1
The Commoner.
s
WILLIAfi J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Vob. No. 3.
Lincoln, Nebraska, February 5, 1904.
Whole No, 159.
iTHEIR MASK
IS TORN OFF
I Mr. Bryan's speech at.tho Lincoln banquet has
Hho desired effect it has unmasked the reor-
izers and shown that their pleas for harmony
Ere mere pretense. Professing a groat desire
1 reconciliation between those who voted the
ocratic tic':t and those who opposed the par-
f'they had a Concealed condition, namely, that
bolters should be permitted to write tho plot-
in, nominate tho candidate and control the or-
ization. It is well that their real purpose
uld be made known so early. They profess a
pong desire to defeat President Roosevelt, but
lis evident that they do rt want him defeated
ess they can bring about that result with a
ocrat equally acceptable to the great corpora-
ns which put up the money necessary for the
ibauching of elections.
The New York World proposes ac a democratic
'tform the following declarations:
First Democratic principles had their
inception in tho Declaration of Independence.
They are built on the bedrock or tue constitu
tion.
SecondThey include just and economical
government, equal rights for all, special fav-
ors to none.
ThlrdTaxation for publio purposes, only.
Fourth A sound and stable currency. '
Fifth Respect for the judiciary enforce
ment of the laws.
Sixth A civil service divorced from
politics.
Seventh An isthmian canal.
Eighth Reciprocity in trade.
Ninth Opposition to monopoly.
m(.l. Tnmlir11, vnlaflnna 'wffli nil no-
j- J. until-A' luuuijr itiauwuo ""u "
rtions, entangling alliances with none neither
toadying to the strong nor bullying me weaic. -A
republican paper, referring to the World's
ronosod democratic platform, well sayfa: "Tho
iverage reader will bo much puzzled to note
hat particular plank in che above could not be
inserted with grace in the republican platform."
That describes the situation accurately. The
purpose of tho men whom the World represents
to reorganize tho democratic party so It will
ffer from the republican party in namo only.
ey pretend to bo in favor of harmony, and yet
e World declares that it will be the duty of the
en whom it represents to "put down with a firm
and" those who believe in the principles enun-
?nfvi in the Kansas City platform, i .Thev talk
khnnf. "frnttincr tocether." and yerTfhev become
(highly indignant when the faithful democrat de
nials to know what they are "getting together"
for and whether through tho "getting together"
sprocess the democratic party is to defend the
lghts or. tne people or is 10 m.er upon a course
f pillage. t "
Waving IlUipBU iu icpuuuuau jiMi'ty 1ULO
wer, the World assumes to fix the -conditions
mn whlnh te democratic party should bo al-
wed to enter a contest with the republican party.
e World can come nearer wrumg mo repuoil
1 nlatform than it can the democratic platform.
t it insists upon writing both.
Look Higher.
Frank and John- Jager, officers of-the Model
aid Mining company, have been arrested by the
federal authorities and arraigned before the
United States commissioner at Chicago, charged
with "misrepresenting their properties in ad
vertising matter sent through tho mails." An As
sociated press dispatch says that upwards of
$800,000 is involved in the case, and that the fed
'eral authorities are determined to push it to a
finish". ' '
It Is well known that tho managers of tho
shipbuilding trust were guilty of the same of
fense with which tho Jager brothers arG charged.
The shipbuilding trust managers sent through
tho' malls matter misrepresenting their property.
They defrauded their victims of thausands where
tho Jager brothers aro charged with having. de
frauded their victims of hundreds.
How does it happen that all the powr of the
federal authorities is exerted to punish thoso com
paratively Insignificant men, while the wrong
doing of tho millionaires who manipulated the
shipbuilding trust, and defrauded many people
out of thousands upon thousands of dollara, has
been utterly Ignored?
L
MUST BE HONEST
Replying to a question submitted by the Now
York World, Allio W. Young of Morehead, ky.,
and democratic national committeeman for that
state, said:
s - "I am in favor of any. compromise that
does not involve the sui render of the future
hopo and welfare of tho millions of laborers
and freemen of this country to tho money -powers
In exchange for office. For this reason
I am opposed to Mr. Cleveland .and his asso
ciates dictating tho next national platform
for the democratic party. The principles un
derlying the gold standard are either right or
wrong, and I want to see our party, now, as
always heretofore, brave enough f.o go before
the American voters with the faith that Is in
it clearly stated. It will and should live long
er defeated, retaining tho confidence of its
followers and supporters, than to temporarily
triumph by deception."
