vr-
The Commoner.
, WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL- 12, NO. 30
Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2, 1912
Whole Number 602
One Hundred New Commoner Readers in a Bunch
L. E. Smith, editor and S. R. Stewart, trustee, Indiana: I, L. E. Smith and S. B. Stewart, trustee of Worth township, Boone county, staU
of Indiana write : Believing in your honesty, integrity and fidelity to the cause of Jeffcrsonian democracy, and feeling as we do that you
fought a great fight and won such a sweeping victory for progressive political principles at the recent Baltimore convention, we want to
manifest to you in some way our appreciation of your splendid effort and final success in behalf of the common people of this nation. W
have thus gone out and obtained for you the following named one hundred subscribers for The Commoner until after the fall election. W
do not know your subscription price for this period of time so are forced to ask you to kindly wait until you send in the bill for the samo
when we will forward the amount. You were our choice for the presidency at Baltimore, but we also feel kindly toward Woodrow Wilson
and will do all we can for his election.
A Deserved Compliment
Mr. Roosevelt, in the Outlook, pays a deserved
compliment to Governor Wilson when he quotes
with .approval the following sentiment expressed
by the democratic candidate:
"No one pretends to And a reason for not
voting for Mr. Wilson in the character or in the
ideals of Mr. Wilson himself. It is plain that
he approaches public questions from the point
of view of the public interest. What he said
the other day in a speech at Atlantic City" is a
genuine expression of his spirit. He "was speak
ing of an issue raised in that place by lawless
ness and corruption, of the need of moral pride,
and of the willingness to fight evil at all co3ts.
'There can be,' said Mr. Wilson, 'so long as wo
ai;e hpnest men, no quarter with any man who
deals privately or publicly in a practice that is
unrighteous a man who lays himself, his life,
down for that purpose, ought to die more happy
than he lived. Life is a little thing. Life lasts
only a little while, and if it goes out lighted with
the torch of glory, it is better than if it had
lasted upon a dull level a thousand years.
That is the test of manhood, it is the test of
humanity, and it is the glory and sign of Chris
tianity, that a man will lay down his life for
another, no matter what the consequences may
be to himself, either in this world or in the
next.'
"These words, especially as they come from a
man just chosen to receive the highest gift in
the hands of his party; presents a view of public
service that should actuate all men in public
life. They are a pledge of his own purpose.
"So far as the country at large kaews it, Mr.
Wilson's record since he entered public life two
years ago has not been inconsistent with his
lofty purpose or his high character. While in
office he has been not only the chief executive
of his state, but also the leader of his party in
the state."
CONTENTS
A DESERVED COMPLIMENT -
POOR ADVICE
"THE HONOR OP VIRGINIA"
BERGER IS RIGHT
THE BALTIMORE AFFAIR FROM
THREE ANGLES
JUDGE WESTCOTT'S GREAT SPEECH
.THE SUGAR MONOPOLY
DR. WILEY FOR GOVERNOR WILSON
MR. CLARK'S FRIENDS PROTEST.
THE STANLEY COMMITTEE REPORT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON NEWS
TWO PICTURES
Mr. Hearst draws a .harrowing plcturo of Mr.
Bryan leaving tho Baltimore convention ."gen
erally detested by thoso who had been his
friends." Mr. Bryan is so discredited that ac
cording to Mr. Hoarst, "tho best thing Bryan
can do is to hold his tongue, and keep out of
sight and give Wilson and democracy a chanco
to win." Too bad, too bad, to thus lose tho con
fidence of so great and good a man and so loyal
a democrat as tho owner of tho New York, Chi
cago, San Francisco, etc., Examiner, Journal,
American, etc. And the worst of it is that Mr.
Bryan has fallen in spite of tho splendid ex
ample set by Mr. Hearst who bas spent his lifo
showing ambltibiis young men how to rise in
politics. Ho began in a very humble way in
1900 as president of tho national organiza
tion of democratic clubs to hold which it was
necessary to go through tho humiliating experi
ence of supporting Mr. Bryan for president.
