The Say of Other Editors

The Democrat has no axe to grind, no scores to settle nor heads to whack in advancing the erection by the city of an electric lighting plant. From every standpoint it is right.—Grand Ireland (Neb.) Democrat.

Paul Morton, president of the Equitable, says he is not going to pay any more money to legislators to protect his insurance company. This reminds the Syracuse (N. Y.) Herald of the story of the old darkey, never regarded as being at all particular about how or where he gathered up a penny, who dropped his pocketbook in a crowd one day. As the nickels and dimes scattered about, the old man began to scramble for them, shouting, “Befoh de Lawd! Let evahbody be honest now.”—Leeton (Mo.) Times.

Democracy means always independence of thought, and unless the party leaders treat the people fairly they will find it also means independence of action. This was fully demonstrated last year in both National and State campaigns, and it is time the Democratic leaders in Missouri should heed the warning.—Ozark (Mo.) Democrat.

Congress is now asked to appropriate $16,500,000 in one lump to the Isthmian Canal. This nice little sum will only serve to grease the skillet for a short time.—Panola Watchman, Carthage, Tex.

It has been only a few weeks since Mr. McCall of the New York Life Insurance Company was standing on his dignity and trying to make a joke of the insurance investigation—just as Mr. Rogers of the Standard Oil Company tried to make a joke of the investigation in New York last week. But today Mr. McCall is a disgraced man in the public eye, and another man signs as president of the New York Life. And it may be only a short time until Mr. Rogers is holding an unenviable seat with Mr. McCall and a lot of other unscrupulous fellows who a short time ago imagined that they were practically the whole financial show. These money grafters are up against an aroused public sentiment which in America today spells destruction for whatever it may be directed against. In America there is no system that can stand against the will of the people, and Mr. Rogers and his Standard Oil crowd will yet live to see the day—and that soon—when they will put off their arrogant airs in answering a criminal investigation by the legal representatives of a great state.—Darlington (Mo.) Record.

The Department of Agriculture is now undertaking to show the farmers how they can raise better tobacco. What the farmers would much prefer would be for Secretary Wilson to show how to get more than 34 cents for it from the Tobacco Trust.—Tarboro (N. C.) Southerner.

The steamer America, from Honolulu for San Francisco, carried $750,000 in coin sent by registered mail by local bankers, in order, it is alleged, that the money might be at sea, and beyond the territorial jurisdiction on December 31st, when a tax of one per cent. is levied on all money on deposit by the banks on that date. It is understood that the money will be returned immediately. Deducting the charges of shipment, the saving made will be approximately $7,000.—Argonaut, San Francisco.

The attention of the public is unpleasantly attracted to the position of Henry H. Rogers, active head of the Standard Oil trust, in relation to the testimony sought by the supreme court of Missouri. The Missouri court, in seeking the enforcement of the anti-trust law of that State, has undertaken to procure testimony upon the allegation that the Standard company is violating the law. Among the witnesses is Mr. Rogers. He dodged service of the subpoena until outwitted by an officer and in the witness chair he refuses to answer questions propounded by the attorney general of Missouri. He refuses with a supercilious air that asserts his contempt for such humble affairs as courts and officers of the law. The world’s greatest trust, the world’s richest men, tell the world that they are not amenable to the regulations to which the balance of the world is bound to conform. This is the anarchy of wealth. Recently representatives of the oil trust told Commissioner Garfield that the Standard Oil was greater than the government; that John D. Rockefeller was a bigger man than the President of the United States; that he owned the Senate and the House and was able, by the mere passing of the word, to cause the removal of Secretary Metcalf and Commissioner Garfield. A few years back in history the Standard Oil corporation defied the Supreme Court of Ohio and caused the political defeat of the presumptuous attorney who brought an action against it and won because his case was just. Now comes Henry H. Rogers, second to John D. Rockefeller, bristling with defiance because a Western court proposes to make him and his associates obey the same law that common persons have to obey. It is greatly to be feared that the oil magnates are invoking a test of strength—feared because some one is going to be roughly handled should there come a popular adjustment between the forces of wealth and government. The American people have been very patient and are still patient. But if they are called upon to pass upon certain points raised by the contumacy of Mr. Rogers and the rest, the controversy will be short, sharp and decisive.—Howard (S. Dak.) Advance.

