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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1901)
The Commoner. WILLIAfl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. r vtt Vol. i. No. 49. Lincoln, Nebraska, December 27, 1901. $1.00 a Year New Year's Day Resolutions. While a good resolution can be made at any season, the beginning of the New Year seems an appropriate time for "turning over a new leaf." It ought not to be difficult to give up a bad habit since an intelligent self-interest prompts one to do that which will be of benefit to himself, and yet some special stimulus is often necessary. The Commoner is published primarily for the support and advancement of democratic principles. The editor desires to aid in securing those reforms which he believes would be helpful to the people generally, but he recognizes that under the most just government and the most perfect laws individ ual happiness would largely depend upon individual merit. Even when the government does all that it can it cannot make a wicked man happy or protect a thoughtless man from the trouble which his conduct invites. As our lives are built upon ideals, the greatest service which can be rendered to one is to raise his ideals and give him a broader view of life. A parent does this by example and by daily precept; the teacher in the pulpit and in the school room does the same and the editor is not without re sponsibility. Every one, in fact, has some in fluence on some one and that influence ought to be exerted for good. ' What is the value of an ideal? Sometimes it measures the difference between success and fall-urW-betweenhanpiness and despair. Instead of "recommending that each reader of The Commoner give up that habit which his own conscience most condemns, the editor suggests that the readers spend a part of New Year's Day consid ering this proposition, namely, that every one owes it to himself, to his kindred and to his coun try (not to speak of his obligation to his creator), to so develop and use his body, head and heart, as to contribute the most possible to the welfare and happiness of mankind. If this proposition is scund, then it follows that each individual is in duty bound to do whatever increases, and to ab stain from doing whatever decreases, his useful ness. ,, , If, during 1902, the readers of The Commoner will measure life by this rule, there will be less to regret at the end of the year, no matter what the administration may do. Improvement becomes an easier task when one's conduct is regulated by a high and deter mined purpose. There is inspiration in the phil osophy of Socrates and his words are commended to those who are earnest in their desire for self improvement. When the illustrious Greek was about to be condemned to death, and his friends urged him to spend more time preparing his defense, he replied that he had panned his whole lire in prepar ing his defense for he had gdne through life "doing nothing but considering what was just and what unjust doing what was just and abstaining from what was unjust," and he rightly considered this the best preparation for his defense against any charge that could be preferred. JJJ The Philippine Tariff. On another page will be found an abstract of the Philippine tariff measure passed by the house of representatives, practically by a party vote. It is one of the most shameless pieces of legislation ever proposed by any party and it ought to seal the political fate of any man who supports it. Eng land, in her oppression of the American colonies, was never guilty of anything more tyranical, and even Spain, whose despotism aroused our country to armed protest in behalf of Cuba even Spain lacked the refined cruelty which republican leaders practice with seeming enjoyment. While the West Indies were under the rule of the Castillian they enjoyed free trade with the mother country and had representation in the imperial parliament, but the Filipinos, after co-operating with us against Spain, were bought like chattels from a vanquished foe, and placed under the control of high-priced carpet bag officials. Now they are to bo shut out from commercial intercourse with the United States by a high tariff wall constructed to enable a few American manufacturers to grow rich at the expense of the rest of the people and denied representation in the legislature which taxes them. The democrats in the house of repre sentatives have greatly strengthened their party by their vigorous opposition to the measure. The short time given for debate in the house makes it imperative that the democrats of the senate shall present to the public through the Congressional Record the facts relative to colonialism as thus far developed. JJJ Secretary Gage's Report. In his. annual report Secretary of ,th Treasury" -' Gage-has recomm6nded'',a-'ShippIn,g-simsidy'fTtho " repeal of minor war taxes; a central bank; the creation of a national clearing house of national banks;' the enlargement of the limit of subsidiary silver coinage to $120,000,000, and the asset cur rency plan. Concerning the latter proposition, Secretary Gage's recommendation embodies practically the provisions of the Overstreet