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The Commoner.
fANUARY 22, 1904.
3
f rf i
ind tho Hebrew church lost the Rev. Dr. Gustave
roothlel, who wag so long iv charge of Temple
EEmanu-El, New York city. Rev. Dr. George Dana
fBoardman, another well-known divine, is num
bered among the dead.
Tho drama escaped to an unusual degree M.
fcLegouve, of Paris is tho only dramatist of world
wide fame whose name appears upon the, mort-
fcuary list. Tho stage lost-b'tuart Robson, Jeromo
Sykes, Sybyl Sanderson and Frau Marie Giest-
iinger.
Three of the best known newspaper workers in
the field of journalism were called hence during
P1903 M. de Blowitz, the famous Paris correspon
dent of the London Times; Julian Ralph, often
f designated as. the "best newspaper reporter," and
Andrew C. Wheeler, long famous under the nom
de plume of "Nym Crinkle."
The world of music lost three eminent com
posers Robert Planquette composer of The
Chimes of Normandy;" Augusta Holmes, com
poser of "Hero and Leander," and other popular
symphonies, and Arditi, the famoua French composer.
Only one world renowned Inventor was called
hence Dr. Richard Gordon Gatling, inventor of
the famous gatling gun.
The art world lost heavily. Chief among the
ilustrious artists who died in 1903 was James h.
MacNiel Whistler, an American, but who spent
most of his famous career in England. J. W.
Whymper's fame was scarcely second to that of
Whistler. Phil May, the noted caricaturist and
acknowledged to be tho best black and white
artist of his' time, also is numbered ajnong the
artists dead. Others of deserved reputation were
Camille Pissoro, Edwin Lord Weeks, Julian Rix
'and Otto Sarony, the latter famous as an artist
photographer.
William E. H. Leckey, English, and Theodor
Mommsen, German, are the two prominent his
torians who passed away during the year. Ihe
great philosopher and mental scientist, Herbert
Spencer, whose work will survive while time shall
last, also passed from earth during 1903.
Organized labor lost P. M. Arthur, for years
the head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En
gineers. James B. Pond, the noted lecture man
ager and writer, deserves much niore than a pass
ing notice. Mrs. James G. Blaine ana Mrs. George
3T. Hoar are also numbered among 1903's well
known dead.
Army and navy lost heavily. The list of well
Imown dead is too long to permit ol other men
tion than merely giving the names. General
Samuel Thomas of Ohio, General W. F. ("Baldy")
Smith of Pennsylvania, General W. B. Franklin
of the confederate army, General Schuyler Hamil
ton of New York, General W. H. Jackson of the
confederate army, General Bradley T. Johnson of
the confederate army, General Alexander Mac
Dowell McCook of Ohio, and General Francis
Marion Drake, ex-goyernor of Iowa, are numbered
among those well known in the army service. The
naval branch finds these names enrolled among
the dead: Rear Admjral Frank Wildes, who com
manded tho cruiser Boston at the battle of Ma
nila; Rear Admiral Lewis Wood Robinson, who
achieved fame during the civil war; Rear Admiral
toWilliam Harkness, whose naval tame was ex
Keded only by his fame as a mathematician and
Itronomei , uuu xvuur -kluuiiiui ucuigc xu. xsei-
ap.
f The death roll of-1903 contains many names
tm9 world will remember. ,.
Humble Heroes.
The world builds monuments to some heroes
it the world does not always choose wisely.
ie of the greatest heroes receive little or no
ition. and their names are forgotten in an
The best known names in history are those
Ten who won fame in war Hannibal, Caesar,
lington and Napoleon. But wnile the world
as heroes men who won their Tame in war,
too prone to forget heroes whose bravery
ted in the saving of human lite. Scarcely a
)es by that some deed as heroic as any that
Bdorned history's page i not performed, but
by without even a notice. And if noted at
is a fleeting notice, a newspaper comment,
ten forgotten. No monument Is erected to
Eiiate the memory of the deed and honor the
How many people know who James Mc
i is? And yet McGlnnis recently per-
it a aeea us uruve ami us ueiuiu us u, tua-
jbf those perpetuated by marble shaft. Mc-
Gis an engineer at a coal mine near scran-
During working hours the air compres-
jloded, leaving the miners exposed to death
scation. Flying fragments tore his flesh
ling steam cooked him. He swooned with
the pain, but recovered in an instant and remem
bered his comrades deep down in the mine. He
dragged himself to tho signal box and sounded
the warning. Then, despite his awfal wounds ho
stood at tho throttle and lover of -lis engine and
holster and brought the imprisoned miners to tho
surface. Is it not true that such a aecd of hero
ism is worthy of as much notice as that given to
deeds which called for tho sacrifice of human
life?
A disastrous wreck on an eastern railroad re
cently brought forward two heroes whoso names
should be remembered Louis Hilgot and Thomas
Baum. Seventy people mot death m that wreck,
but the list would have been greatly lengthened
had it not been for tho presence of nHnd and
heroism of these two men. Hilgot, tho conductor,
was fearfully mangled and scalded, but in tho
midst of his agony ho remembered his duty.
"For God's sake flag 49 or she'll be into us in a
few minutes!" he cried. And Thomas Baum, tho
baggageman, with his head frightfully cut and
his body mangled, crawled down die track and
flagged 49 by setting fire to his coat and waving
it in front of the fast approaching train.
