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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 12. NO. 49
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 13, 1912
Whole Number 621
The Job Session
Tho last session of congress has won the title
of tho "job" session because it is held after tho
election when many congressmen havo been re
pudiated at the polls and when even those who
havo been re-elected feel less restraint because
of the time that muBt elapse before another elec
tion. Every careful observer of congressional
proceedings has noticed tho tendency on the part
of those in charge of questionable legislation to
postpone action until tho last session, and that
tendency is even more marked when a party is
going out of power. The democrats and pro
gressive republicans must be on their guard
during the present short session. The special
interests, seeing that they Will not be able to
control the next congress, will do their utmost
to do something in the present congress.
Every possible effort will be made to pass the
Aldrich currency bill or something like it. Let
democrats, and progressive republicans as well,
be on their guard. Fortunately, we have tho
promise of democratic leaders that they will
stand resolutely against Wall street's efforts to
fasten the Aldrich currency system upon tho
people. Speaking at Kansas City recently, Sena
tor Reed of Missouri said:
"I am against any currency scheme written
by bankers, for bankers. I do not mean to attack
the banks or the financial centers of the country,
but I protest against any plan that will lessen
the control of the people over the finances of
the country."
Speaking for democrats in the house, Speaker
Champ Clark said: "Laying no claim whatever
to the character of a financier, I am utterly op
posed to tho creation, chartering or authoriza
tion of any institute which will deliver into tho
hands of a few men, I care not who they may
be or where they may live, the powers of lifo
and death, not only over the bankers of the
country, but over every business in the land.
Even financiers of renown differ widely as the
poles on tho Aldrich plan. Many great finan
ciers indorse it, some emphatically, some mildly
and some doubtfully and hesitatingly. Such
eminent and successful business men as James
J. Hill and Leslie M. Shaw are openly against it
on the ground that the Aldrich plan is essentially
a monopoly. Mr. Shaw says it would be so
profitable to a few men who would really run
it that they could well afford to pay the entire
national debt for a perpetual charter, asserting
that it would make them absolute masters of
the American business world. Now, if such
eminent financial physicians as Doctors Aldrich,
Vreeland and Laughlin on the one hand, and
Doctors Hill and Shaw on the other hand, dis
agree so radically ort this subject, would we not
be acting the part of wise and patriotic men to
wait long enough at least to hear both sides
in this important and far-reaching matter be
fore making up our minds. So far it has been
largely in the nature of an ex parte proceeding.
Only the advocates of the plan have had an
inning. Why, then, rush pell mell into such an
important matter? Why render a verdict
prematurely? Why not take time not too
much, not too little, but ample time thoroughly
to investigate, to find out the sponsors, to dis
cover the motive of this undertaking, to ascer
tain who are to be its beneficiaries, to learn with
dofiniteness the powers to testify before com
mittees of house and senate, vigorously to cross
examine, to discover jokers, if any, in this plan
in short, to inform ourselves as we ought to
bo informed touching a problem of such intense
interest to 93,000,000 American people now liv
ing, and untold millions yet unborn? Individu
ally, I am not enamoured of the Aldrich plan.
Quito the contrary. I certainly will vote against
it if an attempt is made to rush it through under
whip and spur. It should be thoroughly venti
lated and the light let in on it. The safe rule,
which I adopted years ago, is to vote against any
bill or resolution about which I have not had
opportunity to inform myself, thereby giving
myself and my constituents the benefit of tne
doubt."
MR. BRYAN'S POSITION
First Mr. Bryan docs not advocate tho re
tirement of outstanding national bank currency
but ho opposes any enlargement of tho privileges
now enjoyed by national banks and ho believes
that such emergency currency as may bo neces
sary should be issued by tho government and not
by tho banks.
Second The conferring upon ex-presidents of
tho right to participate in debate in tho senate
and house need not bo accompanied by compen
sation; in other words, the privilege may bo con
ferred as an honor rather than as an oillce.
Third The democrats in the senate arc right
in insisting that important appointments should
bo reserved for tho president-elect. This is
especially true when the appointees are to hold
oflico for life.
Fourth The democrats at Washington are
justiiicd in condemning the partisanship which
leads the president to extend tho civil service
when that extension had no higher purpose than
tho retention of republican appointees.
NOT A POLITICAL DINNER
Washington, Dec. G. Special dispatch to the
Louisville Courier-Journal: Friends of Ma
jority Leader Underwood, who at first were
somewhat worried by tho news that he had dined
with Thomas F. Ryan, Nelson W. Aldrich, Sena
tor Joseph W. Bailey, of Texas, and prominent
New York bankers in New York night before
last, tonight are laughing over their misgivings.
They have learned that besides prominent demo
crats and republicans, Frank A. Munsey, one of
the "angels" of tbo progressive party, was a
guest. They are especially amused at the report
that a programme of legislation for tho new
congress was outlined at this dinner.
