"?
u, J
Si
2
The Commoner.
't rtr.BBnBrautww
hb
1
I
I?
V
v
v.
Bv,
r
rA
Mi
v
re
iJt
'.a
j'
j-
x
r
&
fi. .
iV-
I
m
t
r.
show that it was easier to compel Spain to give
independence to the Philippines than to accept
title from Spain and then grant independence
ourselves. If we had attempted to force Spain
!o grant independence wo would have found
ourselves in diplomatic controversy with other
nations having interest, hut by ratifying the
treaty we could immediately give independence
without asking the consent of any other nation.
Mr. Bryan's plan came so near being carried
out that it took the vote of the Vied president
to defeat it, the resolution promising Indepen
dence boing at a tie in the senate.
It is not necessary to discuss the charge made
by the Irish World that the treaty with England
is "a forerunner of an offensive and defensive
alliance." The treaty is identical with the treaty
made with Franco. Does the Irish World charge
that the treaty with France is "the forerunner
of an offensive and defensive alliance?" The
administration has announced its willingness to
make similar treaties with Germany and Japan.
Why should the treaty be denounced as the
forerunner of an alliance with England unless
it is the forerunner of an alliance with the other
countries also? If the Irish World has any
objections to the treaty there ought to be stated
reasons given for them. It betrays the weak
ness of its case when it attempts to bolster it
us by misrepresentation and appeal to prejudice.
WALIi STREET NOT AFRAID
In its "News for Investors" column, the New
York Evening Sun of November 9th, printed the
following editorial:
"In brokrago houses the acceptance by the court
of the American Tobacco plan was hailed with
much satisfaction. The commonest Inference drawn
from it was that the stockholders of no large
corporation against which suit may be brought
for alleged violation of the Sherman law need fear
tho ultimate outcome. It was evident, said Wall
street, that they would be protected against con
fiscation or against dissolution that would mean
a material reduction of their equities. If the
stockholders of the American Tobacco company,
which was a notorious offender against the law
governing monopolies In restraint of trade, were
not mado to suffer substantially for the sins of
tho management, ran their argument, how much
less probability is there that the stockholders of
any other corporation which may bo adjudged an
oppressive monopoly will bo hurt by a dissolu
tion?" The above is merely confirmation of the stock
market report printed in the New York Journal
of Commerce July 28, 1908, and relating1 to one
of Mr. Taft's "anti-monopoly" speeches, saying:
"The speech may sound somewhat unfavorable
from the railroad point of view, but Wall street
believes that Secretary Taft's public bark does
not necessarily portend a serious bite later on."
HONOR TO SENATOR OWEN
In his speech in the senate Senator Robert
L. Owen of Oklahoma forced the issue of giving
the. people of New Mexico the right to yote on
the question of proposing and amending their
constitution by a majority vote, thuB prevent
ing New Mexico from entering the union with
an unamendable, stand-pat constitution. J. D.
Hand of East Las Vegas, N. M., on the day
following the recent election, sent to Senator
Owen this dispatch: "New Mexico has at last
secured freedom and Jiberty. A great victory
for the democrats has been won. The ring gang
and carpet bag rule breathed its last at six
o'clock yesterday evening and honesty will now
prevail. Your gallant stand March 4th saved
us and caused this victory."
THE SOCIALIST VOTE
In New York, in Ohio, in Mississippi, in Rhode
Island,, in Kansas and In Washington, the
socialists made extraordinary gains in the last
election, and won many victories. While these
results bear witness to the fact that socialism
I no "longer confused with anarchy, and has
ceased to be regarded as a bugbear,, it Is a
mistake to assume that the gains are entirely
due to the effectiveness of the socialist propa
ganda. In such states and cities as suffer from an
evil combination between the democrats and the
republicans, the socialist party is the one medium
of protest. If the established organizations will
not give the people decent nominees, they mut
make up their minds to be eventually thrust
aside by some new party. Denver News.
"GLIB7
q his habit of .using unparliaihkn?
language,' -the". pros detit refers to Mi'f
'Persisting in
tary language, ui imubiuciii. cicid- w m,
TirvnTi'fl nrit.fr.uma f" the administration 'tis
"glib." It takes a good' deal of glibness to keep
up" with some people's mistakegSt. Louis Republic.
THANKSGIVING, 1011
For all the days of peace and joy,
For homo and love without alloy,
For friends close by our side;
For zeal to work for those we love,
For help from hand reached from above
To cheer whate'er betide
For all the blessings on- the way -
Our grateful thanks to God we pay.
For all our weary toll's reward,
For home ties wrought In sweet accord,
For strength to do our part;
For rest when cares of day are done,
For joys received from sun to sun,
To keep us young of heart,
We kneel to God and homage pay
Upon this blest Thanksgiving day.
For memories sweet of days of yore,
Of loved ones who have gone before,
For faith that dried our tears;
For help that smoothed the weary road,
For love that shared the heavy load,
For all that helps and cheers,
We come our grateful thanks to pay
To God this blest Thanksgiving Day.
Ecar Lord, Thy blessings on the home;
On those who far apart may roam;
Thy watch care over all.
Thy love e'er hold us close to Thee,
Thine arms outstretched a haven free,
Thy hand lift if we fall.
And in Thy time grant, Lord, we may
Join hearts and hands Thanksgiving Day.
WILL M. MAUPIN.
TAKEN UP ON THE MOUNTAIN
A wise old member of congress used to say
of one who began to show the effect of the
lobby's influence, "They have taken him up' on
the mountain." It is a forceful phrase and too
often applicable. The member goes from home
honored and trusted, but the lobbyist finds his
weak points and sets to work to lead him astray.