Are not these threo heroes real heroes
worthy of as much praise and honor as many a
man whose monument perpetuates deeds upon tho
field of battle? But how lorg will tho world re
member McGlnnis, Hilgot and Baum?
NOTICE
Commoner a.t Convention.
If the necessary arrangements can be
made a daily edition of The Commoner
will be published at St, Louis during the
Democratic national convention-.
jjj
Mr. Bryan's Return.
Mr. Bryan has returned from his two months'
trip abroad rind will resume active editorial work;
The Commoner has already published several ar
ticles descriptive of countries visited and of places
and persons seon and the series is not completed.
Among the articles yot to appear are the ones on
"Switzerland," "Three Little Kingdoms," '"Rome,"
"Russia," "Tolstoi" and "Germany." While it is
hoped that these articles will prove both interest
ing and instructive, they will not be allowed to
exclude editorials touching on political questions
and on the approaching campaigns. The Com
moner will make an uncompromising fight for an
honest platform and for candidates in full and
sympathetic accord with the platforms of 1896 and
1900. It will make this fight, first, because it Is
right; second, because it gives the best assurance
of immediate victory, and, third, because only in
this way can a foundation be laid for permanent
success. The Commoner invites the co-operation
of all who are willing to 'enlist in this work.
A Democratic Prayer.
In a brief autobiographical sketch, Amos
Luck, who represented a New Hampshire district
in congress some fifty years ago, describes the
growth of the cause with which he identified him
self and tho success of those who espoused that
cause. - In the course of his comments he gives
expression to a sentiment which deserves to be
emphasized at this time. He says that these men
had "some title to be considered far-sighted,
though," he adds, "they simply had faith in tho
wisdom of doing right." This truth has been ex
pressed before, but it is doubtful whether it hi$
over been expressed as concisely, as simply and
as forcibly. The dictionaries ought to define poli
tical foresight as "faith In the wisdom of doing
right." What a contrast between this candid
recognition of the triumph of the truth and tho
miserable, short-sighted doctrine o expediency!
There Is no basis upon which one can calculate
expediency; there is a standard of morality and
conscience by which ono can measure every public
question. One seeks for expediency as the hunter
searches for game, uncertain where he will find
it and fearful that even when discovered i)t may
yet escape him, but as the farmer follows the
plow, confident that sun and soil will reward
his industry and that in spite of local flood or
drouth the earth will yield its increase, so he who
attaches himself to a truth knows that he work
in harmony with immutable and irresistible laws.
Lot the hosts of democracy tako courage; let
them appeal to tho honest and tho conscientious
even if in doing so they risk the alienation of tho
selfish and tho sordid. Lot them put their trust
not in corruption or deception, but in that sonso
of justico which Is at once tho source and the
guarantee of good government.
As wo approach the important work of writ
ing a platform and nominating candidates, wo
may well adopt as a democratic prayer and it is
a prayer fit for any party: "O, Lord, give us faith
in tho wisdom of doing right.!"
JJJ
The Movement to Reorganize.
Tho Wall Street Journal Indorses what it calls
"the movement to reorganize and re-establish tho
democratic party." This Wall streot publication
says that th.is movement is "directly In lino with
the best interests of the country;" and yot while
Indorsing this movement, tho Journal says that
there is "danger" that "in order to secure the
support of that financial section of tho republi
can party which is opposed to President Roosevelt,
it (tho democratic party) will make such com
promises and alliances with this Wall streot ele
ment as to make it impossible for many members
of the party to support its candidate and plat
form." Then the Journal says: "Any party which
shall go into tho presidential campaign of this
year carrying tho heavy burden of tho support and
approval of that portion of Wall street which has
boon identified with excesses in promotion, with
overextension of credit and with violation of tho
law in the creation of combinations and monop
olies, will surely not meet with a favorable re
sult on election day."
Yet the editor of the Journal must know that
the reorganization movement which tho Journal
so cordially indorses has for its purpose the re
publicanizatlon of tho democratic party, and tho
delivery of that party into tho merciless keeping
of tho Wall street magnates.
In spite of the proud boasts of these reor
ganizes, it is becoming plainer every day that
they aro hot to have their way in tho repudia
tion of democratic principles and in the republi
canization of the democratic party. These reor
ganizes havo mistaken tho temper of tho rank
and file of the party and have overestimated their
own power.
In tho contest that is now upon us, The Com
moner hopes to play an important partjn defense
of democratic principles. In order to widen Tho
Commoner's sphere of influence, it is necessary to
increase The Commoner's circulation. To this
end, therefore, a special subscription offer has
been arranged. This, offer is similar to tho lots ,
of five plan adopted last year. Cards, each good
for one year's subscription to The Commoner, will,
be furnished in lots of five at the rate of $3 .per
lot. This places tho yearly subscription rate at
60 cents. v
Any one ordering tho cards may sell them
for $1 each, thus earning a commission of $2 on
each lot sold, or ho may sell them at tho cost
price and find compensation in the fact that ho
has contributed to the effort to widen The Com-'
moner's sphere of influonce.
These cards may bo paid for when ordered or
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A coupon is printed below for tho convenience
of those who aro willing to assfst in the coming
contest.
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