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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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VOL. 8, NO. 4
Lincoln, Nebraska, February 7, 1908
Whole Number 368
CONTENTS
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"THOU SHALT NOT STEAL."
THE REPUBLICAN CONTEST
THE PRESIDENT'S CALL TO ARMS
IOWA DEMOCRATS
OPPORTUNITIES .
THE "ARMY OF A MILLION" PLAN
DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEES
THE MESSAGE IN THE HOUSE
WASHINGTON LETTER
COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE REPUBLICAN WAY: MUCH PROMISE AND NO PERFORMANCE
DEMOCRATIC WEEKLIES
Publishers'who patronize ready-print houses
and who believe that the reproduction of The
Commoner cartoon each week and two columns
of Commoner editorials and paragraphs would
please their readers and promote the cause of
democracy could probably secure sucn service
y requesting it of those supplying them plate
matter. The Commoner would gladly furnish
without charge galley proof of editorial matter
and matrix of cartoons to ready-print houses or
lo others who desire them. ,
oooo
HERE'S TROUBLE!
As though our republican friends wro not
lhaving trouble enough, J. B. Tridle of Spaulding,
KNeb., writing to the Omaha World-Herald gives
them this nut to crack:
"I would like to ask one question of my
republican friends: If Grover Cleveland was
buried in the political grave of oblivion for issu
ing fifty millions of interest bearing debt when
he had but one hundred and sixty-four millions
iof gold Jn the treasury, where shall we bury
Theodore Roosevelt when he issued soventy-
five millions with nine hundred and thirty-three
milll6ns of gold in the treasury? My republican
friends, please tell me where, oh, where."
OOOO
OPPORTUNITIES
The work of organizing volunteer demo-
Icratic clubs is progressing rapidly throughout
the entire country. The effort which is being
made to give employment to idle men and the
importance of placing current democratic liter
ature in the hands of the people is shown by
the following advertisement, which is appearing
in some of the California papers:
"WANTED RELIABLE PERSONS TO SECURE
subscriptions to The Commoner, published by
Hon. W. J. Bryan; good quick pay guaranteed.
Work anywhere in state. Address California
Bryan Club, Daniel O'Connell, President,
Rooms 101 and 102, 1738 Fillmore Street, San
Francisco, Calif."
Democratic precinct chairmen, county ofll
cers of the democratic committee, members of
congressional, senatorial, or state committees,
officers or members of democratic clubs or vol
unteer Bryan clubs, who believe that the cause
of democracy can be advanced by extending The
Commoner's circulation in their respective dis
tricts are requested to communicato with the
publisher of The Commoner.
- WW NEXT 3UmRW
How the Grand Old Party will probably handle an important issue
'THOU SHALT NOT STEAL"
Under the auspices pf the Civic Forum,
Carnegie Hall, New York, on the evening of
February 4, Mr. Bryan delivered an address
entitled "Thou shalt not steal." The address
follows:
I appreciate the opportunity which the
Oivic Forum has given me pt presenting in this
great center of trade and finance a subject which
however hackneyed it may seem, still forces
itself upon us, namely the subject of larceny.
The-commandment "Thou shalt not steal" pre
sents as clearly as it can be presented a moral
truth that may be classed among the self-evident
truths. The greatest service that one can render
a truth is to state it so plainly that it can bo
understood. I do not mean that any truth can
be stated so plainly that it will not be denied
by those who find it to their interest to deny it.
I believe that it was Lord Macau lay who said
that eloquent and learned men could bo found
to dispute the law of gravitation if any pecuniary
advantage were to be gained by it. What I mean
to say is, that a truth can be stated so plainly
that those who desire to see it, can see it, and
that when it is seen, it needs no defense. If for
instance you may say to a man that it is wrong
to steal and he replies "Oh, I don't know about
tiiat," don't argue with him, search him and you
will probably find the reason in his pocket.
I have not selected this subject with any in
tention of presenting an argument against steal
ing. I am going to assume that those who listen
to me agree that the commandment should be
obeyed. It Is my purpose rather to make some
applications of the commandment to present con
ditions, for I am satisfied that many are guilty
without really being conscious of disobedience
to the commandment or of committing a wrong.
To steal or to commit larceny may be de
fined as the wrongful taking of another's pro
perty. Law writers have divided larceny Into
two classes petit larceny and grand larceny,
the former term being used when the property
stolen is of little value and the latter when the
value is greater. There is a tendency in modern
times to divide grand larceny Into two classes,
so that now we are inclined to think of larceny
as petit larceny, grand larceny and glorious
larceny. By glorious larceny I do not refer
to the policy which nations have indulged in
of taking the property of other nations by force
an act that is sometimes described as not
only Innocent but even patriotic; I refer rather
to that tendency quite discernible at the present
day to regard stealing upon a large scale as
less reprehensible than stealing upon a small
scale. If a man picks your pocket or enters
your house in the dark or accosts you upon
the highway and takes from you a few dollars,
you regard him as a vulgar thief. No one can
have respect for such a person, and the punish
ments of the law are in such cases swift and
sure if the offender is caught. Even in the case
of grand larceny if the amount taken Is not
very great, the thief finds it difficult to escape,
for he has no influential friends and he cannot