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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1915)
v&jyw&my''' HHpfiM'WiiFW(MHfj Km S) DECEMBER, 1915 The Commoner 15 '(,-j- 4 recting officers of the army and navy men of recognized leadership and ability from among our citizens who are thoroughly familiar, for example, with the transportation facilities of tho country and therefore competent to advise how they may be co-ordinated when the need arises, those who can suggest tho best way in which to bring about prompt co-operation among the manufacturers of the country, should it be neces sary, and those who could assist to bring tho technical skill of the country to the aid of tho government in the solution of particular prob lems of defense. I only hope that if I should find it feasible to constitute such an advisory body the Congress would be willing to vote the small sum of money that would be needed to de fray tho expenses that would probably be neces sary to give it the clerical and administrative machinery with which to do serviceable work. What is more important is, that the industries and resources of the country should be available and ready for mobilization. It is the more im peratively necessary, therefore, that we should promptly devise means for doing what we have not yet done: that we should give intelligent federal aid and stimulation to industrial and vocational education, as we have long done in the large field of our agricultural industry; that, at the same time that we safeguard and conserve the natural resources of the country we should put them at the disposal of those who will use them promptly and intelligently, as was sought to be done in the admirable bills submitted to the last Congress from its committees on the public lands, bills which I earnestly recommond in principle to your consideration; that we should put into early operation some provision for rural credits which will add to the extensive borrowing facilities already afforded the farmer by the Reserve Bank Act adequate instrumental ities by which long credits may be obtained on land mortgages.; and that we should study more carefully than they have hitherto been studied the right adaptation of our economic arrange ments to changing conditions. Many conditions about which we have re peatedly legislated are being altered froin decade to decade, it is evident, under our very eyes, and are likely to change even more rapidly and more radically in the 'dayfc immediately ahead of us, when peace has returned to the world and the nations of Europe dnce more take up their tasks of commerce and 'industry with the energy of those who niiist bestir themselves to build anew. Just what "these" changes will be no ono can certainly ' foresee or confidently pre dict. There are1 'riot calculable because no stable element1' :in ' the problem. The most we can do is to make certain that we have the necessary instr.ume'n'talities of information con stantly at -our Service so that we may be sure that we Triiow exactly what we are dealing with when we 'borne ''to act, if it should be necessary to act at all "We must first certainly know what it is that we are seeking to, adapt ourselves to. I may ask the privilege of' addressing you more at length on ttiis important matter a little later in your session. COittMISStON TO CANVASS THE QUESTION OF TRANSPORTATION AND RAILROAD REGULATION In the meantime may I make this suggestion? The transportation problem is an exceedingly serious and pressing one in this country. There has from time to time of late been reason to fear that our railroads would not much longer be able to cope with It successfully, as at present equipped and co-ordinated. I suggest that it would be wise to provide for a commission of inquiry to ascertain by a thorough canvass of the whole question whether our laws as at pres ent framed and administered are as serviceable as they might be in the solution of the problem. It is obviously a problem that lies at the very foundation of our efficiency as a people. Such an inquiry ought to draw out every circumstance and opinion worth considering and we need to know all sides of the matter if we, mean to do anything in the field of federal legislation. No one, I am sure, would wish to take any backward step. The regulation of the railways of the country by federal commission has had admirable results and has fully justified the hopes and expectations of those by whom the policy of regulation was originally proposed. The question is not what should we undo? It is, whether there is anything else we can do that would supply us with effective means, in the very process of regulation, for bettering the con ditions under which the railroads are operated and for making them more useful servants of JiH?" a ?holc seems to mo that it hirtw ? JF? P.art .0f wIsdom' therefore before Snk J Relation in this field is attempted, to Pfflripn J ie ho1? Sroblom of co-ordination and S?Jteln th0 fuIJ llBht of a fr08h assessment "stance and opinion, as a guide to deal ing with tho several parts of it. ,i!'SriWlliat e arG 8CekInB now, what in my SL5 i "! ?,ngle thought of this message, is national efficiency and socurity. Wo serve a great nation. We should servo it in the spirit of its peculiar genius. It is the genius of com mon men for self-government, industry, justice, Iberty and peace. Wo should see to it that it lacks no instrument, no facility or vigor of law, to make it sufficient to play its part with energy, safety, and assured success. In this wo are no partisans but heralds and prophets of a new age. THE SERVANT OF HIS PEOPLE The press of the country, especially in the south, was generous in its recognition of Booker T. Washington's services to his country and his race. Commenting on his death, which occurred November 14, the Atlanta, Ga Journal says: "It was characteristic of Booker Washington and of the land where he was born and reared that finding himself In a northern city under death's cold shadow, he turned to tho south as to a fireside and asked that he bo brought homo to die. A love of the sun on which his eyes first opened in slavery, a love of the soil in which he had labored, of the people to whoso botternicnt his life was dedicated and those in whose friend ly understanding he had found generous aid these were the thoughts that filled his last hours as they had guided all his days. "The success of Booker Washington's mission lay largely in the fact that it was a mission in be half of the south as well as in behalf of his own race. He understood the white people as well as the negro people, and ho strove with rare In sight and honesty of purpose to accord their In terests and well-being. He worked with the forces about him, where others in pitiable ignor ance or sullen