f -
I0VJ3MBBR 16, 1900
w-jvwT?rTi';"s .- -r
FROM THE PEOPLE
Albert Sydney Johnston, Success, Va. "Shall
the democratic party die?" plaintively queries the
few York World. Answering the World's query,
Mr. Bryan's Commoner says: "A party that has
survived both the support and the opposition of
the New York World, seems to be well in line for
the longevity record." In other words, if the dem
ocratic party had depended all along on- the New
York World for a living, it would have died long
ago. It is because the democratic party has per
fmitted the Now York World (and other similar
(newspapers) to work for it, that it is half-starved
today. The Commoner may be right in thinking
fthat the democratic party is "well in line for
the longevity record," but to our mind, if The
(Commoner really would have the democratic party
"well In line for the longevity record" it had
better suergest that the democratic party dispose
of the New York World and company and the
I sooner, the better. The writer conscientiously bo-
felieves that, but for the Chicago platform democrats
Ithe democratic party would already be absorbed
by the republican party. Therefore, it is to be
k hoped that every true democrat knows where his
I duty lies, and wilpay no attention, whatever, to
I' the "safe andrsane" or bolting democrat. It will
I be a sad day when this country of ours shall
f have but one great political party, but the day
will come, unless all true democrats are mindful
of the fact that it will not do for the democratic
party to longer take the advice of some of the
"older heads," better known as the safe and
Bane" for,
The truth Itself is not believed
From those who often have deceived.
J. L. Winston, Joplin, Mo. I would like to
hear the views of The Commoner on what, I think,
one of the most pernicious principles In our po-
I litical economy, I. e, the plurality rule, or the dis
franchisement of the majority after the election.
I contend that the franchise of the American citiT
zen should not cease at the polls, but that our
f laws should be so amended that all parties should
have, their percentage of representation in all
legislative bodies, both in state and nation.
J. H. Seright, Wichita, Kan. -I would like to
ask the "financiers" how they account for the
continuous rise in the price of bar silver on the
New York stock exchange? Do the financiers
attribute this rise to the government's recent de
cision to purchase silver for subsidiary coins? If
so, does this not vindicate the contention of the
"crazy silverites of 1896 and 1900" that by open
ing the mints to silver the same ns gold the old
ratio would soon become re-established? Or do
they attribute this rise in the price of silver to
Mr. Bryan's growing popularity among the in
telligent white voters of the country? Or still
will they admi that the cause of this rise in
price is the natural demand for an increased mon
ey basis to meet the growing demands of a stead
ily increasing commerce? I would like to ask
how many people know that a very large per cent
of our currency on nvhich we do business every
day are bank notes based and issued on public
debt? Is it a safe policy to have a money based
on public debt which can not be increased except
bv increasing the public debt (issuing more
bonds) and if so where will this finally lead us?
What course would some of these "financiers by
divine right" advise to keep dn increasing our
accepted money when these public debts become
due and must be paid? Would they-re-Issue bonds
by a refunding process? If so where will future
generations "get off?" The "financiers" must
admit fhe contention of Mr. Bryan in 1896 and
1900 or see to it that silver is not allowed to ad
vance on so sliirht a provocation as the purchase
by the government of a small amount of silver
lor subidiarv coins. Which will they do? I
await their decision.
"W. W.," Bloomington, 111. In reviewing your
last Issue of The Commoiier (October 19) I am
attracted by an article from C. B. Cole of Wyan
dotte, I. T calling the attention of your readers
to' the value of the Condensed Commoner as a text
or reference boqk to all who take an interest
in the politics of this country and of all countries
that claim a place among the civili7ed nations
of the world. Mr. Cole says he would not take
$5 per volume for his. five volumes of the Con-
The Commoner.
densed Commoner if ho could not replace them
shodTeo Prn,te(! r for W 22n th
would be worth $50 per volume. They contain a
v ZnTiB f th0 pollticU condIUn of ou?
country at the most critical period of its exist
ence, when God and Mammon enter upon tho
unal struggle for supremacy. This is God's world
anu this His favored nation and in His own good
time He will claim His own and take them from
His enemies. No person who believes in an omni
potent God, of omnipotent love for His creatures
can doubt the final result. We can not all
hear Mr. Bryan speak, but most of us
can read his books and I believe, with Brother
Cole, that every democrat should do his best to
disseminate his writings. Every democratic club
room should bo a reading room furnished with
Instructive political history and text books and
especially wilh Commoners, both weekly and con
densed. A good reader should be selected for
each meeting and discussion and suggestions en
couraged. I throw this out In the hope that it
will attract attention as Mr. Cole's article did
mine and induce practical suggestion from you,
Mr. Editor, or some of your readers.
66
THE LAST TRIAL"
The Now York Press, a republican paper, In
-its issue of November 7, under tho headline "The
Last Trial," printed the following romarkablo
editorial.
"The meanintr of the election in New York
yesterday is that tho American people are
radical.
"Any one who could not have discovered this
fact on the day before election as well as this
morning was simply blind to the most obvious
political signs that ever ushered in an election.
Yet there were republican managers so utterly
ignorant of public opinion that they would have
dared, had they been permitted, to nominate for
governor some stalking hore of the special in
terests who would have been beaten as badly as
the simple idios of this campaign thought Ilenrst
would be defeated, when as a matter of fact
he has polled the biccest vote ever pollcl by a
democratic candidate for governor of New York.
There were enemies of the public interest who
throughout the campaign were arrogant enough
to come out and lecture the American peo"l for
being so impudent as to question the ways of
the mighty. There was the heedlessness that
on the very eve of election informed the robbed
and wrathful policyholders that the next secretary
of the treasury would be Mr. G. B Cortlvou,
who had the spending of the money of the w'dws
and omhans collected from the Insurance graft
ers. There was the follv that sent Mr. EHhu
Boot here to tell the voters how to cast their
ballots, when he is regarded bv republicans as
well as democrats and Independence leaguers as
the faithful servant of the trusts.
