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The Commoner.
Democratic Prospects for 1912 Are Bright
Tho Denver Times of March 1st printed tho
following nows itom: Doclarod former Governor
'Joseph W. Folk of Missouri, a smooth-faced,
dimplod-chinnod man of forty-one years, when
talking with a Timos roprosontative: t
"Those aro somo of tho things I favor
"A reciprocity treaty with Canada.
"Popular election of United States senators.
"Commission form of administration for cities.
"Uniformity of laws in the several states.
"And I believe that tho national democratic
party will bo successful in 1912 if it advocates
real democratic principles.
"I am opposed to
"Tho new nationalism of Mr. Roosevelt.
"Protective tariff, bounties and subsidies In
any form."
Mr. Folk did not become heated while ox
pounding his views. Ho is a calm man. Ho
is choorful, dark comploxioned, a little above
raodium height and carries a hearty handshako
around with him on his journeys. Just now ho
is hero bocauso of a contract that he had with
tho teachers' club of Donvor to deliver an ad
dress at Trinity M. E. church.
"I favor reciprocity with Canada," said Mr.
Folk, in his room at tho Brown hotel, "because
It will open up a vast domain to American
trade and will not cost tho country a cent. Tho
United States is spending millions of dollars to
open up trado in South America. The United
States is spending hundreds of millions
to build tho Panama canal for tho purpose of
expanding trado. Tho proposed treaty with
Canada will cost nothing. I believe that it
should bo adopted by congress.
"As to tho olection of senators by direct vote
of the people, it simply is another step in govern
ment, not only of and by tho people but govern
ment for the people. When our constitution
was boing framed the fear was that tho people
might confiscate the property of tho well-to-do.
That the time would over come when the rights
of the pooplo would be in danger through accu
mulation of capital, did not occur to the fathers
of .the republic, bo they provided a mw of rep
resentatives to represent the PWthS variouS
senate elected by tho legislatures of the various
states to represent property. i --,
"Wo now have learned that property interests
should not be inconsistent with public interests,
and that officials should represent no class but
'TcoZion form of civic administration
is' an excellent one. A city government is not
a sovereign government like a state or national
governmet, but is a business corporation and
should bo modeled after a business corporation.
Tho idea is to havo fire directors to conduct the
affairs of the city. There is no reason that I
know of why a commission system of administra
tion should not be successful in a largo city like
Denver." . mm ...
In reply to further queries, Mr. Folk said:
"I do not favor tho 'new nationalism' be
cause I think the Integrity of the states should
be preserved. Tho perpetuity of the nation de
pends upon the dual form of government under
which wo operate tho government, of the states
and the government of the nation. If one of
these is strengthened at the expense of the other,
the ship of the republic will sink.
"The chances for democratic success in 1912
are bright if the democratic paTty advocatea ,
real democratic principles. By these I mean
those principles embraced in the maxim, 'equal
rights to all, special privileges to none This
prohibits protective tariff, subsidies and boun
ties in any form for the benefit of the few at ,
the expense of all.
"Privilege says to a man, 'Come with us and
we will give you a tariff, with subsidies enabling
you to make money at the expense of your fel
low men.' True democracy says, 'Come with
us, we cannot offer you any advantage over
others, but promise that others will not have
any advantage overvyou.' Privllego appeals to
avarice and greed, true democracy to brother
hood and conscience. One stands for the selfish
few and the other for the common good.''
Popular Election of United States Senators
(By Hon! Alva Adams.)
"In accord with true democratic ideals I favor
tho election of United States senators by direct
vote of tho people. A democracy has no right
to fear a popular verdict.
"Political responsibility leads to political
rectitude. Tho direct judgment of tho electorate
is more apt to bo right than the conclusion of
their agents. Direct power is more sure and
safe than delegated power. The people are not
and cannot be subject to tho diverse influences
that may assail a' legislature. The direct voice
of the people is the life of a true republic.
"The present system of electing senators was
a sort of compromise between the political sensi
bilities of those who were willing to trust the
people and those who distrusted them.
"A century of experience has swept away the
fears of those who doubted the stability of popu
lar government. The faith Jefferson held in
tho people haB been justified. It is time that
tho proven capacity of the people to rule them
selves should bo recognized. It is more democ
racy, not less, that our country needs. If- the
full electorate cannot be trusted democracy is a
failure. While I realize, I do not fear, the pos
sible perils In tho absolute rule of all the people,
for I believe that way lies tho ultimate glory and
destiny of free government.
"In spite of the frenzied feats of subsidized
editor and orator no harm has come to the re
public through the franchise of the masses. Tho
people can be trusted. Their self-directed ballots
have never been false to liberty. Direct and
universal suffrage is a power the 'interests' fear.
It is the hammer than can break tho corporate
plutocratic grasp upon tho senate of tho United
States.
"Hamilton's ideal was an aristocratic re
public; our dream is a constitutional democratic
republic. In such a government there can be no
senator, no official that Is not subject to tho
direct vote of the people. A free ballot is the
best teacher in tho school of patriotism. Tho
unconstitutional right to vote develops the self
Tespect, confidence and Judgment of the race. .
"The free Independent citizen, with no legis
lative) complications, can bo trusted to select
VOLUME 11, NUMBER
control a legislature where they would be help
less or impotent before the people. It is difficult
almost impossible to corrupt an entire elec
torate. In the direct verdict of the people there
can bo no deadlock. Confine legislatures to the
making of laws. Let the voters elect senators
and all officials. Where possible let the people
speak direct. Narrow the field upon which
ambition, money and dicker may focus their
blighting influence.
