The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, February 01, 1919, Page 2, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    $v.mm
; .'- -" ray"j$B,rmgrv
'. l'M
T Tip .Myi
t.?mfmw,ipp
' r-
11 M
)
o
. . i
, ' '.':V 4'
r..
he Commoner
-'v, .,' "
A g
VOL. 19, Ko. 2
.' '
r&'
p
f .
t
T
o
tkt sentence upon which the democratic party
lias built Its anti-trust policy; namely, "A pri
vate monopoly is indofenBiblo and intolerable.
th, Ho urged In 1808 the declaration of the
nation's purpose to give independence to the
Filipinos, and ho continued to write the doctrlno.
in democratic platforms until, under Mr. Wilson's
first administration, the promise was solemnly
given by resolution of congress, and the giving
of the promico put the United .States in position
tp load tho world in the light for democracy and
the right of self-determination.
7th. Ho socurod tho incorporation In tho cur
rency act of tho provision restoring to the gov
ernment tho sovereign right to issue money a
right which had boon surrendered to the national
banks, It wuo the Incorporation of this provision
that mado it possible to pass the measure
8th. Hovlod tho fight for publicity as to cam
paign contributions publicity BEFORE tho
election.
9th. Ho supported tho rural credits law.
10th. Ho has been an advocate of tariff re
form fOT thirty-eight years and helped to draw
the revonup laws of 1892 and 1'894.
11th. Ho has icr twonty-fivo years urged tho
guaranty of bank deposits, and has Been the Idea
adopteti in several states and indorsed by tho
comptroller of tho currency, John Skolton Wil
liams - the best comptroller tho nation has had
in a generation.
12 th. He has urged laws to prevent prof
iteering. 13 th. He has for twenty-two years advocated
tho initiative and referendum (a reform which
has recently been adopted in Massachusetts in
spite of tho Herald's opposition),
14th. Ho has urged a system of good roads,
the national ownership of telegraph lines-, ahd
government ownership (tho dual plan) of- tele
phones and railroads.
15th. Ho proposed in Id 05 and between 1913
ad IS 15 embodied In treaties with thrce
wirters of the world the plan whereby ALL
aispates are to ke INVESTIGATED 'before a
rort to hostilitiea a plan which seeing to
Ohave boon acceptod as the basis of the. league
of nations
If any excuse is necessary for this review of
twenty-eight years of political' activity it can bo
found in tho fact that so intelligent a leader of
thought as the Herald should bo unacquainted
with tho record.
WHO BO THBX REPRESENT?
Tho Nebraska legislature, by a unanimous vote
of both branches, requested Senator Hitchcock to
vote for the submission by congress of the equal
suffrage constitutional amondmonjt for ratifica
tion by the states
Tho legislature of Ohio passed a joint resolu
tion instructing Ohio senators to vote in favor
of suffrage, Uiq joint vote bolng 102 for and 41
against. The conutituents of Senator Hitchcock
and Senator Pomerqno are overwhelmingly in
favor of the submission of tho suffrage amend
ment and yet these senators voted against it,
We art supposod to have a representative form
of. government. Who do. those senators represent?
"A JjWJcLE SERVICE, PLEASE"
m c BtmmlWm.
'iiiip"eAa nifli
From Baltimore .News.
SHE MARCH TOWARD MONOPOLY
Tho advocates of private ownership of railroads
a few woeks ago ventured to suggest that the
railroads should be consolidated into twenty-flvo
or fifty systems. Now they adviso six to twelve
systems. The march toward monopoly is as
steady as tho march to the grave, so long as the
monopoly is in private hands. Soon they will
suggest two or three and'then ONE. That is the.
end in view. Tho only alternative Is' GOVERN
MENT OWNERSHIP and the dual plan is tho
easiest, best and safest.
THE PROFITEER
-The 'profiteer was tho one dark spot on the
conduct of the war. While tho soldiers at tho
front were giving their blood for their country
the profiteer was bleeding the public. Ho de
aOrves no mercy. Where he exploits on a na
tional scale he should feel the force of national
Haws; where ho confines his ravages to a state
&e should be prosecuted by tho state authorities
while jsaty offenders should be amenable to muni
cipal ordinances. To properly deal with the of
fenders big and little immediate action should
frj taken in evoy state to create state trade com
missions, and to authoriso municipal trade com-
nSaaLvnev No tma Rhnntrl 1 in .. . ...
wid iia.t n MW r-?.?alfia
.--. -wit-..- vww y. j UK YAW
' -
GIVE HIS NAME
-The New York Times publishes the following
under tho heading of "Prohibition at Work":
MTo the Editor of the New York Times: Tho .
Prohibitionists aro to be congratulated 6n their
success in making the country safe .for hypocrisy.
None but the most verdantly unsophisticated be
lieve that our legislators, national and state,
will practice the total abstinence from intox
icants which they aro forcing on the people. Al
ready senators and representatives here are
rapidly providing oases for the future Sahara.
. Lockers in the capites and cellars in homes are
being replenished.' Limousines roll in-from Balti
more dally with the" pveclous freight, and the
Adams Express offlce transformed ijito a whole
sale liquor establishment, Is a social gathering
place where the best-gowned women In Washing
ton wait patiently to receive their packages.
