4
The Commoner.
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nab.
i rr
T you boliovo what tho loading republican
newspapers say, Chicago went "populist" last
week.
Tho opposition of tho Chicago daily press con
tinues to bo a sure sign that those whom they op
pose will win out.
It lakes something more than money to make
missionary work successful, a fact that some
ministers of tho gospel seem to have overlooked.
President Roosevelt says he is going to loso
himself in the woods. He may seize the oppor
tunity to loso a few issues which he raised, too.
Rev. Mr. Gladden managed to start Mr. H. H.
ftogors to talking, and when Mr. Rogers opens
his month ho usually inserts his pedal extremity
therein.
The United States senate, which insists on
being first at social functions, also persists in
being last when it comes to doing something for
tho country.
If it were not for the Philadelphia republi
can machine we would insist that the Mergen
thaler typecasting machine is tho greatest ma
chine ever invented.
Somo of those $100,000 men we hear about re
coivo $1,500 for the work they do and $9S,500 for
what they keep others, principally courts and legis
latures, from doing.
It cost Major Warner $28.90 to be elected sen
ator. When he gets down to Washington ho will
meet senators who spent vastly more but are not
worth nearly so much.
ne.i f ? imary Ple(1fe Plan . organization will
ass st in the work of advancing genuine demo
cratic principles and is therefore deservimr of thp
support of all democrats. living or me
Ihe attempt to fix responsibility for great
disasters seems to bo about as futile as the effort
to prevent great disasters by enacting laws rrn
Tiding for thorough inspection, Pr
J1 m?y, hQ the administration desires to lot
tar fl revision sentiment pass the G 0-year age limit
and then chloroform it. But the tariff rev skn
sentiment only grows stronger with age
If tho supremo court will take the lead in
dealing out justice, the people will not worrv
?i?retll?r the mrrmQ court h to tag after
the diplomatic corps at state functions.
Tho contest in the Bennett will casa line i,aon
Anally settled, the decision of tho sumemn nnw
being that tho trust which Mr BennSt VSt C0?P?
ito create was ineffective so far as thn Vn 5S?pted
concerned. Tho matter wUl be re errld fo n Jf
when the estate is finally closed up ? agaIn
The Commoner.
"Vote for Harlan and Chicago, not for party
prejudice!" shouted tho Record-Herald the morn
ing of election. The voters saw through the plea
for partisanship and voted for Dunne and munici
pal ownership.
The readers of The Commoner may be in
terested in knowing that Judge Dunne, the newly
elected mayor of Chicago, was the man whom Mr.
Bryan, at tho request of a majority of tho Illinois
state convention, tried to have substituted for
Mr. Hopkins as a delegate-at-largo from Illinois
to the St. Louis convention.
A reader of The Commoner sends in a clipping
from the New York Herald which represents Mr.
Bryan as smoking in a railway waiting room and
refusing to obey when a porter announced that
smoking was not allowed. As Mr. Bryan does not
use tobacco in any form, he is at a loss to know
whether it is a case of mistaken identity or wheth
er it is a pure fabrication.
The Congregational ministers who aro oppos
ing the Rockefeller donation might take as their
text tho 8th verse of the 23d chapter of Exodus,
"And thou shalt take no gift; for the gift blindeth
the wise and perverteth the words of the righte
ous." The defenses of Mr. Rockefeller which have
been made by eminent divines show the necessity
for this commandment.
Word comes from Abilene, Kansas, that a dem
ocratic club has been organized there. It began
a year ago with twelve members it has now
enrolled one hundred and fifty, it being one of tho
largest if not the largest young men's club in
the state. Success to the 'Young Men's club at
Abilene. May its influence increase with its mem
bership, and always be thrown upon the right
side of public questions.
Governor Montague, of Vipginia, in announc
ing his candidacy for the United States senate,
endorses the election of United States senators
by the people. It is an encouraging sign that the
sentiment in favor of this reform is so strong that
candidates for the United States senate are finding
it to their advantage to announce their position
upon it. It is only a question of time when United
States senators will be elected by direct vote of the
people.
A democratic editor of experience, who will
run a live, progressive democratic newspaper that
will lead public opinion instead of reflecting it
may learn of a location by addressing "J. p b "'
care The Commoner, Lincoln, tfeb. The location
is in Iowa in a live town of 600 people, having one
republican paper, and in a county having a ponu
lation of upwards of 50,000. Local democrats will
give a democratic paper loyal support. A cash
capital of about $500 is required to buy a printing
plant already there. fa
Purely
a Revenue
Measure.
Any sort of excuse will serve the administra
tion managers m their efforts to prevent further
f 11 "u uencii. iow comes
talk of a duty on coffee, but in
stead of making the honest ad
mision that tho riiitv tc i,,mi
, s if , revenue measure, the advocator
are insisting that it will be for the purpose of
protecting and fostering the coffee industry n our
insular possessions. This will deceive only Uiose
who are anxious to be deceived. Republican pv
travagance has resulted in a big deficit imi"
measures must be taken to secure more revenno
be followed. Those belt S Ftf
Is the
Doubt Well
' Founded?
