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The Commoner.
iBRl'ARY 7, 1D13
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i Something About Fighting Democrats
tThe field is full of strong, capable fighting
bmocrats these days. Among these great lead-
Krs is Woodbridgo N. Ferris, governor of Michi-
jgan. a writer in tne Grand Kapius iMicn.j
Herald says:
Woodbridgo N. Ferris, democrat, with a little
Sid," fighter, governor of Michigan.
r Perhaps those two words better characterize
the man whom the people havo chosen chief
rtxecutivo of Michigan for the next two years,
Ithan any two paragraphs could. Woodbridgo
Ferris is a democrat with a little d." The
tact that he is a democrat with a large "D" Is
merely an incident. Woodbridcre N. Ferris is a
lighter, too, a real fighter for all that is good,
against all that is bad. Ills life has been a
battle a battle won. His characteristics would
Shave made him a great general in war as they
five made him a groat general in peace.
f Yet in calling him a fighter, one must not
forget that his heart is tho kindest ever, that
Iho draws toward him by his fighting qualities
those whoso spirits are of conflict and by tho
Have- of his soul every little child with whom he
tcbmes in contact.
uAnd being a fighter himself, he inspires in all
$MM$h whom he comes in contact that same fight-
Igpirit to fight for oneself, the spirit to fight for
rail that is good, the spirit, too, to fight for him.
Being a democrat with a littlo d, keeps
mim rubbing shoulder to shoulder with his less
fortunate, less able and less pugnacious brother
rand sister and makes it possible for him to
fi ?HHr uu lu u mo vuu (3ICCAU uiuiiui
Wk 1 nave trieu an my me to maico nappy anu
fto, make useful every man, woman and child
who has crossed my path."
i With that spirit in his heart, he has fought,
&jith his fists when necessary, with his purse
Im a good cause, with his voice and his mind and
mis heart always.
LHe has fought for the better government of
Ichigan until today he stands as the first
Ltmocratic governor-elect in twenty-two years,
lid second since the republican party was or-
a'nized, in 18,54.
?Now nothing has been, said about the politics
jofj.this man, Ferris. Thus far all his democ
racy has been spelled with tho little "d." How
labout his political life and his democracy with
Jtb big "D." This is not the first time Wood-
RDjiage iN. nerris nas oeen a canumate ror omce,
but it is tho first time he has been successful
Jnj a campaign. Twice have the people of his
nome ciiy, me city ior wuicu ne lias aone more
than any other one man, turned him down as
'-s candidate for mayor just because ho spelled
his democracy with a big "D" as well as with
y little "d." In 1892 he was a candidate for
congress and again was defeated, his homo
pity going heavily against him just because of
Ais democracy with a big "D." In 1904 he was
candidate for governor and ran 160,000 ahead
tot his ticket, accomplishing what was believed
itoibe impossible and narrowly escaped winning.
LThls year he was a candidate for governor
again. This year he overturned all traditions
a,nd won. But he Is not an office seeker and has
fcever run because ho wanted tho job. He has
ijbb enough running Ferris Institute. He was
a candidate 'first because he believes he can be
of service to his state, that he has ideas which
If put into operation will make Michigan a
Ibetter Michigan, make her people happier, give
ra greater degree of democracy with tho little
fr"d." In every campaign ho has fought hard,
Ifor he goeB into nothing with only a half heart.
He has fought for all he ever got and when he
leoes into a campaign, hopeless though he may
uknow it to bo, he fights until the last gong has
founded with all the energy of his nature.
W J
SENATOR SHIELDS OF TENNESSEE
Referring to tho new senator (for the long
term) from Tennessee, the Nashville Tennessean
says:
After a strenuous conflict in the general
h assembly Judge John K. Shields was elected
United States senator.
Several worthy and distinguished citizens
isysro contestants for the senatorship along with
Tudge Shields, Che avowed candidates being Col.
B. A. Enloe of Jackson, Congressman K. D. Mo
Kellar of Memphis, Judge John Allison of Nash
Till and Cdl. L. D. Tyson of Knoxville.
When It was found by those wh6 opposed
'Judge Shields that Colonel Enloe could not be
elected. It was determined to put another man
against him, and Gen. C. T. Oates, Jr., attorney
Ceneral of the state, was brought Into tho race.
It was generally conceded that tho ballot
Thursday would result in tho election of a sona
tor and it was believed it would bo a close finish.
This proved to bo true. General Gates, who
was absent from the city, and who had declined
to becomo a candidate, was put into tho race,
the result in the voting being Shields GO, Cates
64 necessary to a choice, GG. Changes before
this ballot was announced resulted in G9 votes
for Shields and 61 for Cates.
The election of Judge Shields as Senator cnd3
ono of tho most notable contests for senatorial
honors that has ever been waged in Tennessee.
It was a contest between democrats, and what
ever might havo been tho result, a democrat
would have been elected.
Judge Shields is an able and distinguished
citizen of the state and he has tho talents and
the capacity to rendor servico to tho nation.
SENATOR WEBB
Referring to W. R. Webb, senator-elect (for
the short term) from Tennessee, tho Nashville
Tennesseoan says:
Tho election of Prof. William Robert Webb
as United States senator for tho short term is
a happy solution of tho problem that has con
fronted and harassed the general assembly, as
the honors of the station will bo borne by him
with credit and dignity.
His commission will expire on March 3, 1913,
tho brief time between now and then being tho
unexpired term of the late Robert L. Taylor.
His service in tho United States sonato and his
commission will begin the day ho presents him
self and his credentials, and on that day Sena
tor Sanders' term and servico will end.
