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The Commoner
VOL. M, NO. 10
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Palmer and McCormick in Pennsylvania
,', tyb stato In tlio country Js In groater need of
tho. .application of progressive democracy to its
governmental affairs than tlio stato of Pennsyl
vania, and nowhere Is a nioro earnest and vigor
ous battle being waged for the success of pro
gressive) democracy.
It Is many a day since tho democratic party In
Pennsylvania has undertaken a contest with such
spirit and optimism as marks tho present light.
Tho battlo has been on for a year. Tho cam
paign of education 1ms been waged In every way ,
possible, and a vigorous primary campaign, end
ing on May 10th with tho nomination of Con
gressman A. Mitchell Palmer, for United States
senator, and Vanco'C. McCormick, for governor,
both progressivo democrats of tho highest type,
has serVod to arouso tho party as it has not been
stirred In a generation.
Tho democratic party in Pennsylvania is for
tunato both in its own candidates and those of
its opponents. Congressman Palmer, who seeks
election to the senate, is one of the brilliant
young progressivo democrats "who have como to
tho front In tho party's ranks during tho last few
yoars. For three terms ho has been a member
of tho house from tho twenty-sixth district of
Pennsylvania, and his record is clean from be
ginning to end. llo has made his way by force
of his own ability, integrity and courage, and
in spite of tho unceasing bitter opposition of tho
peoplo's enemies In his own district and state as
Well as outside. Ho has beon marked for defeat
by tho great steel interests centered in his dis
trict every time ho presented himself as a can
didate, but ho has won brilliantly each time, be
cause, of his unswerving loyalty to the interest
of his constituents, among whom, aro numbered
thousands of the workmen in the steel plants.
Tho machino leaders of his own and of tho
republican party have also opposed him at every
Btop. In Washington, ho early roso to promin
orico as an orator in the house, and tho promiso
BhoWjii by his first speeches on tho tariff and
other public questions was later fulfilled in tho
very important tasks assigned him by the dem
ocratic leaders. Ho is now chairman of tho
hou'so democratic caucus, a position second only
to tho minority leadership, and where he has
dono splendid sorvico for the administration
throughout his term.
Ho roso to national prominence at the Balti
more convention in 1912, where, as tho head and
leader of tho Pennsylvania delegation, ho be
came tho leader of the" Wilson forces on tho floor
of tho convention, and was an active and effective
factor in placing the stamp of progressiveism up
on that convention. His latest service and one
of his greatest is the authorship of the national
child labor bill, now nearlng passage in the
house. It has the endorsement of every agency
of social reform in the country.
A man of splendid presence, a finef speaker, an
honest and able statesman, Congressman Palmer
is one of those upon whom progressive dem
ocracy in .the country relies, and his progressive
victory in Pennsylvania will bring joy to thou
sands upon thousands of progressive men of all
parties throughout the country.
Vance C. McCormick, tho democratic candidate
for governor of Pennsylvania, lias a splendid
record of constructive public service, which has
made so convincing an appeal to the voters of the
state, that tho progressive party candidate for
governor has withdrawn from tho ticket to make
way for Mr. McCormick, who is now the candi
date of both the democratic and Washington par
ties. Mr. McCormick, who is known by college men
throughout the country as a star athlete at Yale
and as one of tho mosL conspicuous alumni of
that institution, has carried tho same character
istics of bulldog determination and fighting hon
esty and independence into his public service
that ho exemplified on the gridiron. Following
his college course, ho immediately took his place
as one of the most progressive and capable busi
ness men of his own community. Heir to many
large interests, he throw himself into the devel
opment of the agricultural and commercial in
terests of central Pennsylvania, and has done
perhaps more than any slnglq man for tho en
couragement of scientific and intensive farming
for the improvement of farm stock and farm
methods and of farm life.
In politics ho has been a constant factor for
good, his course having heon marked by inde
pendence and clean partisanship. Ho is the pub
lisher of the Harrisburg Patriot, and he has used
its columns to advance every worthy cause. His
Influence in tho democratic party is responsible,
along with that of Congressman Palmer and
other associates, for tho reorganization of the
party, which rid it of evil influences and placed
It in tho hands of progressive, high-minded men.
His nomination in tho May primaries followed
a contest whose result vindicated his course, and
he is today the candidate of the united forces of
good government and clean citizenship in the
keystono state.
Tho issue between the democracy and Penrose
republicanism Is so clear in this fight, that there
can bo little doubt on which side the good citi
zens of Pennsylvania will take their stand.
A victory for Palmer and McCormick is of vital
importance to the people of Pennsylvania'. Every
democrat and Independent progressivo voter
should take their place shoulder to shoulder
with Palmer and McCormick, and put Pennsyl
vania in line on November 3 with tho Wilson
democracy and honest government.
W. J. BRYAN.
JOHNSON OF SOUTH DAKOTA
Tlio stato of South Dakota has this year an
unusual opportunity to make contribution to the
welfare of tho country. She is to choose a
United States senator.
Tho stato has been recognized as foremost
among tho progressive states of the union. It
has consistently now, for a long period, retired
one after another, its reactionary, standpat sen
ators and those who have leaned that way over
much. At a primary election in March the democrats
were fortunate enough to nominate a man who
has been a faithful and powerful supporter of
the governor and President Wilson. The 're
publicans, by inattention, permitted tho nomina
tion of a standpatter.
In the republican primary only about one-fifth
of the total vote of the state was cast. Assum
ing that the voters of tho state have been sincere
in their expression for progressive men and pol
icies in the past, it is inconceivable that the four
fifths of them who did not express themselves at
the primary, will now sanction the election of the
republican to the senate, and so nullify all they
have done, and hold as unsound all they have
believed.
