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14
The Commoner -
VOL. 14, NO. 2
ration. Men aro unreasonable only
when thoy nro angry: then thoy yield
only what thoy muBt. Take from a
man a penny, and ho will striko you;
glvo him a dollar and ho will return
ton. Our people aro awakening from
a great financial debauch to Unci that
tho 'Almighty Dollar' is one of the
feeblest of all forces."
Tho Star, San Francisco, Cal.: "Tho
work outlined for congress by Presi
dent Wilson is hard and serious
work, but not an Impossible task.
Constructive legislation is always
moro difficult than destructive legis
lation. "In regard to the president's mes
sage, in addition to what has boon
said, tho document is noticeable for
its brevity .and for the absence of
violent expressions. Thus it is in
Btrango contrast with tho long and
somotimes superhoatod messages
sent to congress in tho recent past."
A GOVERNMENT OWNED RAIL
ROAD VOll ALASKA
Tho following Associated Press
dispatch, dated Washington, January
24, tolls tho story of tho passage of
tho Alaska railroad bill by tho son
ate: "By a vote of 46 to 1G the senate
passod lato today tho Alaska railway
bill, directing the president to pur
chase or construct 1,000 miles of
railroad In Alaska at a cost not to ex
ceed $40,000,000.
"Fifteen republicans and Senator
Poindoxter, progressive, voted for the
bill. Senators Bacon, lloko Smith
and Williams, democrats, voted
against it.
"Tho bill places upon the presi
dent responsibility for the selection
of tho route from tidewater to tho
interior of Alaska and tho cdnstruc
tlon, equipment and operation or
leasing of such lines as ho may con
struct or buy to constitute this route.
Tim lirnnrlncf nmvoN nvo PnnfniM'nfl
upon tho president in carrying out
his duties.
"The bill provides for a redemp
tion fund into which shall be paid 75
per cent of all moneys derived from
tho sale of public lands in Alaska, or
of tho coal or mineral contents there
of. Machinery utilized in the con
struction of the Panama canal is
made available for tho construction
work.
"Unavailing efforts to reduce the
$40,000,000 appropriation author
ized for the work were made during
tho closing hours of the debate. Sen
ator Hoke Smith sought to have the
appropriation reduced to $25,000,
000 and Senator Smoot to $35,000,
000. Among other amendments de
feated wore tho Norris amendment
for a government steamship line to
Alaska; the Poindexter amendment
for the sale of Alaska coal at costio
Pacific coast points, and the Cummins
substitute limiting the construction
to ono main line.
"With the consent of the terri
torial committee the bill was amend
ed before passage to require the sen
ate's approval of the appointment of
civil engineers receiving over $3,000
per annum, to forbid any payment
for tho good will of existing rail
ways; giving injured employes the
right to sue tho government and
limiting the government's defenses
to those provided for in the federal
employers' liability law of 1908. A
similar bill is pending in the house."
Seattle, Jan. 24. As soon as news
of passage today of the Alaska rail
way bill by the senate was received
in Seattle bombs were thrown Into
the air and a band and wagons bear
ing banners paraded through the
business streets. Tho banners an
nounced that the senate had passod
the bill, and a great celebration wns
being prepared to tako place after
UNSCRAMBLING THEM
-New York World.
which has yet to go through the
house. Alaska also is preparing for
such a celebration as never was
known before.
A BOON TO ALASKA
(Sacramento (Cal.) Bee.)
Government ownership and opera
tion of a railroad system in Alaska,
which a year or two ago was little
more than a hope, now seems close
at hand.
Already the bill to that end has
passed the senate, by a vote of 46
to 16. Its adoption by the house is
a foregone conclusion, and also its
approval by the president.
Even if allowance be made for
errors in construction and operation,
the territorial railroad system can
not fail to be a great boon to
Alaska. It is needful to justify and
mako effective tho conservation
policy adopted with regard to tho
coal deposits and other resources of
the territory, tho aim being to use
them for the benefit of the people
not merely to tie them up indefinite
ly, in order to prevent private capital
from making profit by their exploita
tion. Public sentiment steadily is grow
ing in favor of taking over the great
Interstate railroads by the federal
government, to be operated for the
benefit of the people and the greater
development of the country, and not
for private profit.
This would free the United States
from the greatest source of political
corruption it now has. It also would
glvo the public a better service at
lower cost than can be had under
private ownership and the policy of
charging all the traffic will bear.
