The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 12, NO. 48
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 6, J9I2
Whole Number 620
Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Popular Government
We have a democratic senate and a democratic house, as well as a democratic president, but let no one think it safe to go to sleep. One
majority in the senate is very small a few reactionaries may obstruct legislation or insist on concessions as the price of support. There
are reactionaries in the house, also, and an eye must be kept on them. It behooves every democrat to be on the alert and to warn his
senators .and his member of congress against any backward step. The Baltimore platform says : ' ' Our pledges are made to bo kept when
in office as well as relied upon during the campaign." Every official should be held to the letter and spirit of the platform. Ten cents
spent by each voter for postal cards and cards used to indorse faithful representatives and to admonish unfaithful ones would work
wonders in securing progressive measures. The officials at Washington should be informed that the rank and file of the democratic party
insists on the carrying out of the platform. The first work to be done is to secure legislation which will give an immediate reduction of
the high tariff, make a private monopoly impossible and reform the currency in the interest of the whole people with protection against
Wall street's control.
Banking Legislation in the Democratic Congress
Those who are interested in knowing the
democratic position on banking and banking
and currency, should read the following plank
of the Baltimore platform:
"We oppose the so-called Aldrich bill for the
establishment of a central bank; and we be
lieve our country will be largely freed from
panics, and consequent unemployment and busi
ness depression by such a systematic revision
of our banking laws as will render temporary
relief in localities where such relief is needed,
with protection from control or domination by
what isJmown as the money trust. Banks
exist forthe accommodation of' the public and
not for the control of business. All legislation
on the subject of banking and currency should
have for its purpose the securing of these ac
commodations on terms of absolute security to
the public and of complete protection from the
misuse of the power that wealth gives to those
who possess it.
"Wo condemn the present methods of deposit
ing government funds in a few favored banks
largely situated in or controlled by Wall street,
in return for political favors, and we pledge our
party to provide by law for their deposit by
competitive bidding in the banking institutions
of the country, national and state, without dis
crimination as to locality, upon approved securi
ties, and subject to call by the government.
"Of equal importance with the question of
currency reform is the question of rural credits
or agricultural finance. Therefore, we recom
mend that an investigation of agricultural credit
societies in foreign countries be made, so that
it maybe ascertained whether a system of rural
credits may be devised suitable to conditions in
the United States; and we also favor legislation
permitting national banks to loan a reasonable
proportion of their funds on real estate security.
"We recognize the value of vocational educa-
CONTENTS
BANKING LEGISLATION IN THE
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
WORK IN THE STATES
ISIDOR RAYNER
IN NEBRASKA
GOOD FOR BORAH!
APPOINTMENTS AFTER ELECTION
HARD TO PLEASE
POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT
CLARK AND UNDERWOOD ON
TARIFF REVISION
MR. BRYAN IN FLORIDA
' CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
WASHINGTON NEWS
tion, and urge federal appropriations for such
training and extension teaching in agriculture
in co-operation with the several states."
It will be noticed that the plank begins with
a denunciation of the Aldrich bill which pro
poses the establishment of a central bank. Any
democrat who votes for the establishment of a
central bank will not only oppose the demo
cratic platform but the traditional policy of the
party. As stated in the platform, our party be
lieves in "such a systematic revision of our
banking laws as will render tempoiary relief in
localities where-such relief is needed, with pro
tection from control or domination by what
Is known as the money trust."
The real purpose of the Aldrich bill Is not
to reliove the public but to enlarge the influence,
already tyrannical, of the money trust. Legis
lators will iind that the enthusiasm of the big
financiers for monetary revision will very
quickly subside when they are confronted with
any plan which furnishes relief to the people
without putting the people at the morcy of Wall
street.
Those who are entrusted with legislation will
do well to commit to memory the following para
graph of the democratic platform:
"Banks exist for the accommodation of the
public and not for the control of business. All
legislation on the subject of banking and cur
rency should have for its purpose the secur
ing of these accommodations on terms of abso
lute protection from the misuse of the power
that wealth gives to those who possess it."
This is the fundamental principle which ought
to guide in all currency legislation. "Banks
exist for the accommodation of tho public and
not for the control of business." This is tho
truth which the big banks seem prone to forget.
All legislation on tho subject of banking and
currency should have for its purpose "tho secur
ing of these accommodations on terms of abso
lute security to the public and of complete pro
tection from the misuse of power .that wealth
gives to those who possess it." This- sentence
should be framed and hung in the room of tho
committee on banking and currency. If tho doc
trine therein set forth is followed, the currency
will be revised in such a way as to furnish all
the relief needed by localities and yet give, with
that relief, complete protection from the domi
nation of the money trust and from "the misuse
of power which wealth gives to those who
PCongress will have no difficulty in putting into
operation tho third paragraph of the banking
x) ank which provides for tho deposit of govern
ment money on competitive bidding without dis
crimination as to locality.
Tho fourth paragraph of the money plank Is
also important, but it will not bo difficult to
rirrv out the entire democratic policy in all
its details as soon as it is definitely understood
that "banks exist for the accommodation of tho
nubile and not for the control of business."
All depends upon the point of view. When ques
tions are looked at from tho standpoint of tho
welfare of ALL tho pcoplo, it Is easy enough to
secure such legislation is is needed; our hank
ing laws have been made for tho banking fra
ternity and not for tho business public.
WORK IN Till STATES
Tho great democratic victory In tho states
should not be allowed to pass unimproved. Tho
income tax amendment should be ratified by
every state that has not already ratified It. Tho
amendment providing for tho popular eloction
of senators should also be ratified only two
states havo ratified thus far. Tho primary sys
tem should bo adopted wherever It has not yet
been and should bo extended to presidential con
tests. Provision should be niado for tho expres
sion of a second choico at tho primaries. Tho
initiative and referendum should bo aocured
where they havo not been. Tho recall should
bo secured also, where the peoplo aro ready for
it, but it should not bo pushod whero it would
endanger tho securing of tho initiative and
referendum these are the moro Important and
with tho Initiative .secured anything elso can bo
obtained when tho peoplo want it. Publicity
should be ensured, legitimate oorporations
should bo effectively regulated and trusts
should bo prevented. Wherever tho democrats
are in power they should proceed to fulfill tho
p'fomises made during tho campaign.
INAUGURATION DAY POSTPONED
President-elect Wilson has announced that
while ho will take the oath of ofllco on March
4th, he is willing that the formalities of Inaugu
ration day be postponed until the last Thurs
day in April. This suggestion Is duo to tho fact
that Washington City weather in the early part
of March is habitually poor. If it were possible
to carry out Governor Wilson's suggestion tho
formal Inaugural festivities would be carried on
under more agreeable conditions than those at
tending, as a rule, the inauguration of an
American president.
UNTO OTHERS
A song of those within tho desert places
The dull, the strange, tho erring of all lands,
Who faco the future with 'despairing faces,
And stretch forth pleading, unavailing hands.
The heirs of poverty, tho slaves of weakness,
, The arrogant who will not heed commands;
The spiritless who wear a coward's meekness.
The desperate who spill life's creeping sands.
Oh! holders of tho prized and vantago places,
Oh! sharers of the peaceful, happy days.
Oh! scions of the wise and favored races,
Oh! revelers along the sunny ways
I beg a moment's pause, with earnest faces,
That common blood and Fatherhood demands;
A prayer for those within the dreary places
Who stretch forth pleading, unavailing handa
George W. Priest ln Colliers.
it
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