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The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 7. No. 6.
Lincoln, Nebraska, February 22, 1907.
Whole Number 318.
CONTENTS, ;
GOVERNMENT BY THE 'PEOPLE
, DIRECT PRIMARY
JOHN A. CREIGHTON
JEFFERSON AND LINCOLN
"POPULISM"
HERO OR LAWBREAKER .
NO TARIFF REVISION
THE TREATY POWER
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
IS THIS "SOCIALISM," MR. REPUBLICAN ?
SUNSHINE AND-SHADOW
One peak, mayhap the one I mount,
Is glad with spangled light;
And 'on e that riseth far ahead
Is hid in shadow-night. .
Nay, oft the summit that I seek
Is dim with-fearsome gloom,
While all around me bursts the day,
Llkergardens, into,blopm.. 'T$&
One life is bright and fair with joy;
One way serene with peace;
And one is wan with many thorns
And winds toward Calvaries.
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If on my path Thou pourest, Lord,
Thy favor like a flood,
Oh, teach me pity for the pain
That dims my brother's road.
If o'er the toilsome course I tread,
I grppe, tho' it be day,
Oh, make me thank Thee for the sun
That gilds another's way.
Maurice Smiley in the Youth's Companion.
I : n
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THE LONGEST STEP YET TAKEN
r
L.
GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE
l
J
JOHN A. CREIGHTON PHILANTHRO
PIST The death of John A. Creighton, upon whom
the pope had conferred the title of Count, re
moves one of the greatest philanthropists of thes
west. Mr. Creighton was a democrat of promi
nence and a leader in the business world, but he
was above all a big-hearted, open-handed bene
factor. I-Jis money was his servant and he de
lighted to bestow it upon worthy enterprises. Rev.
M. J. Dowling, president of Creighton University,
whose intimate acquaintance with Mr. Creighton
qualified him to speak, delivered an eloquent and
well deserved tribute at the funeral. Count
Creighton's life is additional proof of the truth of
the statement that ft is more blessed to give than
to receive.
OCfOO
THE DIRECT PRIMARY
' Democrats mny differ among themselves and
from republicans 'as to the details of a direct
primary bill, but these differences will not lead
them to oppose the direct primary. It is demo
cratic and no democrat can afford to vote against
it The expense of tho primary should be borne
bv the citv, county or state rather than by the
candidates; for a tax upon the candidates tone Is
to restrict the ollices and-make money the test in
J ,The0Comiiioncr prefers the plan which compels
the voter to announce his party limitations, lor
without this the majority party might make the
nominations for the minority party as well but
this is a detail. When tho democrats have done
their best to perfect the bill they should support
it and correct the defects In the measure later.
Sweden is stirred by an agitation, which has
for its object the extension of the suffrage. One
reason for the triction between Norway and
Sweden was that in the former country the gov
ernment was much more democratic than in the
latter. But the leaven is working in King Oscar's
dominion and ultimately the government will Do
in tho control of those who oppose artificial dis
tinctions and build on the broad foundation of
equal rights.
Already the position of the king has under
gone a great change in most of the countries of
Europe. He no longer rules by divine right si ml
without limitation. He is now largely ornamental
and is regarded more as the social head of the
nation than as a real political power. He does
not attempt to shape the policy of the government
or to impress his own ideas upon legislation. He
visits, and receives visits from, other potentates,
holds receptions, lends dignity to important gath
erings and allows his advisors to speak for him
on all subjects. He makes no effort to be con
sistent; he is with the party in power, and may
next year, if a new party carries the election,
stand' for something directly opposite to that for
which he is "supposed to stand now. No parlia
ment can change more quickly than he.
England furnishes a good illustration of the
overshadowing influence of parliament in the mod
ern monarchy. Two years ago the conservative 3
were in power and the king's advisors were con
servatives; thev had held the reins of government
so long that they felt themselves almost indispen
sable to the throne. But the voters made up their
minds that a chauge was desirable and they swept
the conservatives out of power and gave the lib
erals two hundred majority in tho House of Com
mons. And, presto, change! The king, long a
conservative, becomes a radical of radicals. His
advisors proceed to map out a course quite oppo
site on several questions to the course pursued by
his- late advisors. As a conservative, the king
sided with the established church on matters of
education; now he is the champion of the non
conformists in their effort to free the schools from
church control.
Once the mainstay of the landed aristocracy
his cabinet now plans to deprive the landlords of
their multiple vote and to protect the political
rights of the tenants. The new government is a
very democratic one, the premier, Sir Henry
Campbell Banncrman, being one of the greatest
apostles of democracy now living. He stood like
a -rock against the Boer war when the supporters
of Mr. Chamberlain denounced him as a "little
Englander," and his sympathies are with the tax
payers rather than with those who, through ap
propriation, devour the substance of the people.
He and his associates have already proposed a re
duction in tho army appropriation and plan to di
minish ..the annual appropriation for the navy.
Their progress also includes laws in the interests
of labor and a measure of home rule for Ireland.
Thus far the main interest seems to be cen
tered in the educational bill. It absorbed attention
in the Commons to the exclusion of nearly every
thing'else and is now being discussed in the House
of Lords. This bill seems likely to become his
toric, not only because of Its subject-matter, but
because It promises to bring a clash between the
House of Commons and the hereditary branch of
parliament. While tho liberals have a large ma
jority In the popular body, the conservatives con
trol the House of Lords by more than ten -to oner
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