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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 12, NO. 4
Lincoln, Nebraska, Februaiy 2, 1912
Whole Number 576
Immediate action is necessary
Desperate efforts are now being made by the agents of the Money Trust to prevent the proposed investigation of that trust by the
democratic house of representatives. Representative Robert L. Henry, who has led the fight in favor of this investigation, has in his posses
sion documentary evidence showing Jhe extraordinary way in which the Money Trust magnates exert their power, shutting off the sources
of money accommodations not only in this country but in foreign financial markets. Messrs, Underwood, Littleton and other false leaders
Jhave objected to this investigation. If the democratic party fails the people in this crisis it must abandon all pretense of antagonism to
the trust system. With the greatest of all the trusts now running to cover before the patriotic assaults of democrats like Robert L. Henry it
Ep7ould be disastrous for democrats to refuse to give the strongest sort of encouragement to the men who are trying to hold the democratic
house of representatives true to the promise made by the democratic party. Let democrats everywhere wire their congressman to support
Mr. Henry in the Money Trust investigation.
A Childish Objection
Following will be found a New York World
Editorial opposing three reforms, urged by Mr.
Bryan, namely: publicity as to tbe financing of
presidential booms, publicity as to newspaper
pwnership and publicity as to recommendations
for presidential appointments. If a freshman
at college could not answer all of the World's
objections his father would feel that schooling
fwould do him no good. If the World had stated
its objections frankly it would have said: "Wo
are opposed to publicity, because we love dark
ness rather than light, and' we love darkness
rather than light because our deeds are evil."
THREE BRYAN REFORMS
"The World has always been a firm believer
In publicity. But it fails to see how tho
.publicity law, as Mr. Bryan proposes, is to be
enlarged so as to require publicity as to money
used to obtain presidential nominations. A
presidential candidate is unknown to the con
stitution and to the federal statutes. No voter
ever passes directly upon his name. He is
nominated by a national convention under the
rules of the party by delegates representing
.their separate states. If Mr. Bryan means that
the states should require publicity of expendi
tures in the election of delegates to national con
ventions his idea may be feasible, but this is a
reform that must be brought about in the states
themselves. It is beyond federal authority.
"No more is the World opposed to publicity
as to the ownership of newspapers. It only
asks that Mr. Bryan devise a sure and practical
way of effecting it. There is not much mystery
about the proprietorship of most newspapers, not
even of the few newspapers that are plainly
corrupt. Even if public record were kept of
the names of all stockholders, what would there
be to prevent the real owners of stock from
concealing their identity behind the. names of
other persons, as is constantly done in the case
of the Steel trust and other large corporations?
"As for Mr. Bryan's third project publicity
as to the recommendations upon which presiden
tial appointments are made does he think he
could prevent this Interest or that interest, or a
Morgan or a Rockefeller from having a verbal
message conveyed to the president in favor of a
certain candidate for appointment? Does ho
believe that all such indirect means of com
munication can be stopped by the single ex
pedient of publishing formal recommendations?
After all, the senate passes on presidential ap
pointments and can take as much time as it
pleases to scrutinize them thoroughly. Is that
a worthless safeguard?" New York World.
Wall street will be in position to drive all tho
progressive candidates from tho field. It will
only be necessary to divide tho most odorous
representatives of predatory wealth among the
black-listed candidates and start them to
eulogizing the victims of the conspiracy. Tho
candidates, according to Wall street logic would
have to smile and say "thank you" while they
saw their hopes blasted by securing compan
ionship with known enemies of tho people. Has
not the subsidized press power enough now
without thiB new weapon? Governor Wilson
may or may not be the most available candidate
for president but it will take more than tho
break with Col. Harvey to put him out of tho
running.
