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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1911)
TUH'Hf ' ""r-ii, J' --TfiSBg;Wt; -ry :,;?yF,wJ'V'i:w'r" ' J?" iwr.w:'1 ff"r- i " j'jf)r-" ffTV t "ji m- JUDY-28, 1911 a law and no more than in the matter of enact ing tariff laws. The charge of republican ex travagance is a mole hill in comparison to demo cratic thievery embodied in this bill imitating re publican thievery. I for one, do not care to train with men who protend to call themselves demo crats and do and act like republicans, and are attached to the republican kite. Charge the republicans with graft and extravagance, and then try to pay it off with money extorted from the people in favor of and for a privileged few (not more than 22,000.) "Consistency, thou art a jewel." I tell you, Mr. Anderson, the kind of a representative for the people I- like is, one hav ing the principle of justice and equality for all mankind, black or white, bond or free, rich or poor, and putting at all times that principle in practice, a principle that will protect the weak as well as the strong. Give us men, true men, men tall in honesty, square shouldered men, without fear. Statesmen arid not politicians,. Vote for free wool. Down with the 20 per cent ad valorem tax steal. Yours truly, M. W. CHASE. ALABAMA AND THE INCOME TAX Editor of The Commoner: In the issue of The Commoner of date, February 17, 1911, under the title, "Prospects for Income Tax Law" Is this sentance: "Alabama, which was one of the few southern states originally regarded as doubtful, on ac count of the onormous influence exercised there by New York capital, ratified the income tax last July, after a spirited struggle which occupied the lower house almost a week." Your informant was very ignor.ant, careless about the accuracy of his statements, or worse. When it was generally understood that Gover nor Comer would call the legislature to meet in special session, several of our congressmen and others requested him to name the ratification of the Sixteenth amendment to the constitution of the. United States in his call, as it requires a two third vote of each house to legislate on any subject not included in the governor's proclama tion calling a special session. The governor did not include this in, his proc lamation, saying that there would be no oppo sition to the ratification. I wrote the joint resolution, ratifying the Six teenth amendment and " introduced It into the houe immediately after the organization was complete, on the first day of that session, July 27, 1909. - The resolution was referred to the committee on the judiciary, of which I was the chairman, and at the first meeting of that committee, this resolution was considered and unanimously ordered reported to the house with a favorable report, recommending its passage. I briefly explained the nature of the amend ment and the necessity of expressly conferring upon congress the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, to avoid the adverse decision of the supreme court of the United States. Several questions were asked mo by members, one of which, I remember, was that if that power were conferred, could not congress lay a tax on all incomes, however small? I answered that congress could do so, but judging from the past actions of congress on the subject, I did not believe it would lay a tax on any income, less than $5,000 a year. Not a word was said against the passage of the resolution, and on calling the roll, it was passed. Yeas, 81; nays, 0. On my motion, It was sent forthwith to the senate, without engrossment. It was read the first time In the senate on the fifth day and referred to the standing com mittee on the "constitution and constitutional revision and amendment," which committee re ported it favorably to the senate, and on the eleventh day it passed the senate. Yeas, 23; nays, 0. Not only did Alabama thus take the first place in ratifying the Sixteenth amendment, but Bho has the distinction of having done so unani mously. The same legislaure also passed by a unani mous vote, a joint resolution requesting con gress to submit to the states an amendment to the constitution, providing for the election of United States senators by a direct vote of the people. Can The Commoner point out another legis lature that was unanimously democratic, on two of the most important organic reforms advocated by the democratic party? When writing about Alabama democrats The Commoner should always remember that the delegates to the national democratic convention, In Denver, 1908, were instructed by the direct The Commoner. vote of the domocrats, In a party primary elec tion, by an overwhelming majority, to vote tor William Jennings Bryan, as our nominee for president. SAMUEL WISE JOHN. Birmingham, Ala'., March 22, 1911. 0000 000000000 .0 0 IN VIRGINIA They are after Senator Martin in Virginia. Congressman William A. Jones, Mr. Martin's opponent, read to the Virginia people five loi ters written by the superintendent of the South ern Railway company to Senator Martin and four prominent railway men of Virginia. Those in dicate that before Senator Martin was elected to the senate ho was engaged In distributing political funds for tho railroads. The follow ing letter written to General Logan, president of the Richmond and Danville railroad, which subsequently became tho Southern railroad, tells of Mr. Martin's close association with tho rail road lobby: "November 23, 1891. Gen. T. M. Logan, Room 142, No. 80 Broadway, New York, N. Y. My Dear Sir: Mr. Munford advises me that Major Myers has just paid over to Mr. Ellyson $500, and ho Is afraid that is all that can bo expected from that source. I trust Munford is mistaken, for unless Major Myers comes up with the full amount it will embarrass matters very much, for, knowing full well what tho situa tion required, and acting In good faith for tho best Interests of all concerned, I assured Mr. Ellyson that he could count upon tho full thous and, and I know he made his arrangements based upon that, and I feel pledged to see that tho amount is forthcoming. "In everything which went on at Richmond Mr. Ellyson acted in the most