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The Commoner,
WILLIAM J. ERYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 13, NO. 12
Lincoln, Nebraska, March 28, 1913
Whole Number 636
An Epoch-Making Decision
On this page will bo found President Wil
son's decision in tho matter of the six-power
loan The president has reached tho only con
clusion that a democratic president could reach.
President Taft and Secretary Knox acted In
good faith in asking a New York syndicate of
bankers to join with similar syndicates in five
other countries to finance a Chinese loan but
they looked at tho matter from their stand
point, which Is essentially different from the
democratic standpoint. The conditions upon
which the six power loan was to bo made would
bo entirely in keeping with tho principles upon
which the republican party has administered
affairs at home, but a dempcratic president, com
mitted to tho program which President Wilson
has outlined, looks at the entire situation from
a different standpoint, and it is well that tho
announcement-of th president's position came
at the beginning of his administration. It clears
the air and gives our financiers at homo and
the borrowing nations abroad notice of tho
change that has taken place in the government
at Washington.
This administration will encourage the exten
sion of trado but it will be an extension open to
every legitimate trader not trade limited or
restricted to a few. Other nations, too, will
understand that the United States does not pro
4 pose interference with foreign g6V6raati&o1r
tho independence of nations when it encourages
American capital to invest abroad. China will
breathe easier as she recognizes the friendli
ness of our country and measures tho force of
the example which our nation sots. President
Wilson could have done nothing better calcu
lated to promote American .commerce- nothing
better calculated to promote peace and friend
ship between our nation and the nations whose
resources await development.
TDTE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY ON
CHINESE LOAN
The following is tho text of President Wil
son's statement concerning tho administration's
policy on the Chinese loan as concurred in by
the members of the cabinet:
"We are Informed that at the request of the
ladt administration a certain group of Ameri
can bankers undertook to participate in the
loan now desired by the government of China
(approximately $125,000,000). Our govern
ment wished American bankers to participate
along with the bankers of other nations, because
It desired that the good will of the United States
towards China would be exhibited in this practi
cal way, that American capital should have ac
cess to that great country and that the United
States should be in a position to share with the
CONTENTS
AN EPOCH-MAKING DECISION
THE BRYAN BIRTHDAY DINNER
SULZER IS THE GOVERNOR
SENATOR TILLMAN'S SPEECH
GENERAL CONGRATULATIONS
INDISCRETIONS, "BLAZING" AND
OTHER
PRESIDENT WILSON'S CHINESE
LOAN ORDER
GOVERNOR DUNNE'S SPEECH BEFORE
THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE
HOME DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON NEWS
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Kansas City StaT (Ind.): With the
exception of Mr. Bryan and Mr. Frank
lin K Lane the members of President
Wilson's cabinet are comparatively little
knpwn in national affairs. Bui, making
no exceptions, tho new president's now
cabinet seems to be a fine body of men.
It Is a novo) idea and a promising idea
to take into the presidential counsels
men who come with a fresh point of
view. The idea comports with much
that Mr. Wilson has said recently of his
democratic notion that affairs should be
taken back to the people and to tho
larger forum of discussion. The "New
South" scores in tho cabinet pretty
heavily, but not enough to give it a sec
tional complexion Factionalism and
sectionalism are absent from it while
It seems to be all progressive. There Is
every reason to believe that the now
cabinet will march in harmony with its
chief and that It will reflect his courage
and progressivenees.
0
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other, powers any political responsibilities that
might bo associated with tho development of tho
foreign relations of China in connection with her
Industrial and commercial enterprises.
"The present administration baa neon asked
by this group of bankers whether It would also
.otomi.eit them to participate ln-tfcerjjoaa. Rcpre
sentiftfvee1 of the bankers ttrougb whom tho
'administration was approached declared that
they would loan under tho proposed agreements
only if expressly requested to do bo by tho gov
ernment. "Tho administration has declined to make
such request, because it did not approve tho con
ditions of the loan or the Implications of re
sponsibility on Its own part which It was plain
ly told would bo involved in the request.
