5
6
.
A few weeks ago The Commoner published
ar. article written by Mrs. Merriweather for a St.
Louis paper, giving Wycliffe credit for originating
the phrase government "of the people, by the peo
ple and for the people." , In that article it was
stated incidentally that Wycliffe made the first
complete translation of the Bible. A reader of
.The Commoner takes exceptions to the latter
statement, and says that the first complete transla
tion of the Bible was made by the Benedictine
Monks. I leave this question of fact to be deter
mined by those who are interested in it, merely
presenting the statement on both sides.
If the Hon. Henry Watterson intends to run
for president on the democratic ticket for the pur
pose of "harmonizing" the forces, he would better
communicate with the editor of The Democrat of
Albion, Ind. That paper says that Mr. Watterson
"is about as much of a democrat as Boss Piatt of
New York," and that he has "no more right to be
the democratic candidate for president than Matt
Quay of Pennsylvania." Either Mr. Watterson's
friends are mistaken about his politics, or the edi
tor of the Albion Democrat is grossly in error.
These differences ought to be "harmonized" be
fo the campaign opens.
Subscribers " are constantly making sugges
tions in regard to the extension of the paper's in
fluence. One urges that some plan be adopted for
"the universal circulation of The Commoner" in
order that the democratic voters everywhere may
bo kept informed on political questions. The
business manager of the paper is willing to use
every legitimate means to enlarge the subscrip
tion list, but f he' must depend largely upon the
friendly activity' of the readers. Mr. Bryan is not
willing to resort to the lottery plan or to any other
questionable means. A newspaper ought to be sup
ported because of its merits and if ' It does not
commend itself to the reading public it has no
reason for existence.
.
One of the readers of The Commoner living at
Port Townsend, Wash., writes that on the flrst day
of October, 1900, he purchased in San Francisco ten
tons of salt, such as is used in 'curing hides, and
paid $3.25 per ton, that being the regular price
when purchases were made in that1 quantity. A
year later, October, 1901, he bought the same kind
of salt in the same quantity at the same place
and paid $14.50 per ton, and yet there are repub
licans 'who think that the salt trust is a private
affair and a matter of no concern to the public.
How long will the producing masses and the small
merchants submit to the highway robbery prac
ticed by private monopolies under the protection
of the republican party?
A reader of The Commoner asks why the news
papers do not say as much against our war in the
Philippines as against the English war in South
Africa against the Boers. The fact Is that nearly
all the papers that oppose England's policy in
South Africa also oppose a.war of conquest in the
Philippines. The republican papers that support
the administration's policy of imperialism are in a
position where their readers would recognize the
Inconsistency if the papers had mucn to say In
favor of the Boers. This is one of the disastrous
results of imperialism. If it does not paralyze
the conscience of the American people it prevents
them from expressing sympathy with any people
who are fighting for liberty.
"Enybody kin whip a elefant when thair alnt
no elefants around," remarked Josh Billings. The
remark has a deep significance to all
who study it closely. Men who de
nounce governmental abuses for polit
ical effect, and then make no effort to
reform those abuses when opportun
ity affords are men who boast that they can whip
The Commoner.
elephants when there arc no elephants around.
To stand up and argue for governmental control
of trusts amidst the plaudits of a great crowd, and
then assume responsibility and refuse or neglect
to carry out the ideas expressed in public ad
dresses, Is a species of elephant fighting in which
the elephant is conspicuous by its absence. When
the elephant is present there is no sign of strife.
&&A
Krujjer's
rphecy
ulfil!cd.
It is not difficult to obtain today in London
testimony from loyal Englishmen that the proph
ecy of President Kruger has already
been fulfilled. Mr. Kruger said that if
England conquered the Boers, it would
be at "a price that would stagger hu
manity." The British taxpayer is al
ready staggering under the load. The English
rran's conception of morality is already revolting
at the barbarous methods practiced upon the help
less wives and children of the Boer patriots, while
the "dignity, honor and standing of Great Britain
before the civilized nations of the earth is serious
ly threatened.
"Let well enough alone" was the campaign
slogan given out by Mr. Hanna, and it was taken
up and echoed and re-echoed by re
Time Now publicans everywhere. And nowhere
for - was it shouted louder than in Iowa?
