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WILLIAfl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Vol. 2. No. i.
Lincoln, Nebraska, January 24, 1902.
$1.00 a Year
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The
" Drifting Toward Royalty.
, The appointment of special envoys to represent
the. United States government at the coronation of
King Edward indicates a weakening of American
sentiment and a .lowering of American k ideals,
purely, our ambassador at the Court of St. James
can give expression to all the interest which
Americans feel' in the crowning of England's sov
ereign. Do the emperors of the old world send
distinguished personages to dance attendance upon
our president when he assumes the duties im
posed upon him by the suffrages of his country
men? Why, then, should American representa
tives hang around a throne and pay homage to
one who rules, not by the voice of the people or
because of personal merit, but because he is the
eldest son of one who in turn inherited the priv
ilege of exercising authority? It takes genera
tions to cultivate the courtier's bow and the wor
shipful mien, and our envoys are apt to excite the
derision that is expressed toward those who show
the fawning spirit, but fawn awkwardly. King
Edward ought to make the most of this evidence
of the decadence of the American spirit for the
demonstration may not be repeated. He should
announce that the proud heir of George III. ac
cepts with pleasure the respectful adoration of the
repentant descendants of George Washington. A
dispatch from the national capital says:
In diplomatic circles considerable surprise is
manifested at the unusual interest taken by
this country in the coronation. This govern-.
mem, i lg.ppiupea out, is setuus .a uuuseruua?
precedent. Similar action must be taken on
like occasions throughout Europe, else of
fense will Le given.
Another suggestion is to the effect that inas
much as Great Britain is at war with two re
publics, the sending of a special embassy to
London at this time amounts practically to an
approval of Great Britain's course in South
Africa.
It must be remembered that there are many
Icings in Europe and we cannot well discriminate.
We cannot afford to show special interest in one
king and indifference toward others, and we can
still less afford to show more interest in the in
auguration of an imperial reign than the crowned
heads show in the presidential succession. But in
addition to the general and fundamental objec
tions to the special attention shown in this case, it
must bo remembered that our conspicuous ob
servance of the coronation will be regarded every
where as evidence that we are in hearty sympathy
with England's cruel war against the South Afri
can republics. To be silent when we should express
sympathy with the Boers is bad enough, but to
show in an ostentatious way our approval of Eng
land's course is infinitely worse. From sending a
ship for Kossuth to sending special representa
tives to attend a.king's coronation what -a fall!
jfJJ
Look at Texas.
Recently the Chicago Tribune had an editorial
with relation to the enforcement of the anti-trust
law in Texas. In this editorial the Tribune claimed
that "some foreign capital has been withdrawn
from the state."
Fulton Williams, a resident of Houston, writes
to the Tribune to say that foreign capital has not
been withdrawn from Texas. Mr. Williams ex
plains that the two companies against whom the
anti-trust law was originally enforced are still In
business in "the Lone Star state, having- complied
. .
with the law and judgment of tho courts,.and that
these companies Intend to remain there.
Mr. Williams explains:
Our anti-trust law seems to be better than
tho average, but no corporation or individual
need have fear of the results if they choose to
invest their money in Texas. In this case they
were caught "dead to rights" and there was no
alternative but to walk up and settle. It is a
source of much gratification to the citizens of
this state that wo have such laws and officials
who have the moral courage to enforce them.
Texas is all right. If you don't believe it, come
down and we "will show you."
The threat that capital will be withdrawn sim
ply because corporations are required to comply
with the law is an old one and it Is strange that
it will have any effect upon intelligent men. That
threat has beeen used to prevent legislation sought
to be enacted in the public interests. It has been
employed in the effort to deter public officials from
enforcing wholesome laws and too often tho threat
has succeeded.
But in Texas they have a trust law and they
have officials who are not afraid to enforce that
law. . As a result public interests are well served
and corporations, finding that it is useless for
them to defy authority and violate the laws of
Texas, content themselves with doing business In
a lawful manner in one of the greatest and. best of
the union of states.
The Second Year.
.With thiidsu;vTliComraoner.enteraHUPon,
the" second year of its existence. The first Sub
scription was received on the day following the
announcement of my purpose to establish the
paper, and every week since has shown an in
crease in the number of paid subscriptions.
