EDITORIALS
Hon. Jonathan Bourne'anD the Oregon System SENATOR BOURNE of Oregon delivered a speech in the United States Senate (May 5) which should be read by every voter in the country. It presents with...
...Read it...
...The System Much Relieved UPON the passage of the Postal Bank Bill, Standard Oil's National City Bank, the head of the System's financial institution of Wall Street, in its July Circular, delivered itself as follows: "In attempting to establish a Central Bank, one of the first and most difficult problems to be solved would be that of providing for the national bank notes now outstanding...
...Tul your friends about them...
...It is held by administration officials that the postal savings banks will afford one such means of relief, and that fact was one of the reasons why President Taft favored the law...
...but a progressive...
...She has a plan to compel representative government...
...It is a sordid reason—one that is not pleasant to tell about...
...by Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas in the South...
...But for the work of the Progressive Republicans and the cooperation of the Democrats, it is obvious, little or no progress would have been made in legislation desired by the people...
...He will also suggest remedies...
...And where any legislator persists in misrepresenting public interest he can be turned out of office under the recall...
...When the bill finally passed, we showed how successfully this was done...
...The Washington Lobby SENATOR CHAUNCEY M. DEP3W, at a dinner given in celebration of his birthday on April 23, deprecated the "growing distrust of the representatives of the people in Congress...
...The practical and successful operation of any System discounts argument and silences objection, Oregon has not abandoned representative government...
...because the men who are supposed to represent your interests in Congress are responsible for it...
...Consul Albert Halstead reports that the profits on the gas, street railway, and electric supply departments of the city for the year ending March 31, 1910, aggregated $562,845...
...I feel a strong impulse to express my earnest approval of the resolute efforts made by the Progressive Republicans led by Senators La Follette, Cummins, Dolliver, Clapp, Bristow, Beveridge and other progressive colleagues of the Senate and by Norria and Ms progressive colleagues in the House...
...Senator Owen is a Democrat...
...Every paper that enters the field, free from commercial control and excellent enough to command a following, helps to bring about the downfall of the subsidized and controlled press...
...The Boston Common is a weekly newspaper...
...For instance, in 1875, the average net price per thousand eubic feet was 74 Ms cents...
...Other magazines, too, have taken up the discussion of the evil of the commercialized newspapers...
...It is not anticipated, of course, that the postal savings bank would be able in any short time to take care of a large proportion of these 2 per cents...
...Under this law, it is made absolutely impossible for any man to buy his way to official position...
...If the circulation privilege were to be taken from these bonds they would fall at once to a point which would entail a tremendous loss upon the banks which hold them...
...Now listen to Senator Gore...
...And people everywhere are coming to understand that the subsidized press is a dangerous foe to popular government...
...By purchasing these bonds from national banks for account of the postal savings system corresponding national bank circulation would be retired and the way would be paved for the issue of that amount of notes by the new Central Bank...
...Yours respectfully, R. L. Owen...
...No editorial review can do justice to this address...
...But if that vast deficit is ever to be changed into a surplus, you and your neighbors must know the facts...
...Not the kind of Democrat who votes as Aldrich commands...
...while Special Interests are making off with their rights by the back door route...
...Walker is Washmgt correspondent of the Newark News...
...On Jcne 24—just two months later—he charged on the floor of the Senate that he had been offered $50,000 to support a certain bill...
...La Follette's Magazine, Madison, Wisconsin, * * * The Boston Common LA FOLLETTE'S has paid considerable attention to the controlled newspapers...
...It means the end of corrupt government and that in future, party division will be really alonij the dividing lines of actual principle and without the corrupting influence of the special interests...
...Senator Owen gives the credit to the Progressive Republicans, in cooperation with the Democrats, for the progressive legislation enacted at the last session of Congress...
...The injustice of such action will certainly prevent its being taken, and unless a means of relief is provided it may be safely assumed that nothing will be done...
...In case the legislature refuses to enact a measure demanded by the people they can enact it for themselves through the initiative...
...Long life and large influence to The Boston Common...
...Every citizen who would make government more truly representative of public interest will find this address worthy of study and reflection...
...But in any case where legislation is enacted against the public interest the people can demand the reference of such legislation directly to them for adoption or repeal...
...Senator Owen's letter follows: UNITED STATES SENATE washington, d. c. June SO, 1910...
...One William Scully, a British landlord, has sent his purse to America and captured many thousands of acres of the richest...
...And American citizens living on those acres pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to their British landlord for the privilege of cultivating the American soil on which they and their children were born...
...It is good that the people have a few sentinels in Washington who refuse to shout "All's well...
...Livy S. Richard, who has already been mentioned in La Follette's as the editor of the Rochester Times who resigned his position rather than lend his support to Boss Aldridoe in his campaign for Congress, is editor...
...It promises a glorious future for the Republic...
...During the consideration of the postal bank bill in Congress La Follette's pointed to the efforts of the System to take care of Wall Street...