Consideration. The majority for "let well enough
alone'' in Iowa was nearly 100,000, but
the men who gave the slogan to the party refuse
to abide by it. Within ten days after the election
the managers of the glucose trust in Chicago or
dered the closing down of the glucose works at
Marshalltown, la., throwing 300 men out of em
ployment just as winter is coming on. Now that
these 300 men are idle it would be interesting to
know what they think about the "let well enough
alone" campaign slogan,
'Veterans of the civil war .will learn' with' 're-i
gret of the death of Mother Fickerdyke. She was
one of the most famous nurses during
that war, and she was known In al
most every camp and hospital. Before
her officialism trembled, and red tape
was cut with a speed that fairly dazed
its manufacturers. When she wanted something
for "the boys" she got it by hook or by crook, and
many is the man -who owes his life to the kindly
ministrations of Mother Bickerdye. It Is related
of her that she gave attention to blue and gray
alike. Her tongue was as sharp as her hands and
heart were tender. The work this little woman
performed for four weary years was almost In
credible. She died at her home in Bunker Hill.
Kas., a few .days ago, and in every community In
all this broad land there are hearts that mourn
her death.
Death of
Mother
Bickerdykc.
v
Fighting
the
Elephant.
There are deep, dark hints afloat to the effect
that another bitter fight is to be precipitated over
the New York customs collectorshlp.
The Port That fat office has been a source of
of great trouble to every new president,"
New York. and to it is attributed the most bitter
political fued ever precipitated within
a party's ranks in the state of New York. It was
over the office of collector of the port of New
York that Piatt and Conkling made their bitter
fight upon Garficlri. Conkling insisted upon the
appointment of a friend, and Garfield appointed
another man. Conkling fought It out in the senate
and was defeated. In anger and disgust he re
signed the senatorshlp, and his colleague, Senator
Piatt, followed his example. The struggle be
tween the "stalwart" and "half-breed" factions
of the republican party in New York state, follow
ing the resignations of Conkling and Piatt, is his
toric, and there are thousands who believe that in
the bitterness of this struggle was born the In
sane desire of Guiteau to assassinate Garfield.
'A reader of The Commoner asks for a word on
tho value of influence. Influence maybe (divided
Into two kinds, good and bad, and nil
The Value know that both are potent. When wo
ef keep our children out of bad cora-
infuence. pany wo recognize that evil associa
tions exert a corrupting Influence upon
all who submit themselves to such associations.
Wo may not emphasize as much as we should the
value of good influence, but wo havo scripture as
well as observation to support the doctrino that
there is nothing more powerful than tho Influence
of an upright life. "Lot your light so shino be
fore men that they may see your good works, etc.,"
is proof of tho good that can bo done by
example. Wo should be as careful to give others
the benefit of a good influence as to secure a ben
efit from theirs. Tho Hfo of each person is so in
terwoven with the life of others that no one can be
sure that any act will bo without an influence,
hence the importance of striving to make that In
fluence helpful.
The free coinage of silver would not flood this
country with the white metal because the only
silver that could come here would be
That Flood silver coin or silver bullion. Coin is
of worth more in Europe than it would
silver. be worth hero and therefore would
not come. For instance, Franco has
about as much silver as we have, and it circulates
at the ratio of 15 to 1, while our silver circulates
at the ratio of 16 to 1. French silver would,
therefore, lose three cents on the dollar if it was
brought hero, and the same is true of almost all of
the coined silver of the world. There is very little
bullion silver, and the moment our mints were
opened it could be brought here, and because it
could be brought here it would bo worth abroad
tho American price less the cost of transportation,
and as it could be exchanged at that price there
would be no necessity of its being brought here.
The chances are that very little of It would come.
Europe and Asia do not produce as much silver
ae they use every year. The United States and
C'ontral and South America produce almost all of
the silver, and we would export silver from the
western hemisphere, even under free and unlimited
coinage. Many people have been frightened about
the flooding of this country with silver, but there
has never been any danger of the flood and is not
now. The above is in answer to the inquiry of
a subscriber.
A reader of The Commoner asks what was the
object of those who precipitated the panic of 1893.
The panic of that year was not brought
The Cause on intentionally; that is, those who
of the were responsible for it did not Intend
Panic.- that the scare should go so far as It
did. When Mr. Cleveland was elected
the financiers at once demanded the unconditional
repeal of the Sherman law. There is no positive
proof that an understanding existed Between the
financi. 3 and Mr. Cleveland prior to the election,
but subsequent things strongly point to such an,
agreement. In order to force members, of congress
tc support the repeal bill, the financiers curtailed
loans, drew in money and talked of the possibility
of a panic. The result was that the pressure went
further than they intended to carry it, and they
were powerless to stop the movement that they
were largely responsible for starting. The panic
came at a time when tho bankers held notes se
cured by property which was falling in value, and
in many cases the fall in prices extinguished the
luargin. between the banks' assets and Its liabili
ties. The financiers are now engaged in doing
much as they were doing prior to the panic of '93.
They flrst demanded that the treasury notes be de
clared redeemable in gold and then they demanded
their retirement. Now they are demanding that
the silver dollar be made redeemable in i)ld and
they will next demand its retirement. Whether
they will carry their present demand as far as they
did their former one remains to be seen,
'v