For the first three months the paper con
tained only eight pages, but four more pages a
50 per cent increase were added when advertis
ing was accepted. The advertising has been lim
ited, first, because I have rejected some kinds of
advertising as unfit for a family paper; second,
because I have not cared to advertise trust-made
goods and with the growth of trusts this class
amounts to more and more. While the exclusion of
trust advertisements reduces the revenues of the
paper I can discuss the trust question without hav
ing to consider the effect of the editorial on my
income; third, because many of the large adver
tisers are so prejudiced against democratic prin
ciples that they will not "encourage" a paper es
tablished solely for the defense of those principles.
The readers of the paper can increase the ad
vertising patronage by mentioning the paper 'in
corresponding with advertisers. No advertising
matter is accepted ur'U investigation is made as
to the responsibility of the advertiser, and sub
scribers are asked to notify me if any advertiser at
tempts fraud or deception.
Some disappointment was expressed at first
because The Commoner did not devote more space
to general news, but the readers now understand
that it is not my purpose to duplicate the work of
the news weeklies, made up .from the columns of
the great dailies, or to take the place of the local
papers, but rather to present a weekly summary
and discussion cf the important events which have
national significance.
I fully recognize the work done by the coun-
, try weeklies and am- so anxious to strengthen them
and increase their influence that I' have lost no
opportunity to commend and oncourago them.
Tho Weekly Press Forum, containing extracts se
lected from nearly four thousand exchanges, not
only gives wide circulation to tho editorials quoted,
but enables tho country editors to know what Is
being said in other parts of the country.
In answer to the suggestion that The Com
moner should enter into competition with illus
trated papers like Harper's Weekly and Collier's
Weekly, it Is sufficient to say that these papers
cost considerably more and I prefer to publish a
paper within the reach of those in whose Interests
it is edited. Those who seek news and news only
can find it anywhere, but those who are studying
public questions from a democratic standpoint
will find few if any papers that devote as much
space to the discussion of these subjects.
The first year has been a success, and with tho
opening of the congressional campaign the interest
in national politics should increase. Recognizing
that conversions are made more by arguments be
tween neighbors than by editorials or speeches, it
will be my constant aim to fortify tho readers
with facts and reasons that can be used in these
local discussions. The position of tho opposition
will be candidly stated and fairly met and I shall
be grateful to any one who will point out an error
either in fact or m logic. The Commoner believes
in making an open fight for honest principles and
t appeals to the conscience and judgment rather
than to the prejudice of its readers. The paper will
be published as long as the receipts are sufficient
.v. toj coyer, the cost ..ofpublico tionbutetthe Jnfluence
of the paper will depend largely upon the efforts
made by subscribers to extend its circulation. If
you think the paper useful, tell your neighbors
about it. The subscription price is small compared
with the amount wasted on things that are neither
helpful nor of permanent enjoyment. It can hard
ly be said by any one that he cannot afford to sub
scribe, and no one gives that excuse who is pleased
with the work that the paper is trying to do. I
acknowledge anew my obligation to those who
hava given their cordial support to the enterprise
and trust that the paper may continue to com
mend itself to democrats who believe in the "Kan-,
sas City platform, to. our allies in other reform
parties, and to liberal-minded republicans.
JJJ
Observing Jackson's Day.
Mr. Cleveland was Invited to address a gath
ering of democratic lawyers In Philadelphia on
Jackson's Day. In expressing regret at his inabil
ity to be present, Mr. Cleveland wrote:
I am glad to know that there are at least
thirty young democrats in Philadelphia who
are unwilling to allow Jackson's Day to pass
without recognition. The inclination to neglect
observance of a day that has been so long and
so strongly related to genuine democratic
sentiments may reasonably, I think, be counted
among the afflictive visitations that have late
ly weakened and depressed our party organiza
tion. I hope the spirit of true Jacksonian
democracy may pervade your celebration and
that its participants may derive satisfaction
and stimulation from their efforts to revive
and strengthen the principles and practices
of our old-time, honest, consistent and aggres
sive democratic faith.
Simply because Mr. Cleveland and some of his
political associa'js have in recent years neglected
the observance of the day "that has been so long
and so strongly related tc genuine democratic
sentiments," he seems to imagine thatethere Is a
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