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xhe Commoner
SBPTEWBERi'1918
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Ptrf none u raiificationish on guard. Democrats and Re
publicans everywhere should see to it that every candidate for the
state legislature is openly pledged to vote for the ratification of the
National Prohibition Amendment. Take no chances This is
the supreme domestic issue untibConstiiutional Prohibition is secured.
0
Is Bimetallism
Coming?
On another page will bo found an extract from
a news letter in the, Chicago Herald about the
approach toward international bimetallism. It
is about the only promised reform that has not
come and it would have come a long time ago
but for the unexpected discovery of gold. But
even the enormous addition made to the volume
o standard money by gold discoveries in Alaska
and South Africa can not furnish the amount .of
basic money necessary to support the credits
issued during the present war, and Great Britain,
the very n ion most responsible for the gold
standard, i? 'calling to march back to the double
standard. The readers of The Commoner will
watch the growth of the movement with real
interest. W. J. BRYAN.
KIJN'ATOR BLACKBURN.
In th" death, 'of ex-Senator Blackburn,. Ken
tucky j suffered the loss of a second honored
son v.-i in a month. He was a typical product
of the "eat commonwealth he so long repre
sented i house and senate. He was brilliant,
brave, eloquent, generous and genial. Politics
was his element and he was for a generation a
j -om'nent figure at democratic gatherings, state
and national. His friends, who were legion, loved
him and will miss his winning smile and cordial
handclasp.
THE PERSHING DRIVE
General Pershing certainly did celebrate his
birthday Friday,- September - 13. The drive
meant more than the gaining of ground and the
taking of prisoners. It proved the impetuous
strength of the American soldiers and the crum
bling courage of the German troops. Final de
feat is casting its shadow over the kaiser's men
and an increasing number await capture, The
end approaches, and a united stand behind our
President and congress will hasten victory. Now
all together for the Fourth Liberty loan.
MISSOURI DEMOCRATS FOR RATIFICATION
The democratic state convention of Missouri
at its recent session in Jefferson City, urged the
state legislature to take early action on the fed
eral prohibition amendment, and also advocated
jne submission to the people 'of the woman suf
frage amendment. The prohibition plank was
adopted with little opposition.
WISDOM AT WASHINGTON
The house has acted wisely in raising the ex
emption on interest on Liberty bonds. The 3
wi!iCenit,1)ondB' oecauBe tfae interest was exempt
wuuout limit, went above par while bonds bear-
nhi V. g- er rate of interest suffered a conslder
;"e account because the higher rate bonds did
Ti,C0?.ln so favorable an exemption clause.
'", a?tion taken by the house has already low
ti,n . price ot 3 er cent bonds and raised
woe? rice f the 4 and 4 per cent bonds. It
hoi? A tUat the lower exemption of the later
J"0,8'8 aimed at those with large incomes,
,s lnJuring all who bought those bonds.
sav1!!16 h(lUBe was also wlso ln enlarging the war
vings stamps issue that should be kept open
PnvLConstant lnducement to children to make a
government obligation the foundation of a sav
ings account. W. j. BRYAN.
FOLK FOR SENATOR
The nomination of Joseph W. Folk by the
Democrats of Missouri for United States Senator
is gratifying to real Democrats and lovers of good
government everywhere.
His record as Circuit Attorney of St. Louis
where he exposed and prosecuted corruption in
official life made him a national figure;
As Governor of Missouri he. put Missouri in
the front rank of the progressive states by secur
ing the enactment of the Initiative and Refer
endum, State wide Primary Laws, Child Labor
Laws, Public Service Corporation Laws, by tak
ing the police of the large cities out of politics,
by suppressing gambling, wine rooms and by en
forcing the Liquor Laws in the face of tite
determined opposition of the powerful brewery
and liquor interests.
These things made the name of Joseph W. Folk
a synonym for good government. After the elec
tion of President Wilson, Joseph W. Folk was
made solicitor for the Department of State. Ho
there became familiar with those great principles
of international law, the knowledge of which will
enable him' to render services in the Senate in
this great international crisis,
For four years he was Chief Counsel -of the
Interstate Commerce Commission and is regarded
as one of the leading experts inAmoricaton trans
portation questions. In the Senate he will, of
course, be a member of the Interstate Commerce
Committee and will be of tremendous assistance
in solving those transportation questions which
will be so pressing for solution during the war
and after the war is ended.
