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tUARY 14, 1913
The Commoner.
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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."
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'-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
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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.
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