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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1912)
vXaWi jv-.; PjNPWBMW1 v U 2 The Commoner. MMHMMMMbMM tr j. 1 t w. l'J V, monea again whn tho note ar rtoncd 1 ib bondu ar again IhJ. , , ... 4. All future lue of United St; bonds shall be In denomination of JIM ami multiple tbroC nnd Allotted at pur to the mlol vmcrtben rt. Thtfc ar the eentll felttr of the plan. The details ran b- worked! out ac a matter of legislation and administration. All future nalrn of bonds at par to the smallest AtibscrlbtTR first will overcome the xlilnK H oou raiment to amall bidder , who are puzxled by the fractional premium that may b neceaaary to Horure thfm and consequently do not bid at all. This method of issiw and allotment will establish u direct markM for the bonds with the people and remove the government from the hands of syndi cates. Undoubtedly largo financial institutions can apply for small allotments In the names of em ployes, but in view of the sixe of the bond issues this process of acquiring large block of bonds will not seriously deprive the general public of the chance to et them. Ko Kovernment ran Issue and sell bonds unless somebody makes u profit from the purchase. It is In ever way desirable that this profit should be made by the general public, instead of being divided between the government and syndicates ua at present. The nation would derive more permanent benefit by having the general public make the profit and placing Its bonds directly In their hands than by getting a trifling profit by selling the bonds at a premium under the present system which makes the national banks practically the only market for United States bonds. "MOSSES AND JJ2ADEKS" In one of his Massachusetts speeches Mr. Roosevelt said: "Mr. Taft says that his sup porters aro not bosses, but patriotic leaders. Is Mr. Lorimer a patriotic leader? Is Mr. Patrick Calhoun of California, the man whom Francis Hcney indicted, a patriotic leader? Are Messrs. Guggenheim and Evans of Colorado patriotic leaders? Is Mr. Penrose of Pennsylvania a patriotic leader? Does Mr. Taft mean that Messrs. Gallinger, Aldrich and Cannon are patriotic leaders and not bosses? Does Mr. Taft mean that Mr. Cox of Ohio is a patriotic leader? "I don't care a rap for the terminology of the matter. I care for the fact. If it is any com fort to Mr. Taft to call Messrs. Lorimer, Cox, Penrose, Guggenheim, Calhoun, Gallinger and flie rest patriotic leaders, instead of bosses, let him do so, but I earnestly hope that the plain people will vote against that peculiar typo of patriotic leader; and, mind you, if these particu lar patriotic leaders were not behind Mr. Taft, Mr. Taft would have no chance of carrying one state in twenty throughout this union." Without desiring to seem too critical, one can not help remarking that in 1fl08 all of these gentlemen named by Mr. Roosevelt were sup porting Mr. Taft. Mr. Roosevelt knew it. They were also behind Mr. Roosevelt himself in 1904, as they were behind the national ticket upon which ho ran in 1300. There was no difference then between Messrs. Taft and Roosevelt. These gentlemen were all 'patriotic leaders." PROGRESSIVE VS. REACTIONARY Froudo, the historian, thus distinguishes be tween the progressive and the reactionary: "Two kids of men appear as leaders in times of change. On one side there are the men who have no confidence in the people, who have no passionato convictions, men who believe that all wholesome reforms proceed downward from the educated to the multitudes, who regard with contempt, qualified by terror, appeals to the popular conscience or to popular intelligence. Opposite to these aro the men of faith, and by faith l do not mean belief in dogmas but belief in goodness, belief in justice, in righteous ness. They aro not contented with looking for what may be useful or pleasant to themselves: they look by quite other methods for what is honorable, for what is good, for what is lnRr They believe that If they can'find out that, then at all hazards and in spite of all present conse- qU'wlt0n he?t,Ve; tlmt is t0 bG Preferred. When the air is heavy with imposture and men live only to make money and the kingdom of man is.bought and sold, and all that is high and puro In man is smothered in corruption fire of ho same kind bursts out in higher iatarS with a fierceness which can not be controlled and, consent in truth and right, they ca 1 fear lessly on the seven thousand of Israel who have S? thom.Qd tU kDee t0 Baal t0 riSG BtETS "They do not ask whether those whom thev address have wide knowledge of history S science cr philosophy; they ask rather that thev shall bo uonost; that they shall be brave They know well that conscience is no excention privilege of the great or the cultivated- that to A THRICE TOLD TALE The New York Times of March 21, 1912, had a Washington dispatch, dated March 30. It told of a prospective meeting that was to take place the next day between E. R. Bacon, vice presi dent of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and a director of several other railroads, and Gover nor Harmon. The next day the New York World had a Washington dispatch, dated March 31st, telling of the meeting at the Arlington where the Ohio governor lunched with the rail way magnate. The New York Herald a few days later an nounced that the New York headquarters of Governor Harmon promises to take on more life. Here are three items that tell the same story of plotting to capture a convention by strength. Mr. Harmon has no delegates; he is not making a campaign in more than three or four states and yet here he is meeting with the financiers and planning to capture a con vention in spite of the voters. Was ever audacity carried farther? The World dispatch says that Mr. Bacon also talked over the political situation with Mr. Underwood Wall street's second choice. GOOD FOR fJPIOER Henry V. Spicer of Delaware, Ohio, candi date for congress from the Eighth Ohio district, has issued the following signed statement: "I believe in a reduction