MORE "LEADERSHIP"
Mr. Underwood is not losing many opportuni
ties to show himself a reactionary. His latest
effort to cripple reform was in connection with
the selection of a member of tho committee on
rules to fill the place made vacant by the dqath
of Congressman Madison, one of the progressive
republicans. The regular republicans asked for
the appointment of Congressman Campbell, of
Kansas, but the insurgents asked for Victor Mur
dock. Mr. Underwood joined the regular re
publicans in urging the selection of Campbell,
but when the roll was called it was found that
seventy-one democrats, a majority of tho demo
crats voting, refused to follow Mr. Underwood,
and voted for Mr. Murdock. Good for tho demo
crats! They are beginning to understand the
nature of Mr. Underwood's leadership and we
may expect an increasing protest. Tho com
mittee on rules will have to deal with the pro
posal to investigate the money trust an investi
gation which the big financiers are trying to
prevent. Let the fight go on. The democratic
party has a struggle before it, if it protects
the rights of the people, and in this struggle it
can not rely upon those who go voluntarily or
are misled into the support of the Wall street
crowd.
A NEW DANGER
If the friends of Col. Harvey succeed in
establishing tho doctrine that a candidate has
no right to shake off a discredited supporter.
THE STEEL SCHEDULE
Tho ways and means committee has reported
the bill reducing the iron and steel schedule.
It is a very satisfactory measure and was unani
mously indorsed by the democratic caucus. That
does not mean that no one desired amendment.
On the contrary, efforts were made to change
the tariff on several items, notably on steel
rails and pig iron, but these failed. Free rails
could have been justified on the ground that
there is a trust in steel rails and tho platform
of- 1908 proposed tho free list, as a means of
fighting the trusts but some of our democrats
do not regard a platform as binding when it
runs 'contrary to their wishes. The bill pro
vides for free' iron ore and that is both a
victory for the consumer and a rebuke to the
democrats who voted two years ago for a tariff
on iron ore. On the whole, the bill is a step
forward and deserves hearty support.
Aristocracy's Last Stand
The following editorial, which appeared In a
democratic paper recently, well illustrates the
old view which is giving way before tho march
of democratic sentiment. It reads:
"It is too much to hope that will bo
represented in the democratic national conven
tion by men of force and character that would
have been selected had other means than tho
ono adopted been put Into operation, especi
ally as the committee having tho matter In
charge, has provided that the delegation shall
go to that convention bound with Instructions
that will hamper them in tho true discharge of
their duties to the party.
"Tho mode of procedure for selecting dele
gates is well known. Under the present ar
rangement, some gentleman who thinks ho
would enjoy the novelty of a trip to Baltimore
and the participation in naming a candidate f.or
tho whole party, will announce that ho is a
candidate, and will also state that he is for this
or that man who has been prominently named
in connection with tho presidency.
"If he, himself, Is well enough known, and
the candidate that he has selected in his own
mind is the popular choice of the state, ho will
be elected, provided that the primary ticket Is
so arranged that ho will receive a fair show In
the balloting.
"The binding of the delegation to vote for
the candidate that receives the most votes in
the state, will deter tho really strong men from
becoming candidates. No man of prominence
and strength will care to go to tho convention
bo handicapped that he can not use his best
judgment in the selection of a candidate for
tho presidency after he has come in touch with
those who are the real president makers. No
man of strength cares to be a mere automaton.
"It is, therefore, pretty sure that the
delegation will bo composed of mediocre men,
and not of the best talent and force wo possess."
Here is aristocracy, making its last stand. It
has been customary for years to instruct dele
gates but It was done by conventions and the
bosses could control the convention, but now that
the VOTERS are lo Instruct we are told that
the "really strong men" will not care to be
delegates. Since they will no longer bo at
liberty to confer in secret with the "real presi
dent makers" and nominate a man whom they
can control, they will take their dolls and go
home. Too bad! But the country will survive
not only survive but profit by the retirement
of the "strong men" who have been running
politics in the interest of predatory wealth.
Aristocracy is dying hard BUT IT IS DYING.
The house of lords in Great Britain was com
pelled to surrender its power of veto and so
the "really strong men" "tho president-makers"
must consent to speak for the people, or
retire. Time fights on the side of the people.