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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1905)
K--VW 1-r'' -T' -"finer - The Commoner, JTJLT 28, 1905 5 1FTM0irrrl&iirn'r "y'ew yxm-9rfw Hpf "vr -r- -TTy 9 "APOSTLES OF SWEETNESS AND LIGHT " The biographers of John Hay seem generally to dwell upon his accomplishments in public life; and when we remember tliat Mr. Hay was by the world regarded as a "cold" man it is refreshing to read from the pen of Senator El. :lby M. Cullom, an intimate, personal friend, the statement: "In private life to all who knew him Mr. Hay was the most companionable of men, of wonderful yersatility and particular information, but so modest and unassuming as to te within the reach of all. He was a supreme master of English. His conversati n overflowed with apt stories, al ways clean and always vital. He was an apostlo of sweetness and light, with a nature as tender and affectionate as a woman's and a man's strong and hearty approval for that which appealed to him." That is a fina side light thrown upon the character of the late secretary of state, and while it may seem strange to those who formed their estimate of Mr. Hay by observing him in the field of politics, it is wholly in keeping with the idea one must have of the author of "Little Breeches." It has often been said in the public prints that In recent years John Hay was not slow in manifesting his displeasure when referred to as the author of the little poem famous the world over and indissolubly linked with the memory of the man who at the time of his death held, perhaps, the highest rank among the world's diplomats. Maybe injustice has been done Mr. Hay, and maybe when he manifested displeasure because he was pointed out as the author of "Little Breeches" it was due to his modesty rather than to his disinclination to stand sponsor for that touching bit of verse. The man who wrote that verse must have had within him much of tho material out of which "apostles of sweet ness and light" are constructed. It is something of a coincidence that the late Thomas "Dunn English did not take kindly to tho fact that wherever he 'went and whenever his name appeared in public print he was referred to as "the author of Ben Bolt." But if Hay's only claim to distinction was that he had written "Little Breeches," and if English's only hold upon fame was through the authorship of "Ben Bolt," these two men would be entitled to rank as "apostles of sweetness and light." While there is nothing classical about "Ben Bolt" or "Little Breeches" these poems are sub lime in their simplicity. If English and Hay had continued to live as near the popular .heart V later life as they did when they wrote these THAT "GREAT SACRIFICE" Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were among the men who served the American people in the high and honorable office of secretary of state. Yet now that Mr. Elihu Root has accepted that position the Ameri can1 peoptcT-have been surfUited with extravagant tributes to the wealthy man who has abandoned a remunerative practice as a corporation lawyer to accept the highest honor in the gift of the president and to have his name enrolled among those of the eminent men who preceded him. The Baltimore Sun strikes a popular chord when it says: "Unless money counts for every thing; unless money making is the only honora ble occupation, then the talk of the great sacri fice which Mr. Elihu Root makes to accept tho office of secretary of state is wrong. It is un true, unpatriotic and harmful. The salary of the office is $8,000 a year, and that should bo sufficient for a family to live on. If It is not sufficient it ought to be. Next to the presidency the office of secretary of state Is perhaps tho highest place in the service of the American people. The secretary is next after tho vice president in the line of succession to the office of chief magistrate. The doctrine that money is worth more than such an office as that of secre tary of state and the opportunity it affords to serve one's country and gain fame and honor is a false and a harmful doctrine to teach young men." JJJ STAMP TAXES ACAIN In a speech before the Ohio convention Sec retary Taft referring to the deficit said: "There remains two alternatives, either to impose addi tional internal taxes or to readjust and revise tne tariff. We have repealed the war taxes, ."Which afforded a large revenue, and the eight years of tho present Dingley tariff have seen in pleasing verses, they would not have been offended when public attention was dlrectc l to the best work of their hearts and brains. It may have been that, mingling in later life among those who are either ashamed or Incapable of appreciating simplicity's majesty, these gentlemon had for gotten that "simplicity is nat .re's first step, and tho last of art." The "Little Breeches" of John Hay appeals not only to the heart of the parent but as well to the heart of every man and woman who loves little children. Likewise It appeals to tho hearts oi those who have not become so thoroughly practical as to dismiss the notion that thcro may be, after all, some power that tempers tho wind to the shorn lamb. Tho "Ben Bolt" of Thomas Dunn English ap peals to those who are not too busy to dollght in the renewal of old acquaintances, who are not so averse to sentiment that they turn their backs upon Auld Lang Syne, who are not so wholly wrapped up in the things of to-day that they must overlook tho boy of thirty years ago and reject the delightful reflections which reminis cence often provides. Nearly every home has its "Little Breeches;" in not all of them is this particular designation made, but as a rule tlnre is some characteristic that suggests an affectionate nickname for the baby of the household; and in every homo whero "Little Breeches" lives and Is loved the same heartfelt gratitude which the parent character in John Hay's little poem poured out to tho 'delight of the world would be manifested under similar circumstances by every character of flesh and blood and heart and brain, in the real life of to-day. The little four-year-old child lost in a storm on the bleak prairie was, after hours of painstak ing search, found nestling among the lambs in a fold "as peart as ever can be." It seemed to tho distracted parent that nothing short of a miracle could have saved "Little Breeches" from tho terrible storm. The only explanation this rough frontiersman could give was that it was the work of "angels" who "just swooped down and toted