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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1913)
"wwrf ? ,yKOifl -r iw "wwfrJf 8rmT"-jW-j tUARY 14, 1913 The Commoner. 7 --.- wppiiiwfp9i:3rr v wipr!w'rHTrw v ?'Rji!tfr!w$ " WT word of the Amorican pcoplo and to honor and vindicate its justice, in which o, I proclaim tho existence in the Caracas on of State documents, heretofore sup- whlch will show how tho Amorican ment has persecuted mo and why it still utes me today. Tho Amorican people, ous, conscientious, progressive, was th'o st nation in tho world until it embarked policy of imperialism. South Amorican .lilies are but a crumb for the gigantic States government. But I still believo reat people will not tolerate the previous ice to me nor permit me to be exiled from ores. The issue between myself and tho States government, when I was presi- of Venezuela, narrows itself down to this: l the claims of the European nations 'ttsMast Venezuela had been presented and the MeSSade declared against Venezuela by Great Slain, Germany and Italy, tho United States inment intervened through Its minister in uela, Mr. Bowen. The issues wore taken ashington, where Mr. Bowen signed pro- in tho name of Venezuela and the United mm in which said issues were submitted to iiwftrators who wore to meet in Caracas. The Btfcxwd commission met at the appointed time amlSjpassed on all points, including the claims ofpk.merican citizens or American companies. Bttlkter, while the terras decided upon were tiiip faithfully and strictly carried out by the Vi5uelan government, tho United States gov- tafiSaient intervened again, in order that said dMtiiohs should not be complied with as re- "punt'i the American companies, tho Bormudez, tifijjManoa, tho Griff el and the Orinoco com jftfliy: The Venezuelan government, represented w&fijmt, insisted that the diplomatic arrangement ,m4S by Mr. Bowen should be caTried out, and ffthis reason tho United States government bsSKjoff its diplomatic relations with that of "Swuela and withdrew its minister from Gsrolusas, later supporting Gomez, who was be- tjjpii&ng mo and .betraying the republic, to such anttctent that twice it pursued me in tho West Is85. seas with the American fleet, making me aMSJSfr to be a pirate in order that I should not 'ristoSL to .Venezuela to bring tho traitor Gomez ' '."lBBjISPount for his misdeeds I was not captured Y4bdMB0, lying sick in Teneriffo, I could not be r tgttad, committing any act of piracy. This Is a nummary of the facts, which are to be found r4Wrded in the United States legation at Caracas, in tho following form: First Tho pfjEocol signed by Mr. Bowen, with very na- tifmand with the representative of the United tU government. Second The notes com- qwtnicated to me by the United States govern- ''.Sffi and my republics. Third The withdrawal , '-fltfjthe minister of Venezuela and the rupture of . Jgations. Fourth Tho United States govcrn- ' ajSnt's pursuit of me, since five years ago, it '. Imnted me with Its armored cruisers. Fifth &M ., ;The subsequent arrangement made with Gomez, W& JS5WnS the agreement entered into in tho diplomatic protocols." 'r I St. :a ' it? jr.'!? krt 0rt W ftflMMat '-2HE sixteenth amendment of the federal $..'iijll constitution (Income tax) follows: "Tho hcngress shall haye power to lay and collect ixes on incomes, from whatever source de- lirtyed, without apportionment among the several ptates and without regard to any" census or ESmumeration." Referring to tho new amend- Lent, a writer in the New York World says: This amendment was submitted to the states a practically unanimous vote of congress in KJuly of 1909. Its ratification by tho Delaware md Wyoming legislatures completes a process oi nearly four years in making it a part of the constitution. The first ten amendments In bulk were ratified within about two years. of submis sion to the states. The eleventh amendment was 'in force less than four years after submission. The twelfth amendment was in force less than pne year from submission. The thirteenth amendment, abolishing slavery, consumed a jyear and a half in ratification. The fourteenth amendment in protection of the negro's legal Irights, took two years for ratification. Tho fif teenth amendment, in protection of tho nejrro's Krlght to vote, was declared in force ono year tand a month irom submission by congress. All .of these fifteen amendments either restricted ,or added to the powers of the national govern- ?ment. This