bill or the McCleary bill. The secretary of the treasury appears to be fully convinced as to the propriety of this plan. He thinks that at least two beneficial results would follow. He thinks that $G0,O00,00O in United States bonds, now in security, would bo gradually re leased for sale in the general market. The im pounding of the greenbacks as security for the bank notes would, he thinks, relieve the govern ment from all the burdens now incident to their redemption to an extent of $200,000,000. For the balance of $146,000,000 in legal tender notes which would then be outstanding, the $150,000,000 in gold now held as a special redemption found would soon be excessive. If this were reduced to $140, 000,000 the greenbacks would become virtually what Secretary Gage thinks they ought to be in reality, gold certificates. In reality, Secretary Gage's plan contemplates the actual retirement of the greenbacks and the substitution of a na tional banking currency for the government cur rency, giving to the national banks, in addition to the enormous power they already possess, the privilege of doing an immense amount of business on wind. This is "sound finance;" this would be the realization of "a wise and business-like finan cial policy," according to the republican theory. This represents, in the most presentable form, the purpose of republican financiers. The Ameri can people have not yet begun to realize the re-' sponsibilities "they were assuming when they elected and re-elected the republican party to power; but day by day the plans of republican leaders are being unfolded; and "little by little, but steadily, as man's march to tho grave," the republican leaders are transforming liberty into license, and no one need be surprised if "asset currency'' and branch banks, in a short time, be come realities. JJJ The Commoner's Future. My attention has just been called to a copy of tho Denver Evening Times containing an inter view with some one giving his namo as "Eddy" and claiming Lincoln as his residence. In this interview Mr. Eddy Is quoted as saying: "It Is stated on reliable authority that W. J. Bryan will retire from the newspaper business when the first year's existence of The Commoner ex pires. The paper has been a wretched failure and it Is well known around. Lincoln that Mr. Bryan is very much disgusted with the lack of support of the enterprise." The statement made by Mr. Eddy Is not only absolutely false and entirely without foundation, but it bears evidence of the malice which seems to actuate alarge number of republicans. No paper having respect for its reputation would publish such an Interview without inquiring Into Its truth. As to tho support which the paper has received, the readers will be pleased' to know that evory week of the paper's existence has shown an in crease in subscriptions over the preceeding week; there are more paid subscriptions in force at this aaj than at any previous time. While the annual subscriptions for the first year do not expire until the latter part of January, renewals have been coming in for more than a month and arc increasing every day. My own purpose has been stated so often that it ought not to be neces&ary to repeat It. The Commoner was not established as the result of a sudden Impulse; it had been under considera tion for several years. I am deeply interested in the reforms which I have been advocating and shall continue to advocate them. My determination to devote my life to tho study and discussion of public questions was formed before I became a candidate for the presi dency and that determination has not been changed by defeat. The newspaper field has been chosen as tho one best suited to this purpose and I expect to own and edit The Commoner during the remainder of my days. While the success of the paper has been greater than I had any reason to expect it would be, the publication would have been con tinued even if the support had been much less cor dial and the circulation much more limited. Tho Commoner is a permanent occupant of the journal istic field. Its influence will depend upon the size of its circulation and upon the extent to which it is quoted, but those who desire to read a paper devoted to the discussion (from a democratic standpoint) of political, economic and sociological questions can subscribe lor The Commoner, or re new their subscriptions, with perfect confidence that they will recfive the paper for the full term of their subscription. I appreciate the commenda tion which has already been bestowed upon the paper and hope to make it worthy of a constantly increasing patronage. A correction can hardly be expected from those papers which published the Eddy Interview with the intention of injuring The Commoner, but it 13 .hoped that other papers will give as much promi nence to the answer as they gave to the interview. JJJ The Good Old Days. The Hungarian societies of New York, on De cember 8, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of tho visit of Louis Kossuth in America. General Daniel E. Sickles, who participated in the reception given to Kossuth when he arrived in New York, wa3 one of the speakers. General Sickles described