Let those with a sense of humor laugh now, while the game is barely on, at such naïve expressions of alarm as those of Secretary Taft in a recent speech wherein he feared that the “dangerous classes,” such as populists and socialists, might succeed in arraying the masses against capitalism to the injury of the latter. Secretary Taft fears that the ninety per cent of our population are going to demand the right to rule. Awful, isn’t it?

This fat sow of the system with its nose in the trough, its distended guts groaning and still filling, sounds the warning that the razor-backs are preparing to assume control of the swill. Wough! Secretary Taft believes that this country is only safe when every bank, the House, the Senate, every State legislature, and every public office is manned and controlled by a McCall, McCurdy, Hyde, Armour or Rockefeller; that is, safe for the system. We say this country is not safe when ten millions of its inhabitants live in dire poverty and two hundred and seventy thousand people fill its jails.

We say there is something radically wrong with our educational and economic systems. We say the multi-income grafters must be hurled back to one man power, for there is not a banker nor so-called financier in America that has not for years been in collusion with Hyde, McCall and McCurdy, and consciously participated in their stealing.

Come, now, Secretary Taft, would men who have been brought up to do real work be any more dangerous in high places?—Parker H. Sercombe in To-Morrow.

And now it is announced that all three of the big life insurance presidents in New York are down with nervous prostration. Sounds from testimony as though it ought to be the policy holders.—Alma (Neb.) Record.

With the arraignment of Standard Oil officers, life insurance fakirs, Panama Canal investigations, United States senators losing their dignity, and being tried like other criminals, and all manner of “big bugs” having to shudder at the majesty of the law, we are made to wonder what is going to happen next.—Durant (I. T.) Farmer.

Announcement is made of another donation by John D. Rockefeller to the University of Chicago. This time it is $1,450,000. Where did he get it?—Granville (Ia.) Gazette.

Rockefeller may fire Rogers for talking too much. Rogers admitted that he knew his own name and had heard of Standard Oil.—People’s Voice, Norman, Okla.

Now that railroad passes are abolished and the franking privilege is to be stopped, what will Congressmen do, poor things? They have been sending their soiled clothes back to their district and having them returned free, have been getting beef, butter, eggs, and vegetables in the same way, and to cap the anticlimax of their perquisites Hon. Shepard of Arkansas has discovered that their mileage allowance of twenty cents per mile made in the old stage-coach era, is a gross over-allowance and has introduced a bill to cut it down to six cents a mile, which is quite enough for the Pullman car accommodations nowadays.—Luck (Wis.) Enterprise.

The State of New York which has a population of 8,000,000 and wealth far in excess of any state in the Union has had no representative in the Senate since the holiday opening of Congress. Its two Senators, Platt and Depew, are prevented by ill-health from attending the sessions and it is not known when they will be able to take their places in the Senate Chamber. Senator Platt with his new wife is at Virginia Hot Springs, looking in vain for the fountain of youth. He is palsied with age and he is so feeble that he cannot walk about unsupported. On the daily drives and outings that Mrs. Platt is obliged to take to maintain her vigorous health she is never accompanied by the aged Senator, who remains in his room nearly all of the time. The situation with Senator Depew is scarcely more agreeable. Instead of the triumphant, jovial Depew of old he is now a man broken in health and spirit by the revelations of the New York insurance companies which have placed him in such a questionable light before the public.—Kiowa (Colo.) Record.

As this country becomes more and more a manufacturing country, it needs to give more heed to this fundamental problem. Urged by purely selfish motives, commerce and industry are ever tending to exploit the labor of the child because it is low priced, and to oppose restraining legislation. This, observes the Chicago Tribune, is why the child labor laws of England are considerably less stringent than those of progressive countries on the Continent. The latter, pressing upon each other’s frontiers, realize that child labor impairs the military efficiency of a nation. Military considerations may not weigh so heavily with the people of this country as they do with continental Europe. But child labor should be prevented in America with a view to securing for children that better preparation for life and that worthy type of ultimate citizenship which American ideals demand. In the interest of social and civic efficiency, and so of our national future, the rising generation, both North and South, should be protected against premature toil.—Bath (N. Y.) Plaindealer.

The new officials in Philadelphia should see that their predecessors get their just dues—a long term in the penitentiary.—Winona (Minn.) Leader.

