The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, May 19, 1911, Page 5, Image 5

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The Commoner.
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MAT 19, 1911 " " "
every vexing problem' that confronts tho country.
The demagogue will not understand this, bo
cause ho does not know heaven's philosophy,
but every man who knows Christ understands
it when ho thinks.
Third. "There is much more in a man's be
ing in harmony with his Creator than in har
mony with his party." Never was a greater
truth than that told by a preacher or layman.
When church members in TexaB come to navo
moro concern about preserving their harmony
-with God than they have to maintain party
regularity, there will not be a saloon left to
haunt and terrorize the women and children
of this state. Can it be that any real Christian
is more concerned about political party har
money than harmony with God?
In this matter Mr. Bryan does not advance
an undemonstrated theory, but has shown by
his own conduct that such a thing is not only
practicable, but the only sane thing for Chris
tian men to do. He has shown that a Christian
citizen can keep in intimate touch with God
and at the same time not only maintain but,,
grow in the confidence of his fellow citizens.
This is an important lesson for Christian men
everywhere to lay seriously to heart. The final
explanation of all abnormal conditions that are
distressing humanity in this world is that people
are out of harmony with God. No man can
stand for the unequalities among people in this
world without putting himself out of peaceful
relations with the Ruler of the universe.
It needs to be said pointedly that when politi
cal parties, whatever their name and whatever
they pretend to stand for, become sponsors for
injustice among God's creatures they forfeit
every atom of claim on the Christian manhood
of the country. More than this, when political
parties set themselves against God and his edicts
of justice they invito the Divine'wrath and are
sure to find a day of lamentation and dissolu
tion. Mr. Bryan quoted Tolstoy as discussing
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart," etc., and adding: "Not enough do we
emphasize the first part of this commandment,
for until a man loves God he has not learned to
know his neighbor." Tolstoy had run the whole
gamut of human experience, and in the closing
years of his life the language quoted from him
shows the conclusion that he had reached.
No sober-minded Christian man has a doubt
-that right relations with God will issue in
proper recognition of our relations to each other,
to the enthronement of these obligations above
all monetary or other considerations. Whether
men will today or not, the time will come when
the peoples of this earth will literally "seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."
Those will be halcyon days, in which all needed
things will be added unto those who thus live.
It is plainly the duty of every Christian citizen
to do his might and main to bring in that day
for his own generation.
Dallas, Texas. J. H. GAMBRBLL.
VICTORY YET TO COME
"The Jackson day national democratic com
mittee requests the honor of your presence
at Baltimore (where Andrew Jackson was
first nominated for the presidency), to celebrate
the recent democratic victories throughout the
United States, etc."
So ran the invitation, engraved, embossed,
illuminated in the most impressive style.
Many a man with highest respect for the com
mittee, for the democratic party, for the democ
racy in a broader sense than party, and for
the still burning name of Jackson; will send his
regrets. He does not care to participate in
what may prove to be a premature celebration.
Not yet have victories been won throughout the
United States. Only has been opened the op
portunity to win victory. The republican party
has been defeated at nearly all important points;
but such defeat was a protest against the repub
lican party's leadership, partnership and
methods.
Before the democratic party can justly claim
a victory for itself, or the general democracy
of this country, It must gain the power to
effectuate reforms and it must thus use that
power.
The people of this country do not look upon
any partial or complete transfer of offices from
one party to another as any victory. In itself
that is political dicker, aided by disgusted parti
san dissenters. '
What the nation needs is a triumph which
cannot be absorbed in the greed of the interests,
and which cannot be dissipated by personal am
bitions within party, before it can be enjoyed
by the whole people.
Herein is also real victory for the democratic
patty or the republican party; not to win in
1912 alone; but to so utilize and magnify tho
trust then obtained as to merit its continuanco
in 1916 and 1920.
