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Commoner.
The
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WILLIAfl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Vol. 3. No. 37.
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 24, 1903.
Whole No. 131.
A College Education.
While The Commoner is published merely lor
the discussion of political, economic and sociologi
cal questions from a democratic standpoint, it la
interested in all that is helpful and uplifting, and
it has occurred to the publisher that it might be
possible for the paper to both stimulate its young
men readers to desire a college education, and at
the same time enable them to secure it
No young man can afford to begin life with
less than the Lest equipment that is within his
reach. As a wood-chopper can well afford to take
the time necessary to sharpen his ax, and the
carpenter his tools, so the man who intends to
make the most of his life can afford to devoto
to education all the time required. With univer
sities in every state and private colleges scattered
throughout the country, no young man can have
an excuse for growing' up in ignorance or with
out cplleglato instruction. No one can plead
poverty of himself orjlamily as an excuse because
at every institution will be found young men who
are making their own way without any outside
aid whatever.
The Commoner ascertained the cost of tuition,
cost of room rent, board, fire and lighting (these
are the necessary expenses 'Of college life) from a
number of colleges, and is able to make an offer
to readers of The Commoner that should interest
any young man or young woman who desires to
secure a college-education.
There is not an ambitious boy or girl reader
of The Commoner who cannot earn the money for
a college course. The money can be earned this
summer for next winter's course, and during each
summer for the succeeuing winter until the course
is completed.
This offer is open to girls as well as boys, but
it is emphasized in the case of boys because many
parents prefer to send their daughters to a board
ing school, and boarding schools are usually more
expensive than the schools of day pupils.
The publisher will be gratified if this offer
serves as an inducement to a large number of
young men and young women to enter college.
Every one interested in the reforms which The
Commoner advocates should bo anxious that
those who belieye in those reforms shall enter
the contest of life under the most favorable cir
cumstances and with the be3t preparation for
great usefulness and influence. Further details
will be given on application,
A Great Civil Service Reformer
In its annual report the executive committee
of the National Civil Service Reform league said:
"In its last annuaL report the committee
criticised the appointment of James S. Clark
son, notorious ls a spoilsman, as surveyor of
the port of New York. Erento during the
past year have served to show the justness
Af this criticism. Mr. Clarkson has been re
ported by the press as a frequent absentee
from his office, engaged in political work in
other parts of the country; his department has
once been the subject of Investigation b the
civil service commission, while in the only
two important appointments ho has made
those of deputy surveyors he has requested,
and through his insistence has received ih
one case by the order of President Roosevelt
permission to ignore the rules governing pro
motions in the New York f custom house." "
This Is a severe arraignment of Mr. Roose
velt, who for so many years prior to becoming
president, claimed to be devoted to the principles
of the civil service.
The appointment of Mr. Payne to bo post
master general was in keeping with the appoint
ment of Mr. Clarkson. Mr. Roosevelt had the op
portunity to learn that Mr. Payne's record was
that ,of a spoilsman, and when the newspapers
directed public attention to Mr. Fayno's record,
thero were many who did not bollovo that Mr.
Roosevelt would repudiate all his old-time pro
fessions concerning the merit system by appoint
ing Mr. Payne to tho head of the postolllce de
partment. Just as tho civil service commission finds rea
son to confirm its question as to tho wisdom of
Mr. Clarkson's appolntmeut, so men generally
have already obtained demonstrations of tho fact
that Mr. Payne should not have been appointed
by a man who professed, as Mr. Roosevelt did,
ardent devotion o tho principles of tho civil
service.
Commenting upon the report made by tho
-executive committee of tho National Civil Service
Reform league, tho Indianapolis News, a newspa-r
per that may usually bo depended upon to sup
port republican tickets, say?: "Of course, there
is nothing surprising in all this it cannot oven
be called a matter of news. But it is well to
have this censure of the president and his ap
pointee from so authoritativo a source. No ono
imagined that Mr. Roosovolt was thinking of fit
ness when ho made tho Clarkson appointment
No ono for a moment thought that Mr. Clarkson
would obey the civil sorvico law except as ho was
compelled to do so. There seem to have been two
reasons for his selection. It is said that tho
president wished to oblige Senator Allison who,
it was reported at tho tlmo, felt that he ought to .
'take care' of Clarkson. Tho other reason was tho
desire to enlist on behalf of tho president, Clark
son's supposed influence with southern republi
cans. So there is a sort of fitness in the ap
pointment after all not a ntness from tho civil
-aervlcererdYiner's point ot,view, but a real fitness
none tho less. Clarkson was abundantly qualified,
not for tho work of the office to which he was ap
pointed, but for tho work which bo was expected
to do outside of the office. And ho seems to have
been doing that work."
MEN ARE NEEDED.