Although there are three candidates for the
senate in South Dakota, the election unquestion
ably lies between the Hon. 13. S. Johnson, pro
gressive democrat, and Charles H. Burke, stand
pat republican. Tho Roosevelt progressive party
has no candidate in the field.
Mr. Johnson is representative of the best cit
izenship in his state. Ho has been a pioneer in
South Dakota and in a large and active business
extending over thirty years, has proved himself
capable and made hosts of friends. He has been
helpful to very many and generous to all. Among
his friends and associates he has always been
rated a real man. Those who know him best
like him best, and are his most ardent cham
pions now.
. Tho gfeat majority of citizens of South Da
kota believe that President Wilson has been a
conscientious representative of the people's in
terests at Washington; that he has struggled
for peace when the tide was running high for
war, and when he might have made use of the
popularity of a successful war for his party. It
is just as fairly believed by people unbiased by
their desire for political preferment that, as
President, Mr. Wilson has stood for their inter
OBts in all that ho has done.
If Mr. Johnson shall be elected, tho safe pro
gressive policies, the wise endeavors, the con
science in administration that has distinguished
the Wilson term in a wonderful record of states
manlike accomplishment, will be strengthened
The way will be made easier for good men and
good policies in the future.
Johnson should bo elected as a member of the
United States senate from South Dakota.
W. J. BRYAN.
t
HAflniEON OF IOWA
John T. Hamilton, democratic candidate for
governor of Iowa, is finishing a campaign which
has been a revelation and a fear to tho repub
lican party in Iowa.
Mr. Hamilton has made his campaign as a
candidate who standB for a businesslike and
economical administration of state affairs
He has vigorously attacked the high 'taxes
which have come to burden tho people under the
present administration. -
He has shown that these high taxes have been
the fault of the stato administration and not of
the county taxing boards.
He has produced figures which show that the
farms of Iowa are paying taxes from thirty to
fifty per cent greater than thoy were last year.
He has shown figures to prove that-the main
line railroads aro paying taxes on an average of
fifty per cent less than last year.
His campaign has brought out the real facts
about the capitol extension law as a state ex
travagance involving the expenditure of millions
of dollars of the taxpayers' money.
He, has shown that the capitol extension law
provides for a state house park over eighty acres
in extent.
This area is greater than that of the national
capitol' grounds at Washington, and in compar
ison with this acreage the capitol grounds of
Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas and other states
shrjnk into insignificance.
The entire state of Iowa has been aroused in
a storm of vigorous protest against this stale
extravagance.
This storm of protest has grown in vehemence
and volume ever since Mr. Hamilton began to
show the true folly of such extravagance.
He says, "repeal the capitol extension law;
sell all of the capitol extension grounds except
.the acreage absolutely needed; build an office
building as required by the state, and you will
still bo saving $1,600,000.00 of the "tremendous
cost of capitol extension as railroaded through
the last legislature by the present administra
tion." Mr. Hamilton is impressing upon the people of
Iowa his business ability and his courage to do
things in the interest of the public. If elected
governor, a new era will dawn for the tax payers
of Iowa. It is possible to increase tho efficiency
of an administration and at the same time to
greatly reduce the expenses of same. Mr. Hamil
ton is the man of tho hour in Iowa, and The
Commoner urges every democrat and independ
ent progressive who wants to see Iowa redeemed
from extravagance and placed on the same foot
ing, in. the estimation of the people, that the na
tional administration has- achieved, ;to ,vote
for Mr. Hamilton on November 3.
PUROELL OF NORTH DAKOTA
Wm. B. Purcell, who represented North Da
kota with such, credit and distinction in the
United States senate in 1910-11 as an appointeo
of former Governor Burke, who is now federal
treasurer, is the democratic nominee for United
States senator in North Dakota. Senator Pur
cell is a man keenly alive to the needs and re
quirements of North Dakota. He is a clpse stu
dent of national affairs, and by virtue of polit
ical affiliations and personal acquaintance with
President Wilson and democratic members of the
United States senate, would, if elected, be able
to immediately take up the work upon his arrival
in Washington, and be of great service to his
state and of great assistance in carrying out the
platform pledges of the democratic party. Dur
ing Senator Purcell's short term in trie senate
he served as minority member of the investiga
tion into the Ballinger land scandals. His un
compromising position during the investigation
commanded attention. Mr. Brandeis said of
Senator Purcell: "While Purcell was a United
States senator, he took front rank in that body;
was neither awed by big interests or the great
men representing-them." Senator Purcell's ex
perience as United States attorney, member of
the North Dakota constitutional convention,
state senator and as a lawyer, has prepared him
as few men have had an opportunity for taking
?TP ., Trk in tlle larSer field offered him in the
united States senate and to pursue it with an
Insight that could only come from years of ser
v ce in an effort to right the wrongs of the peo
ple. Senator Purcell has pronounced views on
all public questions, is in complete accord with
the policies of President Wilson, and if elected
to the United States senate could be depended
upon to co-operate to the fullest extent in not
only maintaining the advance ground taken by
the national administration, but would be a
valuable aid in pressing tho work forward t
completion. Such men as Senator Purcell are
needed in the United States senate, and every
democrat and independent progressive in North
Dakota should give him their support on elec
tion day in November. W. J. BRYAN.
Every voter who believes in cleaner politics
and better government, should vote for equal suf
frage in the eta.tes where the issue is presented.