The experiences of 1884 and 1892 wore called
"sweeping democratic victories throughout tho
United States." -Some politicians walked out;
other politicians walked in. And at the end of
each Cleveland term, there was tho same move
ment, with reversed personnel. In other re
spects, in many of the essentials, tho country
went on to good or bad about as It would havo
gone if the politicians had not swapped places
"out and in."
In 1908, there was an "unparalleled republi
can victory throughout the Unitod States." But
that tho people felt that they did not share in
its "spoils" was proved by the smashing rebuke
they delivered last November.
A victory for either party which will be ap
proved by the people two years, four years and
eight years after it is won; is the only kind of
"sweeping victory throughout the United States"
that is worth while. And to attain such a
triumph, either, party has only to dismiss parti
san ambitions and adopt patriotism as its mo
tive both in the campaign and in tho exorcise of
power after it has been entrusted by the people.
Denver News.
00000 )
J
) TI2LI IT TO YOUIt DEMOCRATIC NKIGIIDOU
WE WILL ACCEPT THE ISSUE
One of Senator Bailey's Texas organs (by
name tho "Texas Farmer") says: "Tho Bailey
Incident Is a fortunate occurrence because it
has focalized attention of the people upon tho
Bryanistic misinterpretation of democracy and
the truo interpretation, and there is some hopo
that it will put Bryan as the loader of a now
party out of the democratic party followed by
all people in favor of government by tho mob."
We will accept the issue, but wo will not
permit tho Issue to be stated in epithet whero
it would better bo described In plain Anglo
Saxon. Mr. Bryan does not believe in "govern
ment by the mob." He does believe in govern
ment by tho people. His interpretation of
democracy Is that the party claiming to stand
for it should represent public rather than prl
vato interests; that it should bo willing to trust
the people; that it should represent at all times
tho moral sentiment of tho country that mani
fested itself so sweepingly in the denunciation
of the methods whereby William Lorimer was
elected to the United States senate
Mr. Bryan believes in the initiative and
referendum because that system Is necessary in
order that tho people may havo a real part in
the making of the laws under which they live.
Ho believes in the recall because that is a
method whereby tho people may hold a tight
rein over their public servants; and no honest
public official will suffer by the fact that tho
people havo the power to recall as well as
to elect.
But Mr. Bailey's organs need not flatter them
selves that either "resignations" by democrats
who tako offense because other democrats advo
cate great and growing reforms, or democratic
votes cast in favor of seating men like William
Lorimer will "put Bryan out of the democratic
party." It only Increases the amount of work
Bryan must do. When the battle Is over and
the dead and wounded and missing are all ac
counted for it is safe to say that Mr. Bryan
and other democrats who believe that tho party
should be the servant of tho people rather than
the servant of the interests will be found hold
ing the fort with the grand old banner of Jeffer
son and Jackson flying over it.
TIGHTENING THE MONEY TRUST
"It is announced that high and active repre
sentatives of the National, City and First Na
tional banks will soon be chosen upon the direc
torate of tho National Bank of Commerce, which
will form a closer bond of union between the
Standard Oil and Morgan banking 'groups.' The
actual consolidation of the three institutions
has been mooted but was rejected as difficult or
undesirable. Thoir virtual union by interlock
ing directorates will mass a banking capital of
$60,000,000, a surplus of $70,000,000, deposits
of nearly $550,000,000.
"There are only two-thirds as many national
banks and large state banks In downtown New
York as there were twenty years ago. The con
solidation process has gone steadily on, the
Bank of Commerce being itself the product of
a famous merger. Meanwhile, by stock divid
ends chiefly, the City and First National have
Increased their capital respectively twenty-flvo
and twenty fold. They can legally loan to a
single borrower twenty-five and twenty times
as much as they could twenty years ago. The
capital of tho Bank of Commerce is five times
It bohoovos (lotnocratH to bo on their
guard. Tho friends of probatory Interests-
tho beneficiaries of special privilege and
government favoritism aro always at
work. They never Bleep. With thorn poli
tics Is a business because they tnako the
government a business asset. Thoy aro
ablo to briny pressure to bear upon their
class of papers. When they want to nomi
nate a man for office, ho at once becomes a
man of distinction, a man of ability Just
the man for whom the pooplo are looking.
