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NOVEMBER 24, 1905
The Comttio'n'er.
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MEN WHO MAY SAY "I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH"
Whatever differences there may have been
with respect to Mr. Bryan's position at the St
Louis convention, there was unanimity in the
reception accorded his statement on that occa
sion to the effect "You may dispute whether
I have .fought a good fight; you may
dispute whether I- have finished my course; but
you cannot deny that I have kept the faith."
Every man in that great convention, and every
newspaper reader throughout the world who was
interested in the -proceedings of that convention
lmew that when Mr. Bryan said "I have kept
the faith" he stated an incontrovertible fact.
In this great country of ours, there are many
men who, as democrats, have kept the faith and
while some of them may have been discouraged by
repeated defeats, they have the consolation of
knowing that now the stars are beginning to shine
in the horizon of democracy and there are every
where indications that democratic doctrines are
growing in favor among the people. Men who
during, the darkest days, remained faithful, now
have the satisfaction of seeing a president move
along lines laid down by the democratic party in
three successive national campaigns.
And it is consoling, also, to observe that
many of the men who changed democrats with
being "dangerous radicals" because of the char
acter of certain of their recommendations' now
embrace those same policies and count them as
of the patriotic order since, without the dotting
of an "i" or the crossing of a "t" they have re
ceived the sanction of the president elected as
a republican. There is nothing in the present
day situation to discourage those who have "kept
the faith." Indeed, there i's every indication that
the fine devotion which, under the greatest pos
sible discouragements, democrats have displayed
for their principles is soon to be rewarded.
There is constant strife between truth and
falsehood. The history of the world is full of
Instances where error has triumphed over.-truth,
for a period of time, and yet truth has finally
prevailed; preyailefl, it is true, only for error to
once more seek the combat; prevailed only for
the contest to be revived ,as it 'will again and
again be revived so long as human selfishness
and human ignorance- exist.
When the patriots of the colonies declared
their right to be free from the impositions of the
British crown, they stood for truth. When the
trucklers of the day, living on American soil,
insisted that rebellion against the king was
wicked, that revolution was unstatesmanlike, that
the effort to build a government dedicated, under
God, to freedom, was an impossible effort and
would be disastrous to business interests, they
stood for falsehood. And after eight years of dis
couragement, after eight years of bravo and faith
ful effort, after eight years in which the colonial
forces were required to combat on tho one hand
the British soldiery and on tho other tho insidious
influences of tho tory element, truth pr6vnlled
and a new nation, baptized in the purest of blood,
sprang into existence.
It is agreed today between tho men of tho
south and the men of the north that when tho
aLoliM'onists insisted that no man has a right
to place chains upon the limbs of another man
they stood for truth. When the other men of
that day declared slavery to be a divine insti
tution they stood for falsehood.
When Abraham Lincoln declared that this
nation could not survive half slave and half free,
he stood for truth. Truth triumphed, and the
shackles fell from the limbs of more than four
million of human beings.
. But the men who fought by Washington's
side and the men who fought in Lincoln's time
and. before Lincoln's time for liberty, were hin
dered and discouraged by many who did not
recognize and by some who did not care for a
great principle.
The strife of truth with falsehood is on to
day. In Ohio and in Pennsylvania where men,
solely interested in the greatest good to the great
est number battled against powerful machines,
it was a battle of ballots; but at this moment
it is a conflict within the hearts of men, and,
however, discouraging the situation may havo
seemed, it must bo clear, to democrats every
where that the' light is breaking and that sooner
or later correct principles will prevail, sooner or
later falsehood will meet defeat. One of tho
greatest truths was stated in succinct form when
it was said "Eternal vigilance is the prico of lib
erty." The people of a republic must be ever active
for the protection of their own interests and for
the perpetuation of popular government. All
too often the people become neglectful of their
own interests, and Individuals take advantage of
the people's indifference, but in our system of
government there is the advantage that the peo
ple may correct every public evil and that tho
impositions to which they must submit are to be
measured by their indifference to their duties as
citizens. If it has sometimes seemed in recent
years as it has seemed In other periods of the
world's history that "Truth is forever on the
scaffold and wrong forever on tho throne," let
It bo remembered that oxpdtlonco has demon
strated that "that scaffold sways tho futuro," and
that those who faithfully combat error aro war
ranted in belioving that "behind tho dim, unknown
standeth God within tho shadow, keeping watch
above his own."