sixteenth amendment alone re stores to that government a vital power which hit had before hold or exercised until taken away !by a isupreme cdurt decision in 1895 'Such an 'amendment should not have taken fourteen 'years to gain the approval of congress. It .should not have taken all but unprecedented poriod of four years to win ratification from tho statos. But unlike any other amendment, It had to fight the vast Influenco of oxcesslvo wealth throughout tho nation. It is not truo, there fore, that amendment of tho constitution has bocomo more and raoro impracticable It is not true that strained Judicial construction or moro direct popular action Is needed to conform it to changing conditions. The process established by the founders of tho government has agnin been shown to be equal to any situation im portant enough to set it in motion' 3 t v" A GOLD loving cup was presented Chairman William F. McCombB, of the democratic national committee by his assistants in the re cent campaign. A New York dispatch, carried by the Associated Press, says: Tho presentation speech was made by Norman R. Mack, whom Mr. McCombs succeeded as chairman. Henry Mor genthau spoke for the campaign committee, and Martin J. Wado, national committeeman for Iowa, for the stato committeemen. In present ing the cup Mr. Mack said that Chairman Mc Combs success In having his candldato made the convention nominee at Baltlmoro made him the logical cholco for chairman, and added: "This cup will remind you of tho great contest that you waged so successfully and tho victory that came to tho party in the last memorable contest in which you, as national chairman, elected a demo cratic president, a' democratic congress and democratic governors in moro states than ever before In the history of tho democratic party." NOW there is a little diplomatic wranglo between Cuba and the United States. A United Press dispatch says: Tho stato depart ment acted promptly on tho complaint of Ameri can Minister Beaupre to the effect that he had been grossly libeled by tho newspaper Cuba In Havana, by instructing tho minister to request the Cuban government to prosecute the author of the libelous statement. In the event that it is found tho responsible porsons can not bo reached in this way, owing to the shortcomings of tho Cuban libel laws, the Cuban government may bo requested to deport tho Spanish editor of the paper. Following closely upon tho personal assault on Secretary Gibson of tho American legation by a Cuban newspaper reporter, It Is felt that such attempts as those made by the Cuba to incite violence against the porsonnol of the legation must bo summarily dealt with in their inception. fc7 V AN HAVANNA dispatch, relating to the same subject, says. Arthur M. Beaupre, tho Amorican minister to Cuba, acting under direc tion of the state department at Washington, presented to Secretary of Stato Sangully a per emptory note Insisting that immediate measures bo taken for tho prosecution and exemplary punishment of the persons responsible for re cent attacks on tho American legation by tho newspaper Cuba. Tho noto intimates that should tho Cuban laws be insufficient for tho protection of foreign diplomats tho United States will insist that means for their protec tion bo found promptly. A further attack on Mr. Beaupre was made by tho same newspaper, which reiterated its former charges. It also an nounced that Representative Soto, who is described as tho editor of Cuba, will present a bill to congress demanding that President Gomez submit to the house copies of all tho notes presented the government by Mr. Beaupro and Hugh S. Gibson, secretary of tho American legation. Tho announcement that Senor Soto has assumed the editorship of tho Cuba is taken hero to indicate that the actual editor, Jose Maria Villaverde, will attempt to take shelter behind Soto, who, as a representative, Is immuno from prosecution, without tho consent of congross. "There is rising indignation among Americano hero over the failure of President Gomez to tako recourse In tho remedy of deporting Villa verde, which he promptly did by presidential de cree last year, when tho Cuba assailed him. Later ho permitted Villaverde to return. (S J jt CHAIRMAN PUJO of tho money trust Investi gating committee and Attorney Untermyer went to Jekyl, Ga, for tho purpose of examining William Rockefeller. They had only timo to ask him four questions when he had a spasm of tho thxoat which put him on tho verge of