ii
'Ailmfr
VOLUME 10, -NUMBER 5t
ii j.
IV
A.
actively engaged In -driving democrats out 'of
tho party." V r i V. : . f ". " ''
In tho HsHloH4pr'WyPJlft
claim, 'With arty show of 'reason, that a new
domocracy, built according to its plans, would
he more acceptable to the country than tho
platform of 1908? Might it not .'be truthfully
charged against the World that Instead of be-
.ing anxious to aid in winning victory, it is
simply anxious to keep the party ?80 small that
It-cWnot interfere with' the Wchemes of Wall
Street?' ' ' ' " " -
"1Tlie falsity of its charge that Mr. Bryan only
praides candidates who havo LOST is apparent
when it Is remembered that he has commended
ahdis commending many who have won signal
victories. What about Shafroth of Colorado,
Folk of Missouri, Gaynor of New York, Marshall
atid Kern of Indiana, Governor Smith of Georgia,
Governor Campbell of Texas, Governor Burke of
North Dakota, Champ Clark of Missouri, Ollie
Barnes Of Kentucky? Hero' are ten, all win?
ners, and there aro many others and Wall Street
does not control any of them. The World men
tions Plaisted a.jyi Foss- as persons "suspected"
by Mr. Bryan. It errs; Mr. Bryan has confi
dence in Governor Plaisted and in Governor
Foss more than .the World has. The World
would not urge the nomination' of either.
The Commoner will discuss the World's polir
cies at another time.
BY THEIR FRIENDS
Tho St. Paul Pioneer-Press speaks several
good words for Woodrow Wilson as a presiden
tial candidate, but expresses great fear lest the
enthusiastic support given Mr. Wilson by
Harper's Weekly and other recognized organs
of Wall Street do injury to the New Jersey
governor's candidacy. The Pioneer-Press thinks
that such support is apt to arouse "western
suspicion." Well, it must be admitted that
when papers like Harper's Weekly give enthu
iastic support to any man's candidacy' for the
presidency, public interest requires some investi
gation as to the reason for the enthusiasm shown
by such organ. These papers have not been
in the habit of supporting men upon whom their
plutocratic backers could not depend. If, how
ever, in this case these organs are putting forth
their effort in the hope of defeating a man who
maybe depended upon to hold special interests
strictly to account defeating him by enthu
siastically supporting him then the truth
should be made known to the public.
LAFOLLETTE'S WARNING
Writing to the press concerning appointments
to the supreme court bench, Senator LaFolletto
said: "The one suggestion I would offer is
that in view of present conditions only such
men should be selected as will be certain to
cpnstrue the constitution and the lawwith due
regard, to the interests of the people, eliminat
ing from consideration those whose legislative
or judicial records show them biased toward
special interests, or whose legal connection would
tend to prejudice their minds in favor of such
interests."
If Mr. Taft acts upon Senator LaFollette's
suggestion ho will break the Taft record. His
appointments to the supreme bench so far have
not been displeasing to the special Interests. It
is safe to say that upqn supreme, court appoint
ments Mr. Taft will be as much a standpatter
'as he is on the tariff. (Later He did not
break the record,)
THEY DID IT IN 1004
Naming a number of democrats who have
been elected to office, the New York World
lays: "These, democrats may fopl the people,
rat they cannot fool William Jennings Bryan.
-He has promptly thrown off tho mask and re
pealed them as 'champions of government dom
inated by special interests.' "
So far as any individuals are concerned Mr.
Bryan has simply insisted that with respect to
their aspirations for the democratic nomination
ior the presidency their record and their views
on pubjic questions be carefully inspected by
tho people. He has not yet charged any man
with being the "champion of government dom
inated by special interests," but he does say
that the character of the supporters of some of
the men conspicuously mentioned fpr the demo
cratic presidential nomination makes it abso
lutely necessary that democrats who want their
.party to fight real rather than. sham battles
make a thorough investigation of the candi
date' qualifications for the high.honor he seeks.
Notwithstanding the World's sneers, it has'
been possible for politicians and newspapers
The Man of Nazareth l
Tho lowly man of Nazareth
Yet walks tho golden way,
-Where loving deeds and kindliness
In human hearts' hold sway.
Whate'er experience may bring,
He stands amid its press,
And waits with benediction . . .
Our hearts and hands to bless.
Wo see His face amid tho throng,
With seamless robe He stands,
And pity beams through kindly yes
As on who understands,
"Go forth," saith He, "and weary not,
Love's path must yet be trod,
And those who llvo unselfishly,
Still keep the road of God."
Ah yes, the Man of Nazareth
In spirit tarries near, .
Where pilgrims on the path of lifo
Yet need a brother's cheer; ' . .
And those who bend with healing love
Above earth's stress and pain,
Reveal the Christ of Nazareth
To human lives again.
' I. Mench Chambers.
to fool majorities where they could not fool
minorities; to deceive a great mass of men
where they could not deceive individuals. In
1904 the New York World was pleading for a
"safe and sane" democracy, and urging demo
crats to trust their party into the keeping of
the men and interests represented by the World.
A majority of the democrats in convention as
sembled were fooled, and the New York World
helped fool them. But "William Jennings
Bryan" and we will be pardoned for saying it
was not "fooled." He knew -the World then
and he knows the 'World now. He 'understodd
then, as he Understands now, the specious plead
ing made by newspapers like the World and
the ingenious methods adopted by great trusts
to make their purpose of plunder appear as a
mighty patriotic effort. And he protests now,
just as he protested in 1904; not because he has
any concern whatever for what the World calls
"his leadership," but rather because he believes
that the democratic party must be the agent for
the restoration of popular government in
America. He knows that the people will be
deceived Jy the democratic party just as they
have been repeatedly deceived by tne republican
party, if the New -York World and the interests
it represents have their way in democratic
councils.