And they havo somebody for ofilco when
ever there Is a placo to be filled. Thoy havo
their candidates for congress and for tho
senate. They havo their candidates for all
the Judgeships, for the cabinet and for the
presidency. Thoy are Just now laying their
plans to capture tho democratic national
convention and nominate a candldato who
will be satisfactory to tho Wall Streot In
terests. If they find that tho progressive
sentiment Is too strong to bo entirely
ignored, they will tako someone who has
been progresslvo enough to furnish them
something to talk about but not progressive
enough to frlghtou tho interests.
Tho democratic party seems ready to
come Into Its own. After a long fight tho
progressive policies which aroused tho op
position of all tho predatory Interests in
189C aro becoming tho accepted policies of
the country, but tho Interests will do thoir
best to nominato a candldato who Is not In
sympathy with them and who tried to re
tard their progress. Let not tho democrats
bo deceived. Tho work of a democratic
president will bo no easy work. Tho
cleaning out of tho stables will bo a Hercu
lean task. It will require strength of body,
strength of mind and unflinching moral pur
pose. It Is no time for compromluo. The
Times rcqulro a stalwart, fearless, pro
gressive leader. Tho tlmo Is not ripe yet
for tho selection of a candldato. Congress
will largely shapo tho Issues and may de
velop tho man but whether ho comes from
tho senate or tho house or from a stato
position, or from privato life, ho must
measure up to tho jroqulroments of tho
occasion and bo ablo to summon the pro
gressive hosts to his banner, lie must bo
positivo and progresslvo If ho Is to win i
the confidence of those who aro seeking i
remedial legislation.
,,'
as great as. in 1891, of the Chemical ten times.
"Tho old-fashioned Now York banker Is being
replaced by servants of tho system which masses
tho reserve money of the wholo community
under the control of a very fow men far moro
interested in promotion upon a grand scale and
in forcing thoir control upon vast now enter
prises which others promote than they aro in
tho humdrum business of discounts and com
mercial loans." New York World.
A BEAUTIFUL POEM
Ozark, Ala., March 7, 1911. Hon. W. J.
Bryan, Lincoln, Neb. My Dear Sir: Agreeable
to promise made to you when In Troy, Ala.,
some tlmo ago, I beg to hand you copy of a
short poem entitled "Spirit Song."
To that part of your lecturo, "Tho Prince of
Peace," wherein a beautiful presentation is
mado of the miraculous manner in which tho
vegetation of tho earth is grown, feeding its
hundreds of millions, is especially due the in
spiration of tho closing lines of tho poem.
If tho poem contributes to your pleasure,
even remotely approaching that experienced by
me in hearing your lecturo, I shall feel amply
compensated for its production. Yours very
truly, MARVIN DOWLING.
SPIRIT SONG
When heav'n and earth we're void of form
Upon that vast creation morn,
When darkness dwelt in boundless space,
God's Spirit mov'd the waters' face,
And through tho deep of nature's night
God's volco was heard: "Let there be light!"
When earth did yearn for Holy Love
God's Spirit mov'd in realms above, . .
And from the gilded throne on high
The Holy Ghost was quick to fly;
And by a Virgin on the earth '
A holy Child was given birth.
When Christ on earth His work had done;
L.ire'8 Dattio fought, the vict'ry won;
And when aloft Ho chose to soar,
To dwell above forevermore,
His Spirit came, the priceless gift,.
Our sin-sick hearts to upward lift.
Thou Grace of Calvary abide,
Our puny lives and souls to guide!
That with our poor and feeblo sight
Wo yet may see the glorious Light
Which comes anew with Easter morn,
And whispers soft: "My Love is born!"
Ozark, Ala., 1911. M. Dowling. '
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