a nervous collapse. The Associated Press report says: .The net result of tho session so far aa the money trust investigation was concerned adde'd practically nothing of value to h& -record. It did demonstrate to the satisfaction of Mr. Untermyer and Mr. PuJo that Mr. Rockefeller hardly wna a fit subject physically for a gruollfng examination on tho details of his financial career. Members of tho Jekyl Island club and Dr. Walter F. Chappollo shook tholr heads doubtfully when asked about Mr. Rockofollor's physical condition. DUBAI) OF THE KENYON-SHEPPAUD IllhJi Tho liquor Intorost looks with dread and alarm on tho prospect of temperance legislation by tho federnl congress, and all who oppose the restric tion of the liquor traffic aro strongly resisting tho passage of tho Konyon-Shnppard bill now ponding In congress, and which forbids tho ship ment of Intoxicants from one state Into "dry" torrltory In another stato. Ono of the arguments against tho passage of tho law'B forbidding tho manufacture and sale of liquors In Tennessee was that other states would get tho benefit of tho traffic by shipping Into our "dry" territory. Those who made this argu ment said that thoy would favor tho enactment of our tomporance laws if the fodoral laws, per mitting shipment Trom ono stato Into another, did not stand in the way of making our laws effective Now when congross Is about to pass a law that will onablo the Btatc to on force In spirit as well as In lottor the laws forbidding the maim fac ta ro and salo of liquor, a number of people are searching for some reason to opposo It. An organ of tho liquor Interest expressed the view that such a law would work a great hard ship on gentlemen living In "dry" territory who wanted liquor, as It would enable the stato tem poranco laws to be mado offectlvo In doing tho things designed. Other opponents of the Kcnyon-Shoppard bill contend that shipments of liquor Into dry states should bo allowed unless it bo proved that the shipments are mado for tho purposo of salo. Those who favor tho liquor trafilc oppose any measure that may make the temperance laws stronger. Tho people of a stato, however, ought to havo a right to control tholr own affairs, and whon their legislature, representing them, enacts laws forbidding the manufacture and sale of liquor within tholr state the federal government ought not to bo a protector of tho deflor of such laws by permitting him to Invade tho dry territory of another state under the shlold of Interstate commerce. Tho Commoner, as far back as 1910, printed an editorial wrltton by Mr. Bryan, which is afl follows: "Interstate commerce Is used to override stato laws. What democrat Is willing to put himself on record against the proposition that the right of the people of a stato to control tho liquor trafilc is moro sacred than tho right of liquor dealers to dispose of their product In dry terri tory and In violation of the law? Mr. Bryan be lieves that congress should pass a Jaw recogniz ing the right of each state to prescribe the con ditions upon which intoxicating liquors ca i bo transported, sold and used within Its borders. Ho also believes that the federal government should dissolve partnership with law breakers and no longor issue licenses for the sale of liquor In communities whore local laws pro hibit Its sale. If it is thought unconstitutional to discriminate, in the issue of licenses between different communities, the same end can bo reached by reducing tho license to a nominal figure and requiring tho applicant for a federal license to give written notice to the local authori ties, and newspaper notice to the local public of his intention to apply for a license. Now lot those who opposo these propositions meet them with arguments." Tho reason tho liquor peoplo so violently opposo tho Kenyon-Sheppard bill is because It recognizes the right of each 'state to prescribe tho conditions upon which intoxicating liquors may be transported, used and sold within itu borders Nashville Tonnessean 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RENEWALS NOW DUE Tho close of tho subscription year for the great bulk of Commoner subscribers ended with tho last Issuo in January. Subscriptions ending at this time should be renewed with as little delay as pos sible In order to facilitate the work of changing and re-entering the addresses on our subscription books and obviate expense of sending out statements an nouncing that renewals are due. 0 0 0 0 .11 . tjfi ih