They did fool the majority in 1904, and the
minority pleaded In vain that theparty might
be saved from plutocratic reorganization. There
fs, however, no excuse for these democrats to
be. deceived in 1912 as they were in, 1904. They
have now every reason to know that the demo
cratic reorganizer is engaged in the same sort
of work that has been committed to the hands
of the republican standpatter.
HOPE FOR THE INCOME TAX
And there are Maine and West Virginia With
democratic legislatures. Will they ratify the
income tax amendment? If so, the outlook
grows more encouraging. With Hoke Smith
governor and a legislature in sympathy with
him the amendment ought to be ratified in
Georgia.
'
'...ting termination 6f his unsavory career. Tho
fact that the' chances of the resolution have.
.Mmprovfid, proves the value of a verdict atthe
pdlls; it is an echo of tho "democratic victory
. last month. " - . ;
Let the democrats rejoice; this great refonn-
is at hand "the gateway to other reforms." If."
""the Brlstbw resolution does not pass at. this',
session, a' similar resolution will, in all prob
ability,. pas.8 at .the.. first session oft the;next;cdh,- t
gress. The -election of senators by direct vote
lis coming. - - - -. - -. - .
ANOTHER REFORM AT HAND
The press dispatches announce that the
senate, committee is likely to report favorably
Senator Bristow's resolution, submitting 'a con.
stitutional amendment providing for the ' elec
tion of United States senators by popular vote.
It is added that it will probably pass. This is
almost too good to be" truer If the resolution
pauses the senate it is Bure to pass the house,
and almost enough legislatures are in session
this winter to secure its ratification. A message
from President Taft at thld time would , make
certain the passage of the, resolution. Wilt tie
act and thus secure a part.of the-credit? r.T v T
Chauncey Depew, it is, reported, wiltrLio
kill the resolution with amendments-but hia
opposition ought to help the measure. His fight
against it- if he makes a fightwill be a fit-
THE CORPORATION'S RIGHTS ' "' V
President Jordan of Stanford University, is
treading" on dangerous ground when hJe ari
annbunties', as he is fepbrted'to have announced
in an interview in the Boston Transcript, that
' corporatlpn can no longer be given the same
rights as an individual as was held in the p.a'rt
mouth Collegp case. It is too powerful ah' pi--,
anization." He heed' not have added: "In
many cases it is an Unmoral 'and immoral
giant." While the last sentence expresses the
truth it fs not necessary to go that far to sup
port tho first proposition laid down. It is
endugh to say that, as the corporation possesses,
certain rights conferred by statute, it would
have rights superior to those of the Individual -if,
-in addition to those conferred- by law, it had
all the rights possessed by the individual.
Much of the difficulty experienced in dealing
with corporations arises from the fact that the
courts have obscured the line between the God?
made man arid the man-made corporation, and
a. clear understanding of the difference is the
beginning of wisdom in corporation matters.
President Jordan has rendered a servlee in cal
ling attention to the subject but he may excito
the wrath of the predatory interests, as a former
professor of that institution did by criticising .
the act of certain corporations.
WHAT THE TARDFF HAS DONE FOR life "
Willow Springs, Mo., December 3, 1910.-To
the Editor of The Commoner: As tie tariff
question ,has rbe.en the dominant, Question "for
many yea'r.si we' consider it. of. great importance
an$ vital interest to the common people at this
time. In' speaking 'of the tariff as. a revenue
or as a tribute to the favored classes we would
suggest that it absolutely- destroys our republic
as a free government. The constitution plainly
says that all men are equal as to rights and
privileges, and none shall be slave or pay tribute
to another. Therefore, we take the position
that a, protective tariff is-contrary. to and against
the spirit of the constitution of the United
States; and! we can no more have a free republic
l?y compelling one class to pay tribute to an
other or to be. as slaves under another by pay
ing tribute than, we could have a Icing, and
yet under the constitution claim a free republic.
We declare that a tariff levied upon articles
manufactured in this country is directly con-"
trary to the constitution, and a protective tariff"
amounts to tho same thing, and destroys the
principle of free government; and we suggest
that in order to have a free republic in a true
sense freedom to its people in every sensed
that the tariff be absolutely removed, giving
us entirely free trade, taxing for government'
expenses directlyjnstead of paying tribute upon
articles manufactured for the common use of the
American people. We further declare, under tho
principles advocated by. Theodore Roosevelt and
President Taft, the establishment of a tariff
commission does not only destroy the rights of
the American people, but 'it absolutely puts- the
destiny of a people of 90,000,000 in the hands
of six commissioners, who would dictate to them
what tribute, and when and -where It should
be paid; therefore retarding the progress that
they now advocate on the one hand and throt
tling it with the other. These men take the
position of carrying a chip on both shoulders
thinking the people are unable to see to the
extent that a, tariff commission would reach in
the destiny of the American people. After they
have advocated a high protective tariff for half
a century, we find that their party is now split
beyond reconciliation. Still these men, as de
clared leaders, advocate the appointment of a
commission, thereby taking the tariff question
out of polite and out of the hands of the peo
ple, placing i$ in the hands of a selected coni--Mttee
whOj. would be absolutely under the con
ttroljang . dpipiria-tion ot the manufacturing inter
ests. Then,, they, would, declare "that they were
.irresponsible asto the results of this committee
leaving the people entirely at their mercy. and
without redress. . B. L. COLLINS.
-.
h
n