His colleagues soon suspicion that secret in
fluences are at work, for a man can not long
conceal the evidence of his transgressions.
Just now the candidates for president are
being invited to the mountain; they are receiv
ing ilatterlng offers if only they will fall down
and "worship plutocracy. Wall street has Satan
beaten badly as a tempter. All the kingdoms
of the earth are not too much for Wall street
to promise when one has no conscience to re
strain him he can offer anything.
Will the candidates become "conservative"
and "practical?" Will they yield or say "get
thee behind me?" We shall see.
When a man is unwilling to commit himself
openly upon A QUESTION AT ISSUE inquire
whether he has committed himself secretly.
ADMITTED
Editorial in Nebraska State Journal: Mr.
Bryan has the satisfaction of finding the packers'
lawyers agreeing with him that the supreme
court's interpretation of the anti-trust law nulli
fies its criminal clause. They will appeal to the
supreme court on that ground to save their
.clients from the pending criminal prosecutions,
taking the ground that men can not be held
criminally liable for acts whose "reasonable
ness" only lawyers and courts can decide.
IS IT A COINCIDENCE?
It is a striking"coincidence that the Omaha
World-Herald should be portraying ' Governor
Harmon to its readers as a progressive at the
same time that it is joining the trust magnates
in indorsing the supreme court decisions in the
Standard Oil and Tobacco cases. Possibly it
means that Governor Harmon is "reasonably"
progressive that will leave his progressiveness
to be definpd in one way in the east and in an
other way in the west.
VOLUME ll,v NUMBER 4
A BIG MANWATCH HIM
Judson Harmon of Ohio is a big man. He la
of sterner stuff than the gentleman from tho
same state who now fully occupies the execu
tive chair at Washington. The latter dents
rather easily. Harmon Is Hint-like. He is as
laborious as Cleveland was, without being as
fat-witted. No Btuffed prophet he. He is a
resolute man who knows what he wants and
knows the best way to get it, Har
mon is a conservative. He sees in
tho prosperity of the business Interests the
greatness and glory of the nation. He is more
conservative than Taft and would better suit the
financial Interests than Taft, who, conservative
though he is, can not refrain from "monkey
ing" with the trust problem and giving the
interests occasional bad days in Wall street.
Still, with these two men nominated by the two
great opposing parties, the interests would rest
In tolerable security whichever won the elec
tion. And, what is more important to the afore
said interests, the progressive elements in both
parties would be non-suited, thrown out of court
neck and heels, with no one to represent their
cause before the people. Or would they? Is
it not at least thinkable that just as the interests
got the political cards all stacked to suit them,
some meddlesome radical might raise the cry
of "La Follette and Wilson," and invite all men
of progressive minds to rally under a third
standard. The California Outlook (Ind.)
- - - - - - ,
TRUSTS STILL FOR TAFT
That the plutocratic trust owned corporation
papers do not consider Mr. Taft an enemy of tho
trusts despite the "filing" of the suit against the
steel trust, is reflected in the editorial columns
of these papers. He is still "safe and sane,"
to be depended and he will get loyal support
of the trusts in the next presidential election.
The suit can not come to trial until after the
next presidential election. If the trusts are to
be put put of business and competition restored,
it will be done by a democratic president not
a republican president. The Bulletin . (Wash
ington, D. C.)
JUDGE JOSEPH E. ONG
Judge Joseph E. Ong, for many years a fight
ing democrat in Nebraska, died at his late home
in Grand Junction, Colo, Judge Ong was a man
of high ideals, over faithful, ever forceful in
his convictions. Mr. Bryan was glad to count
him as one of his earliest and faithful comrades,
and he is proud to pay a tribute to the fine
memory of this man.
WAIT AND SEE
The New York World calls Mr-. Bryan's at
tention to the supreme court's decision com
pelling all interstate railroads to obey the law
In regard to car couplers and asks if the court
was packed for that decision. It should consider
the fact that the decision was not a very im
portant one so far as the couplers are concerned
and it should also remember that the papers
have construed the decision as an Intimation
that the court is preparing to hold that congress
nas EXCLUSIVE power over state rates as well
as interstate rates.
AN IMITATION
If those democratic members of the ways and
means committee who voted to keep a tax on
wool desire to explain to their constituents why
they preferred to please the wool growing por
tion rather than the portion who wear woolen
goods, The Commoner will gladly publish the
communications with comments. The communi
cations ought to be accompanied by tables show
ing the relative number of wool growers and
consumers in their respective districts.
MIGHTY EXACTING
President Taft is quoted as saying that tho
trusts object to his enforcement, of the anti
trust law. The trusts must be mighty exacting
to find fault with President Taft's record on the
trust question. When he puts la trust magnate
In the penitentiary it will be time enough for
the trusts to find fault; they ought to be satis
fied so long as criminal sentences are reserved
for small crimes.
WORJJ3NG FOR PEACE..-
Tho American Peace and Arbitration league
has designated Sunday, November 2Gth, as
"Unity Sunday," on which day sermons will be
preached throughout the country upon tho sub
ject of peace treaties and special services held
to urge their ratification. This is a good move
ment and ought to have the co-operation of
men and women everywhere.
j . '
REV. WILLIAM MURPHY
Rev. William Murphy for many years" one-of
the best known priests in Nebraska, losMhis-lifo
in an "automobile accident near SeWard. ' Fajfter
Murphy was beloved by Protestant,. and Catho
lics alike. Men of .all creeds iand J races;pai
slncore tribute at his bier. ' ,;; v ' '
Wi
iii.'
'. '.
i