disregard of human naturo had worked against them. He saw clearly and stressed candidly the practical side of a great human problem. He saw that tho path of his people's progress lay not through fine spun or high flown theories but through industrial and moral usefulness. "His efforts, therefore, were directed especially to training his people to do good work, to the betterment of their health, their household life, to earnest instruction in moral responsibilities. In this task he found liberal support in the north and east, but no more there than in the south among thoughtful citizens. Ho won success for his cause because he deserved success. He has left a rich memory because he thought honestly and felt broadly and walked the way of unsel fish service." JAPANESE PREPAREDNESS Certain Americans pretend to bo very much afraid of an attack upon us by Japan, and to that end are urging the building of a great navy to resist the dreaded assault. But let us look at the matter from the Japanese point of view. America is1 larger, wealthier, and a more power ful nation in every way than Japan. It belongs to the Occident, and the Occidental peoples have ever shown small respect for the rights of Ori ental peoples. Europe has never hesitated to encroach upon Asia; and America is the child of Europe. She already has possession of the Ha waiian Islands, she is in Samoa and she has the Philippines. What reason is there for supposing that the great nation that has grown out of thir teen colonies on the Atlantic seaboard by ab sorbing territory from Spain, from Mexico, and from Russia will stop with the present status? By all the logic of history she will not tolerate Japan's position in the Pacific, and will at the first opportunity destroy her power. With such a thought in mind and there is no reason to doubt that some Japanese may har bor such thoughts-what -Till bo the effect upon them when they see us doubling our navy? Will they not be confirmed in their conviction that we intend mischief? Will not those who are now suspicious be quickly convinced, and set about nersuading those who have hitherto thought well persuaaing rally, to the defense o "heir own country by doubling their own navy' Is not this the teaching of modern ofnemanfihin Is it not the very essence of SeSSdS2T' And If the Japanese double their nav what will be the effect upon our timorous U? Will not those who now seek to have our navy doubleS want it redoubled? And then what? It Is possible that Japan and China may como to terms, and by combining their power bo able to command a wealth equal to our own. Is such woalth to bo squandered In mnd arma ment rivalry? Yet la not this tho logic of the argument for a large navy? Every additional ship that wo place In the Pacific lo a threat to Japan; and every answering ship that Japan launches Is a challenge to America. Is thin statesmanship? la It Christianity? Is It civili zation? Is It plain common sense? Tho Public. THE REAL BRYAN WHETHER YOU ACREB WITH HIM OR NOT From tho Augusta, Ga., Chronicle, Nov. 16.' "Are you going out to hear Mr. Bryan tomor row night?" we asked a frlond, merely by way of making conversation, yestorday. "I am not," ho replied with somo emphasis. "J don't ngreo with Mr. Bryan about anything, and I don't propose to listen to him talk." "If you did, you would agree with him more," wo replied. "Not that we caro a rap olther way, but wo Just happen to know that tho beat thing to do If you don't want to agree with Mr. Bryan is to do just what you aro doli z rofuso to listen to him." A great many of us do not agroo with Mr. Bryan on many matters of public policy, party platforms, International questions and all that; but oven somo of us who do not are bound to con cedo ono or two things, and they aro these: First, that William Jennings Bryan is the greatest platform orator in America today. lit can not only keep an audience better entertained, but ho can como nearer bringing oven a hostile audlcnco to his way of thinking than any man living. Second, that William Jennings Bryan, what ever his enemies may say about him, is an abso lutely honest, earnest, sincere man. If he wasn't, ho might have been president of the United States long ago; for he needed only to "trim" on certain issues, or to keep silent on others, to en list tho support of an clement whose disaffection cost him tho presidency moro than once. But only those who have been In touch with tho several Bryan campaigns know to what an extent he Insisted on "hewing to the line," and only those who have seen him In action in some great national convention and wo have seon him In every one since 189G can fully appreci ate his force and fighting qualities. As, for in stance, In 1904 at St. Louis, when single-handed and alone in tho most hostile convention he ever faced, he dictated terms to tho Parker forces after a continuous fight of three days and nights; and, again at Baltimore, in 1912, when ho forced the nomination of Woodrow Wilson upon a con vention that was already for Champ Clark, thus, to all Intents and purpose, making Mr. Wilson president. Wo don't have to agree with Mr. Bryan unless wo want to and Tho Chronicle, generally, does not but we must give him credit for very un usual ability and very unsual integrity. He has been In public life for moro than a quarter of a century, duripg which time he has met and mas tered the best as well as the worst of American statesmen; while no man has ever yet dared to point tho finger of suspicion at him. This much may be said of Mr. Bryan without committing us to any future political program if, Indeed, Mr. Bryan has ono, so far as he, him self, is concerned and this much more may be said: Don't ever risk hearing the man speak if you want to continue to disagree with him about everything; for ho Is not only wonderfully mag netic, but he has a terribly convincing way with him. Ho delivers a lecture In Augusta tonight, under tho auspices of the Y. M. C. A., but It is not for us to say whether yon shall miss the treat of hearing this distinguished American, or whether you shall take a chance on falling a vic tim to his logic and oratory. Two out of every five men in the states of Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania voted in favor of woman suffrage the first time the question was formally submitted to the elec torate. Surely there Is nothing in such a show ing to cause dismay or discouragement in the ranks of the women who are seeking the ballot The biblical story that the sun stood still when Joshua commanded it to do so Is considered by some men to bo mere folk lore, but the fact thftt so many republicans have stood still ever since the last republican national convention com manded them to do so Is very strong evidence to tho contrary. 1 -$ w .l 4frtl ' S n u Sa