thorough good faith toward us, and was really of infinite as sistance to us, and I know he can bo depended upon to help us this winter. Martin and I wore thoroughly impressed with the fair manner ho dealt with us, and I do not want him disap pointed in- this manner, and Unless Major Myers comes up with the additional $500 we will certainly have to provide it. "Write this for your information, as I have no doubt you will have an opportunity of bring ing the matter to Major Myers's attention In its proper light. Yours truly, , "J. S. B. THOMPSON." No wonder the Martin forces are demoralized; The people of Virginia are entitled to be repre sented in the senate by a free man. Mr. Martin does not fill the bill. PROFITS OP THE MONEY TRUST The Fifth Avenue bank of New York, is ac counted a Morgan lnstlution, being controlled by interests friendly to him. The other day the bank declared the regular quarterly dividend of 26 per cent and a special dividend of 135 per cent, both payable on July 1. In 1910 the bank paid an extra dividend of 130 per cent. In 1907 a special declaration of 150 per cent was paid out of earnings for 1906. In 1908 the extra dividend was 160 and in 1909 125 per cent. The years 1907-8 were the panic years. It was in 1907 that "Patriot" Morgan came to tho defense of his country, to save It from wide spread financial disaster. In that year the gross dividends were 250 per cent, and In 1908 260 per cent. The "patriot" was well rewarded for his "unselfl8hnegs." Making $2.60 a year on every dollar invested not to mention the .share of profits set aside to surplus enables Mr. Mor gan to gather the art treasures of the world Into his possession and to be decorated with the titles of royalty. The Fifth avenue is only one of Mr. Morgan's banks. There are others whose earnings are even larger. Dubuque (la.) Telegraph-Herald. ON THE FIRING LINE Charles H. Brown, 153 West Elm Street, Can ton, 111., June 19, 1911. It is a pleasure to re port that we are on the firing line for pro gressive democracy in this country. We ap preciate what Mr. Bryan is doing to keep the party a party of the people and not of plutoc racy. Come what will, we propose to stand by Mr. Bryan. TUNNELLING THE MOUNTAIN - Suppose Canada was separated from the United States by a mountain range, would any one oppose the construction of tunnels? Those who oppose a reduction of the tariff oppose the tunnelling of the artificial mountain Tange which legislators have, In their folly, reared between us and our northern neighbor. 0 0 APPRECIATED IX NORTH CAROLINA A. H. Rodding, M. D. North Caro-' Una. I am sending herewith my ronownl to The Commonor and whiio doing bo I bog to express my appreciation of tho great and good work Tho Commonor Is doing for tho common pcoplo especi ally on lines of civic righteousness, as oxpresHOd by Mr. Bryan's stand on froo wool and many othor matters of a simi lar character Which bIiow Mr. Bryan to bo a statesman rather than a politician in tho sense that most politicians are now classed. Now whilo tho pluticratic element seem to bo loading to somo ex tent in both branches of congress and some of our representatives and sena tors havo oxpresaed thomsolvos as satisfied with tho wool schodulo as pre sented by Underwood, ot al., and I had thought somo of those wero good domo crats, but now I havo decided they wore politlciansandnotstatesmon. Whllolknow tho groat commoner does not need any of this comment from mo, I just fool like I desired to express myself In theso lines very briefly. Wishing Tho Com moner a glorious and laHting career I bog to remain yours for civic righteousness with tho hopo that Mr. Bryan will live until ho sees many more of his policies enacted into law. Ho has several doing well now and It seems thoro Is much moro for him yet to do. 0 0 0 0 0 CHANCE TO RETIRE A LUMBER SENATOR Thanks to tho several Lorlmer Investigations, Edward L. Ilinos, head of tho National Associa tion of Lumber Manufacturers, needs no Intro duction. Adversity does not diminish his effrontery. As recently as May 25, on tho occasion of the annual meeting of his associa tion, ho uttered theso words: " Tho eminent chairman of tho ways and means committee of the house of representatives. Honorable Oscar W. Undorwood, has stated, I am reliably informod, that In hlo personal opinion lumber Is a fit commodity for tho imposition of a revenue duty " It is safe to say that if he thought it worth while, Mr. Undorwood would bo quick to repud iate Mr. Kino's right to convoy his views on free lumbor or any other subject; Mr. Hlnes seems to know the private views of tho senate finance committee also: "Now that tho bill is In tho senate, under dis cussion In tho finance committee, the lumber Industry has made an extremely favorable Im pression on that committee, and it is believed that not to exceed three of its memberships ot fifteen are really in favor of the bill, and that a similar situation prevails in the senate as a whole." The state of North Carolina will shortly have an opportunity of retiring ono of tho most undesirable of the lumber senators. Simmons, ought to be defeated. It is a pity tho field against him Is so divided. Mark Sullivan In Collier's Weekly. OF COURSE The New York Independent says that the democratic party's chances for 1912 would bo greatly strengthened by a marked Increase In the number of democrats who are willing to reject Mr. Bryan's advice. In the same issue the Independent commends the decisions in tho Standard Oil and tobacco trust cases, sneers at Justice Harlan and commends the suggestion made by Mr. Gary of the steel trust for federal incorporation. The kind of democracy the Independent would build up would justify tho nomination of John D. Rockefeller for president and J. Pierpont Morgan for vice president. BRYAN IS NO "GLOOM" Alton B. Parker's opinion of democratic chances of success in the next national campaign does not furnish much encouragement to his party. Al()n must be a disciple of "Gloomy Giis." He has been defeated but once, and Bryan, who has been defeated three times, still manifests a hopefulness akin to that always dis played by "Happy." Greensboro (N. C.) Telegram. i4'-