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The Commonero
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
Vol. 5. No. 47
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 8, 1905
Whole Number 255
CONTENTS
1 c
Tub President's Message
"Unto thic Least of These"
Tariff Rkyision
Quits a. Joke
. . Why?
Republican Party Indicted
, " The Religious Drama.
sympathy
' Loafing as a Fine Art
Take the Hint
- . Home Department
Comment on Current Topics
The Primary Pledge
News of the Week
"UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE"
In the cities of America the "Volunteers"
and the "Salvation Army" are doing a great work.
This work is felt not only so far as concerns gen
eral religious effort, as it is popularly under
stood, but also in the really broader field of
charity. The members of these organizations ex
ert influence hvplaces that are notireadilyTeached
by any other religious worker. They dis
cover poverty that but for them would remain
undiscovered. They relieve distress that but for
them would not be relieved. They provide suc
cor to the unfortunate that but for them would
be unprovided. Their arm should be sustained.
A writer once said of Jane Addams, the well
known Chicago woman, whose life is devoted to
good works, that he wanted to die on the day that
Jane Addams died. The reason was that, in his
opinion, the gates of heaven would open so wide
to receive Jane Addams that a whole lot of in
ferior bystanders could slip through.
It would be well for many of us if we could
die upon the day when some of theso humble
Salvation Army or Volunteer people go to their
reward. They may have been ignored and
spurned on the streets of a busy city. Some may
have condemned them for their noisy demonstra
tions. Some may have sneered at them for their
peculiarities. But those who are in a position
to know the work they have done and the work
they are doing, .would deem it a privilege to walk
up to the pearly gates in the company of some of
those fine soldiers of the cross. The father of
"Little Breeches," explaining how his child, lost
on a winter night, happened to be cuddled up
among a flock of sheep as warm and safe as
though he were in his own home, said that "an
gels" did it; and then he added: "I think that
taking a little child and bringing him to his own,
is a dern sight better business than loafing around
the throne."
The best form of prayer and of worship is
in making provision for the poor and needy, in
making life easier for those whose lives are full
of sorrow.
The best of all kind of deeds is that which
contributes to the happiness of the aged who
imagine themselves deserted, or which adds to
the joy of the children of the poor who are de
prived of pleasures in which little ones most de
light. The best kind of religion is that where love
and kindness to the weak and unfortunate, sym
pathy and aid to the miserable and unhappy, help,
courage and strength to the weak and disheart
ened comprise the creed and all dedicated to
the sacred memory of One who said: "Inasmuch
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these,
my little ones, ye have done it unto me."
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"SHA-A-A-A-ME!"
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
In his message to congress President Roose
velt speaks plainly of railway rate legislation.
He clearly and distinctly draws the line of bat
. tie, at least for the present day contest.
In the simplest sort of. language, he points
out the enormity of the evils sought to be cor
rected; he asks that some "administrative body"
be given the power to decide, when complaint has
been made, whether the given rate prescribed
by the railroad is reasonable and just; if the
t. rate is found to be unreasonable and unjust, then
the "administrative body" is to have power to
fix the maximum rate.
The president makes it clear that he prefers
that the interstate commerce commission shall
be the "administrative body" referred to, and he
emphasizes the importance of entrusting this
power to an administrative rather than to a judi
cial body, saying: "Events have shown that it
is not possible adequately to secure the enforce
ment of any law of this kind by incessant ap
peal to the courts." He makes it plain, also,
that when the "administrative body" has fixed
a maximum rate, that rate shall go into effect
practically at once. Such rate, in the presi
dent's own words, "after the lapse of a reason
able time, goes into full effect, subject to review
by the courts."
The president explains that he recommends
a restoration rather than an innovation. He says:
"From the earliest, time, such regulation of in
dustrial activities has been recognized in the ac
tion of lawmaking bodies; and all that I
propose Is to meet the changed conditions In
such manner as will prevent the commonwealth
abdicating a power it has always possessed, not
only in this country but also in England before
and since this country became a separate nation.
He recommends, also, that all private car lines,
refrigerator charges and the like, should bo ex
pressly put under the supervision of the "admin
istrative body" so far as rates, and agreements
practically affecting rates, are concerned.
Pointing out some of the evils flowing from
the practice of rebates, he asks that the govern
ment bo given the power to put a stop to these
special fa.vors. As one way of abolishing relates,
he suggests that whenever it develops that a
special rate has been given a favored shipper, the
"administrative body" shall have the power to fix
this already established minimum rate as the max
imum rate. The president expresses the opinion
that "it would need only one or two such deci
sions by the commission to cure railroad com
panies of, the practice of giving Improper mini
mum rates."
The president gives the opponents of rail
road legislation something to 'hink about when,
in concluding his paragraph with reference to
that subject he says: "It Is because, In my
judgment, public ownership of railroads Is highly
undesirable and would probably In this country
entail far reaching disaster, that I wish to see
suchsupervision and regulation of them In the
interest of the public aB will make It evident that
there is no need of public ownership."
With respect to one paragraph, referring to
the railroad question, there will not be that gen
eral approval which, unquestionably, will be ex
tended to the president's treatment of the rail
road subject as a whole. The president says:
"The power vested In the government to put a
stop to agreements to the detriment of the public
should, in my judgment, be accompanied by power
to permit, under specified conditions and careful
supervision, agreements clearly In the interest
of the public." But why depend upon these rail
road managers to make "agreements clearly In
the interest of the public?" Why not require
each and every railroad to comply with condi
tions "clearly in the Interest of the public," not
through an agreement between their respective
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