Under this title tho Columbus (0.) Press has an
editorial calling attention to tho importance of
nominating strong, clean men for tho legislature
in Ohio. Tho Press is right' Only men of in
tegrity and good standing should bo selected as
democratic candidates for the legislature. This is
especially necessary in Ohio with Mr. Hanna as
a candidate. Those who recollect the bribery
resorted to at his former election will understand
how necessary it Is to havo incorruptible demo
crats in the legislature this year.
. But why should this caution be necessary?
It ought to be apparent to every member of the
party that the reputation of tho party and its
usefulness depend upon the selection of good men
all ,the time. It is a great mistake to suppose
that it Is ever wise to nominate men who -are
either incompetent or dishonest The party suf
fers every time one of its officials betrays a
trust If the democrats everywhere would take
an interest in politics, nominate their best men
and present tho 4ghest party ideals to the public
the party would soon be Irresistibly Strong.
Eternal vigilance is not only the price of lib
erty, but it is the price of party success.
Sjj
Democratic Clubs Organized.
Jeffersonian club, Manhattan, Kas.; member
ship, seventy; Arthur P. Williston, president;
John Dougherty, secretory.
Old Hickory club of Manfortln precinct, Gal
latin cpunty, Montana; charter members, twenty
one; John M. Robinson, president; A. C. Reeves,
secretary.
Democratic club of O'Neill, Neb.; seventy
members; Wm. Fallon, president; J. F, O'Donnell,
secretary. -
I,
Mr. Bryan's Democracy!
The gold democrats, unablo to mako a suc
cessful attack upon tho principles for which Mr,
Bryan stood n tho nomlneo of the party, and
which ho now defends, arettemptlng to ques
tion his right to inemberaluiTlii tho democratis
party. Threo points aro urged against him. First,
he is quoted as saying at somo time (the date U
not fixed) prior to 18'Jtf, that ho was not a demo
crat, but a bimotalllst Second, that he voted for
General Weaver in 1892; and, third, that he ad
vocated principles which aro not democratic.
Tho first charge Is entirely without founda
tion. Mr. Bryan nover at any tlmo or place de
nied his political affiliation with tho democratis
party or permitted it to bo questioned. His par
ents woro democrats before him, and ho counted
himself a democrat In his youth because his par
onta were, and after ho was grown, was a demo
crat because of his bolief In democratic prin
ciples and policies. Ho made democratic speeches
in 1880, before ho was old enough to voto, and
has made democratic speeches in every campaign
since. He has attended democratic conventions
for about twenty years, and has never been a
dolegato to a convention of any other party. He
has favored fusion with tho populists in Na
braska for the reason that upon tho questions
immediately beforo tho country tho populists anj
democrats agree, tlieir differences being as tc
questions not reached.
In 1890 Mr.,JBr-yan-waa nominated for con
gress by a democratic convention and was elected
dofeatlng both tho republican candidate and the
populist candidate Ho was renominated for con
gress in 1892 and again elected, defeating this
time also a populist as well as a republican. la
1894 ho was the nominee of tho democratic stats
convention for tho United States senate, but was
not Indorsed by tho populist state convention.
While ho would probably have received tho vote
of tho populist members of tho legislature if
their votes could have elected him, just as Sena
tor Allen had received tho democratic votes In ths
legislature two years beforo, the republicans had
a majority in tho legislature elected in 1894
tho year in which Mr. Cleveland's administration
was so overwhelmingly condemned. Nearly all
of the populists voted for a member of their owa
party.
At tho close of the 53rd congress, In March,
1895, Mr. Bryan joined with Mr. Bland in pro
paring and circulating an appeal to the demo
cratic believers in bimetallbm to organize and
secure control of tho democratic organization.
From that date on to tho meeting of the Chicago
convention, he' visited all parts of tho country,
attending democrat!- meetings and conventions
and giving whatever assistance ho could to ths
democratic believers In bimetallism. Thero was
never any question raised as to his party rela
tions. In 1894 a few democrats left the democrat!
state convention and nominated what they callei
"a straight democratic ticket" This ticket re
ceived about five thousand votes in the state. Th
bolting organization .was maintained until aftei
tho election of 189G. In 1895 tho organization so
cured for this ticket an unfair advantage by col
lusion with the republican judges. In 189G both
organizations sent delegates to Chicago, and the
national committee, by a strict gold and sliver
vote, gave temporary credentials to the bolting
organization. Tho credentials committee of the
convention, however, after a full hearing, de
cided in favor of tho regular delegation, hcad?i
by Mr. Bryan, and the testimony before this com
mittee was so clear and convincing that the mi
nority did not present a report
During all this period it will be seen that
Mr. Bryan was active in party work and gave no
excuse for any one to doubt - his party connec
tions" Congressman O'Farrall, afterwards governor
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