The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, February 22, 1907, Page 2, Image 2
y '- JU- yVJfjrfoilB 7, NUMBER! 2 m i in 1. u w! There to no doubt lli.il the Inllor body Is almost unanimously oppowd to Dig educational bill anil yet H' II ilnroi to oppose u measure which ho eouiilry, speaking through llio House of Commons, ronlly domnnln, il iiiiimL face abolition or such a moillllcalioii jih would deprive it of 1U aristocratic .11 1..1 i.ilUnti social rather no! bo per- loople of (Ireal itritalu to ovoitmo hip win m be King and to coerce (ho IIouho of Lords Is strik ng proof of (ho strength of the doclrino (hat gov- rroin mo poopio (lmi'iicipr. II is now regarded as a ilmii ii Moliiicnl institution and II w inlllod to obslrii'l any legislation upon which (ho masses Iihvo Iholr hoarls sej. Tho ability of fli iw.wil iC C ron I Itril-iln In' ovcitMc (ho will of (I ll)g oniinonlH derive their authority and from (ho people alone. Russia has boon left for (lie las( because i( presonls one of (lie most interesting pictures of governmental development that lias boon seen 'n a century. She lias boon a synonym for despotism: her people have known every form of tyranny and HUffored every excess of arbitrary power. Seized without warrant and exiled without trial, th'v have drained (ho cup of sorrow to its dregs. U last the Czar, I Tightened by llio (hrealeiiings from wllliiii and shamed by the criticisms from without, began lo concede, a Utile at a time, the reforms demanded wailing, unfortunately, until (lie clamor for a new and larger reform made (lie reform granted seem insignificant. At last came (bo war with .Japan which exhibited (he inoili eioncy of (ho government and demonstrated low Important a factor patriotism is in war. The Russian soldiers, having little worth lighting for, showed themselves more export in retreat than In advance, and a crushing defeat on land and sea taught tho Czar a lesson which lie ought to have learned before. If tho Douma, however, can bo credited to that defeat (hen the people of Rus sia won a victory far greater than the losses vif the war. The Douma, dissolved wllh (he promise of an other election, marks a new era in tho national life of Russia. This body can give voice to tho aspirations of the people and devote the revenues to (he advancement of the Interests of tho masses. The firs I session of (hat body brought together as notable a group of men as ever assomblpd in a legislative ball. Lawyers and editors from tho great cities, educators from the universities, mem bers of tie group of toil and peasants from tho farms these mingled together, all intent upon remedial legislation. The Czar had no party In tho Douma all wore radicals, varying only in degrees. TJie future of Russia Is no longer in tho keep ing of the royal family; It has been transferred to the poopio and while there may still be revolu tions and bloodshed before the popular will can find unobstructed expression, nothing is more certain than that Russia Is going to have free speech, a free press, constitutional government and general education, and that wllh these she will take her place among tho most Influential of the powovs. . When, one hundred and signers of (he Declaration ciarou uertam political truths to bo solf-ovidenr tho kings of the world scoffed at them, but In less man one and a third centuries these truths have taken root the world around. They have spread because they appeal to tho heart. Our nation has been the world's instructor because it taught m a language that all could understand. Plutocracy rests upon wealth, aristocracy rests upon birth or intellect, but democracy rests upon the heart. When wealth dominates, tho mind is weakened by luxury and moral sentiments are disregarded Even Intellect can be solllsb and withhold from tho masses the opportunities which belong to all, but the heart furnishes an Impulse that links .ill classes together and devises a government under which all rluhts arc respected and all interests guarded. A democracy, therefore, a governme.it In which the poopio rule, Is not only tho best and the strongest, but It Is the only one that any gen eration can afford to leave as a legacy to pos terity. oooo JEFFERSON AND LINCOLN Some one referred to himself as "a Jefferson democrat and a Lincoln republican," which st'i to Jiiont drew from Secretary of tho Tre s ry Sh w lo remark that Jefferson and Lincoln wore a I lo in that they were "both Caucasian, both born S America, both twice elected president " -u HI rlotle and both able." Sn ' ' -" that he could ililnk of not ling 0 so ,i w i !S Ul were alike, adding: "In politta! be U o? were as unlike as is possible in men fully conim it ed to n representative form of govern. en( T S might a man claim to be aTohn K, x Calvin wf or a John Wesley Armenian as to cl m. I n Jonerson democ-at and a Lincoln repuiiiean Abraham Lincoln himself ought to IS , tliunty on this point. In a lotto", giving tSiioJ thirty years ago, the of Indonondoneo do. The Commoner. Ion republicans Inviting him to attend a celebra tion of Jefferson's birthday, Mr. Lincoln wrote: "Your kind note Inviting mo to attend a festival in I'.oston, on the 2Sth instant, in honor of the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, was duly received. My engagements are such that I cannot attend. Rearing in mind Rial about seventy years ago two great political parties were first formed in this country, that Thomas Jefferson was the head of one of lliem an 1 Roston the headquarters of the other, it is both curious and interesting that those supposed to descend politically from tho party opposed to Je.t'eison should now be celebrating his birthday in their own original seat of empire, while those claiming political descent from him have nearly ceased to breathe his name every where. Remembering, too, that the Jefferson party was formed upon its supposed superior de votion to the personal rights of men, holding the rights of property to bo secondary only, and greatly inferior, and assuming that the so-called democracy of today are the Jefferson, and their opponents tho an ti-Jefferson party, it will be equally interesting to note bow completely the two have changed hands as to tho principle upon which (hey were originally supposed to be divided. The democracy of today hold the liberty of one man to bo absolutely nothing when in conflict with another man's right of property. Republicans, on the contrary, are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict tho man before the dollar. I remember being onco much amused at seeing two partially intoxicated men engage in a fight with their great coats on, which light, after a long and rather harmless contest, ended in each having fought himself out of his own coat and into that of the other. If llio two leading parties of this day are leally identical with the two in the days of Jefferson and Adams, they have per formed the same feat as the two drunken men. But soberly, it ts now no child's play to save the principles of Jefferson from total overthrow in this nation." OOOO "UNCLE DAN" IS CARELESS The St. Louis Globe-Democrat actually endorses President Roosevelt's proposition for government ownership of coal lands. The Globe-Democrat -says: "The president's proposition has a social istic look, ami (hat may be one of the reasons why it is mooting wKh little superficial favor. But the idea seems wise. By holding these mineral lands out of tho market they could still be made produc tive through lease. The difference would be that the government would get a share of the profits under the Roosevelt plan, and this would allow a reduc tion of taxation and an expenditure of more money by (he government for the promotion of great pub lic improvements. This looks sensible. The im provement of (bo country's great waterways like the Mississippi and its chief tributaries could be pushed if llio government should take advantage of Its remaining opportunity to hold its mineral lands, and let them for stated periods on such terms as .the secretary of tho interior or aome ad ministrative board should fix." Shades of "Billy" McKee and "Joe" McCul lough! i.v-vui Can it be possible that "Uncle Dan" Ilouser cmtSleV WlU8elf fFOm ti,c GlobcDemo- oooo POPULISM Hero wo have tile republican lclslitm-n i braska seriously considering at wo ce I are law and actually adopting a ?esolution ninJooi against the ship subsidy; nlSovcM Cv f wo hid a republican legislature unanimous! a W ing a resolution a JHng for a ponsJif i i tt"Pt- tlon for (he purnosc of brh ?" a o o T1" election of Tnn.,,i cJ, b " auout the popular Is It iiny wonder Hint when, rccenllr a oy, sf ; stvTOi in " "wMtain z , ,tv esse lion in Aebrasica a conv of tim rw,i , wl.iel. ho Drosoiile, B ao rig ?ifi ft""?' mously adopted? s unani- oooo GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP llio west ''nimniHi vecmeu:tStlSm '" doiiloro in llio oust." uouaitions wo lands; the leasing system W mloptSP J that luture generations "may not be deprived or their birthright." ' - v The advantages "of this system are des.