The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, March 03, 1911, Page 6, Image 6
fwmm 6 The Commoner. VOLUME 11, NUMBER I rcuRBeNT nKa --.--a ( A MOVEMENT IS ON foot in tho Oklahoma legislature to glvo that state a chance to try government ownership of tho railroads. Two bills havo been Introduced to that effect. Tho Oklahoma correspondent for the Kansas City Star says: "The scheme is appealing espec ially to farmers. Numerous petitions and letters aro coming to members of tho legislature favor ing a state railroad amendment to tho constitu tion which would permit authorizing state bonds by a special election. Under the consti tution a bond issuo may bo voted for only at a general election, which would not como until 1912. Tho amount of bonds needed is 15 mil lion dollars. To promote tho undertaking one bill appropriates tho sum of $15,000 for 1911 and $50,000 each for tho years 1912 and 1913, for the use of tho utilities road. The people of Oklahoma are to be asked to provide for tho building of not only a state rail road, but for an eight-inch oil pipeline from Kansas to Texas, where connection would bo mado with a desirable maTket. A bill of this kind has been drawn by Representative S. W. L. Jeffords, of Chelsea. It is intended to protect tho oil producers against the Standard Oil Com pany, as tho state railroad is to give tho people a restraint on privatoly owned railroads. Tho Joffords bill would appropriate fifteen million dollars without a vote by tho people. Tho work of construction would bo entrusted to a superin tendent, whoso salary would be $ 3,6 00 a year. Ono bill creates a state board of public utilities, to bo composed of tho governor and four other members appointed by him, to control the ex penditure of all funds in building tho railroad r and tho earnings accruing from its oneratidn. This bill also provides for .benefit districts to be composed ,of any number of counties, which, upon a petition of 8 per cent of tho taxpayers, may call an election to find if the people wish to build a railroad. Tho second bill creates tho first railroad benefit district of the counties of McCurtaln, Choctaw, Bryan, Atoka, Coal, Pontotoc, Seminole, McClain, Pottawatomie, Cloveland, Oklahoma, Canadian, Kingfisher, Blaine, Dewey, Woodward, Harper, Beaver, Texas and Cimarron. Tho route would give railroad connection between tho extreme nrfrth wostom and tho oxtremo southwestern parts of tho state. Tho state railroad would be operated by tho utilities board as if its members were tho directors of a private corporation and all its moneys deposited in tho stato treasury. Should any privatoly owned railroad offer to sell to tho stato, the governor Is authorized by tho bill to call a special election in tho counties through which tho lino runs to learn if the taxpayers wish to issuo bonds for the purchase. The board is authorized to lease railroads when ever it is moro expedient than owning them. No tax shall bo levied in any district except to meet a deficiency between tho net earnings of tho railroad and tho amount of money required annually forpayment of interest on bonds and a sinking fund to extinguish tho Indebtedness In twenty-five years. A county paying such tax shall bor reimbursed from tho net earnings of the railroad, whenever tho earnings are in excess of tho expenses." MR. BRYAN SPOKE in Atlanta' February 14th. The Atlanta Constitution said "Before a crowd which comfortably filled the main body of tho auditorium armory last night William Jennings Bryan, possibly the best known of American lecturers, spoke for moro than an hour, using "The Price of a Soul" as his subject. Tho lecture was given under the auspices of the Atlanta Baraca Union and the size of the audience was a glowing tribute to not only Mr. Bryan's unbounded popularity here, but to the esteem in which the organiza tion is hold here. The lecture, which is pro nounced by many as one of Mr. Bryan's best s aB far removed from the ordinary run of lectures as Mr. Bryan is removed from the ordinary run of speakers. In It the speaker dealt with many of tho perplexing problems of Zfnt"day cIvilIzatlon. in a manner which marked him as a man whoso ability as a thinker is not second to even his own rare ability as a speaker. His lecturo was the application of an ethical principle to present-day life, to poll tics, business and government. Beginning with the laws that govern legitimate accumulation, ho discussed these laws with reference to their relation to tho legal profession, journalism, commerce and tho ministry. He also discussed tho application of moral principles to party life and the problems of government. The rule ho applied throughout is that set forth in tho Savior's question, "What shall it profit a man if ho gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Mr. Bryan was introduced by Governor-elect Hoko Smith, who mado a short, but apt talk. Mr. Bryan, ho said, stands first In the hearts of tho American people. No other man's eloquence has chaTmed and taught so many as has the Nebraskan's, said the governor-elect, who wound up his introduction by saying that Mr. Bryan's chief charm lies in the fact that he believes something and is not afraid to say it. In opening, Mr. Bryan referred to Mr. Smith's talk, telling of the strong friend ship existing between tho two. He called atten tion to tho loyal manner in which the governor elect supported him in his former campaigns, and wound up by saying that should it so hap pon that Mr. Smith should be chosen as the next democratic nominee for president (he said he saw no reason why ho should not be) he would support him aB loyally." A PHILADELPHIA READER of the Public Ledger writes to that newspaper to say: "Xour article this morning, 'Mr. Taft's Task,' hoping ho will have backbone enough to fight it out for the passage of the Canadian recipro city agreement, will be indorsed by all who are wishing a start in the important matter of reducing tariffs. Tho republican party, through the insurgency of so many of the able men in it, Is