"Well, Mr. Hughes won In snite of all this,
as he deserved to win. But he has won by so
narrow a martrin, with republican wreckage strew
ing all the state, that we guess those who have
been wont to defy public sentiment will at last
realize that this Is a final warning.
"And this Is the warning:
"Mr. Huehes must make good. Not that this
paper ouestlons his purnose to make good. But
if the fluncll rulers, the mononollsts. tho crim
inal rich and their horde of political agents block
him in his efforts to make good, if Mr. Hughes
is not permitted by those who control members
of the lp-islature and other officials to give a
srmare deal as well as to talk about it. the peonle
of the state are done with the republican party.
And when New York is done with it, so is tho
rest of the country.
"There mimt be no more R,oots and Cortel
yous unrtrtakinr to manage the public affairs
of New York for the poor, benighted nubile which
they have assumed has not wit enough to compre
hend when It is being walked on and stamped
on bv the great. Thre must be no more Stand
ard Oil direction of legislation. No more Transit
trust theft of mayoralty elections. No more gas
monopoly annulment of statutes and of court
jurfemen's. No more Piatt and Depew in the
United States senate. No more corporation dum
mies in public office.
"If there Is any more of this sort of thing,
if Mr, Hughes, as governor, is not allowed to give
the people of this state a square deal In the
fullest measure, then the United States -can not
be saved to the republican party two years from
now, as. New York has, just been saved by the
skin of the teeth."
FKOM THE MASSES
It is recorded of Jesus Christ that "tho com
mon peoplo heard Him gladly." Tho story of Ilia
Bhort ministry is ono of intimato companionship
with tho poorer classes of a civilization, which,
though primitive, still had Its social contrasts
as sharply defined as those of today. Much oneou
latlon, both theological and philosophic, has boon
woven about tho fact of His voluntary choice o
a ministry to the poor.
Ono emphasizes the urgency of human need
?nVo x,)!osse(1 In Poverty of this class. Another
lays stress on the humble oarthly parentage of
tho ChriBt and tho simplicity of the primitive
Jew ah village life which was tho sconS of IIlS
earlier years Still others give prominence to
tno sympathetic response given 4o Ilia preaching
by the poor as a roason for Ills wider ministry
In their behalf. All theso aro partly, but not
wholly right.
One may bo pardoned, in tho search for a
truth so important, in giving expression to a
thought, not original, but too often lost sight of
in tho unnecessary mass of mysticism so gener
ally associated with tho Christian faith. A world
religion must, of necessity, possess certain at
tributes, such ns: First, simplicity; second, a
logical roason for Us existence, and third, tho
evidences of power within it to benefit humanity.
All of these attributes aro present In the Chrlstinn
religion and find their most porfect expression in
the life and ministry of its divino founder.
Jesus preached to tho rich; but In tho sweep
ing torrent of a righteous denunciation of thoir
cupidity. He preached to tho dignitaries of tho
church; but to tear aside tho brolderod vest
inontB which concealed their hypocrisy. For tho
poor, the lame, the blind, the outcast, were re
served His tendcrest ministry and deepest nffec
tlon, and why? Tho true approhonslon of his
purpose in such a ministry must bo of tho great
est benefit to tho raco.
Tho preaching of Jesus, like that of His fol
lowers, to have power with men, must be logical;'
must have a reason which justifies its utterance.
Mark the matchless logic and simplo beauty of
style set for'h In His parabloB. Ho realised, as
none other could, that in building the beginnings
or the world's great religion It must have its
foundations laid deep in human sympathy; it
must bo framed in porfect fitness for human
need; it must teuch the pulsing heart of humanity
at every point of contact.
The student of social economics finds a
psychological fitness in the choice of His dis
ciples. Fishermen, tax gatherers, publicans no
portfolio in this cabinet for tho social or political
aristocracy of the time. They who would min
ister to the masses must be of tho masses. Tho
busy centers of population teemed with wealth
and poverty then as now. Tho Jew had his year
of jubilee for the re-adjustment of social and
economic inequalities, but woe to tho unbeliever
who fell under his dominion. Jerusalem had no
college settlement to minister to Its purlieus.
The world had its social unrest and a heavy heart
ed proletariat watched the leaden sky with eager
gaze for sierns of morning.
From whence, then, should come the preacher,
and to whom his ministry? From where and to
whom, other th'an the very class whose sore need
made necessary His Incarnation? Could Jesus
have been born an aristocrat, have founded a re
ligion approved of aristocracy and met human
need then and now? Nay, verily. And herein lies
tho deepest reason for the tender humanity voiced
in His ministry.
From this class, the great common people, tho
masses of every age and every country, must
come the virile enthusiasm, the patient courage,
the nersistent faith essential to the spread of a
world religion. It could come from 'and minister
only to such a class, conscious of its need as tho
foundation for its faith. To him who would taste
of the joys of such a faith must enter Into his
soul the divine stirrings of human brotherhood.
Today, as then, the world looks for Its social
as well as its spiritual redemption not to the
rich in purse and lean In spirit; not to the con
science whose secret chambers are filled with
spectres of carking care, but, to the tender heart,
the quickened conscience and the loving sympathy
of the common people whom the Christ minis
tered unto. Humanity must be saved for Its great- -est
usefulness by a sympathy and brotherhood
no less than this..
Uncoba, Neb.
FItANK G. ODELX
-jLnksm- ,-
JNMqAn.