-rii,0,i i the president in this way: "'iiuMHy "II may be fairly claimed among n,f .,,, vantages of the leasing system that- 1. It Avill facilitate the working of ,.0.,i deposits for local markets by miners withcm! large capital. L 2. It will facilitate larger operation- 3. Prevent waste in the extraction aim handling of these fuels. . l J. The system can be operated in nH manner as to pievent the evils of monopolistic control. 5. It will permit the government to reserve , fromgeneral use fuels especially suitabl.- for 0. It will enable the government to pmiont the public against unreasonable and dis, rinu nafing charges for fuel supplies." The president has taken a long step in iim ir. gumonl for government ownership.' It h0 .n. terest'ing if those republicans who denouu. o.i the editor of The Commoner for his, -Madison Square statement Avith respect. to ga,ycrnment ownership of railroads would give their opinion of Mr. Roose velt's proposed government ownership of coil mines. , ' OOOO THE PRIMARY PLEDGE As this copy of The Commoner may be road by some one not familiar with the details of tho primary pledge plan, ibis necessary to ssi that according to the terms of this plan every demo crat is asked to pledge himself to attend all of the primaries of his party to be held between now and the next democratic national convention, un less unavoidably prevented, and to secure a clear, honest and straightforward declaration of fhe party's position on every question upon which the voters of the party desire to speak. Those desiring to be enrolled can either write to The Commoner approving the object of the organization and ask ing to have their names entered on tho roll, ir they can fill out and mail the. hlnnlr niedfo. whi.-h is printed on page 13. Lorenzo Obert, Spartausburg, Pa. Please find enclosed 33 signers to the primary pledge. Will send some more when I get my club filled out for The Commoner. 1 George M. Fee, McArtliur, Ohio. Please find enclosed 35 signers to thje primary" pledge. Rev. Joseph Nichols, Musselman, Ohio. Please find enclosed 15 primary pledge signers. 0 A; J- Fly Spencerville, Oliio. Enclosed find S pledges taken from my township. We have pledged nearly half of the democratic vote and expect to organize a club in the near future. W. IT. Piscb, Grass Lake, Mieh. Sends in 0 signers to tho primary pledge. W. B. Unkefer, Paris, Ohio. Please find m closed 5 signers to the primary pledge. Joan Itiley, Scio, N. Y. Please find 28 signers to the primary pledge. Louis J. Dober, Uockport, 111. Please find en closed S signers to the primary pledge. Victor S. Finger, Saugerties, N'. Y. Enclosed find two primary pledge signatures. I believe it a most excellent plan for hurrying the corpora tion men from the party. Have long believed in government ownership of the railroads and saw little hope for its progress in either the democratic or the republican party. Wa will have enough voters to make a mighty party of itself if it wee necessary but it is not, for the' mass of democratic voters will favor it. OOOO NEBRASKA AND THE SHIP SUBSIDY Both houses of the Nebraska legislature, repub lican, have adopted the following resolution: Whereas, There is now pending in congress a measure in the interest of the great ship com panies, known as the Ship Subsidy bill, and Whereas, Such a measure is a direct grant of special privileges and not in tho interest of the people .and undoubtedly opposed by more than nine-tenths of tho people of Nebraska; therefore, be it , Resolved, By the senate of Nebraska, that our senators be instructed and representatives In con gress bo requested to work and vote for the de leat of such measure, or any like bill, and Resolved, That tho secretary of the senate be instructed to fniwnvi ,.,. A xi. i.,t,.,,a to each senator and representative in congress, and to those who have been elected but who have not yet talcen their seats. This represents the sentiments of Nebraska re gardless oi political prejudice and .-Nebraska congressmen who are tempted, to' vote for the sh subsidy will do well to take notice. ' OOOO The eminent railroad managers do not scqTij fn,.eSi0ri Cllefi ,,,1,y (llmculty J" securing faeililiea lor hauling their water to market. Hrfi Za. aSft&"&j.