"The conditions of the loan seem to us to
touch very nearly tho administrative Indepen
dence of China itself, and this administration
does not feel that it ought oven by implication
bo a party to those conditions. The responsi
bility on its part which would be Implied in re
questing the bankers to undertake tho loan
might conceivably go the length In some un
happy contingency of forcible Interference In tho
financial and even the political affairs of that
great oriental state, just now awakening to a
consciousness of its power and Its obligations to
tho people The conditions include not only tho
pledging of particular taxes, some of them anti
quated and burdensome, to secure the loan but
also the administration of those taxes by foreign
agents. The responsibility i n the part of our
government implied in the encouragement of a
loan thus secured and administered is plain
enough and is obnoxious to the principles upon
which the government of our people rests."
TILLSIAN'S BEAUTIFUL SPEECH
Senator Tillman's speech, accepting the situa
tion when his colleagues refused him the chair
manship of the appropriations committee, will
shine out as one of the most beautiful delivered
In recent years. He said:
"Under tho rule of seniority I was entitled
to the chairmanship of the committee on ap
propriations. I asked for that committee, but
my colleagues on the steering committee and
I know that every member of that committee is
my friend thought that I ought to retire to
the still waters and lei the battleships go out
into the open, I bow respectfully to that de
cision and cheerfully submit"
It was brief but the spirit touched those who
heard it as it will those who read it No victory
" could have given him such an opportunity to
endear himself to those who know him. It
illustrates an old truth, that "darkness brings
out the stars."
A Democratic Decision
Tho senate is to be a democratic body. Son
tor Korn, chairman of tho democratio caucus,
describing tho changes proposed In tho rules,
says:
"Wo propose that this groat body shall b
democratic not only in name, but in practical
reality, and that the charge so often mado that
it is controlled by a few men through committee
organization and othorwlso shall no longer have
any basis in fact."
Tho proposals made by tho committee to ths
caucus provided that a majority of the domocrats
on any committee can call it togothor at any
time; that the committee shall elect all members
of conference committees, and that tho com
mittee members shall elect their chairmen, and
that all appointments by tho "steering com
mittee" shall bo approved by tho full domocratlo
caucus.
"These resolutions, if adopted, will wo be
lieve, enable the senate to become a more power
ful agency for the registration of tho public
will, and to respond quickly to tho desires and
demands of the people as expressed at tho polls,"
said Senator Korn. "Speaking for the entirs
committee, 1 hope these resolutions may bs
adopted to tho end that tho country may know
In advance that tho sonato of tho United States,
under democratic control, is an active, efficient,
and sympathetic branch of this groat popular
government."
What a revolution has been wrought undor
progressive leadership! Tho senate Is now in
harmony with the president and ready to hold
up his hands whllo he realizes the hopes of an
expectant nation. Tho popular election of sena
tors Is near at hand, and a senato, chosen by
the people and governed by tbo rules announced
by Senator Kern, will bo worthy of the con
fidence of the nation It ought to be the highest
legislative body in tho world.
The now caucus leader has already vindicated
the wisdom of those who selected him and de
lighted those who five years ago tried to make
him vice president. The steering committee is
steering in the right direction and all is well.
ONLY FIVE MORE .NEEDED
Thirty-one states have ratified tho proposed
constitutional amendment providing for the
direct election of senators. The Washington
correspondent for the Philadelphia North
American gives these states as follows. New
York, North Carolina, Minnesota, Massachuetts,
Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho,
Nevada, Washington, Texas, Montana, Wyom
ing, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, Vermont. New
Hampshire, South Dakota, Ohio, Indiana, Mis
souri, Maine, West Virginia, Arkansas, Iowa,
California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Da
kota. It is evident that this amendment will bs
adopted so quickly as to break tho record for
the adoption of constitutional amendments The
house of representatives on four occasions
adopted a resolution submitting this amendment
but in each instance It was defeated by' ths
senato. The reform so grew in popular favor
that tho senate finally yielded and the amend
ment was submitted by the last congress.
Mr. Bryan is among those who feel particular
ly gratified by the prospective success of tho re
form for which democrats have so long and per
sistently fought.
There will be strong rivalry for the honor of
being the thirty-sixth state to ratify this amend
ment. But every state voting favorably will
have an honor all its own Indeed, the result
will be so glorious that there will be honor for
every state and for every Individual that has
helped to bring about this important work.
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