...He places the Progressive Republicans first because h e recognizes that without their successful fight against the "jokers" and vicious provisions placed in important bills by members of the Cabinet and by System Senators, nothing would have been gained for the people...
...The offer came from a lobbyist...
...He attributed this to newspaper and magazine literature which "casts doubt upon and arouses suspicion of the actions and methods of successive Congresses...
...Meanwhile the cost of service has been lowered...
...Back of all, Oregon has a Corrupt Practices Act that really means something...
...E. Fehrnstrom in "The Public...
...There is a reason for it...
...Where Credit is Due WE RECEIVED a letter, the other day, from Senator Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma...
...The net profits earned by the city's public utilities are used to reduce the taxes...
...There is need of more publications of its character...
...He is assisted by writers whose names are familiar the country over...
...Since the publication last year of the fearless series of articles on "The Making of Public Opinion," by William Kittle, we have given to our readers many instances of the perversion and distortion of news in the interest of special privilege...
...He has given parti ;,iar attention to postoffice affairs, and writes plainly about thc-y.u You will find his articles interesting and enlightening...
...They pay greater tribute than King George expected to exact by the sword in the days of 1776-—V...
...There are no interests there seeking to influence Senators and Members...
...Our Postal Deficit EVERY year our postoffice department is conducted at an enormous loss...
...No person can subscribe for less than $100 or more than $1,000 of stock...
...This is a matter that concerns you...
...It is backed, by an organization of 139 citizens who have furnished the capital on the basis of one vote each in the affairs of the company regardless of the amount of stock held...
...Only a few weeks ago we printed three strong articles on this subject from the pen of Charles Edward Russell...
...But it might gradually accomplish a great deal in that direction, and ultimately become the bridge by which the crossing from a bond secured national bank currency to notes of the Cenral Bank of issue could be effected...
...Read it again, and then pass it on to your neighbor...
...It presents with simplicity, clearness, and power the experience of Oregon under the Direct Primary, the Initiative, the Referendum, the Recall, and a most effective Corrupt Practices Act...
...In his remarkable speech Senator Bourne has marshalled the facts regarding the experience of Oregon under this progressive legislation...
...The primary purpose "is public service, and to secure for this publication absolute freedom from partisanship, sectarianism, prejudice and the control and muzzling'of 'influence.'" Eleven numbers have appeared...
...And he declared: "There is no lobby at Washington...
...Where Municipal Ownership Pays MUNICIPAL ownership of public utilities in Birmingham, England, is proving to be a very profitable undertaking for the people of that city...
...Dear Sir: The 2nd Session of the 61st Congress has adjourned...
...Because it is a contribution to the cause of popular government La Follette's will within the next week send a pamphlet copy of Senator Bourne's speech to each of its subscribers...
...It comes directly home to every citizen of the United States who has to dig down in his pocket to pay his share of that seventeen-million-dollar loss...
...The profit is regarded as net only after sufficient sums have been set aside for depreciation, reserve, and repayment of capital borrowed...
...And in this connection, note the assurance with which the Standard Oil bank refers to the coming of "the new Central Bank...
...Now we are given verification of this direct from headquarters...
...I especially congratulate Jonathan Bourne on his great speech on "Popular Government," explaining the demonstrated success of the Oregon system...
...If public opinion forces the express companies, the railroads, and the telegraph companies to loosen their grasp upon the activities of Congress, it will not be long before the mails will be giving the people efficient and adequate service— on a business instead of on a political basis—and "that postal deficit" will then be a matter of history...
...Last year this deficit was more than $17,000,000...
...In 1909 it was 47 cents, and yet in 1909 the gas department earned for the people a profit of $352,781...
...It is a very interesting thing to see the Initiative and Referendum being adopted by such States as Oregon, Montana, South Dakota and Maine in the North...
...Others will appear during :.e course of the year...
...This is the way in which it may be done: The new law authorizes the investment of postal savings funds in the 2 per cent, bonds...
...Herman B. Walker will tell the readers of La Follette's the truth about this deficit and the reasons for it...
...In order to make satisfactory provision for them some means must be found for taking care of the $685,000,000 of 2 per cent, bonds now pledged by the national banks as security for circulation and public deposits...
...We are glad to welcome The Boston Common...
...For this reason, the establishment of The Boston Common is of especial interest and importance not only to New England but to the whole country as well...
...He has said recently that in the event of the attempt to establish a Central Bank of issue the postal banks may become an engine of material assistance in the solution of the problem...
...His first article is printed on another page of this magazine...
...lands in the state of Illinois...
...Her voters continue to elect senators and assemblymen to represent them in the legislature...
...They are bright, interesting, attractive issues, and reflect editorial ability of a high order...
...The purse is mightier than the sword...
...She nominates all candidates under a direct primary...
...It is a demonstration of the ability of the people to govern themselves...
Vol. 2 • July 1910 • No. 28
