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(faVo the country, as ho doclared, from "ar depre
ciated currency," mado a speech at a banquet re
cently and denounced the asset currency. He said;
"The silver dollar which wo condemned had near
ly fifty cents worth of silver In it, but the asset
currency which they propose may bo absolutely
worthless. I loft tho democratic party to protect
tho country from bad money. Is tho republican
party going to roward mo with an asset currency,
which is infinitely worse than silver?" Ho ought
to sue the republican party for breach of promise.
Tho democratic party believes that moro
money is needed and it belloves in supplying that
need with standard money -monoy that has been
used for thousands of years. Tho republican
party first denied that wo needed moro money
. and now it sots up a "universal clamor" for an
increase of tho banks' promises to pay. How long
will it be before the people of the country recog
nizo tho irreconcilablo contradiction between tho
arguments made against an increase of good
money in 189G and tho arguments made in favor
of a lot of bad monoy now?
JJJ
Another Negro Burned.
Tho burning of tho negro school teacher at
Bollovlllo, 111., recently, is tho latest, if not tho
most forcible evidence that has been given in thi3
country of raco prejudice. Tho victim was not a
low or brutal representative of his race, but, on
tho contrary, ono of tho moro intellectual of his
people. Ho had sufficiently advanced to enable
him to become a school teacher.
Tho burning did not occur in a southern state
whero tho ra question is constantly present in
the minds of all, but in one of tho largest north
ern states, and under tho administration of a re
publican governor.
Tho crlmo which led to the lynching and burn
ing was not an assault upon a woman the re
volting crime that has usually led to burnings in
tho south, but an assault upon a republican offi
cial. It seems that County Superintendent Her
tel had, for reasons which to him seemed suffic
ient, rofused to renew Wyatt's certificate. There
Is nothing to indicate that tho refusal to issue
the certificate was duo to raco prejudice, and cer
tainly republicans will not claim that tho super
intendent in tho discharge of his official duty gave
any just cause for offense. Angered by tho re
fusal, Wyatt drew a revolver and fired upon the
superintendent. Ho was arrested and taken to
tho Jail, but as soon as the news of the attempted
murder became known a mob gathered at tho
jail, took tho negro out, and hung him to a tele
graph pole. That not being sufficient, a fire was
kindled and the man cut down anl burned. Even
tho burning did not satisfy tho vengeance of his
executors. According to tho account published la
tho Now York World and reproduced on another
page, "they fell upon him With clubs and knives,
and cut ol beat the burning body almost to
pieces, and hot until every sign of life had de
parted did they desist and permit tho names o
devour tho body."
It is not less to say that a white man would
have boon differently dealt with. Shocking as is
the teachor'B assault upon tho superintendent, it
did not differ materially from the tragedies that
occur only too frequently in all parts of the coun
try. Sometimes tho perpetrator of such an act ia
hanged by a mob, but there was nothing in this
case to justify the belief that a frenzied mob
would have acted as they did had Wyatt been
white instead of black. Wo may say what wo
please n condemnation of raco prejudice, but it
is a thing that must be considered it cannot bo
Ignored-and there is no doubt .ni the prejudice
has been growing during tho last few years. Can
Its growth be traced to any source? Is it unrea
sonable to suppose that tho effort on the part of
some of tho republican leaders to force tho ap
pointment of colored men upon protesting whito
people has had something to do with it? These
appointments have embittered the whites and the
protests mado by the whites have embittered the
negroes and the two races are more hostile than
Jtn?i i1"10 ?i?C? th(? war' Is ifc "t time to dis
cuss this subject soberly and seriously, with a
iiJ i ZrhP?at somo hone3t understanding?
Is it not time to lay aside tho political phases of
if nnA1"? a SOlution that WI nior
It possible for the twto races to develop and maka
progress without constant and increasing friction?
A Protest Justified.
wD!ar Slr: YQUr 5,avor at hand. I believe
that tho cruelty practiced against the Jews In
Russia justifies an official expression on the part
of our nation and wo have a precedent to? it
(if a precedent Is needed) in tho protest sent by
The Commoner
Secrotary Hay to another European country la
regard to tho persecution of the Je rs. The United
States must take a leading part in tho formation
of tho public opinion of tho world, . and there
would bo nothing unfriendly in making a protest
which I suggest. If it is replied that our owu
nation has permitted things that would justify
tho protest of foreign nations, we can answer
that this doeB not alter the case. If we do or
permit anything that is wrong it is right and
proper that other nations should express their
disapproval, and such an expression would do
much to help us to prevent a recurrence of such,
incidents. Then, too, the expression of our "in
dignation at atrocities abroad would tend to cul
tivate a public sentiment that would prevent
atrocities here.
I believe that the policy which I have sug
gested is not only the correct one for. this . coun
try, but for all countries, and that tho general
adoption of such a policy would strengthen tho..
sentiment in favor of justice and humanity In
dealing not only with the Jews, but with all
other races and sects. Very truly yours,
W. J. BRYAN.
Mr. A. Rosenthall,
"Modern Mew." St Louis, Mo. -
A Natural Selection.
Labor Compendium of St. Louis criticises tha
World's fair management for inviting Cleveland
to speak at tbe dedication exercises. What it
says in regard to Mr. Roosevelt's use of the oc
casion to make a republican speech is just. The
president was guilty of a gross breach of propriety
in practically ignoring Jefferson's part In the ac
quisition and in attempting to build a republican,
argument upon the purchase of the Louisiana ter
ritory. Mr. Cleveland's appointment, however,
was perfectly natural when all the circumstances
are considered. Mr. Francis is at tho head of tho
exposition and is devoting his time to it. Having
been a member of Mr. Cleveland's cabinet he, of
course, feels under obligation to the ex-president,
and having deserted the democratic party at the
time that Mr. Cleveland did, he would very natur
ally prefer his brand of democracy to the Kan
sas City platform brand.