Friends of Mr. Underwood said today that
the house leader accepted the invitation with
out the slightest idea that politics or legislation
would be discussed, and that these subjects
were not mentioned at the dinner.
Mr Underwood, it was learned today, did not
know' that Mr. Ryan had contributed a single
cent to his pre-convention campaign fund, much
less that he had given $30,000, until Senator
Bankhead, of Alabama, went on the stand be
fore the Clapp committee and so testified. They
explained that Mr. Underwood could not think
of declining the invitation to the Ryan dinner,
even if he haJ wanted to. They declared that
Mr Underwood must have known that he would
be 'criticised for attending tho dinner and ex
pressed their admiration of him for disregard
ing this expected criticism.
In Washington it is believed to bo inconceiv
able that a democratic legislative program
should be considered, much less agreed upon, at
a dinner attended by prominent republicans and
Mr Munsey. Within the last twenty-four hours
suggestions have come from prominent progres
ses In congress that Mr. Underwood had "given
SmLif away" by accepting Mr. Ryan's invita
tion SWhT these men learned that Mr. Mun
sey was! one of the guests they ceased putting
'dSnerTwtated here, was purely a
social affair. Mr. Ryan wanted to get together
social ouai prominent in the
recTnt pre denUal campaign and some personal
friends and selected them without regard to
PaMr Underwood was invited to be "sown off,"
as one democrat expressed it.
STILL AT IT
HBting envrerhP0UWould, in Office, assist the presi
fldence or who wou.a q BftUI
dent-elect to carry ouiu , an
rZCTVat made Governor
Wilson a progressive.
Expensive Thoughtlessness
The newspaper men who givo circulation to
groundless rumors certainly do not roalizo tho
amount of trouble they cause. Word comes from
Bermuda that Governor Wilson lias had to pay
six dollars "postage duo" on letters warning him
against persons "mentioned" for cabinet and
other positions. But this Is not tho worst of it.
Governor Wilson's time is taken up In answer
ing letters that would not have been written but
for the misinformation that Is thoughtlessly
spread broadcast. And Governor Wilson is not
tho only one annoyed. Every publh man In
weighted down with correspondence largely duo
to tho same cause. Some of these rumors aro
stated with a posltivcness that naturally mis
leads all who put any faith In tho newspapers.
At times a position has been "offered and ac
cepted" or "offered and declined" and then tho
person 'named has to deny the statement and
sometimes Governor Wilson Is forced to add his
denial. Is this an INMSPENSIBLB ADJUNCT
of a wide-awake press?
"WILSON IS TO BIS PRESIDENT"
Under tho headllno "Moro Shlvors" tho Now
York World prints tho following editorial:
"Governor Wilson has said tho fateful words
himself. Ho Is going to consult William J.
Bryan as to his appointments and policies. It
is a fearsomo prospect, and we already hear In
anticipation the shrieks of heroes and patriots
certain to protest.
"Mr. Bryan Is only a democrat who, in spito
of his well-known failings, has threo times
polled moro than C, 000, 000 votes as a candidato
for tho presidency. Ho Is only a democrat who,
regardless of his notorious faults, was ablo In
tho Baltimore convention last summer to de
feat as clever a scheme as ever was dovlsed to
put the democratic party onco moro on the
familiar road to defeat. Undoubtedly he is a
dangerous man from tho Ryan-Belmont-Murphy
standpoint, but we regard Woodrow Wilson so
highly that wo aro willing to trust him for a
season even In such suspicious company.
"ft is true that tho president-elect might havo
placed himself in touch with tho best minds in
tho democratic party. Ho might havo mado a
date with Ryan himself, or Belmont or Murphy
or Taggart or Roger Sullivan or Jim Smith. Ho
might easily havo saved himself all this obloquy,
but he is headstrong and perverse, and that is
why ho is to bo president."
Til 10 PHILIPPINES
Democrats everywhere read with great In
terest and satisfaction tho following Associated
Press dispatch: "Despite President Taft'fl
vigorous disapproval in his message to congress
of tho pending bill proposing immediate autono
my for the Philippines and absoluato indepen
dence in eight years, several prominent demo
crats are preparing for its consideration In tho
house. Chairman Jones of tho house insular
affairs committee, framer of the bill, says
Speaker Clark and Democratic Leader Under
wood have assured him of their co-operation, and
that Chairman Henry of the rules committee has
promised a special rulo for Its early expeditious
hearing. Some of the southern democrats sug
gest awaiting a conference with President-elect
Wilson beforo taking action."
This is good news because it shows that demo
cratic leaders are determined to redeem tho
pledges they made to the peoplo and livo up to
their professions.
TIII3 PATH IS CLEAR
Why all this discussion as to what should be
done on the tariff question? The path is clear
IMMEDIATE REDUCTION along tho lines
laid down in the platform would seem to be
the only thing in order. From some of tho
advice now being given one might suppose a
platform was merely a thing to get in on.
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