The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 11, NO. 9
Lincoln, Nebraska, March 10, 1911
Whole Number 529
The4 Lorimer Vote
Mr. Lorimer holds his seat by a vote that
damns him. If he had any sensitiveness on
Iho subject of official honor, ho would not bo
content to associate daily with men who have
voted to expel him. Membership in the senate
ought to require higher credentials than a
verdict of not guilty by a divided court. When
it is remembered that the senate is strongly
republican-; when it is remembered that Lori
mer is a republican of long service in the
house and of great influence in his state, It is
conclusive proof of his guilt that so many- of
his own party and some of its strongest men
should " vote to unseat him. It must be re
membered, too, that the speeches in condem
nation of him were delivered in his presence
and by men who must associate with him if
shame does not drive him to resign. Surely
senatorial courtesy is put to the test when
members of that body feel constrained to utter
such condemnation as was spoken against him
'as he heard unblushingly.
The democratic party is to be congratulated
that a considerable majority of its representa
tives in the senate vqted against Mr. Lorimer
in spite of the fact that all but one of the
democratic members of the committee joined in
report favorable to him. The, party has reason
to be proud of senators wfio recorded their
votes against Lorimer, and it has reason to
mourn that the Voles of senators who voted for
Mr. Lorimer have placed upon the democratic
party a part of tho odium for his retention in
what ought to .be- the highest legislative body
of the World. The republican party comes out
of the conte'st in better position than our party,
notwithstanding the fact that a majority of the
democrats voted to unseat, while a majority of
the republican party voted to seat him. The
republicans deserve the moro credit for it re
quired more courage for them to vote against
one of their own party than it required for
a democrat to cast a similar vote.
But the fight has not been without good re
results. The election of senators by the people
has received an impetus and fraud has received
a rebuke even if that rebuke falls short of the
severity which it deserves. The day of corrup
tion is passing; the victory for popular elections
is near at hand. Before two years have elapsed
the states will be voting for the ratification of
an amendment substituting election by the
people for election by legislature. Mr. Lorimer
is one of the last of his class unless the states
in which the senatorial deadlocks continue
furnish him company.
CONTENTS
THE LORIMER VOTE' .
THE BIRTH OF A SOUL
TO REFORMERS
SENATOR BAILEY'S RESIGNATION
THE NEW YORK SITUATION
SENATOR LUKE LEE
CULBERSON OF TEXAS
NOW LORIMER IS A HERO
A REMINDER OF 1908
JOSEPH W. FOLK ON DEMOCRATIC
v PROSPECTS
CURRENT TOPICS
DEMOCRATIC OPINIONS FREELY
', EXPRESSED
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
' . . WASHINGTON NEWS
NEWS OF THE WEEK
POPULAR ELECTION POSTPONED
The resolution submitting an amendment to
the constitution providing for the lection of
senators by tho people failed of passage by four
votes, but the friends of this reform need not
feel discouraged. It was really a great victory
when it is remembered that this is the first
time it has been possible to got tho resolution
out of the hands of tho committee. It is tho
first time that a majority of the senate has been
recorded in favor of tho resolution. Tho con
stitution requires a two-thirds majority for a
submission of a constitutional amendment, and
the resolution had a considerable majority but
fell a little short of the constitutional two
thirds. But the case is even stronger still, for
more than two-thirds of tho sena'tors actually
favored popular elections but a division was
created among them by the introduction of what
was known as the Sutherland amendment. How
ever honestly intended this was, it served to
furnish a number of democrats with an excuse
for not voting for the amended resolution whilo
many of the republicans who voted for the
amendment also voted against the resolution
in its amended form.
Senatpr Borah charged that the Sutherland
amendment was being pushed for tho purpose
of defeating the entire proposition, and there
is good ground to believe that with a number
of senators at least, the support of this amend-
ment was not an honest and sincere one, but
be that as it may, enough has been accomplished
'to make, sure tho submission of tho necessary
amendment by the next congress and then tho
gate will be open for remedial legislation.
Victory is near; let the peoplo rejoice.
The Birth of a Soul
DENVER PLATFORM
The following is the Income tax plank of tho
.Denver platform:. "We favor an. income tax as
paVt qf our revenue system and we urge tho
submission of a constitutional amendment speci
fically authorizing congress to levy and collect
a tax upon individual and corporate incomes to
the end that wealth may bear its proportionate
share of the burdens of the federal government.2'
r It has already been carried out. No republican
national platform ever declared for an income
tax law or for an amendment to the constitu
tion authorizing such a law. It is something
to be proud of that a republican president had
to come to a democratic platform to secure a
plank declaring for so important an amendment
to the constitution. The democratic party began
its fight for an Income tax sixteen years ago and
it rejoices at the prospect of an early triumph
on this proposition.