Then, too, Mr. Francis is conspicuous among
tho reorganizers, and desires to give them all
the prestige and advantage he can. It was hardly
to bo expected that he would consult the demo
crats of Missouri or of the section of the country
immediately tributary to St. Louis. The selection
of Mr. Cleveland was not only more pleasing to
the republican members ofc the national commis
sion, and to tho republicans generally than tho
selection of any democrat could have been, but,
as he belongs to no party, it made the occasion
non-partisan. Mr. Bryan was invited along with
other visitors to occupy a seat upon the stand, but
ho feared that his presence there, even as an in
vited guest, might Inject that partisan element
which the management had so studiously avoided.
Organized Against Labor.
The National Manufacturers' association, of
which Mr. D. M. Parry of Indianapolis is presi
dent and Marshall Cushing of New York secre
tary, has sent out a letter signe: by the secre
tary in which the association makes the following
claim:
"We beat the eight-hour bill in tho last
congress and have evidently got to do it in
the next; for already the labor leaders aro
having an eminent lawyer draw a new eight
hour bill which shall be constitutional, if pos
sible, and, if possible, shall pass muster with
the committee on education and labor of tho
senate, and the senate itself, and even with
the president, who is to be urged, through
all the pressure that can bo brought to bear
by the American federation of- labor, to in-
uureo mis measure m his next annual meas-
ure.
In tho declaration of principles tho associa
tion makes no mention of its opposition to en
eight-hour day. It starts out by declaring in
favor of "fair dealing," but it seems that its
idea for fair dealing is to attack a proposed law
which, is in the interest of fairness. The letter
then proceeds:
"Our association must also bo prepared to
beat tho anti-conspiracy bill which would
legalize the free picket around your plant.
But that proposition also can be beaten if
wo have the help of all who are naturally our
friends."
t ThG. assciation seems to bo getting Into poli
tics fast.. The noxt thing that the association has
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 23.
to deal with is the new department of commerce
and labor. Tho letter says: "There will ai
be, during tho fall and winter,, very much of is
sistanco that will have to be given to the new
departmentwhich our associ-tion can give all
tho better because It was tho chief influence ere
ating that department. This no-, branch of tha
government hasn't merely tho labor question to
ileal with, but also all tho questions relating to
tho big combinations and tho continuing expan
sion of our export trade." So it seems that tho
department of commerce and labor was .not after
all in tho interest of labor, but in the interest of
commerce, and the national association of manu
facturers is to occupy itself getting the new de
partment started., It more and more clearly ap
pears that the measures of the republican party
are all of the same kind, in the interest of capital
rather than in the interest of those whose labor
creates capital. We shall see whother the asso
ciation will be able to control congress as other,
capitalistic associations have.
The National City's Schemes.
The Boston Transcript has the following in
regard to the scheme which the National City
Bank worked on the other banks. It just slipped
in and used, tho government to send its letters
to the holders of bonds. Of course the secretary
would show tho same favor to otner banks, after
it had given the inside to the National City Bank,
but would it have given the other banks the start,
or could it have given to all the same oppor
tunity? "The National City Bank of New York
has addressed a circular letter to every reg
istered holder of United States government
bonds offering, to buy their bonds at tho
highest current quotations or exchange other
securities for them. The bank sent their
letters through the United States treasury,
where tne addresses and stamps were put on
the envelopes by the treasury clerks, the bank
paying for the labor and postage. In this
way the addresses of the holders of the bonds
were not secured by the bank nor otherwise
made public. In reply to a complaint for per
mitting the circulars to le sent ,to holders of
bonds, Leslie M. Shaw, secretary of the treas
ury, said that the same favor would be granted
to any reputable bond firm or to any bank,
especially when tho object was, as In this
case, to further the government's plan for re
funding some of its bonds. The National City
Bank's circular letter was signed by Frank A.
Vanderlip, one of its vice presidents. He
pointed out that at present prices the 4 per
cent bonds of 1907 return the investor only
11-5 per cent, while the 4s of 1925- can be
bought on a 2 per cent basis."
JJJ
Gorman's Candidacy.
On another page will be found an extract from
the editorial page of the Public Ledger of Phila
delphia. The Lodger has recently been consoli
dated with the Times, and is conspicuous among
tho corporation-controlled representatives of tho
metropolitan presa. Its discussion of Senator
Gorman's position on public questions can, there
fore, be accepted as representing the opinion of
the reorganizing element The editorial is re
produced in order that the readers of The Com
moner may better understand what reorganization
really means. Some have been slow to grasp tho
full import of the change that is contemplated.
In tho campaigns of 1896 an 19u0 tho party stood
for the interests of the masses; the reorganizers
aim to make it the representative of organized
wealth. They desire to use the party as a club
with which to threaten tho republican party if it
becomes restive under the domination of cor
porations. The democratic party would cut a
sorry figure in tho campaign if it attempted to
carry its contest by the liberal use of trust con
tributions. It could do that in 18b, but the peo
ple are better acquainted with the subject now.
Selecting Candidates.
Mr. Hamilton Holt, New York Independent,
.New York City. My Dear Sin I have been try
ing to get time to send you tho article which yoa
desire, but so far have not found leisure for it.
I can answer your question in a very few words.
The real issue between the democratic party and
the republican party is whether the government
Shall bO based Unon tho rfnnfrlTin fcn nil TTlflll
are created equal and so administered a3 to rev
uBiuze uie rignts ot manww hnlltiPXrt&T
tocratio .HgBWn
tho few at tht ' dK nt thenmny lrit ara
republican policie 4m tad at
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