Rev. Washington Gladden makes a rmh,f 1.
earnest church workers everywhere6 shou'w ?,on te
4 ai "" " auya mar, tne re
tot Mr- Rockefeller's cm
fund6 XmemTn 'tan?
???., w.m .. strengthen ln.
respect of millions wSo n're nol.f.?' ns and
whether the churches "love God md to "oubt
mon." No thoughtful observer wilTSy St T
is a growing feelinr? imi 1. y tnat there
that the churches ot tXfQVT cla
ested in their welfare iWw ' 0t dceply lnter
the rich and powerful w Wg i r attontion to
tions keep thedmrc "mShtaorv ffT?- COntribu
feeling will account SJ mtl0n This
church's failure to rear rhIB meusuro for tho
and if the feStag i"StoSdpT?i8es ?f tllG pePlG.
make the fact known by iS fl? CllUrch 8houM
teaching. uy lta actions and by its
Would Bo
a Pleasing
Pastime
Tho Sioux City Journal, pointing nnt
differences between President Roosevelt a T
jDiyu.u. suys: "Mr. Brvin i '
froe trader and Mr. Rooso '? ,a
a protectionist." Tlie sKX
Journal would doubtle l Uty
ntP.rpeto.1 n ." ,..?S3?Gmuch
Roosevelt the protectionist says and then iMr'
ing it with what Roosevelt the free trodS
If the Journal is disponed to be at all fair it t J
after reading and comparing, admit that W
velt the free trader had much tho advantZ i
Roosevelt tho protectionist in the argument? n
sented. The Journal might also bo interest,! t
said with what Roosevelt the advocate of im!i
ialism says. We assure the esteemed Journal ihll
it will find a whole lot of amusement if it in
undertake to compare the various and contradi
tory positions Mr. Roosevelt has taken on a num
her of important questions now confronting Z
people. 8
American newspapers that exhibit an inability
to understand why the Russian people submit to
the autocratic power of the
Grand Dukes grand,dukes, are the same news
and Arrogant papers that have no criticism to
Trusts. offer of the autocratic rule ot
the United States by the trusts
and corporations. The grand dukes nullify all
efforts' made by the Russian people to secure re
lief from existing conditions, and in the United
States the trusts and corporation nullify the ef
forts of the people to secure relief from trust ex
tortion. Are we as a people in a position to criti
cize the Russian people, or are we in a position to
sympathize with them in a common affliction?
An esteemed contemporary announces that
Mr. Bryan has advised the democrats of Ohio
whom to nominate for governor,
and having made the announce
ment proceeds to read Mr. Bryan
a lecture for attempting to dic
tate to the democrats of Ohio.
If the editor were as anxious to know the truth
as he is to find something to find fault with, ho .
would ascertain by inquiry that Mr. Bryan has nofc
mentioned any person in connection with the gov
ernorship, or given any advice in regard to tho
selection of a candidate. He has done in Ohio as
he has done elsewhere refused to advise or even
to discuss the availability of candidates. His rulo
is not even upon request to give advice as to per
sons to be nominated where those persons advocate
democratic principles. He does reserve the right
to say that only those should be nominated who
can be trusted to carry out democratic principles.
He Does
Not Discuss
Candidates.
The death of Jules Verne at a ripe old ago
forcefully recalls the fact that he was a pioneer
in the line of so mixing fiction
Jules Verne, and science as to interest tho
French Author, seeker after the former as well
Dead as the interest of the seeker
after the latter. It is generally
acknowledged that Verne was a master of this lit
erary style. Thirty years ago the plots of somo
of his stories were considered impossible in real
life. His great sub-marine boat, the Nautilus, has,
however, became a fact. The globe is easily en
circled In less than eighty days by an energetic
traveler. Many of his once fanciful electric appar
atus are in actual use today. Would it be safo
lo assert that It will never be possible to journey
to the moon or to the center of the earth? Verne
contributed a great deal to the world that was
serviceable and helpful, and his memory will be
cherished wherever hooks and science and civiliza
tion hold sway.
The Commoner has many republican readers
and its editor appreciates the kind words that tney
say In regard to the manner m
Strives which democratic principles are
Always To Be defended in the columns oMW
Fair Commoner. It is the aim of tne
paper to present, first, tho facts,
and thon to draw from those facts only such con
clusions as aro warranted. The editor endeavors
to avoid misrepresentation of both adherents J
and appononts of the democratic position, and m
he glad at any time to publish a correction u, jy
inadventenco, injustice is done. It never pays l.
misrepresent the arguments of an opponent. J
the argument has strength it ought to be acKnow
edged; if it has weakness, the weakness uSJi.
be exposed, but a candid statement of the art
ment of an opponent is necessary to any Jl
factory refutation. Fairness to political ow
nents is demanded as much by policy as by Pri
clple.
t