When the People’s Party first submitted its platform of principles to the people, the soundness of its principles was questioned and doubted by many, and even by some who recognized the soundness of the principles, yet had not lost hope, or were not convinced, that reforms could not be brought about swifter through their old parties than through a new party organization, and for this reason never aligned themselves with the People’s Party; but the last ten years of endeavor to secure reforms through the old parties has convinced them that reform through the old parties was like tracing the rainbow to find a pot of gold hanging on the end of it.—People’s Voice, Norman, Okla.

The state legislators certainly cannot now have any reason for flinching on the question of railroad rates. The Pennsylvania road showed that while one third of their passengers rode on passes they were able to pay a nice dividend to stockholders. Now that nobody rides on passes the public certainly should secure the benefit by a reduction to two cents per mile for travel. The law makers can also consider the right of eminent domain for the trolley lines, as well as the right of electric lines to carry freight. The latter propositions would mean thousands of dollars in the pockets of the people. Instead of the discontinuing of the passes being a detriment to the people, it will undoubtedly become a benefit.—Roscoe (Pa.) Ledger.

Hon. Ezekiel S. Candler, Jr., a member of Congress from Mississippi, recently delivered a speech before the House of Representatives in which he favored legislation that would abolish hazing in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. Mr. Candler very justly ridicules the idea that hazing is necessary to make a boy courageous and keep him from being a “sissy boy.”—Grand Cane (La.) Beacon.

From what can be learned of the dispatches concerning the punishment of grafters under the present administration, it seems that those who were brought in guilty, have invariably been men who were opposed to some of Roosevelt’s pet hobbies. Burton of Kansas, you must remember, strenuously opposed Roosevelt’s plan to reduce the duty on Cuban raw sugar, and made a brilliant speech in opposition to it. Poor old Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, also opposed some of Teddy’s pet schemes. He was pursued unmercifully and maliciously, yet the beef trust goes unpunished. Teddy’s investigators are now busy defending them. Those men arrested in Nebraska for the illegal fencing and use of Government land received but a nominal fine and a sentence of six hours in the custody of the United States Marshal. Secretary Shaw, another of Teddy’s proteges, has declared that John Walsh of Chicago is innocent of any statutory crime, and has only done what many other bankers have done. Just as soon as the failure of the Walsh banks was wired to Washington, plans were at once set on foot to protect them, also to protect Walsh. Teddy will have to shift his bearings a little or the people will soon begin to believe that he is not the Simon-pure reformer, graft crusher and trust buster that the press agents are claiming him to be.—Ex Porte, Florence, Colo.

The grain trust of Nebraska fixes the price of every bushel of grain in the state. Not an elevator in the state pretends to begin operations till the price of grain fixed by the trust comes, and it comes every day very early in the morning. Supply and demand! Who said supply and demand regulate prices?—Broken Bow (Neb.) Beacon.

Germany is putting the tariff question squarely before the “stand pat” Republican clique in the Senate. That country proposes to bar American goods by a prohibitory tariff unless this country reduces the Dingley tariff for Germany. This is a fair proposition and one that the people generally in this country would gladly welcome, but the eight or nine Republican bosses would rather see this country sink than give an inch on the present tariff.—Vandalia (Ill.) Democrat.

H. Clay Pierce, president of the Waters-Pierce Oil company, who has been holding up the people of the Indian Territory and Texas for a great many years past, pays $25 a day for seven rooms the year round at the Waldorf-Astoria, one of New York’s big hotels.—Rush Springs (I. T.) Landmark.

The Standard Oil Company has during the past year gobbled up about twenty gas plants in various parts of the country. Having an income of about forty millions a year. John D. Rockefeller must put his money into something that will bring him more interest.—Delphi, (Ind.) Citizen Times.

Senator Burton has dismissed his private secretary, because there was nothing for him to do. There is also very little for poor Burton to do unless it is “doing time.”—Princeton (Ky.) Chronicle.

The Congressman, who, with his wife, aunts, and mother-in-law, franks their clothes home once a week to be washed, is going to be the loser by the investigation of the Congressional franking privilege pending.—Delton (Mich.) Graphic.

Tom Watson wants to know if Bryan will try to buy the throne of Peter the Great or the second-hand coat of Peter the Great. Mr. Bryan set the entire Japanese nation against him when he tried to buy the “war chair” that Togo had sat in, and the Watson inquiries suggest nothing more out of place than this foolish and very improper episode.—Rushville (Ind.) American.

