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The Commoner
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VOLUME 11, NUMBER
and won ft presidential contest on a tariff for
rovonuo only plfttform. t
In advocating t'-o selection of committees by
tho Iioubo and soparato tariff bills Clark 1b Justi
fying tho confldonco which tho democratic mom
bora nro expressing in him. Hero's to Champ
Clark, Itoformorl
THE FIGHT NEARLY WON
An Interesting dispatch comes from Wash
ington. It la to tho effect that tho democratic
loaders in congress novo concluded that tho
Bontlmont in favor of taking tho appointment
of commltteos from tho speaker "Is too strong
to bo Ignored." This is good news. Thoy aro
right; tho sontimont is entirely too strong to
bo ignored and they should not want to ignore.
It is no reflection on tho speaker to bo elected
to tako this power from him; it is a favor to
him. It will not only glvo Mr. Clark a dis
tinguished placo in history, but it will onablo
him to avoid tho abuses that cloud tho caroor
of Speaker Cannon. But whllo tho flght is al
most won tho constituents should continue to
write to their representatives and urge tho
change.
A STEP TOWARD ARBITRATION
Tho International court is a step toward ar
bitration and that Is a step In the right direc
tion, but tho longest step will bo takon when
our nation announces, as it should announce
at onco, Its willingness to enter into agree
ments with othor nations stipulating that ALL
controversies that dofy diplomatic settlement
shall bo submitted to an impartial international
tribunal for investigation and report BEFORE
ANY DECLARATION OF WAR OR COM
MENCEMENT OF HOSTILITIES.
IF IT HAD ONLY BEEN EARLIER!
Senator "Lafo" Young's standpat "don't dis
turb thorn" speech Is probably his last, but it is
onough to mako Claude Porter, tho lato demo
cratic candidate for governor, regrot that tho
appointment and speech had not been mado be
foro tho election. "Lafo" is a brilliant, fellow,
but it will bo a long whllo-before ho converts
Iowa to his tariff views.
MAKE THE MOST OF IT
So some of tho corporation senators are hop
ing to prevent tho submission at tho present
Session, of tho amendment providing fpr elec
tion of senators by dlroct vote of tho people.
Very well. Lot them make tho most of this ses
sion. Several of them go out in March then
"tho wicked ceasu from troubling."
WHITEWASH
Tho Lorimer whitewash . will oncourago tho
"boodle group" in New Jersey and New York.
If, with tho confessions of five legislators, it is
impossible to prove bribery, It will be safe for
.souatorships to bo sold until tho personnel of
the senate is changed.
AN ERROR CORRECTED
Anxious Reader: No, it is not true that Mr.
Bryan's picturo was turned to tho wall in
Oklahoma. It hangs In the senate chamber,
and If it looks like Mr. Bryan feels, it wears
a continual smile because of Oklahoma's splen
did constitution and laws.
APPOINTMENT EXPLAINED
Now that that so-called democrat, Secretary
of War Dickinson, has recommended an in
crease in the army we may have an explanation
of his appointment. It is convenient to have a1
to-called democrat around to lay tho blamo on.
WHY NOT AN AUCTION?
t
If tho Now Jersey senatorship must go to
tho railroads, thoJtrusts and tho insurance com
panies, why not sell It at public auctipn? It
Is better to have money go into the; troasury
of tho state than into, tho pockets of- legislators.
,-t , RIVALRY . j
'Writing in tho Denver News former'Senator
Thomas M. Patterson3says: "Harper's' Weekly
IB bobstin.g Governor-elect Woodrow' Wilson for
tho presidency; and tho Harmon boom in tho
ultra-aristocratic democracy is withering day by
day,"
Signs of Progress in the Messages of American -.-
Governors
Tho messages of many of the governors in
augurated, in tho early part of January show
signs of progress.
FOSS OF MASSACHUSETTS
Tho inaugural address of Governor Foss of
Massachusetts Is notable for tho progressive
spirit It displays. In that address Governor Foss
outlines a decidedly progressive policy along tho
lines of extending tho people's control over their
own institutions. In recommending the recall
bo has gone boyond tho platform of his party
although ho 1b clearly in lino with the progres
bIvo thought of all parties.
Governor Foss'b summary of the advantages
accruing from tho use of tho initiative and refer
endum and recall is a good epitome of tho argu
ments in favor of this constitutional change.
'His chapter on popular government deserves a
placo in every American homo and should bo
carefully read by every citizen having an intelli
gent concern for his country's welfare.
Concerning popular government Governor
Foss said:
"Wo have reached a crisis in the affairs of this
commonwealth. It is a crisis which our form
of government is facing today not only in Mas
sachusetts but in every Btato of the union. This
crisis is all tho more marked in our state be
cause Massachusetts is the birthplace of popular
government.
"The people, in all sections of the country,
have lost confidence in many of their public
servants. Tho dictatorship by political bosses
and by representatives of special interests is
notiy ruaonted, for these men desire to control
public servants and to diroct logiBla'tipn to. their
own ends. They do not desire tho enactment of
laws guaranteeing justice to all and privilege to
none.