"A broad river may flow clear and healthful
where a small stream is easily tainted and
poisoned.
"'Let the people ruie.' " Aiva Adams
Denver News. -
in
GOOD WORDS FOR THE COMMONER
Joseph L. Valrey, Bushnell, S. D. I will
gladly do all I can to extend The Commoner's
circulation. Despite the fact that our community
is rock-ribbed republican, the sentiment here,
as elsewhere, Is rapidly changing. .Party lines
are being broken and people are turning toward
the reforms that the democratic party has stood
for all these years. The wanton disregard of
pre-election promises on the part of Taft and
his evident alliance with the moneyed interests,
together with the duplicity of Roosevelt and his
third term aspirations, has awakened the repub
licans as to where they are at. As a life-long re
publican recently told me the other day that
he would vote for Bryan, Folk, or any other
democrat rather than be deceived again by an
other administration such as Taft's. If at any
time it will be possible for me to aid in secur
ing a victory for the people in 1912, whether it
be through The Commoner or otherwise, I shall
gladly do so for I am one who, like Champ
Clark says in his letter to The Commoner, "Havo
Kept the Faith."
senators. The nation demands a constitutional
amendment giving them this right. The old
senators object It is not human nature to tear
down the bridge that carried them over, but
from every new senator elected there should be
exacted a pledge to vote for such an amendment.
That pledge I will gladly take.
"By our present method there is a possibility
of a senator being chosen who Is not in sympathy
with the people and who, in a primary election,
could not carry a precinct In the state. Such
a result is a travesty upon free government, yet
an inventory of senatorial elections In the United
States will show that such possibility is not
entirely a child of imagination. The making
of laws Is the true function of a legislature.
The election of a senator interferes with that
purpose. It breaks and disturbs the process of
law making, Senatorial sessions are often bar
ren sessions. ' Senatorial maneuvering and Inter
ference delays, modifies or defeats desired legis
lation. The Injection of a senatorial election
affords a fruitful field for intrigue and corrup
tion. Honest legislators are hindered In their
work, needed and promised laws are used as
trading pawns to secure senatorial Influence
Tho statehouse becdmes stained with the barter
of infamy, as wan the temple from which Christ
lashed the money changers.
"There is every opportunity for unfair com
bines and manipulations. One body can be
played against tho other. Law making and the
election of senators aro different, and often con"
flicting missions. Where these diverse duties
are mixed a temptation Is offered to make trades
nullify the honest purposes of the people. Legis
lative history tells of senatorial contests where
members have resigned, absented themselves and
In various ways tied up and obstructed legisla
tive business. A hundred cases might be citnfl
of scandal and wrong resulting from Se present
system. A compilation of senatorial eleSS
would not make a history to stir the pride of
the American citizen. In fact BonatniSoi r
flicts are not seldom a reproach anff nace"
to popular government. Selfish and poTerf
Interests havo been able to twist, monlpulItTS
Charles B. Chancellar, Parkersburg, W. Va
You can depend on me to help extend The
Commoner subscription list and thereby its
Influence political and moral. One dollar spent
to send The Commoner to a' republican (and am
sorry to say many so-called democrats need it
also) will do more good than $10 to $20 will
do to any campaign fund.
J. C. Llbis, Mantua, Ohio I am going to try
to get a club for The Commoner. I think it the
best paper I ever read. Please send me six or
seven copies and I will make an effort.
William Shepherd, Ness City, Kan. You
will find enclosed a money-order for one
dollar to pay for another year's subscription to
The Commoner. We have not missed a single
number of The Commoner. We received No. 1,
Vol. 1, and yesterday Vol. 11, No. 4 came to
hand and is read with just as much interest as
the first number. How many readers of your
paper can show a record' as good as this for
faithfulness.
TRY GUARANTEED DEPOSITS
Los Angeles, Cal., January 27. Editor Tho
Commoner: In a paragraph of this week's
Colliers Weekly, under the caption, "Like a
Colossus," that paper views, with pretended
alarm, the incoming democratic house of repre
sentatives, as affecting the banking system of
the country. In' said paragraph, this ques
tion Is raised: "Is it well for the banks
of the United States to depend upon the
good will of J. P. Morgan?" and closes
with this unwarranted and disingenuous fling:
"As the democrats come into power in the houso
next fall, we may take it for granted that the
little banks all over the country will continue
to depend for their existence upon the big banks
of Now York City." Has Mr. Collier forgotten
that the heads of the Morgan-Rockefellor-Har-riman
interests control the big banks of New
York, and that they aro "practical men," and
have shown by their contributions to the repub
lican national campaign fund, which party they
think will best serve them, in exercising guar
dianship over the little banks of the country?
Why not be fair, Mr. Collier, and let the bank
deposit guarantee clause as contained in tho
Denver platform (which is the last democratic
expression on the subject) answer your question
as to what is best for the small banks of the
country? No, the trouble with Colliers is tho
same as with so many publications that appear
to be so much concerned for the welfare of the
jeople, matador-like, they flaunt the flag of re
form before the peoples' eyes, whllo they never
lose an opportunity to stab the party and tho
individuals who are, and have been for years,
the real advocates of reform,
WILLIAM LINDSEY.
' "nft-Jif I till lirtIM
