i
JANUARY, 1915
3'
1 . v .
Commoner
States' Rights Not
Menaced
h .n
;...Tho discussion of the proposed national pro
hibition amendments has brought, out a new lot
of mock heroics en the subject of local self- gov
ernment. Some of tho "wets," in attempt to
justify their opposition to national prohibition,
expros3 great fear lest the national authority
- shall tramplo upon the "imperishable rights of
local self-government." What perishable toiii-ray-Yot!
The insincerity of these protestations is man
ifest when it is remembered that the liquor in
terests aro just as jealous of "the imperishable
rights of interstate commerce" as they are of
"the imperishable local self-government;" it
depends entirely upon the case which is being
presented.
If a STATE attempts to deal with the liquor
.question a .hoard of . saloon sympathizers raise
.. a r'chorus, against. the-Vin.vaslon.offctho.rJghtsof
the national -government;". ' They' insists that .
"commerce between the states must be protect
ed?" "the arm of the national government must
not bo paralyzed;" "fanatacism must not be
permitted to suspend the traffic between the va-
, rious commonwealths of the nation," etc., etc.
Whenever, however, the authority of the na
tional government is invoked, we find this same
crowd worshipping at the shrine of "States'
Rights" and beating their breasts in frantic fear
lest the. people may be robbed of the .sacred
right to contrbl their own affairs.
Those who regard the saloon as an' unalloyed
evil and seek to abate the nuisatico need not
tyorry themselves about the hypocrftlcat " argu
' ments presented "by those who prey upon the
welfare of society and make a merchandise of
morals. The right to class alcohol as a poison;
tho right to protect society against those who
would make money by administering this poison
to their fellowmen this right can be exorcised
without any danger either to the authority of
the national government or to the rights of local
communities. It will be a sad day for this
country when the brewers, the distillers, and the
saloon keepers are made the custodians of either
national or local authority.
The rights of the city are not trampled upon
when township option is adopted, as it has been
in some states; such legislation simply enlarges
the unit and places tho control of the liquor
traffic in the liands of a greater number of peo
ple. The rights of local self-government are not
imperiled by legislation which makes the county,
. instead of the township, the unit which has
been done in a number of states. No more is
local self-government menaced when the state
is made the unit, as it has been in some fourteen .
states. The same reasoning holds true when
the legislative unit is the nation, instead ofthe
. state.
If the readers of The Commoner will take
notice they will find that whenever a choice is
to be made between two units, the liquor inter
ests always choose the smaller unit no matter
which two are under consideration. If the ques
tion is between national prohibition and state
prohibition, tho liquor interests are the vocifer
ous champions of the state's right to act. When,
' hdwever, the choice is between state prohibition
and county option the liquor interests are just
as yehemently in favor of county option. If
it is a choice between county option and town
ship option, the liquor interests are out beating
their tom-toms and shouting for precinct option;
if the choice is between township option and
city, town, or village option, the liquor interests
bring out t'helr cohorts and make their fight
for the least unit, and there is just as much
sincerity in 'their arguments in one case as in
any other; .but there is n0 sincerity in their ar
guments in any case, it is all a matter of pecun
iary interest . ,
To carry the illustration further, they would
' favor ward option as against city OPJ'011' anf
,they would favor giving the option to, the block
instead of to the ward. Finally, they would de
mand that tho option be exercised by the indi
vidual rather than by any governmental unit,
.and thoy would do this In the name of "personal
liberty," although tt the manufacturers or in
toxicants were in position to enforce their de
crees, they would make drinking compulsory,
even if they had to tie their victim and force al
cohol down him at stated intervals thoy would
do it, of course, for tho benefit of tho victim's
health.
When It is understood that the arguments
mado in favor of the liquor trafile are not tho
real ones that actuate those who make them,
why should tho opponents of the saloon pay any
attention to them?
Experience has taught that tho unit is en
larged in proportion as public sentiment against
tho saloon increases, and a national prohibition
amendment will be submitted as soon ns enough
states adopt prohibition to make the ratification
of tho amendment probable. When that time
comes, the reserved rights of tho statos will be
just as sacredly guardod as they are now, or
ever have been they will be guarded by In
telligent and sober freemen who bellovo In tho
theory upon which our government Is founded.
It only brings "states rights" into ridicule to
have the phrase made a mask for a disreputable
business which Is fighting to perpetuate tho
privilege of debauching a nation.
W. J. BRYAN.
t ;
! PENROSE TO THE FRONT
The following letter will give tho voters of
the country an idea of what to expect from tho
republican party with Senator Penrose as its
leader. Tho letter is as follows: '
.PENNSYLVANIA PROTECTIVE UNION
Bell Telephone 1305-G Real Estate
Walnut 2979 - Trust Building,
. Philadelphia.
Dear Sir.:
At the popular primary on May 19, the elect
ors of the republican party, by an overwhelming
vote, chose Boies Penrose as their candidate for
the United States Senate. It was a public ac
knowledgement of his unusual fitness and long
efficiency in Washington.
We feel that to know the real Penrose is to
support him, and to that end wo are enclosing
a booklet which we invito you to read carefully.
