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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1916)
. .VOL. 16, NO. 9 A RECORD WITHOUT A PARALLEL ) The Commoner Tho old world had seven wonders; in the .'United States tho political world has eleven won ders. Tho record made by the present adminis 'trntion in tho matter of domestic reform is with out parallel In the history of our government. A democratic president, supported by a demo cratic senate and a democratic houso, has given tho country eleven splendid remedial measures. First -Tho tariff law now upon tho statute books is the best enacted within a half century. It is written upon tho theory that a tariff law should bo so framed as to raise revenue and not ! upon tho theory of giving protection for protec tion's sake. It has lessened tho power of the tariff baron to exact tribute from the public. Second Tho income tax provision, while a part of tho general revcm.o law, deserves to be ' considered upon its own merits. It was made possible by the adoption of tho income tax amendment to the federal constitution, secured after a fight of more than fifteen years, made , under democratic leadership. Tho income tax in the law of 191.' transferred nearly one hun dred millions from consumption to incomes, thus relieving the masses from the injustice that re publican tariff laws had put upon them, an in justice which would still continue' if tho repub licans had remained in power. Third The ourrency law is the greatest piece of constructive- legislation tho generation has scon. It brings to the commercial world a relief sorely needed. It breaks Wall street's despotic hold upon (ho business of the nation and tho political tyranny exercised by tho masters of high ilnanco.' Fourth The rural credits law in a fitting companion of the currency law. It gives to tho agricultural world tho same sort of relief that the currency law brings to tho commercial world. It gives conclusive proof of the breadth :uul comprehensiveness- of- democratic plans justice to all in every walk of life. Fifth Tho anti-trust law, written upon the theory that a private monopoly is indefensible and intolerable, is the first step towards the re lease of tho countryfrom the great combinations of capital that had .assumed to control produc tions and fix prices. It not only gives a meas ure of relief from trust extortion, but it includes a provision which protects the working men from "government by injunctibn." Sixth The act creating a trade commission, -i Bring Out the Rural Vote As every now crop brings out some new insect pest for which a remedy must bo sought, so every new reform, develops unforeseen abuses or evils that need to be; corrected. The primary system, correct in principle and necessary for the protection of politics from the boss, has given to the cities a greater relative influence than they formerly exerted in the making of nominations. The reason for this is obvious. It is easier for the town voter than tor tho cSuntry voter to exercise the right of suffrage. Tho former is near his polling place and can vote without loss of, time and regardless of weather. No.t so with the country voter. He is at a disad vantage whether tho weather be good or bad. If it is good, his time is valuable and it is a pe cuniary loss to leave his work for the time necessary to make the trip to the polling place and return, If the weather is bad, it may be difficult for him to get there at all. Voting, therefore, puts a tax upon the rural vote? which ' the cijty voter does not have to bear. ' Nojone would think of imposing an unequal tax on the voters if it were specifically stated in . dollar's or cents. For instance, a law couipellrrig a farmer to pay a dollar for the privilege of Vot ing while only twenty-five cents was required of the city voter, would not be tolerated for a mo- . mentj And yet the actual effect of the present system is to compel a larger pecuniary sacrifice of the rural voter. This ought to be corrected. Why wot- employ the rural carrier plan for the collection of votes? It the federal government exercising over big industrial corporations pow ers similiar to those exercised over the railroads by tho interstate commerce commission, puts the federal government in a position, first, to secure information, and, second, to use that informa tion for the protection of legitimate business against the encroachments of corporations at tempting a monopoly. Seventh The shipping bill is another step in advance, and a long step. Its purpose is to pro tect international trade along existing trade routes and to lay out new lines of travel for tho extension of American commerce. It took a two-years' light to overcome the influence of the shipping trust, but the fight has at last been won, and tho government is now in a position to use a merchant marine of its own to safe guard the interests of the American shipper. Eighth The child labor law has come in re sponse to the growing demand for social better ment. The fact that such a law -was necessary is a sad commentary upon the heartlessness of man that he should become so money-mad as to be willing to increase his profits by the stunt ing of tho bodies and tho dwarfing of tho minds of minors. The democratic party deserves great credit for adding this law to its extraordinary record of great accomplishments. Ninth The President's prompt action has given to the employees engaged in interstate commerce an eight-hour day. Again the President has taken the side of the common man and won. Tho railroads overstate the cost of complying with the eight-hour law. They delay freight trains at divisions in order to get bigger loads and longer trains. This is an expense to the shippers as well as an injustice to t'he train men. They can, when it becomes necessary, get the trains in on time, and thus give the employees time for rest and recuperation time to enjoy homo, and prepare for the