Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-04
Do the People Rule?

peOple do rule. Mr.. laIt kHoWo Aaoi
his efforts to secure the removal OF the
duties on Philippine sugar and tobac
co ION which he has reversed himsei:
since becoming acandidate, the tobac-
co and sugar trusts being favorlte con-
tributors to republican campaign funds)
that the people do not rule. And sher-
man knows it, for as member OF the
house he has contributed to defeat the
ponular demand for tariff revision
downward because it would have brok-
en- faith with the tariff sheltered con-
tributors to the party funds;
Alfred Henry Lewis. writing in the
Broadway magazine, and touching the
subject of corporate campaign contrl-
buttons, says that government is not
run by the public, but by the party.
The party is not run by the voters so
much as by the campaign contrlbu-
tors Mr.. Lewis proceeds with cita-
tions from recent legislative history,
and in every line of what he has writ
ten is disproof of Taft's and Sherman's
declaration that the people do rule.
Says Mr.. Lewis:
In 1892 the public elected president
and a congress upon an issue OF tariff.
The public wanted the Mckinley bill
repealed. An extra session was called.
To consider tariff? No; finance. The
banks asked the repeal of silver. The
banks had filled the party treasury
chest. The public had merely furnished
the votes.
In 1896 the public elected president
and congress upon an issue OF finance.
An extra session was called. To con-
slider finance? No; tariff. The PRO
tected'' industries asked certain tariff
changes uhat might be relied upon to
affix another cipher to their bank bal
ance. The protected" industries had
filled the SO, 600, 900 treasury chest for
that campaign. The public, as usual,
had only furnished the votes.
Or, take another cases this in the
early COS. The public skies were fair,
and never cloud in sight The banks
wanted bond issue several bond is
I sue Bonds, national bonds, are IA
yored of the gods. They are not taxed.
yhey draw per cent. You can base
q bank on them, and reissue their face
as national bank notes. What better
should a needy capitalist desire? The
banks, or rather coterie of important
bankers the same thing were sorely
in need Of bond issue. The gold re-
servelwas pumped all but dry. A cry
went up: THE ship Of. state il sink:
- DcrSC ISSUES We're thrown
0verboard ito tighten ship" They
went overheard at prices ranging from
1893 to 10. They were worth l19
The whole bundle jettisoned came
roundly to 5000, 100000 The bank ring
that got them made-if that be the
word over $50, 600, 900. The members
of that bank ring had been most earn
est campaign contributors.
AS for what protection, in the mat
ter of intent industry, can do and ha.
done, the name Carnegie suggests /;
concrete example. Forty years agt
Mr.. Carnegie invests $24O, 600 in stee
and iron. Then he calls himself al
Infant Industry" and goes to Wash
ington seeking ..''protection. He is
instantly protected" by means of {
tariff high board fence, which com
placent congress throws about him
Mr.. Carnegie, through his companies
had been and was consistent, nay /
tireless campaign contributor. Was ,
president and congress, for whose ele
walton he has shed his dollars Xix,
water, to refuse to buckler him tariff
wise against foreign foe? No; for tn,
credit of political human nature No
He was and is protected" and now
by word of MIR. Prick who ought u
know his annual income is $25, 900, 600
What is said of Mr. Carnegie, may will
some slight shift Of figures be said Of
Mr.. Rockefeller, Mr.. Morgan, Mr.. Ry
an, Mr.. Armour and protected" hun
dreds more.
Western republicans scowl and speal
our scornful American minds when WI
read of the majestic wages paid tn,
kings of Europe. We point to our owI
Spartan salary of $50, 600 to president
And yet, Mr.. Carnegie of oul
several real rulers-has an income
greater by far than the aggregate sal
aries of King Edward and all the mon
archs of Europe, if you except the car
By what right do they sway an Ameri
can scepter, and wear an American
crown? By right of the campaign con
tribution. Every party has its Battle
Abbey. There it keeps the noble rolls
of its campaign contributions. On it:
treasure box is painted in large gill
letters. In hoe signo vinces. Among
those Campaign contributors, whose
names appear on the party rolls of Bat
tie abbey, is parceled out the rich ad
vantages of conquest. One gets ships
to build, another gets a contract anc
another subsidy. All are granted
something, be it protection, specia
privilege, immunity, or what you will
Nor can it be ignored that campaign
contributors, contributing not alone tt
national campaigns, but to wars of poll
tics in state and city, claim as their re
ward the right to pick senators ane