Senator-elect Webb is a distinguished and
eminent educator of the state. Ho founded tho
Webb school at Culleoka in 1870, which in 1886
he moved to Bellbuckle, where under his guid
ing hand it has becomo widely known as ono
of the foremost schools for young men in tho
state, and he himself has attained to that emi
nence as an educator that few men enjoy.
No better selection could havo been made for
the bestowal of senatorial honors, for in Sena
tor Webb are all the qualities of both heart and
mind that constitute real greatness. Ho has
lofty ideals and the purest sentiments. IIo has
tho deepest convictions and tho staunchest cour
age to maintain them. Ho is a student, a
scholar, a thinker and a man of tho best and
noblest type, and Tennessee has paid a graceful
tribute to the tutor, friend and admirer of tho
late lamented Edward Ward Carmack by plac
ing this man in the seat formerly occupied by
him, and we heartily and cordially congratulate
Senator Webb and tho people of Tennessee.
SENATOR ROBINSON OP ARKANSAS
St. Louis Republic: Tho election of Joseph
T. Robinson to tho United States senate from
Arkansas introduces a new figure into our na
tional politics. The circumstances of tho intro
duction are unusual. Previous to his election
to the governorship last November, Robinson
was unknown outside of Arkansas. Indeed, he
had hardly occupied a commanding place in tho
state's politics. The announcement of his can
didacy for the senate, following fast upon the
November result, evoked powerful opposition
within his own party. The indications for a
deadlock were bright. Nobody would have been
surprised had the Arkansas legislature become
involved In a long senatorial struggle. Tho
first ballot, however, was decisive. Before tho
result of tho roll call was announced and when
apparently no choice had been made, several
republican members followed by democrats arose
and changed their votes, giving Robinson a clear
majority. Tho senator-elect from Arkansas,
therefore, has proven his possession of political
acumen and given an exceptional example of
political leadership. His victory acclaims him
a man of force and foresight. Such talents, if
accompanied by the equipment that ordinarily
goes with them, should make the new senator
from Arkansas a valuable addition to tho
senate's democratic majority.
TARIFF REDUCTIONS AND THE REVENUES
When the federal income tax. is ar federal law
something certainly wll have to be done to make
up tho deficit in revenues, if the democratic
party reduces, the tariitf. The government will
not have sufficient fahda to operate, and it will
depend largely upon the income tax to meet
this deficiency. Memphis News Scimitar.
Here is the same old republican roorback,
which did duty In tho north and west for ao
many years, resurrected from tho burial of lost
November and appearing In ghostly coremonts
in tho editorial column of a southern news
paper. Wc will not gratuitously assumo that tho
Scimitar knows that tho higher tho tariff tho
fewer tho importations and, therefore, tho
smaller tho amount of duties collected into tho
federal treasury. Wo much prefer to credit
Its repetition of this oft exploded economic
fallacy to ignorance than to conscious menda
city. For surely no ono possessed of ordinary
regard for a decent reputation would knowingly
saddlo Itself with a statement so plainly at vari
anco with fact.
Tho intent of tho democratic leaders in con
gress is "To reduce tho duties to a revenue
basis;" and that Is precisely what their reduc
tion below tho prohibitory scalo, which is pro
tective, will bring about. Under the high pro
tective tariff tho trusts havo been collecting tho
tax from tho people and putting it in their
pockets. Undor a tariff for rovonuo only tho
government would collect the tax from tho
foreign manufacturer and put It In tho national
treasury.
On this subject, in response to a query from
a northern journal, Mr. Bryan made an answer
which covers briefly tho whole ground. Ho ro
ferred to tho records of tariff legislation in this
country for fifty years past to show that a re
duction In tho tariff would increase tho revenue
by Increasing tho imports and at tho same time
increase tho demand for labor by Increasing tho
domestic output. Whore, said ho, tho tariff is
prohibitory it may result in placing a hoavy
burden upon tho consumer without yielding any
rovenuo at all It is a common mistake of pro
tectionists to measure tho burden borno by tho
consumer by tho amount of the taxes collected,
wheroas tho peoplo may pay to tho protected
interests many times tho amount that reaches
tho treasury. If, for instance, wo import one
tenth as much of a given article as wo con
sumo and tho domestic industry collects approxi
mately tho full amount of the tariff, tho burden
upon tho people is ton times as great as tho
amount received by tho government in revenue.
In such a case a reduction in the tariff might
double tho rovenuo and at tho same time com
pel such a reduction In the price of the domes
tic article as to greatly increase tho demand
and thus aid the consumer and tho laborer.
"The question permits of an additional
answer, namely, that no now form of taxation
would bo likely to bear as heavily upon tho
masses as tariff taxation, for there Is no other
form that bears more unequally upon the public.
It would be difficult, thoroforo, to find a now
system which would not bo more just to tho
masses than tho tax on consumption which they
have so long borne a system under which tho
poor man pays more than his share, and the rich
man less than his share."
Mr. Bryan might havo added that ono of the
republican indictments against tho Cleveland
administration was tho excess of money flowing
into the federal treasury, creating a surplus
which stimulated congressional extravagance.
This was an object lesson on ono of tho work
ings of low tariff which republican organs seem
anxious to ignore. Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.
"BIG ENOUGH FOR TEXAS" IS PRETTY BIG
Tho Houston (Tex.) Post, whoso owner has
just been defeated for United States senator,
shows its soro spots in this way: "Positive,
small; comparative, smaller; and then Morris
Sheppard." But then Morris was big enough
for tho peoplo of Texas to directly elect to the
United States senate for tho long term and In
directly, through tho power of public opinion,
to tho short term.
"Big enough for Texas," is as big as any
human being could comfortably be.
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ended with tho last issue in January.
Subscriptions ending at this time should
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