The reply of Thomas E. Watson to Clark Howell is such a long letter that we cannot get it in this issue of the Rambler, but will give it Tuesday. The weakest of all the weak things that Howell’s advisers have let him do is the stirring up of Watson.—Cordele (Ga.) Rambler.

And so “I am a Democrat, D. B. Hill” has also been receiving a large sum of money ($5,000) each year for a long time from the Equitable Life Insurance Company. Mr. Hill says his salary was for his services as a lawyer and not for his political influence. Mr. Hill may have thought so, made himself think so. But to a man up a tree the salaries the insurance companies paid Hill, Depew and other men of great political influence were to make friends of them so that the graft of the insurance officers could continue. We presume most of the men of great political influence in the ruling parties are on the pay roll of one or more of the big grafting corporations. A list of the congressmen, governors, etc., who are getting salaries as attorneys for the railroads, trusts, etc., would be very interesting reading.—Missouri World.

The Georgia gubernatorial campaign has reached the letter-writing stage, apparently, though it must be confessed that the man who sprung the trigger isn’t profiting very much by the result of his action. The secret of the Sibley correspondence was carefully guarded until the Columbus debate, and then thrown upon the public in the form of a bombshell, the expectation being that Mr. Smith would be swept from his feet by the explosion.

The result was anything but what was anticipated. While Mr. Smith knew nothing of what was coming, he did exactly as he has done in the face of all the charges that have been brought against him—made no explanation whatever, because he had nothing to explain.

The matter was explained, however, and by the man who knew more about the whole business than any one—excepting, of course, Mr. Howell, and that man was Hon. Thomas E. Watson. And Mr. Watson’s explanation does just what it was intended to do—it explains.

Attempts have since been made by Mr. Howell to give further enlightenment on the Sibley and McGregor episodes by publishing the entire correspondence, but like a man in quicksand, every struggle to extricate himself only sinks him the deeper.

At no time has it been shown that Mr. Smith sought an alliance with Mr. Watson, or that one was ever made. Mr. Watson has no political ambition at the present time, and, in fact, states in one of his letters that instead of seeking the election to the United States Senate, he is supporting, and will cast his vote for Hon. John Temple Graves for the same reason that he is supporting Mr. Smith—because Mr. Graves stands for the same principles Mr. Watson has always advocated.—Dublin (Ga.) Times.

Howell and McGregor are trying hard to make it appear that Tom Watson and Smith made a firm trade before Smith announced for Governor; and in the next breath Clark says Sibley offered him Watson’s support six weeks after Smith announced. Funny how he could support both of them!—Bullock (Ga.) Times.

Mr. Howell is lustily calling to the “Loyal Democrats” to save him from Tom Watson and the bow-wows. Loyal to what? To Clark and the corporations? But a few weeks ago “Boss” Murphy was calling (and buying) both “Loyal” Democrats and Republicans to save him from Hearst and the penitentiary. Honest Democrats, by the Eternal, be loyal to yourselves, your wives and children, and to the God that made you.—Dalton (Ga.) Herald.

Why should ex-Populist Hon. Thomas E. Winn be allowed to use the columns of the only Democratic paper in the state, the Constitution, to advise ex-Populists to vote for Howell, and Hon. Thomas E. Watson be refused to say whom he is for and why. Tell us, Clark.—Lawrenceville (Ga.) Journal.

H. Clay Pierce, of the Waters-Pierce Oil Company, a branch of the Standard, has been in hiding at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, in New York, to prevent the serving of a summons to appear before Attorney-General Hadley, of Missouri. Pierce has had his private yacht steamed up for days, ready to leave the country at a moment’s notice. Old John D. Rockefeller is also dodging around, keeping out of the way of the officers. The fact that the Standard Oil fellows are afraid to go into court, and are continually on the lookout for officers, ought to be sufficient proof to the people that they are guilty. Honest people are not afraid of law or officers.—Garnett (Kan.) Independent Review.

It seems that conditions down on the isthmus, where the Government is engaged in digging a big canal, will not stand much probing. A Republican paper, friendly to the administration, sent a representative down there to report on the conditions, and his report has caused an investigation to be begun by Congress. President Roosevelt will be fortunate if he saves himself from this Congress, and he can afford to keep on friendly terms with the Democrats.—Malad (Idaho) People’s Advocate.