responsibilities of citizenship. The President has acted courage ously, and tho country will approve. Tenth The Philippine bill, while dealing With an international matter,, is flojnestjc in that it not only announces a national policy, but also promises to safeguard domestic politics from the disturbing influence of colonial questions. Eighteen years ago - whdh imperialism first raised its head, the' democrats in the senate were quick to strike at it with the Bacon resolution, which declared against a co lonial policy and gave the Filipinos a promise of ultimate independence. Every platform can afford to carry a postal card miles into the country, the state ought to be able to afford to collect a ballot. If the federal government can afford to carry the mail to farmers every day the state can certainly afford to collect ballots two or three times a year. Some remedy should be applied at once. If any other plan is better", let it bo adopted, but rural, delivery has proven such a success that it would seem worth while to try the idea in the collection of votes. W. J. BRYAN. CONGRESSMAN JONES OF VIRGINIA Congressman Jones, of Virginia, deserves great credit for his part in the passage ofthl pSfnOPr0isinS u,1Umate independence to the Filipinos. The final success of the measure is kjrgely due o the.intelligenco and perseverance with which he pressed the Philippine bill. Sis StS rerCOrd IS a long and "onoraWe one; he is a reformer among the foremost in his party, but it is no disparagement of hS othe? PUT) ic work to say that the Philippine measure s the crowning glory of his life. Congratula tions to Congressman Jones. He deserves tho gratitude of Filipinos and Americans ami? GREAT RECORD OF CONGRESS The. present democratic congress both housk and senate-shares with the President the 1mm? of making a record equalled only by the reSSd ot the last democratic congress. If We" a Wis lative body earned a popular endorsement the dmocratiQ senate and the democrat Lml Wonder if those railroad presidents left Washington -ith, tho idea in their leads that Wilson reallv hn n di , ' . ' uus .tnat "- ""ttiia.jjittciimina; written by. the democratic party of the nafn since that Umo h repeated this pledge "j! ?Tt' t0he hJ ol the natin and to tho crSS of tho democratic paTtv tho TrtatfwT , , il has been luifllleS SndVoproSte" ul!tt independence given. Our nnkn ,, uu!ma itself able to resist th testation L n8l7n monarchies have fallen Tame thS SmS to exercise power in violatS of the K of self-government. princiPles Eleventh The list of this administration' on complements , can not fairly be Mm out reference to the thirty peace treX 11 tiated during the flrat two years of the admin' istration, with nations exercising authority v 1,300,000,000 of people, or three-fourths of Z world. In addition to the thirty nations hleh have signed treaties, three others with a2 bined population of more than 100,000,000 w endorsed the principle embodied in the treaty plan, so that today there are less than five na tions with any considerable population which have declined to approve of this plan, and three of these have been prevented by controversies still unsettled. These thirty treaties contain three provisions new to treaty making. First- -They cover ALL QUESTIONS OF EVERY KIND AND CHARAC TER and provide that such disputes, when they defy diplomatic settlement, shall be submitted to an international tribunal for investigation and report. Second A YEAR'S TIME shall be al lowed for investigation and report, during which there shall he no resort to force. Third Tho parties RESERVE THE RIGHT TO INDE PENDENT ACTION at the conclusion of the in vestigation. It is believed that theso provisions will, by insuring time for anger to subside, pro vide opportunity for questions of fact to be sep arated from questions of honor, and a chance for tho peace forces of the world to operate, make -war between the contracting parties a re mote possibility. These treaties not only giro this nation primacy in the'matter of world peace, but they insure a peace at home which will en able our nation to work ouf 'i'ts-' domestic prob lems" rand set an example worthy- of emulation by the rest of tho world. When hefore did any party, in so short a time, present and complete so remarkable a pro. gram for the advancement of a nation's welfare? Is it possible that a. party which has thus justi fied public confidence can be " rebuked by the people to whose interests it has dedicated itself? . '-, , ,W. J. BRYAN. THE STRIKE ISSUE Mr. Hughes seems inclined to make an issue out of the strike. He did not express himself on the subject until after the strike was called off during the critical days covered by the controversy HE KEPT STILL, but as soon as the President acted he criticized the course taken. Well, let him make what capital he can. He will find that the railroad magnates are not as powerful in the nation at large' as they are in New York. The eight hour day has come to stay and Mr. Hughes, as usual, gets on the wrong side of the issue. M THE "INVESTIGATION" JEXCUSE Mr. Hughes objects to the eight-hour law on the ground that it was passed "without investi gation' That was the reason he gave for veto ing the two-cent passenger fare bill and THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL GOING ON. So it would have beea with the- eight-hour law if the republican party had been in power. SENATE LEADER KERN Mr. Kern, the leader of the democratic ma jority in the senate, ha$ done splendid work during the present congress.. His services are invaluable to the, par. ty. The democrats of In diana should ae.e to-it that he is re-elected by an overwhelmingiimajority. " II ,1 HI! ; SPEAKER CLARK Speaker Ciarkjiias stm further added to his fame as a leatetand a pr.esid.ing officer during the present s,esln.jof congress. It would be a reflection omtJwiueople of, his district-to douui his return by an increased, ma jqrity. . .