Thin, in his opinion, Is tho only stain upon his
character, but his youth and Inexperience ought
to be considered In mitigation. Ho next ap
peared as a candidate for president in 1904. Ho
had the support of nearly all of his employes
and a few others. In 1908 ho assisted in tho
election of Mr. Taft by running a ticket of his
own In" a personally conducted campaign. By
peculiar efforts he secured for his tickot,
82,872 votes, Including the votes tho candi
dates drew on their own merits. This year ho
has added to his laurels by superb generalship
In the management of Speaker Clark's cam
paign. He made a brilliant play when he
threatened to become a candidate himself If
Mr. Clark was not accepted, but his known
modesty robbed the threat of value.
The sight of on so universally beloved as
Mr. Hearst is makes it harder for Mr. Bryan
to bear being "detested by those who had been
his friends," and it is ungenerous in one occu
pying so exalted a -position as Mr. Hearst does
to kick one so completely "down" as he thinks
Mr. Bryan Is.
IOWA DEMOCRATS PROGRESSIVE
The Iowa democrats are progressive. The
convention recently held indorsed the reforms
outlined in. tho. national platform and declared
for the Initiative and referendum. Good for
.-Iowa and the. democrats are to be congratu
lated also for not allowing the Hquor Interests
' to run their convention.
"BILL MURRAY'S" GOOD WORK
Hon. William H, Murray, commonly known In
Oklahoma, where he Is beloved of all men, as
"Alfalfa Bill," was one of tho striking figures
at the Baltimore convention. Mr. Murray's
great ability, courage and 'devotion to principle
were of great service to those who fought to
hold the democratic party true to its ideals.
THIS IS MEAN
The Ohio State Journal says: "It is sadden
ing to reflect that there is almost certainly somo
conscienceless person who will blithely suggest
that It bo called 'Tho Tennessee Coal and Iron
Party.' "
Now isn't that just too mean for anything?
Poor Advice
Tho Now York World ndvlaes Governor Wil
son that ho should not bo governed by tho one
term plank In tho democratic national platform.
According to tho World that plank is very good
for tho future and men may bo govorned by it
when It becomes a law, but tho World saya
Governor Wilson ought to mako it clear that
he does not consider that ho is limited by this
platform to one presidential term.
Tho World Is giving Governor Wilson very
poor advice. Tho one term plank grow out ol
the conviction that tho occupant of tho presl
tlal chair Is In better position to servo th
'people when ho is not shaping his policies and
his conduct to the view of re-election. Whila
a constitutional law will be necessary to raaka
it effective, the party that advances the proposed
reform is bound by It even boforo tho enactment
of tho law. Governor Wilson's announcement
that he will not bo a candidate for a second term
will bo tho highest sort of proof of democratic
sincerity so far as its one term plank Is concerned.
BERGER IS RIGHT
Federal Judgo Hanford has resigned, evi
dently for tho purpose of escaping Impeachment
proceedings. Several members of congress havo
expressed tho opinion that further proceedlnga
. against Judgo Hanford would not bo necessary
for It would take on the form of persecution.
Unquestionably, Judgo Hanford has suffered
sufficient disgrace. The investigation of hfa
methods disclosed that ho used his position on
the bench to aid certain special interests. It la
freely charged that representatives of these In
terests persuaded Judge Hanford to resign la
order that they might avoid further exposure.
Mr. Berger insists that thero shall bo thorough
investigation of tho disclosures concerning this
federal judge's agency for corporation con
cerns. Mr. Berger is right. A thorough investiga
tion on this line may open up investigation with
respect to other federal judges. No ono could
desire the further humiliation of the unhappy
man who has brought disgrace upon the bench,
vbut theje ought to bo no turning back now
.iLat tho way has been opened for inquiry ail
ahjng the line.
BUT ItE KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT
SLAUGHTER HOUSES
"But when it comes to presidential timber.
Colonel Bryan sizes up Marse Henry as a poof
stick." St. Louis Republic.
"Well, anyhow, your Marse Henry has not
been beaten threo times in succession, each de
feat being greater than its predecessor." Henry,
Watterson in Louisville Courier-Journal.
But he has "marched through a slaughte
houso to a bloody grave" on several occasions
when he undertook to betray democratic prin
ciples and sacrifice democratic ' candidates.
Take an anti-Morgan, Ryan, Belmont resolu
tion every morning if you feel any internal
symptoms of reactionaryism. It is a sure cure.
n
HI
fniforiUf'"' imaHfr jjg- k?" ai
iitfc--...-