The Federal Senate of the United States is becoming more and more like the House of Lords in England. It is clearly not of the people. Wealth is the title that makes membership possible. A man without money, in these later days, can no more enter this American House of Lords than a camel can pass through the eye of a needle. No matter how a man may have acquired his riches, even though every one of his dollars be tainted, this “honorable” position as the head of our Government is his—providing he has the “dough to go around.” Oh! the shame of it all! Why is it that the common people, the masses, those who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow—and they are in the majority—do not rise up in their might and make this office an elective one by all the people instead of a few subsidized purchased legislators, that it might come from the people, and in coming from them, represent them instead of the selfish money interests of the country?—Detroit (Mich.) Courier.

Common mortals have an awesome fear of the majesty of the law, but not so with Rogers, the Standard Oil lord lieutenant. They are regarded by him as but minions of the people; something far beneath his lofty station. Let’s hope he is taught a wholesome respect for courts of justice before this Standard Oil rottenness is all suppressed.—Prescot (Wis.) Tribune.

Of all the thin political tricks that have been attempted to be put off on the people of Georgia, that Sibley-Howell correspondence, sprung by tricky Clark in the Columbus debate, was the thinnest. Why they didn’t have sense enough to date their letters two months earlier, so as to antedate Hoke Smith’s announcement, is an evidence of the weakness of political trickery. There was never a meaner nor more transparent job, for it could deceive only fools.—Sparta (Ga.) Ishmaelite.

It is said that the various corporations of the country have employed and almost monopolized all of the best legal talent of the land. Be that as it may; no lawyer that is, or for the last ten years has been, employed by a corporation should ever be elected or appointed to a public office. Especially should they not be sent to Congress or state legislature.—Cass (Tex.) Sun.

Two insurance companies that have defied the state law requiring licenses and who have other charges laid at their doors have been taken into the civil courts by the State Insurance Department. It is to be hoped that they will not escape upon any technicality as they did in the criminal action. It’s time the insurance companies were made to understand that the laws, weak and incomplete as they are, must be enforced.—Cortez (Colo.) Journal.

The year 1906 is an off year in politics. No National tickets will be in the field; but National issues will be emphasized and direction given to the next campaign. It will be well for us to look the field over and examine our bearings. For many years we have trusted the great political parties to make up the issues that we, by ballot, are to decide; but experience has taught us that political parties make up blind issues, in which the people are not interested. The great issue before the people of this Government today is the enforcement of the law. The great monopolies, who are law defying in their tendencies, must be compelled to obey the law. The law-defying elements that are moved by selfish motives alone, must be made to bend to the will of the people.—Lockwood (Mo.) Times.

Berlin, the capital of Germany, has solved the vexed sewage problem in a way that should commend itself to American cities, where we are away behind in the disposal of harmful and polluting refuse. The municipality of Berlin purchased thousands of acres of unproductive sand land near the city and fertilizing this with the sewage, raises big crops for the city’s benefit. Of course the plant is costly, but the proceeds of the farm repay all cost, besides a good profit.—The American Farmer.

The Citizen regrets very much the domestic infelicity which seems to exist under the roof of the Atlanta, Ga., News. It is unfortunate. Hon. John Temple Graves, as the Rome Tribune puts it, “is the Atlanta News.” We would not give a thrip of our finger for it without him. He is the life of it, and his brain and energy have made it. He has kept it free from furtherance of his political ambitions, and has made it these years the impartial commentator of men and affairs. The whole trouble is, no doubt, the result of corporate greed, and the desire on the part of certain influences to control its policy.—Dalton (Ga.) Citizen.

The next political campaign in this county will be more than interesting. Neither party has a “walkover” any longer. No candidate has a “cinch,” but those who win will have to work and satisfy the people. Moreover, our people are not going to vote for men they know to be bad, merely because nominated by their party. The object of our system of ballots is to give every voter a chance to exercise his individual opinion and our people, Democrats and Republicans, will do it.—Bloomfield (Mo.) Courier.

If there are 80,000 populists in Georgia, Clark Howell had just as well come out of the race, for his attack on Tom Watson is an attack on each of them, and the result will be that every one of them will vote with him. They follow him wherever he leads with that same spirit of loyalty exhibited by the grenadiers who followed the matchless Napoleon. It is a bad political move to disturb this sleeping lion, who is, perhaps, the matchless master of the Queen’s English in Georgia. His store of information seems inexhaustable, and his logic irresistible. True, regardless of his politics.—Marietta (Ga.) Courier.