trying to demonstrate that it can be made capable of protecting the interests of all the people. This demonstration is being attempted by Mr. Taft in his recent speeches, all of which are in tho direction taken by the progressive element of his party. Mr. Taft and Mr. Roose velt are getting more in harmony with each other which, of course, will be a material aid in im pressing the people to leave the correction of existing wrongs to the party that created them and has for so long a time permitted the wrongs to continue. Now, it must be ad mitted by every thoughtful reader that before long these two men will soon have used all the planks of the Denver convention of 1908 to accomplish their purpose. They and the insur gent republicans are making splendid progress in . thIJ direction. Now comes 'the question: Will the followers of Mr. Bryan (who for the last fourteen years has been the chief promul gator of reform policies) decide to vote for a man of the party which has so long . deceived the whole country by evading its pre-election promises? Certainly not. Then, if not, tho time has arrived when a man of absolute honesty and ability must be nominated by tho democratic convention in 1912. The right man will not only have the votes' of Bryan's fol lowers, but will easily add to them from the pro gressive republicans and carry the democratic party to victory. There is no doubt thTt much good may be accomplished by Mr. Taft if he be sincere, during the next eighteen months If so, every loyal , citizen will heartily thank him for what he may do. But even then it wU be remembered that he has already proved him self a weakling. No matter what good PreS dent Taft may accomplish, the work can hi" better continued by a democrat whose record shall give assurance that he will courageously nsist upon the absolute correction of all in tolerable, unjust conditions." m OEPERRING TO THE president', w If Hwit the stand-patteVs, Te!lyT on the 5th of June, 1909, said that it St any time become his duty "to create for l party a new majority and control "Onm S ing upon Mr. MacVeagh's statement thT" York World says: "This seemf h ?ew accomplished il 'the houseBTUreSaleei1 where a new majority made npS crats and seventy-eight republicans adopted the Canadian reciprocity agreement, aB against a minority composed of eighty-seven republicans and five democrats. So far as the house is concerned, the president has done better than create a new majority and control for his party. He has been Instrumental In conferring that blessing upon the entire country. In the ability of honest and progressive democrats and repub licans to work together for the public welfare, there is hope for good government that trans cends all party lines." THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE has passed a joint resolution which will 'be of general interest. The resolution follows: "Resolved, By the republican minority in this joint session of both houses of the Twenty-fifth session of the Nevada legislature, in which a democratic majority has voted to make unanimous the elec tion of a republican candidate to the senate of the United States, that our thanks and congratu lations bo extended with a hearty good-will to the democratic members for the honorable way in which they have accepted the result of tho last election and bowed to the will of the people as expressed by the popular vote. Be it further resolved, that -we extend our sincere congratulations and good-will to the Hon. Key Pittman of Nye county, for the unequivocal manner in which he has carried out his part of the 'gentleman's agreement' made between himself and the Hon. George S. Nixon, in the campaign of last fall, in withdrawing from the contest after the result of the election was announced and that he has earned the lasting regard of his political opponents by the fair, able and honorable campaign made by him in his fight for the senatorial toga, thereby making a record of which every true Nevadan may well be proud. Be it further resolved, that the elec tion of a republican, who was chosen by the popular vote, as against a candidate for the same office with a democratic majority in control of the legislature on joint ballot, emphasizes an epoch in American politics of which the Beil?,tex tb;e Unite States may well take heed, until the election of United States senators by a direct vote of the people, shall become the law of the land. Be it further resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to both houses of congress in Washington." c Tvc?1110 CITY DaiJy Oklahoman J. says. Diogenes need look no further in his rnvpr wSnhneSt maD He Is a St dis- SSSf S?" Whlle assurln& Ms fellow congress mnT w,Was 0t runnIng for the presiden tial nomination, Representative Champ Clark, of Missouri, and likely to be speaker of the hf??UBe' admitted lfc was pleasant to have fr LI ment oned in that connection. Such sIranr3vm,ritSthe laurel wrea. Much cwS? lent3 than the Action of Champ that ?e Presidency have transpired, and not o,, nf Sd f0rtuno may fal1 t0 1 lot is fo thJ hi n?nJai5ge 0f BMUty. He is fitted is a dPi!aCe ? j than ono respect. He at thta Sy?Vifnd democrats are more popular test twJSS0 . an atrxaliy other Period in the comnhiJ ?ear2- JIIs salifications are in- ifi; h s been a country newB" tial rGinhmdHa College P!dent. Preslden- IPSXZSJSSL mere basatfIle t0 a TTERE IS AN interesting suggestion, described rTe? a-ro7iS ite' prlnted ln the El Paso thVnWivwald: ?eclarlS that the day of veteran hf haS bere whGn a confederate office E. i86,? i?Iven the hIShest appointive Sack i nil hy the SOn of an abolitionist, south SrnnCv.bbappealed to thG women of the federacy JUgh Vth?,. Paueters of the Con greatoS?' mJaf AtheIr children to honor the Lincoln ?? rl Amerlcan historyAbraham deHvorPd it R?Yt E e. Attorney Cobb El K ,hhe. addrGSS at tb-e meeting of the f ediricv LvaPf f f the Deters of the Con to ciSw W5 Was- hold Thursday afternoon, Robert rc t th0 anniversary of the birth of "ooeit B. Lee. He referred to the appoint- i inidlVA(