BRAVO, PENNSYLVANIA!
The democratic state committee of Pennsyl
vania has, by a voto of forty to thirty-nine, de
cided to reorganize tho party in that state.
Good! It needs it. It's sins are so rank they
smell to heaven. Fortunately, reorganization
will be easy; all that is necesasry Is that' those
members of the organization who are on the
pay roll of the predatory corporations which
have controlled both parties, be removed and
their places filled by men who are free to be
democrats.
AS TO LEADERS
Eleven democratic senators wired the gover
' nor of Texas that Senator Bailey was the un
disputed leader of his party in the senate. Six
of these senators had followed him in his fight
for Lorimer when a majority refused to follow,
but only two followed him in his fight against
Arizona. Leadership is measured by followers,
and Mr. Bailey seems likely to have less follow
ing in the next senate than in this.
- , SENATOR STONE'S SPEECH
Senator Stone's speech against Lorimer was
a masterpiece. How mortifying It must have
been to Lorimer to hear tho sophistries of his
aupporters overthrown; and, how mortifying It
must have been to the democrats who voted
for Lorimer, to hear their reasons for so voting
"explained.
Havo you over heard tho story that Rudolph
Sprecklcs tells of hi initiation Into tho study
of public affairs? 'It ought to bo heard by overy
citizen who desires to llvo up to his civic re
sponsibilities. It is especially important that
young men shall hear it. Mr. Sprcckles has
been speaking before clubs, colleges and legis
latures. At Lincoln, Nob., ho first addressed
tho Commercial club, and the members crowd
ing every foot of space in the banquet hall, lis
tened with breathless Interest to tho plain and
simple story of tho way in which his own heart
was reached and his manhood stirred by tho
knowledge he acquired of crookedness In busi
ness and municipal government. Ho was then
invited to spoak before tho state sonato of Ne
braska, and in tho evening addressed a body
of students at tho university. Everyone who
listened to him went away stronger for what
he said.
Spreckles began business as a young man-
as a boy, in fact under his father's tutelage
His first recollections were of tho lawless con
duct of rivals who were attempting to prevent
competition. Machinery was damaged by per
sons obtaining admission to the works, and a
trusted employe was bribed to furnish Informa
tion. Later as a director in a local gas com
pany in San Francisco he becamo aware of tho
indefensible .methods that were being employed
by tho company. Ho appealed to tho stock
holders, reorganized the company and started
..out to put the corporation upon an honest
"-"aa&business basis. Then ho camo Into contact with
the grafters in municipal life, chief among whom
at that time was Abe Ruef. Ho had been
gradually becoming conscious of a work that
needed to be done, but tho final fact necessary
to arouse his moral nature was an offor mado
by Abe Ruef that involved consequences so
.fiendish that young Spreckles burst forth Into
a reformer. It was the birth of a soul, to
borrow a phrase that has been used many times
before. Ho dates his political career from that
date. Since then he has not only spent his
money but what is even moro noteworthy, ho
has risked thq social ostracism which the pre
datory interests aro ablo to visit upon thoso
who hold virtue above might. Ho is largely
responsible for the shaking up in California
politics a shaking that will do tho state moro
good than tho earthquake. did harm.
One of the best tests of the political wis
dom and moral courage of Spreckles is that ho
recognizes the premiership of LaFolletto among
the progressive republicans; he appreciates tho
long and unfaltering fight that tho Wisconsin
senator has made.
The Commoner rejoices that a man liko
Spreckles has thrown the weight of his influence
in favor of reforms. Instead of using his wealth
to pamper the flesh and to chloroform his in
tellectual energy, he is contributing to the ad
vancement of political measures which ho be
lieves to be right. Instead of fearing tho masses,
he has wisely determined to bo their friend.
He is willing to trust his fortune to laws mado
by tho people. The initiative and referendum
and the recall havo no terrors for him. He has
confidence in the patriotism and tho intelligence
of the average man, and that confidence is not
misplaced. Nebraska is better for tho visit paid
it by Rudolph Spreckles. May his life be spared
and his zeal bo unabated until his dollars will
be forgotten in the public's admiration of thoso
qualities of head and heart that outshino money
metals.
EXTRA SESSION APRIL 4
President Taft will call congress in extra
session for April 4th. Democratic members
will caucus April 3rd. In the meantime tho'
new ways and means committee of tho houso
will bo at work preparing for taTiff revision.
The special session is called particularly for
tho approval of Canadian reciprocity. - '
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