KENYON'S SPEECH IN THE
SENATE
In tho speech he made Tuesday,
January 20, in the United States sen
ate in favor of the government con
struction of railroads in Alnslrn tnv
President Wilson had signed the bill, I the development of that rich terri- of government ownership of rail
tory, Senator Kenyon of Iowa dis
closed tho evolution of sentiment that
has been going on in this country in
relation to public ownership. What
he said with reference to a railroad
built and owned by the government in
Alaska may apply just as well to a
railroad within the states. By refer
ence to the troubled career of the
New Haven road he left sufficiently
strong the inference that private
ownership is not exactly ideal
"Is it any consolation to the
widows and orphans holding New
York, New Haven & Hartford stock,"
he asked, "who are told that the divi
dend has been passed, to know that
$50,000 of that company's funds
went as a donation to the republican
national campaign fund?"
When Mr. Kenyon became a candi
date as a progressive republican for
the republican senatorship from Iowa
it was urged against him that he had
been a railroad attorney.
Referring to the wholesale plunder
ing of the stockholders of the New
Haven road, he declared his convic
tion that the profits of such deals
have gone to the credit of the bank
accounts of the same people who have
sought to plunder Alaska.
"I am glad," said he, "that con
gress is not afraid to discuss this
problem of government ownership.
The people are ready to discuss it;
more ready than they were sonie
years ago when a distinguished citi
zen proposed it, only to be hooted."
mv A ..A i .AUU i .
mem is approval in tnis expres
sion from the Iowa republican senator
of the utterance of Mr. Bryan upon
his return from his tour of the world,
in which he waned the railroads that
unless there should come a change in
existing notorious conditions the re-
suit must ultimately be government
ownership.
Nobody will soon forget how that
suggestion was hooted and how often
it has been distorted to convey an im
pression that what Mr. Bryan said
was an out-right declaration in favor
roads. That was only seven or eight
years ago, but today the always here
tofore stubbornly conservative United
States senate is actually considering
a proposition authorizing the govern
ment construction of a railroad.
The purpose of this project is, of
course, to prevent private ownqrs
-from despoiling Alaska. In time it
will dawn upon the people that there
is just as much reason for allowing
them to despoil Alaska as there is to
allow them to despoil Pennsylvania,
where the railroads have possessed
themselves of the coal producing
lands and exact their own prices from
consumers all over the nation. .
But what a change, a former rail
road attorney, a republican, actually
making a speech, and a good one, in,
favor of government construction
and ownership of a railroad. To have
dreamed it half a dozen years ago
would have been madness. Lincoln
(Neb.) Star.
PETTY POLITICS
Our old friend Bowlby, of the
Crete Democrat, is a man after our
own heart, and isn't afraid to speak
his sentiments without fear or favor.
Here is one of his latest, and cuts to
the quick, which he no doubt intend
ed that it should: "We believe there
are some republican papers so mean
that they would cause the overthrow
of business, the stoppage of all man
ufactories, closing of mines and fur
naces and -the establishment of free
soup counters in every town in the
United States, if by so doing, they
could restore to power the corrupt
old party, which has fostered every
combine, trust and stock gambling
exchange the last thirty-five years.
They gloat over the failure of a bank
or business house, the walkout of
employees in factories, the reduction
in price or property or any ' otner
change that might have a tendency
to cause dissatisfaction among the
people, and try to mislead them by
falsely declaring that such changes
are solely due to the democratic ad
ministration. That is one kind of
politics fitted only for skunks."
Plattsmouth (Neb.) Journal.
AFRAID TO EAT
Girl Starving on Poorly Selected Food.
"Several years ago I was actually
starying," writes a Maine girl, "yet
dared not eat for fear of the conse
quences. "I had suffered indigestion from
overwork, irregular meals and .im
proper food, until at last my stomach
became so weak I could eat scarcely
any food without great distress.
"Many kinds of food were tried, all
with the same discouraging effects. I
steadily lost health and strength until
I was but a wreck of my former self.
"Having heard of Gr. .je-Nuts and
its great merits, I purchased a pack
age, but with little hope that it would
help me I was so discouraged.
that I could eat it as I liked and that
it satisfied the craving for food with
out causing distress, and if I may
use the expression, "it filled the bill."
"For months Grape-Nuts was. my
principal article of diet. I felt from
the very first that I had found the
right way to health and happiness,
and my anticipations were fully re
alized.
"With its continued use I regained
my usual health and strength. Today
I am well and can eat anything I like,
yet Grape-Nuts- food forms a part of
my hill of fare."
Name given by Postum Co., Battle
Creek, Mich. Read "The Road to
Wellville," in pkgs. "There's a Rea
son." Ever rend the above letter? A new,
one appeavs from time to time. They
are genuine, true, and full of human
interest.
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