of the tariff; in open competition with the necessaries of life which are trust controlled; in devoting more to indus trial pursuits and happiness of the people and less to war; in economy of government; in favor of the people, instead of Wall street, taking the initiative, in making laws, in naming represen tatives and appointing judges; am opposed to Aldrich 's proposed banking laws or any other similar centralized banking scheme. I helievo in the progressive principles of democracy as enunciated by the national platform of 1908. I believe party platforms should be a binding contract between the officer and the people, un less publicly repudiated before election. I am in favor of publicity of campaign expenses be fore election; in favor of conservation of natural resources of the nation; if nominated and elected, I shall consider I have done a good service to my country, if I aid Wilson, Clark and Bryan, to effectuate -these principles into law." A STRAW Senator Bankhead complains that Mr. Bryan is not sufficiently specific in showing that Wall street is friendly to Mr. Underwood. Well, the fact that Mr. Underwood selected Senator Bankhead to manage his campaign is a straw Senator Bankhead is one of the Lorimer demo crats. That's enough. It now looks as if the bitter personal fued between the president and ex-president would lead to the elimination of both in favoiof some dark horse and ex-Vice President Fairbanks is one of the likely ones. He ran with Roose velt but would be acceptable to the conserva The controversy between the president and ex-president shows how awfully bad it is for hem to do against each other what they used to do against the democrats. y da President Taft and Governor Harmon iiv DEMOCRATIC DATES herdTslTlows?rimarieS ? mentions will be May 14 California primaries. y Michigan convention. May IfiIowa state convention. May 21 Ohio primaries. May 28 Primaries for New Jersey May 29 Montana convention j una 4 Primaries for South Dakota, :iriau ' iij VOLUME 12, NUMBER i8 ANOTHER DEMOCRATIC REFORM Following is a United Press dispatch- wi, ington, May 3.- Early consideration of resolii tions in the senate and house declaring for Ri year terms for presidents and prohibiting rl' election, was predicted today by Senator Works author of the senate measure. ' "I have long favored making the president ineligible for re-election," said Senator Cum mins today. "I believe there will be no opposition to the resolution except from some ardent Roosevelt supporters," Senator O'Gorman, of New York predicted, ' Senator Johnson, of Maine, and Senator Clapp of Minnesota, not only favored the resolutions but advocated limiting a presidential term to four years instead of six. Senator Bourne of Oregon, progressive, and Senator Bristow, of Kansas, are against the resolutions. They insist presidents should bo given two terms. Representative Clayton, chairman of the house judiciary committee, is father of the "six-year no-re-election" resolution in the house He predicts its passage, by the house next week the concurrence of the senate and ratification of the states. HA2RMONY Concerning Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Taft says: He wilfully misrepresented me and distorted my public utterances. He has failed to live up to his policy of a square deal. He has violated a solemn promise to the American people not "to be a candidate for a third term. He is paving the way to be chief executive as many times as his natural life -will permit. One who so lightly regards principles should not be entrusted with successive presidential terms. Concerning Mr. Taft, Mr. Roosevelt says: The president has not given the people a square deal. Hip statement regarding officeholders in cam paign is an absurd untruth. He convicted himself of Insincerity when he signed the Payne-Aldrich "tariff bill. One part of his attack on me was the crook edest kind of a deal. When he said I minimized my Columbus speech, he said what he knew to be untrue. The assaults of Mr. Taft's managers on me have been foul to the verge of indecency. A BEAUTIFUL TRD3UTE Dr. M. Ash by Jones, speaking at Augusta, ua., paid this beautiful tribute to Major Butt: "One name tonight throbs in our thoughts with the blended beauty of pain and pride. It sings itself in our hearts with the mixed melody of pathos and praise. Archibald Butt could have been born in the age of chivalry, a plumed helmet would have become him, and the lance of lists would have felt familiar to his fingers, we had become familiar to the American people as the embodiment of their gracious courtesy to their president. He interpreted for us the graci ous care which an untrained public could not express for their ruler, but one who is known tor his charm of manner and his felicity of Phrase will find it hard to measure bin manhood to the meaning of his words and harmonize his emni8 t?10 grace of his manner. Many men smjied at the name of Archie Butt, and thought ". aJLone on dress parade. But on the deck en tne Titanic last Sunday night a maddened wietch rushing td safety through the waiting S,n ,?m,e,n felt the Btel beneath the kid fS i rcll ! Butt an(1 tlle aero stepped from oetiind the disguise of the courtier, and with r,,wL?am! grai5Tious carm that he ushered the guests at a White house reception, he handed m, yJn& "SH'eboat. He knew well the eti quet of the White house, and could discrimi El between the social rights of guests of S l e ?lso knew tno etiquet of God's sea Jfi Bky and the demand of God's great judg ment scene, so that the same charm of manner, mo ??i gracious courtesy cared for the wo n i e xsteeraee and tenderly placed them with wm?1? of Bafety' Ty saw him last bim Ei i ,,edf a Bmile uPn ns face, and heard frSn , .adIeu from the dek of death. But ill p "deck, he stepped into the presence of w 2,i x? made him' and think it must have J,!," ,,th the same smile upon his lips, and the m2 ih eT?PSunt courtesy.of obeisance that he met Abo Father of ua all." ii .. . i.i. i . . . -. , Ml . t i- , y- i , - ' -' f '? -k U t it ' . -m ' Sift i