The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 13, NO. 29
Lincoln, Nebraska, September, 1913
Whole Number 653
x
THEY LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE
When the history of tho present tariff struggle
Is written, credit will have to bo conceded to
nearly all the democratic senators and members
for resisting tho temptation to put local in
terests above tho general welfare. In the dis
cussions of the tariff question herotofore, al
lowances had to bo made for the pressure of
local beneficiaries upon democrats who, In prin
ciple, repudiated tho doctrine of protection but,
in practice, found it difficult to make their votes
harmonize with, their speeches. This was
especially true in the discussion of the Payne
Aldrich bill, when a number of democrats so far
forgot themselves as to declare that, while they
opposed protection as a matter of principle they
wanted their constituents to have their share of
it so long as its benefits were being passed
around.
When congress met in special session, at tho
call- of-I resident Wilson, to reduce the tariff
in the interests of tho people, the democratic
party realized that it" was time to got together
and that success was possible only by tho recog
nition of the right of the consumers to recogni
tion. There has been, therefore, an astonish
ingly small amount of talk about tho claims of
particular industries. Only in the case of two
articles has there been any considerable effort
tp retain for an important product the benefits
of a protective tariff, namely, wool and sugar.
Some of the representatives from the states
whore wool is largely produced felt that the
transfer of this commodity to the free list might
work a hardship upon a portion of their con
stituents. Discussion, however, disclosed, first,
that even in the states where wool is most
President on Mexico
On another page will be found the president's
message on the Mexican situation, together with
the documents which accompanied the message.
Tho readers of The Commoner are invited to
examine carefully the president's utterances on
this subject, for this message will stand out in
history as the beginning of an epoch. The tono
of the message is superb, and tho literary style
measures up to tho high standard of excellence
which tho president has set in his state papers.
The delivery was impressive, and the applause
which greeted the message was so universal and
so hearty as to leave no doubt that he spoke the
sentiments of tho American people. The press
comments, without regard to party, have been
most favorable and emphatic.
The president has been patient in dealing with
the Mexican situation, and the language in
which his proposals were expressed was care
fully selected, with, a view to avoiding anything
which could wound the pride of our southern
neighbors or give just cause for criticism. The
president tendered the good offices of the United
largely grown the number of thoso specially
benefited is few compared with tho number of
thoso who would bo burdened by tho tax, and,
second, that the compensatory duty which al
ways accompanies a tax upon raw material
would enable the manufacturers to take from
tho consumers of woolen goods vastly moro
than the producers of wool could possibly re
ceive. As a result of investigation, tho opposi
tion to free wool gradually diminished until the
democratic party was practically a unit against
tho tax upon wool.
With free wool has come a greater reduction
in woolen goods than would have been possible
had tho tax on wool been retained and tho
whole country will be benefited. It is not cer
tain that free wool will work a real hardship,
even to the large sheep owners, since the in
creased production of woolen goods In this
country will stimulate a domand for the local
product to mix with tho larger quantity of tho
wool imported. And then, too, tho steadily In
creasing monopoly among tho manufacturers of
woolens has loft tho wool growers at the mercy
of a few buyers so that it is questionable
whether he was in a position to collect tho
benefits which had been voted to him by thoso
who gave him a tax on wool. But whether or
not there is actual pecuniary loss to the large
flock-masters, there la no doubt that free wool
will bring enormous advantage to tho mass of
the people and it will, in addition to that, re
move the keystone from the protective arch and
make it impossible for the beneficiaries of pro
tection to justify their system on the ground
that it Includes the farmer In its benefits a
plea that has been used with groat effect for
many years, In spite of Ito absurdity.
Tho democratic representatives from tho wool
growing states should bo applauded for tho
courage which they havo manifested In defying
tho clamor of special prlvllego and casting in
their lot with tho over-burdened masses.
The sugar interests havo mado an even moro
stubborn resistance to tho demands of tho tariff
roformors, due largely to tho fact that this In
dustry Is distributed over a larger number of
states and is concoutratod in Its boneflts. And
horo, too, tho president won because of the
overwhelming demand of thoso who have borno
a heavy burden for tho benefit of tho relatively
limited number who havo profited by tho tax.
These senators from tho sugar states who havo
stood for free sugar should receive tho plaudits
of tho tax payers; they have Loea faithful to
tho many rather than subservient it the few.
It is fortunate that we now havo the election
of senators by direct vote of tho people, glnco
tho special Interests can no longer punish
patriotic senators through tho successful manip
ulation of legislatures. The Commoner will not
risk offending by apportioning credit among
those who havo stood up valiantly for a real
tariff reduction, but it appeals to tho constit
uents of these men to express appreciation. It
Is cheering to the legislator to receive commen
dation from tho rank and file of his constituents
and he Is entitled to it when ho vote3 right
to offset the abuse which is sure to come from
those who recognize that they can no longer
convert tho government into a private asset In
business. w. J. BRYAN'.
States as a friend and neighbor, and tendered
them In the spirit of friendship and neighborli
ness the offer resting upon the most substan
tial grounds, grounds that are recognized by all
civilized nations. The terms which he proposed
were the simplest and most obvious that could
CONTENTS
THEY LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE
THE PRESIDENT ON MEXICO
THE INCOME TAX
A GREAT VICTORY
PRESIDENT WILSON'S MESSAGE
ON MEXICAN SITUATION
AN ECONOMIC FALLACY EXPLODED
MR. BRYAN'S CURRENCY LETTER
THE WORK OF THE PRESIDENT'S
CABINET
TARIFF BILL PASSES THE SENATE
HOME DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON NEWS
GLEANED FROM THE MONTH'S NEWS
IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
have been suggested, and it is not his fault that
his offer was rejected. Ho awaits tho sober
second thought of those who form the public
opinion of Mexico. He has confidence In the
triumph of moral forces; "he has faith in tho
wisdom of doing right" He Is testing tho truth
of the words of Carlylo who, in tho closing chap
tors of his French Revolution, said that
"thought Is stronger than artillery parks," and
that back of avary great thought Is love.
Some of tho European editors thoso who
havo not yet learned how temporary are tho
victories that violence can win, and who still
wage their battles on tho level of physical force
these, few in number, speak disparagingly of
tho outlook. But they will not bo able to find
among the boasts of thoso of their class any
thing that will approach In length of life or in
its power to command increasing approbation a
sentence like that with which the president con
cluded his message:
"The steady pressure of moral force will be
fore many days break tho barriers of pride and
prejudice down, and wo shall triumph as
Mexico's friends sooner than we could triumph
as her enemies and how much more hand
somely, with how much higher and finer satis
factions of conscience and of honor!"
W. J. BRYAN.
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