Thoso who have kept tho faith may bo holped
by a word of encouragement. They must certainly
find comfort in the unmistakable signs convoyed
in some of tho results of tho recent election.
To those who havo seemed indifferent to
their duties as citizens and yet who, as all In
telligent men must, today appreclato tho enormity
of the evils under which tho American people
suffer, wo would ask? Whore are you standing to
day? Is it on tho sido of truth or on falsehood's
side?
Is your conscience tho sovereign of your In
tellect or aro you ruled by other and less worthy
forces? Do you think for yoursolf, or aro your
conclusions regulated by other men who not only
think for you, but who think according to their
own selfish Interests? You havo sneered at tho
minority holding aloft the banner of democracy;
but the time is not far off when you will bo
glad to give your aid to transform that minority
into a majority; tho time is not far distant when
you will desert tho forces of error to stand
proudly among the supporters of truth.
But you will be a bettor man If you shall
change your course at the command of your con
science and your Intellect rather than by waiting
to be dragged to tho truth by the requirements
of your stomach. You will bo a better citizen
if you refuse to longer blindly follow a party
because of Its name and In s'plto of its policy.
You will be a hotter patriot If you desert false
hood in tho hours of Its triumph and relnforco
truth In the days of Its defeat.
A man may, without effort, stand up and be
counted among a vlctorlolus throng, but it re
quires strength and courage to enable one to do
battle for truth In the face of what seems to bo
overwhelming odds. "One on God's side is a,
majority," said Wendell Phillips, and that which
is a majority In tho sight of heaven It may bo
depended upon, will in time become a majority in
the sight of men.
Then to side with Truth is noble when we share
her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and 'tis
prosperous to bo just;
Then It Is tho brave man chooses while the coward
stands aside,
Doubting in his abject spirit till his Lord Is
crucified.
SPREADING THE PRINCIPLES OP DEMOCRACY
John C. Jones of Kanorado, Kans., writes as
follows: "Enclosed find ten special 'subscription
cards numbers 76336 to 76344 inclusive new sub
scriptions and 76345 renewal. Also $6.00 money
order to cover same. The above subscriptions
are the result of about twenty minutes' rustling."
The interest manifested in the work The
Commoner is striving to perform is growing, and
enthusiastic friends are taking advantage of the
special subscription offer. The result is a grati
fying increase in The Commoner's circulation and
a consequent widening of its sphere of influence.
The following readers have sent in subscribers
as follows: J. M.' Mounger, Forney, Tex., 25; E.
W. Crutcher, Emmett, Idaho, 20; J. H. Noggle,
New Madison, Ohio, 15; J. H. Hanks, Woodsfield,
Ohio, 10; Adam Krouse, De Graff, Ohio, 6; A. B.
Conley, Decatur, Tex., 6; W. B. Van Horn, Vinton,
Iowa, 6; Robert Terry, Ellington, N. Y., 6; J. C.
Wilholt, Long Beach, Calif., 6; J. Frank Petty,
Jacksonville, ,Mo. 8; M. Dempsey, Pana, 111., 6;
F. M. Tullar, Kingston, Mo., 12; P. L. Swartz,
Toplin, Mo., 7; John Lyle, Belleville, Wise, 6;
M. Kassulke, Monterey, Minn., 8; H. L. Schanauer,
Madison, Ind- 6; Patrick McCann, Bradoci, Pa.,
6; T. B. Cox, Waco, Tex., 10; William Carroll,
London, N. H., 6; J. A. Hoagland, New Castle,
y., 7; S. K.. Young, Magnolia, Ark., 10; J. D.
oston, Bonne' Terre, Mo., 8; A. B. Perkins,
parson, la., 10'; A.M. Benson, Warren, Ind., 6;
Houston G. Wood, Aberdeen, Miss., 6; Hiram
overall, Glendale, Ky., 11; M. C. Gentry, Prairie
roye, Ark.," 6'; F. F. Green, Shawno, Wise, 6;
&. D Porter, Peoria, 111., 6; Robert Terry Elling
ton, N. Y., 6.
The following named subscribers have each
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John J. Wolfe, Rogersville, Tenn.; Vardaman and
Portis, Cripple Creek, Colo.; W. B. Helm, White
Pine,-Tenn.; D. C. Hunter, M. D., Rochester, N.
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row, Martinsville, Va.; Robert Campbell, Clayton,
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cent, Ohio.
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