. "Massachusetts has always been the leader
'ar every great turning point in tho policy of
the nation, and,'she must Jad ;today ia res.tori.ng
the government into, the hands of the people.
'She must banish every power and every Influ
ence which is hostile to tho rule of the people.
"She must tolerate no public servant who
arrogates to himself the prerogatives of govern
ment, or who turns his back to the people at
tho beck of special interests; for government
does not exist for special interests or their
'agents it exists for the people. It belongs to
the people.
"That, gentlemen, is the ideal. Now, what
are tho conditions today? Government of the
people is coming to be only a name. Represent
atives of tho monopolfstic interests have usurped
the prerogatives of tho people. They have ac
quired too great a control, and have too largely
shaped the policy of federal and state affairs.
"This usurpation of power can only be ended
by the people taking into their own hands the
direction and control of their government.
"The first step is to abolish the boss and all
his agencies; the caucus, the nominating conven
tion and all political machinery which inter
venes between the people and their government.
"All candidates for public office without ex
ception must bo chosen by the people through
tho direct primary. Only by this means can
they be held accountable. No public servant
must have any other master than the people.
"Establish tho direct primary, choose your
own public servants without reference to any
machino or faction, mako them accountable only
to yourselves, and popular government will be
established.
"To tho direct primary. must be joined the
power of recall; so that any public servant who
proves recreant to his trust may" bo immediately
dismissed.
"Important as these steps are, it is of far
greater importance that the people keep their
power over legislation through the initiative and
tho referendum.
"Under the conditions which exist today as
I eo them, these are the only true safeguards
pf representative government.
'.There can be no valid objection to ' theso
measures if we believe in" the capacity, and
therefore the right, of the people to govern
themselves,
' VtuiP,eoPK e' competent V'exerciBo the
poWerVtho franchise', then' they are competent
to advise their public servants and recall them
if they aro not true to their 'trust
"Tho referendum provides that an important
legislative measure shall be submitted to tho
people upon their request before it becomes a
law.
. "Tho initiative provides that the people them
selves may prepare and pass a constitutional
amendment or an Important law If the .legisla
ture persistently refuses to enact it.
"Both these measures have great influence
for good, not so much in the actual exercise of
tho power by tho people as in the potentiality
of that power. Its very existence, and the realiz
ation that it may be exercised, renders useless
the lobbyist, and nullifies the great resources
which tho special interests have employed for
improperly affecting legislation.
"Public servants who deem that they repre
sent themselves and not their constituents nat
urally object to these measures; and yet a meas
ure which is contrary to the will of the majority
has no justification.
"I urge upon you a resolve for a constitu
tional amendment to provide for the initiative
and the referendum."
IN MICHIGAN
Governor Chase S. Osborne of Michigan makes
these suggestions:
Placing express companies under control of
the state railway commission; fare of two and
one-half cents for passengers north of the Straits
of Mackinac; mining royalty and income -tax,
also income tax for corporations; the initiative,
referendum and recall. .
On the liquor question the governor said:
"Temperanoo is a matter of personal discipline
and is more of a moral smd social problem than
political. Government by saloon and brewery
must go. In communities where saloons exist
there should not be more than- one to one thou
sand .population, and breweries should be di
vorced from.' their ownership." .
"Michigan seems -to have a weakness for
state boards," continues' the governor. "It is
truo the stato has yet no trustees of wash basins
or tooth brushes, but if we keep on as wo are
going thero will be nothing from fish eyes to
fox tails that will not be supervised by a board."
IN OHIO
Governor Harmon says: "When the govern
ment is conducted by the people themselves,
every citizen ought to regard contributing to
its support as a patriotic duty, the shirking of
which involves disgrace. Yet many evade their
taxes. -The result is that those who dp and
those who from their condition or the nature
of their property have not equal means of eva
sion, have to pay more than their share of tho
public expenditures, so that discontent mars the
cordial relations which should exist between the
people and their government.
"The people who support the government
have to economize. Why should their public
servants not do the same?
"At the last session I transmitted the pro
posed amendment to the federal constitution au
thorizing the levy of a tax on incomes and recom
. mended its adoption, but no action was taken.
A few states have undertaken to tax incomes,
but, as I am advised, with little success.
Changes of legal residence are too easy to make
The efficiency of a federal income tax has been
proved."
IN NEBRASKA
In Nebraska the retiring governor, A. C. Shal
lenberger, delivered -a long message reviewing
his administration, favoring income tax, election
of senatprs and other reforms. On tho initia
tive and referendum he advised what is gen
erally accepted as a compromise with the.
The new governor, Chester H. JUdrich, took
a strong stand for the initiative and referen
dum. The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal, describing
Governor Aldrich's message, said:
hiiwwe?ared fl?n initiati and referendum
bill that is workable and which will bring re
sults He declared the people of the state and
the dominant parties were in favor of a sub
stantial sano law of this character. Ho warned
the legislature that a combination has already
been formed to defeat tho will of the neonla
respecting direct legislation, and declared ?hat
any member of the legislature who voted to
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