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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 1905)
mNmi''mi$r-'-mrir ir - The Commonerc WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Vol. 5. No; 29 Lincoln, Nebraska, August 4, 1905 Whole Number 237 CONTENTS Democratic Principals are Popular Kevenge "The Man Behind the Octopus" Mr. Rockefeller's Certificate of 'Character The Strike's Lesson Ballad of the Professional Patriot "Fads and Fancies" The Kingdom of Never-Grow-Old Asking Questions Something About Antwerp Comment on Current Topics The Primary Pledge News of the Week REVENGE The papers announce that an eastern spinster has left her former lover a fortune estimated at $150,000, on condition that he obtain a divorce from his wife. The spinster was disappointed be cause he finally preferred another woman to her and takes her revenge by trying to separate them. At flrt it migli'. seem that the revenge was aimed at Iier successful rival, but the man is really the one at whom the thrust is made, for if he were sordid enough to divorce his wife to secure a fortune he would soon become an object of pity, for the contempt of his neighbors would make life unbearable, But what shall 'we say of the reveaseful spirit which affixed the condition to the bequest. Possibly she thought she loved the man, but true love shows itself in a different way. If she had loved him as many have loved "she would either have kept silent, or, if she wanted to leave him money, she would have left it for him to use to promote his own happiness and welfare. Her love was of the kind that leads' young -men to kill their sweethearts (when they have been rejected) and then kill themselves. It is a selfish love if love can bo sel fish that prompts one to punish the object of his affection. Sacrifice is the language of love. "Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friend" but the so-called love which exacts a penalty has in it the element of revenge rather tLan genuine affection. And revenge is tlic hardest load that any one can carry. No one is strong enough to attempt such a burden, and no one can afford to risk its corroding influence on his life. This conditional bequest shows how cherishing revenge will warp a nature. JJJ VyHAT RUSSIA NEEDS Rojestvensky, the Russian i.dmiral, explains that the ships were poorly built, the ammunition defective, the gunners untrained and the crews rebellious. With a free press the czar would have found out about the ships and ammunition, and with free government the men would have had some things they were interested in defending and preserving. Trrs . - . ?- -- - - r'.ff ' -I III u ri wl V 1 HI l:'',:,ff 'I j.'V ) " -, , . ni Does His Right Hand Know What His Left Hand Doeth? DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ARE POPULAR There can be no doubt about the popularity of democratic principles. That those principles are growing in popularity is not open to question. Ask any admirer of President Roosevelt why he is popular and you will find that it is due to his advocacy, or supposed advocacy, of principles and policies that are democratic. Nothing brought Mr. Roosevelt more applause during his first administration than his settlement of the anthra cite coal strike. And how did he settle it? By arbitration. Now, the democratic platforms of 189C arid 1900 demanded arbitration while the republican platforms were silent on the subject. But he not only waited until there was great suf fering and loss before proposing arbitration, but he did nothing afterward to secure a permanent arbitration board for the prevention of strikes. I? he won, popularity by a small application of a democratic policy, would h3 not have won more popularity if he had urged the establishment of a permanent arbitration board? He again won popularity by recommending railroad regulation. The democratic platform demanded that, but the republican platform was silent on the subject. The severest criticism has come from the shielding of Morton that was not democratic. He is strong when he is democratic and weak when he departs from democratic ideas. He is now being commended for enforc ing the criminal law against the Beef trust. The democratic platform demands It; the republican platform is silent on the subject. Would he not bG more popular if he enforced the criminal law against all the trusts? That would be democratic. If a president can achieve popularity by being spasmodically and sporadically democratic, what would be the popularity of a president con sistently and persistently democratic? Governor La Fo!!ette has made himself In vincible in Wisconsin by advocating things which are democratic. The primary system is not only democratic in principle, but it was adopted by the democratic party in Lie south before it be gan to spread in the north. Governor La Folletto is democratic on the railroad question also. Governor Cummings has strengthened him self by showing democratic symptoms, but he lacks La Follette's moral courage. When repub licans can build up a following by adopting demo cratic ideas let no democrat falter, in the fight. We need more men in all the parties who will dare to espouse democratic principles. There is not a northern state but needs strong and aggressive advocates of democratic principles and policies. They are and must be the basis of all political strength. JJJ SOME CRIMES COMPARED Not including Senator Dietrich of Nebraska, who escaped on a demurrer three United States senators have lately been proved guilty of wrong doing. Senator Burton, of Kansas, was convicted of practicing before the postofilce department, i ntf Tifcttv m ..