This is. an interesting reply. Will those who
object to the reaffirmation of the Kansas City
platform, because to dp so means that the party
shall declare itself in favor of bimetallism, bo
willing for the party to make itself clearly under
stood upon the money question?
Do those who insist that the principle of bi
metallism has been destroyed and who say that
the single gold standard is right, want tho plat
form to be so framed as to deceive tho people? ,
" If the principles underlying tho gold standard
aire right, aro these gentlemen willing that tho
party be brave1 enough to go before the American
voters with the faith that is in it clearly stated?
If they want the party to abandon bimetallism on
.the theory that the single gold standard is right,
-are they willing that the democratic platrorm
shall declare unequivocally for monometallism?
Mr. Young is eminently correct when he says
that the democratic party will live longer de
feated, retaining the confidence of its followers
and supporters, than it would by acquiring tem
porary triumph through deception.
JJJ
The railroad combine seems about to reach
out and secure the quid pro quo. counted p rhwa
it furnished that sixty days of palatial train service.
MR. BRYAN AS
A "BOLTER"
It is difficult to understand why anow&paper
that circulates among intelligent men will per
sistently resort to misrepresentation In tho hope
of gaining a point. Sooner or later the truth
must become known and when tho truth Is known,
the publication responsible for tho falsehood must
suffer irreparable damage.
On many occasions tho Chicago Chrculc'o has
declared that Mr. Bryan bolted tho democratic na
tional ticket In 1892. Ropeatedly, tho falslly of
this charge has been brought to tho attention of
the editors of tho Chronicle. They have never
had tho honesty to correct their false statement,
but, on tho contrary, have continued to reiterate
it. - ...
In a recent Issue, the Chronicle says that the
democratic convention of 1890 "nominated a bolter
in the person of Mr. Bryan," and It adds: "Mr,
Bryan and his populists In Nebraska bolted Mr,
Cleveland in 1892, and Mr. Bryan came to Chi
cago four years later as a member of a bolting
delegation' Tho Chronicle further declares: "Tho
fact lsf of course, that Mr. Bryan was not then
and Is not now a democrat, ... So far as boilers
are concerned, Mr. Bryan ahould be the last mam
on earth to complain about nominating one of
them. All that he is or has been in politics may
be attributed to bolting."
Tho Commoner has on several occasions pre
sented the facts. This Is a good time tp present
them again.
Mr. Bryan was tho democratic nominee for
congress in 1890 and again in 1892. In eacn cam
paign he was opposed by a populist candidate.
In 1892, many democrats in Nebraska voted
for the Weaver electors at the request of fhe dem
ocratic national committee That request was de
livered in a confidential letter sent out by James
E. Boyd, then governor of the state of Nebraska,
and' since then ono of the prominent members of
'the gold contingent. Governor Boyd's letter fol
lows: "Lincoln, Nob., Oct. 17, 1892. (Personal
and confidential.) Dear Sir: I have -lust re
turned from the east where I was nonored by
a consultation with the national committee
and leading men of our yarty, with regard to
the best policy to bo pursued in Nebraska thi3
fall in dealing with the electoral ticket; and
they agreed with me that tho wisest course
would bo for democrats to support the Weaver
electors; the object being to take Nebraska
out of her accustomed place in tho republican
column.
"Information, has reached mo that a num
ber of independents wno wero formerly re
publicans contemplate votirg for the Harri
son electors. With the republican strength
. thus augmented it would be Impossible for the
democrats to carry their own electors' ticket
to victory. It is therefore the part of good
judgment and wise action for democrats lo
support the Weaver electors in as large num
- bers as possible. For democrats to do this is
no abandonment of principle; on the contrary.
It is a definite step toward victory, and the
ultimate triumph of Cleveland and Stevenson,
and tho principles they represent."
It may hot bo out of place right here to say
that In t aprlng of 1893, when(the democrats i.
tat Nebraska legislature vera confronted wit
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