We earnestly solicit your active interest in tho
campaign, which is now under way, for the re
storation of a protective tariff through the re
election of Boies Penrose to tho United Statos
Senate.
Very truly yours,
C. W. HILL,
Secretary.
The protective Interests are not going to sur
render without a struggle tho valuable privilege
of taxing the many for tho benefit of a few.
Every beneficiary of privilege is girding himself
for the contest of 1916, a' death grapple between
the predatory interests and the organized mass
es. The democratic party is tho only champion
of tho people and it ought to draw to itself the
support of a large majority of the voters.
THE PRIMARY LAW
The use of the primary election for the selec
tion of party candidates for office has proven so
far superior to the old convention system of
trades, deals, and the promises of machine boss
es, that the public may be expected to ask to be
heard before permitting the modern primary law
to be repealed or "doctored." Progress along
political lines in the manner of nominating can
didates, conducting campaigns, prohibiting cer
tain contributions to campaign funds, limiting
the amount of money that may be used in the
nominations and elections of public officials, re
quiring publicity of campaign contributions be
fore elections, and a complete statement of all re
ceipts and expenditures by candidates and polit
ical committees, and other similar reforms, has
done much to purify elections, give the public a
higher class of public servants arid tho people a
more representative government. Here and there
a complaint is heard of the modern methods of
people's rule government, but it is not likely that
any backward step will bo taken where these re
forms have once been adopted.
QUERY
Can ex-President Roosevelt hate the demo
cratic party loud enough td drown out what ho
has said against the republican party?
LOCATED AT LAST -
Ex-President Roosovolt takes the position tjiat
tho president should havo recognized Huorta.
As this partiality, for tho rotlrod dictator cast
not bo duo to lack of nbhorronco of tho manner
in which Gonoral Huorta obtained his power
namely, by an act of treason against tho pres
ident under whom ho sorved, and lator by per
mitting that president to be assassinated while 1
his custody tho cx-presldcnt's nd miration must
havo boon aroused by tho manner In which
Huorta, as exocutivo, absorbed tho other de
partments of tho government and mado himself
"a stoward" as tho ox-presldont would say.
It will bo romombored that tho "now national
ism" that short llvod off-spring of Mr. Rooge
volt's brain, which wns born at Ossawatamlo and
diod all over tho country had in it something
of tho flavor of tho Huorta regime. Tho now
nationalism was opitomlzcd in the "Outlook" as
follows:
"Tho now nationalism is impatient ot the
utter confusion that results from local legisla
tures attempting to treat national Issues as local
Issues."
"It is still moro impatient of the impotence
which springs from tho over-division of govern
ment powers."
"This new -nationalism regards. the executive
power as tho stoward. of the public, welfare:"
W. J, BRYAN.
THE VALUE OF CRITICISM
Tho democrats bohavo better In office than
tho republicans, and they ought to. Thero are
sevoral reasons for this, but thero Is one, the
importance of which has not been sufficiently
recognized. Tho republicans havo a great ad
vantage over tho democrats in the number of
newspapers that they control; in tho close states
the advantage is many to ono. While tho constant
assault which tho republican papers make
upon democratic officials is sometimes irritating,
it has Its value; It puts tho democrats on their
good behavior. Their natural Inclination to do
right is fortified and strengthened by knowing
that they aro closely watched and that any Im
proper act will bo heralded to the world. Even
tho malice which Is sometimes displayedes
pecially noticeable since tho last election has in
flamed the hopes of tho standpatters renders a
certain service; it tends to render "tho criticism
politically harmless, while it is an additional
spur against those to whom it Is directed.
Wo havo so few democratic papers that It Is
no wonder tho republicans becomo slovenly arid
Indifferent about their work. Thoy do not get
enough criticism; they would be bettor, In spite
of their erroneous theories, if wo had a demo
cratic press sufficiently numerous to punish them
for their sins of omission and commission. '
TIIE "STATES' RIGHTS" STATES
Analysis of vote cast In the house on the Hob
son resolution:
Not
Yeas .Nays Voting
Alabama 4 4 . .-
Arkansas 7 . . . ;
Florida 2 . . 2
Georgia 7 .. 2 . 1
Louisiana 1 ", , G 'l
Mississippi . . . 7 ' 1 ' .
North Carolina . 0 2 ,
South Carolina .7 ...
Tennessee 10 . . . ( . .'
Texas , 4 .12 2 '
Virginia . 9 7 ' , ,'.,
w 64 34 7
Total, 105.
The parcel post department of the postal sys
tem stood the strain of a large Christmas busi
ness without a break in the machinery or a de
lay in the delivery of packages. The success that
has followed the development of this branch of
the public service is winning many converts to
the sound idea that the people aro just as cap
able of running what is essentially their own
business as are private individuals.
The first three months of the government's ex
perience with marine insurance against war
risks, madenecessary by the frightened state of
mind of the private companies, shows a profit of
$295,000, mado up of $300,000 received in pre
miums for fifteen million of. risks written, and
$5,000 paid in losses. This is one feature of the
administration's work which will not be referred
to in republican campaign speeches.
V
I
M
O
Ka..'