principles that relates to a par
ticular subject like tho tariff, tho trusts, pub
licity of campaign expenses, etc.
"Tho Big Stick" Mr. Roosevelt's expression.
The threat of forco or violenco or coercion.
Tho Old Guard Tho term applied to such
republican bosses in New York as opposed Mr.
Roosevelt at the Saratoga convention.
Tho Machine A combination of political
bosses and their creatures who assume tho pow
er to control their party's action. New York
World.
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