Right, you are, neighbor. Watson’s reply to Howell on the Sibley letter was the hottest, the strongest, the most cutting and most biting political epistle that we have ever read.

Every word in it was as sharp as a two-edged sword and went as straight to the mark as a rifle ball.

We care but little what some writers say about us, but there are two people in Georgia, Mrs. Felton and Tom Watson, with whom we hope forever to keep on terms.

And Tom Watson is a man of convictions. He isn’t afraid of abuse when it comes to taking a stand for what he considers right.

Smart as he is, he sees through the political scheme being worked in Georgia to defeat Hoke Smith and he denounces it in no uncertain terms.

Listen to him: “If Hoke Smith succeeds, if the people will but realize that Hoke Smith is the only anti-ring candidate in the field, if they will but realize that the candidacies of Clark Howell, Jim Smith, Dick Russell, J. H. Estill, Jack Robinson, and Hiram-Fat-and-Go-Last all tend to the same object; if they will but realize that these different candidates are jumping-jacks which Hamp McWhorter has strung upon the same string, and that when Hamp strikes the string with the straw they all dance in the most diverting and uniform manner: if the people will but use their common sense and refuse to be divided, then Hoke Smith’s triumph is assured.”

Listen again to this patriotic paragraph: “And in my purpose there is a motive so dominant, and a plan so full of the promise of glorious results for Georgia and the South, that I shall not allow the rigid limits of party lines to tie my hands; but shall hold myself perfectly free to serve my people in the best way that circumstances allow, and as duty directs.”

And nobody will close Watson’s mouth. On that score he says: “One-horse politicians devoted to the ring need not think that their permission is necessary for me to advise with the people of Georgia. Their consent will not be asked. As a Georgian I have a right to be heard. My people came here when the Indians still roamed in the woods, and have been a part of Georgia ever since, serving her dutifully in the time of peace, fighting for her manfully in the time of war. There never lived a man who was more devoted than I to the best interests of my state and of the South. As a Southern man, I resent from the depth of my heart the political degradation into which our state has fallen, and I am going to do my level best to help Hoke Smith redeem it.”—Lawrenceville (Ga.) Gwinnett Journal.

The bankers want more “currency”—so did the farmers a few years ago. At that time it was a crazy scheme—today it is sound finance!—Penns Grove (N. J.) Record.

Senator Depew is reported to be in failing health, owing to the storm of criticism which has forced him from many places of honor, and which may lose him his Senate seat. And this is the witty Chauncey who was wont to laugh away opposition and carry his points so easily! “Great will be the fall thereof.”—Hogansville (Ga.) News.

We move to amend Secretary Shaw’s motion for an elastic currency by striking out elastic and substituting adhesive.—Republican City (Mo.) Ranger.

Secretary Shaw’s scheme for an elastic currency is to authorize the national banks to strike from their notes as now issued the words “secured by United States bonds deposited with the treasury of the United States,” and to issue 50 per cent more notes whenever the demand seems to exist. Thus, if the National City Bank of New York had issued all the notes it could against Government bonds, and a big stock gambler asked for a loan of $1,000,000, the bank would issue notes in that sum, charge him, say 10 per cent, retire the notes when the loan was paid, and pocket the interest in excess of the 6 per cent tax to the Government. Very nice arrangement that for the national banks. Little wonder that Wall Street takes kindly to the candidacy of Mr. Shaw for the presidency.—Rushville (Ill.) Times.

Let’s see: Does this country lead the civilized world in progress? Well, hardly, since every other civilized country on the face of the earth, with the exception of Honduras and Costa Rica, own and operate their own telegraph lines and give a far more satisfactory service to the public for a far less consideration than it costs the dear people in this country of progress, where corporations, have, by robbing the people, accumulated untold wealth with which they are enabled to evade such laws as prove obnoxious to them, and can buy law-makers and have odious laws repealed and new ones made, giving them all the powers they seek.—Cloverdale (Ind.) Graphic.

The Standard oil magnates have been again showing their contempt of law. Their attitude hatches more anarchists than all the Herr Most brand of incubators. The lawless rich and powerful are the real enemies of the republic.—Pennsboro (W. Va.) News.