The people of Missouri should elect Joseph W.
Folk to the Senate by the largest majority ever
given a democratic candidate in that state. He
is needed in Washington to uphold the President
and to aid him in winning the war. His election
by a large majority would be construed every
where as an evidence that the people of Missouri
desire to uphold the President at this time,
No matter how good a man the Republican op
ponent of Governor Folk may be there should be
no hesitancy on the part of the patriotic citizens
of Missouri of all parties in casting their votes
for Joseph W. Folk, thus declaring that they
favor good government, the elimination of graft,
the enforcement of the laws and the upholding
of President Wilson.
We "urge our friends in Missouri of all parties
to vote for him.
.THE AMERICAN ARMY.
The American array may be compared to an
avalanche in the making. Up on the heights it
is steadily gathering in mighty force. Now and
then an occasional snow-slide, which may be
likened to the thrusts already made by our
army in France, descends to give warning
of the coming cataclysm. These ominous
signs spell trouble for the kaiser's hosts,
but they still battle on in the valleys,
utterly oblivious to the Impending destruc
tion. In the fulness of time, this avalanche, re
presenting the wrath of an outraged world, will
descend with irresistible power, crushing every
thing in its path, and wiping out kaiserism from
the earth forever. The doom of autocracy is
sealed; the dawn of the triumph of democracy is
at hand.
CLEANER POLITICS
In a few months, the distillery, the brewery
and the saloon will be gone, and with them will
go the liquor lobbyist and the saloon politician
Politics will then be cleaner and parties will be
rivals in high purpose and good works.
$8,000,000,000
The biggest revenue moasurc ever prepared in
all the world's history is being discussed in con
gross, and a careful survey of its schedules will
disclose the fact that it distributes the burdenn
of the war more equitably than they were ever
distributed before. And what would we do with
out an income tax?
And wo could not have an income tax but for
the twenty years' fight led by the progressive
democrats in favor of an amendment authorizing
an income tax. From the day when a supreme
court, by a majority of one, nullified tho income
tax statute of 1894 down to the day whon our
constitution was amended, our government could
draft a citizen but could not draft a pocket-book.
Now, the government can conscript incomos as
well as men, and plutocrats who used to shout
"anarchist" at those who advocated a two per
cent tax on incomes now pay 63 per cent and
will soon pay 75 per cent. Great change in
twenty-four years. W. J. BRYAN.
A PA0D7I0 NATION CAN FIGHT
We are demonstrating that a nation that loves
peace can fight when necessary. Our nation wan
the leader in the Peace movement and negotiated
with thirty nations treaties which make war al
most impossible, but peace treaties do not make
a people effeminate. On tho contrary, they fight
better than the citizens of a military nation.
They have a higher purpose, they are superior
in intelligence and they have not been impover
ished by the burden of a prolonged military
policy. Keep your eye on the American soldier-
he is the best fighting machlno ln the world.
THE FOURTH LIBERTY LOAN.
The drive for tho Fourth Liberty Loan will
begin September 28. Get ready. It should be
oversubscribed more quickly than the previous
loans. Tho righteousness of our cause becomes
daily more apparent; the necessity of winning
becomes daily more imperative, and the prospects
of a complete victory become daily brighter.
Subscribe, and subscribe early.
The extention of tho draft age so as to include
men as old as forty-five Is expected to catch a
half million or more bachelors. Every married
man will voice his approval of a policy that gives
every man in tho country spmo experience in
fighting.
War insurance rates on lives have been greatly
Increased in Germany in recent months, say the
dispatches. But we presume the companies are
still quoting the same old rate on the kaiser and
his six sons.
Commercial chaos seems to be spreading in
Russia, but the failure of Lenine, Trotsky & Co,,
ought to be fpllowed by a considerable lowering
of the interest rate.
CLOSING IN
, We are gradually closing in on tho saloon.
The dry zones around the cantonments shut. up
a great many, and now the President ia author
ized (by unanimous vote) to estabjish dry -zonea
around "munition factories, mines, shipyards and
other war production plants." (
And each restriction is added proof that af
cohol is a poison and hurtful to man. We are
winning our fight for prohibition and that will
help win the war. W. J. BRYAN.
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