Which means that the solons of every state, as
well as of the nation, as well as all other persons
of sufficient means, will be able to procure, be
fore prohibition becomes effective, enough licmid
solace for a long time ahead in case of the
wealthy, for the remainder of their lives The
great mass of the plain people, the mechanic, the
poorly paid clerk, tho small storekeeper, whose -drab
lot of hard toil or monotonous occupation
is somewhat relieved and brightened by an occa- -sbnal
glass of beer partaken in cheerful and
congenial company, will be jfeprlved of what their
more fortunate fellow-citizens can' still enjoy
ttiose to whom many sources of physical mui
S1mfXhA!Iaratl0,ll--traTa1' glf' 2rt. (SL
ill D f year from now- Sentor Croesus will
nill110118?? aollars' wortu of champalno
? Ws1ce;ifpJ John Smith will, maybe, have a
dozen bottles of beer n his ice chest Is this a
square deal. Is John Smith going ?o submit to
Is the Times SURE Uiat the corresnonrlAnf i
A LITTI.E PATIENCE, PLEASE
Some of the republican pane nm -ut;
cause the democrats have raised ,ln,? be
on soap as they used to do L wmS 8 a P0und
per cent on a dolWpoundnd?SSB
cent on a fifteen cent-a-pound soap 10 Per
THE BIG HOTELS' REASON
mo?rne the chief
Because ;they profited more San Inv 5 - Why?
- n propoVtionto money invested tller class
higher 1 ohse than tho litti I ?, Tjloy naI o
had a bigger trade afid sold S bU they
prinks: Xt they get into the iirnn?rgAer pi'Iced
, "may" investigate their M??eiSish 5nsress
their real interest ' celpts and expose
Groundless Objection
One of the objections made to the dui i
of -railroad oWnerahip in that the federal JLpUn
ment would bo -able to charge a lower rntern
the trunk line aystem than the states rn,S
afford on the local lines. The answer is ohv d
the troiilc must boar the cost whether the?'
are under one management or several. At nr2
a big Bystem averages the rates, which mi.!,
that the trunk lines; charge more than necS
in order that freight can be carried at less S
cost on branch lines, but the total is tho bS
that it would "bo-if each mile or; road earned the
same dividend on money invested. If the federal
government charges less on trunk lines than the
roads now charge on their trunk lines, tho stales
can charge more on the branches without In
creasing the total rate which usually includes
both.
'Government ownership reduces charges In the
operation of municipal plants and it is reason
able to suppose that the same result will follow
government ownership of railroads under normal
conditions and in tho "hands of those who want
government ownership to succeed.
Buif the cost would be greater under dual
ownership than under. the, nationalization of all
the lines, the latter is impossible at present and,
.even if possible, the -political advantages of dual
ownership in building up the states as units in
our government would outweigh any increase
iu cost. W. J. BRYAN.
WHICH IS RIGHT?
' ;'Mh Bryan, has received tho following letter
from a s bscr-iber name and address are with
held out of .consideration for the writer. There
is evidently & wide difference, of opinion. Time
will decide wlifoh i8 right. The letter follows:
"Dear Sir;, -Mfst fa receipt of your letter of
2Gth inst. In reJiTdio my renewal of The Com
moner,. I have ben,a subscriber for several years
and enjoyed reading; .it very much till Mr. Bryan
-.went crazy about .Voaaan.'s.. suffrage and I haye
,been burning them up . to get them off of my
desk as fast as I could : find ofte with a long
article about woman's suffrage in it. I am surt
that a greater curse could never be put on the
people than woman's suffrage;, if wo have to put
up with either let's have the liquor, for woman's,
sjjffrage will cause the death o'f 10 men where
liquor will causo one. God never intended for
the .women to have, equal rights with the men
or he would have fixed it that way in the be
ginning, the Bible is.. strictly, against it and I can
never ,supporw it or ask any of my friends to sup
pprt itjso: you can cancel my subscription at your
earliest convenience." " ' v
STATES IJlKItSK WOMAN SUFFRAGE
The following, states have, officially requested
congresa to submit, the" suffrage constitutional
amendment to the states for ratification: Texas,
Oregoa, Washington, Wisconsin, Utah, Call-
. fpmiaJMichigan, North Pko'ta, New York, Colo
rado, amdiana, South Iakota, Arizona, Minne-
sota.VArkansas, Ohio and. Nebraska.
' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Tlie'initiative and-referendum-make the govern
ment av people's government, and a people's gov
ernment avoids violence by-using ballots instead
of bullets. '. . '-. ,:. ; '" 7
""' 1 " ' " I ' ' III '.I I.''''
With- the unemployed increasing, NOW is tho
time to nse surplus laboi"oh the public roads.
No soldier should be compelled to wait in idle
ness' for an opportunity to work-.
REFERENDUM WH4i TCOT AID WETS
The wets, after opposing:, the initiaUvo and
reCerendum for years for fear ft-would aid prom-
"bltlon, are now clamoring for a referendum.
They Insist that the PEOPLE shall be consul tea.
All right. Whenever the people put the initiative
and referendum in the constitution so that
ca,n be invoked on all questions there will be no
x objection to its being used on the liquor ques
tlon'4HJVf the wets will not pe permitted to appJ
the doctrine to the liquor question only.
The. supremo conrt it not likely to overtnrow
the provision of the .federal constitution ijjg
confers the right to ratify upon LEGISLATURE
- nt.upon the ELECTOR, S?ut,even if a row
k .enduni. were ordered in the states that have i
referendum the wets couftl'not carryajg
state against prohibition. ,$OW BAHLBYCOitw
IS DEAD. W. J. BRYAN.
I
f
I
flu' P ,i&i M
n
ii ' i n
(?'
uLiftt '.'(.
U..L' . Nfi-'iti