it to whar It was safe and warm;" and this thought drew from the grateful and practical father the eminently correct opinion: "And I think that taking a little child and bring ing him to his own is a denied sight better busi ness than loafing around the Throne." "Ben Bolt" was written in 1842; it was set to the music of a German melody in 18-18. Its publication by a music dealer of Cincinnati made that man rich. It was tho favorite song in thea ters and parlors for many yours, and oven .to day there In no more popular air and no moro delightful poem than the slmplo littles story of "Sweet Alice" and the other characters and things recalled In this communion between old friends. Doubtlcas In the memory of many a man whoso hair is tinged with gray ihero is a "Sweet Alico." Doubtless before the vlalon of many a man rises tho "slab of gran Ho gray," in some old churchyard In tho valley, whero somo Alice of boyhood day "lies under tho stone." The hickory tree which Htood at tho foot of the hill, and under which Bon Bolt and his compnnion lay in the noonday shade doubt less has its counterpart within the recollection of many a full grown man. The cabin of logs, the old mill wheel, the school, and "tho master cruel and grim, the shady nook by the running brool whore the children went to swim" suggests to many a man of to-day memories, tender and true- Where, also, is tho man with blood enough in his veins to cultivate affection, who does not cherish a friendship oven like unto that, of tho Ben Bolts? Tho pessimist who has come to bo Hove that thero is nothing true on earth may find all over tho world men who, howover ac tlvo they may bo, have not been too busy to cultivate the old tlmo ties. Doubtless In every community and In every block In ovory vlllago of tho land thoro aro men and women who can echo tho tributo paid by Thomas Dunn English to tho durability of human friendship when ho wrote: "Thero is change in the things I love, Ben Bolt, Thoy have changed from the old to tho now, But I feel in tho depths of my spirit tho truth Thero never was change in you. Twelve months twenty Lave passed, Ben Bolt, Since first we wore friends yet I hail Thy presence a blessing, thy friendship a truth, Ben Bolt of the salt sea galol" In spite of tho alleged preferences of John Hay and Thomas Dunn English, "Little Breeches" and ""Ben Bolt" will bo favorites among the men and women of to-morrow us they woro among tho men and women of yesterday. "Man are only boys grown tall, hearts don't chnngo much after all;" and the things that have touched the chil dren of the long ago will appeal to tho children of the future. RICHARD L. METCALFE. this country a prosperity never before witnessed Id the civilized world. If the deficit continues in serious amount, then in one way or the other, either our taxation on Imports or our internal revenue system must be changed to meet tho shortage, with every effort to cause tho minimum of business disturbance." It is noticeable that while Secretary Taft sug gests tariff revision as well as stamp taxes he seems to stand, so far as republican statesmen are concerned, practically alone. The deficit for last year amounted to $24, 000,000 and it is estimated that at the present rate tho deficit for tho present year will amount to $40,000,000. The party in power must do something to meet the emergency, and influential republicans" one after another suggest the ad visability of resorting to the stamp tax. The in fluences that were powerful enough to send Mr. Taft into retirement as a punishment for "the Taft Free Trade Order" will be sufficiently power ful in republican councils to see that the shelter which the trusts find in tho tariff is not destroyed oven though the restoration of tho obnoxious stamp tax be tho alternative. JJJ GRAVE AND INCREASING COMPLAINT In his message to congress in December, 1904, Mr. Roosevelt said: "Of recent years there has been grave and increasing complaint of the diffi culty of bringing to justice those criminals whose criminality, instead of being against one person in the republic, is against all persons in the re public, because it is against the republic itself." In tho same message referring to railroad re bates Mr. Roosevelt said: "We must strive to keep the highways of commerce open to all on equal terms; and to do this it is nocessary to put a complete stop to all rebates. 'Whether the shipper or tho railroad is to blamo makes no difference; the rebates must be stopped, the abuses of tho private car and private terminal track and side-track system must bo stopped, and the legislation of tho Fifty-eighth congress which declares it to bo unlawful for any PERSON or corporation to offer, grant, give, solicit, accept or receive any rebate, concession or discrimina tion in respect to the transportation of any prop erty in Interstate or foreign commerce whereby siich property shall by any device whatever bo transported at a less rate than that named in tho tariffs published by the carrier, must bo en forced." But in the Paul Morton case Mr. Roosevelt showed that he would amend the law by striking out tho word "Person." In throwing a protecting arm around his secretary of the navy Mr. Roose velt gave a striking demonstration of "the diffi culty of bringing to justice those criminals whoso criminality instead of being against one person Id the republic is against all persons. in tho repub lic, because It is against the republic itself." JJJ RAILROAD8' MISREPRESENTING OPINION Tho Chicago Tribune's Washington corre spondent says that the railroad magnates have advised their confidential agents that the rate crusado has subsided and that they will be ablo to prevent any legislation objectionable to tho roads. The Commoner has already informed its readers, of the methods employed. The roads established bureaus and sent out news items and editorials for reproduction and many of the coun try papers wittingly or unwittingly fell into tho trap. Tho purpose of the roads was not to con vert the voters but to fortify the representatives and senators who want to favor the railroads and at the same time escape the wrath of tho people. The railroad managers may fool the public men in the coming session but if the president does his duty the Issue will be made so plain that tho next congress will be immune to rail road influence. Railroad regulation can bo de layed but it can not be prevented. Jl. JmiM. -jJ.r- l II . , K'ttnlfoll4U AHI"H i- AJW, MWli: .M .-' x . 1 11 1 1 ir i jlKTfct ftarfU... ttutlku, Mil.,.