The American agrees most heartily with Dr. Charles W. Eliot, president of Harvard University, when he says the great movement of the world is toward democracy. This is the natural result of an advancing civilization.

America overthrew the false doctrine of the divine right of kings to rule when she wrote the Declaration of Independence and declared that all men were born equal. Since then we have created by law a person as great, as arrogant and tyrannical as the king—the Public Corporation.

How can all men have an equal footing in law when we give special privileges to the corporate person and enable that person to levy tribute at will on the wealth of the nation?

How can all have equal rights, when the corporate person can spend millions of dollars to corrupt our city councils, our state legislatures, our Congress and our courts?

The movement against these legalized law-created individuals is the awakening of the spirit of democracy, and it means the eventual wiping out of these public service corporations which occupy relatively the same position in this country that the king does in a monarchy. It means that genuine democracy, the rule of the people, will supplant the rule of the corporation. It means the public ownership of all public utilities.—Creston (Ia.) Morning American.

Whatever is said of Tom Watson, no one will deny that he has convictions and the nerve to stand by them. He knows no party lines when it comes to fighting for the principles he has so long advocated, and that is the reason he is now supporting Hoke Smith.—Dalton (Ga.) Citizen.

The Philippine tariff is a characteristic act of the present régime. We first shot and beat the poor savages into submission. We then took away the market for their goods and compelled them to sell to, and buy of, us. We followed this with the Dingley tariff both coming and going. The fact that this was simple highway robbery did not shame us. At the point of a gun they are compelled to stand and deliver. The House has now passed a bill providing that we will stop robbing these “wards” of ours except the poor Sugar Trust and Tobacco Trust and they shall only continue their robbery until 1909. And do you know that some Republicans are actually claiming some credit for such a law as that?—Frankfort (Ind.) Crescent Standard.

The author of our “Washington Letter” slops over this week in fulsome praise of Paul Morton, who at one time admitted his long-continued violation of the anti-rebate law—a crime which no honorable man would commit under any circumstances. The Herald approves of no such condoning of crime on the part of any man from the President down to the lowest.—Waseca (Minn.) Herald.

Burton cares not who makes the laws of the country, provided he gets his salary and mileage.—Cumberland (Md.) Independent.

By stepping inside of the door of the Senate chamber so that the journal clerk could view him for half a minute, Senator Burton of Kansas was enabled to claim attendance on the 59th Congress and draw $1,000 mileage therefore. No, Senator Burton will not resign while he can draw his salary of $5,000 a year and mileage, even though his reputation does rest under a cloud. That cloud has a silver lining.—Alva (Okla.) Renfrews Record.

A few years ago there was considerable riot in the subsidized press about the “disgrace” that had been heaped upon Kansas by the “Pops.” All manner of fun was poked at Peffer’s whiskers—but he was never sent to jail. This country had a good deal of fun over “Sockless Jerry,” but he was never accused of working any get-rich-quick concern. No “Pop” state officer has ever involved the state in such a scandal as has been hanging over the state treasury for the last three years. The “Pop” state secretary never loaded the state school fund up with a batch of worthless bonds. Honest now, how much has the reputation of Kansas been improved by the crowd that “redeemed it from Populism.”—Mankato (Kan.) Advocate.

It is an honor, not a crime, to hold a public office. It is a proper reward for activity in politics, but he who accepts an office should never forget that the moment he enters upon the discharge of his duties he becomes then an officer for all the people, not only those who voted for his election, but those who opposed it.—Indianola (Miss.) Enterprise.

As an evidence of the wide extent of the reform sentiment among Oregon voters of today, one has but to notice how anxiously eager the would-be candidates for Congress are to get into the reform band-wagon. At least two of the Republican aspirants are old-time ring politicians and probably care but little for most of the reforms demanded by the people further than to ride into office on the reform wave. But reform is in the air, gentlemen, and if you keep in the swim you will have to join the throng, and be honest about it, too.—Scio (Oregon) Santian News.

H. H. Rogers of the Standard Oil Company the concrete expression of the rank insolence of a hundred millions of ill-gotten wealth.—Rush Springs (I. T.) Landmark.

All cities which have adopted municipal ownership of their lighting plant are glad they did it, and would not think of going back to private ownership. Why should Grand Island be a back number in the progress of the world?—Grand Island (Neb.) Democrat.