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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 10, 1908)
T.1 h 1&M1 ii The Commoner." tt JULY 10, 1908 13 Augustus Thomas' Speech In seconding Mr. Bryan's nomina tion Augustus Thomas of New York, rpralring from the Missouri delega tion said: In a campaign that promises to nutate forces deeper than those which move the mere machinery of politics a campaign that is to ap ical more to the moral sentiments of men than to their plans of exped iency, it is proper that Missouri should speak for William Jennings Bryan. It was Missouri that first put. her own house in order following his answer to the question: "What is the matter with the country?" Mis souri that first agreed with this great commoner that the industrial life of the peoplo is being lived upon a double standard of morality one standard of morals for the individ ual, another and less exacting stand ard of morals for the corporation. It is a regrettable fact that men will commit offenses when acting for a corporation that they would de cline to commit for individuals that men who would not share in the dis honest gains of a partner will accept the tainted dividends of a directory that men who would not bribe a public official for themselves will for a company corrupt a legislature. Public disapproval-exposuro. by the press -conviction by the courts have less terror when shared by all the members, of a company than when borne by an individual. This lower standard of morality, this duller sen sibility, makes the state-made cor poration a danger to the nation. The corporation is able to buy, to sell, to manufacture, to compete, to sue at law, to recover, to convey, to hold, to gain, and to accumulate. It may have financial strength, tax ex ceeding that of "an individual ; endur ance, when necessary, infinitely greater than, a mortal life; power colossal in comparison to man's, and, when advisable, death and disap pearance complete as oblivion. All power that the state can con fer the corporation may possess. For the attributes Divine it has no facul ties. It has no hope of life beyond the grave, no fear of retribution in another world; it has no soul, it has no conscience; it can not pity, sorrow or repent. When a financial or an industrial monster so constituted becomes in fluential In the government, the tone of the nation is debased. The material triumph of this gen eration is the success of corporate enterprise, but political influence by corporate wealth is the disease of the country. Our republic, safe from rebellion and sure of protection by its citi zens, is having its institutions under mined by its own corporation crea tures. Recognition of this fact is not at tack upon wealth, but is a first neces sity in defense of a government by the people. For years this knowledge has been mutely dumbly laboring in the public heart. For years one man more than all others has had the love of inarticulate millions because he has held this moral question to the light has spoken for the God made man above the man. made dollar for the God made man above the state made corporation for a gov ernment by the people and not a government by the Interests. His unity of purpose has been un shaken. He has struck at the money changers when thy would monop olize the currency; has called . for publicity when corporations would purchase parties; has warred upon trusts when conspiracy "would throt tle competition; has condemned the tariff by which privilege robs neces sity; but his fight has been always for equal rights and for a single standard of morality. Through his courageous words through his superiority over pomp and pretense the country is com ing to know that defiance to the law is no less anarchy when plotted over a director's table than when shouted under a red flag on a railway cross ing. Through his teaching the country is understanding that protection for American labor is a delusion; that there is protection only for the pro duct of labor, and that the product of labor is not the property of labor but is instead the property of the exploiter. The country is coming to know that labor is the only so-called com modity in which the freest competi tion is encouraged; that through the nation's gates there come each year to tho field of labor one million new competitors. Through Bryan's teaching the laborer is coming to know that the laborer's wage is regulated by tho economic law of supply and demand, and that any share of the protective tax that may ever come to the laborer himself will come only as a volun tary donation from the protected ex ploiter who collects the tax. Bryan holds that as this tax upon all the. people does not enrich the nation but goes instead to a class, it is not only bad government but is also bad morals. The contagious willingness of the government to make prices by tariff has inspired manipulators to attempt values by proclamation with what dire consequences we know. The common people have, lost faith in legislators and confidence in finan ciers. No application of mere intelli gence or of skill to affairs will re store that faith and. confidence un less the intelligence and skill applied shall be vital and animate with high moral purpose. We are entering a campaign wherein the cry is back to open deal ing and simple relation; back to the creators of wealth; back to the source of political power back to tho people. As leader in this moral reforma tion we ask you to nominate the great commoner of Nebraska the man who without glamour of mili tary rank or civic office with no credentials but inate ability and res ident character made the title of American citizen passport to the pal aces of the world and beside every throne measured to man's full stature. Give us the leader who in fair weather and in storm, in bivouac and in battle, has been of abiding faith and inspiring courage. In the dark days of Valley Forge when America's enemies quartered in tho nation's capitol were wrapped In warmth and fed with plenty; when faint heart and tory plotted against the commander-in-chief, George Washington walked from tent to hut where bleeding feet marked their patrol cheering his patriot army. In our own time while the enemies of the people have revelled in unearned luxury and while tory and conserva tive have counselled compromise, Bryan has gridironed America, trav eling wherever a railroad ran or a turnpiko led, keeping alivo the smouldering camp fires of democracy. His demands that were branded as ruinously radical eight years ago are the rallying policies of our opponents, now in panic and endeavoring to re form their lines. The frenzy of the republican elephant trampling its own following is caused by the dem ocratic shafts barbed into its thick hide by this valiant champion. After an administration which has given to four years of friendly for eign relations all tho apprehension, the instability and tho extravagance of war let us offer the man whose voice at the international parlia ments obtained provision for world wide arbitration; the man who at homo has spoken for the Prince of Peace, and whose humanity is so broad that the pulpits of 'jvory de nomination of Jew and Gentilo have been open to him. Let us measure this people's can didate from tho heart of the- country against tho hot-house candidato from exocutivo nurseries. Let us put Bryan, who flrBt advocated publicity of campaign contributions, against Taft, -who promised it and stands on tho silent platform. Let us place Bryan, tho candidate who first opposed government by in junction, against Taft, who first in flicted it Bryan who refused to abandon his position even to gain election, against Taft, who was anx ious to reverso himself and win a nomination. Bryan's constant appeal to the hearts of his countrymen; his call to their conscience; tho moral agitation that ho has stirred and sustained are to result not only in party victory, but in national purification. Senti ment, wisdom, justice, unite, in de manding that as leader wo shall name this man who loves his fellow men. MODELS FOR OUR COINS The question is often asked: "Who was tho original model?" reference being to the feminine face on some very old or some very recent coin. In the main there have existed but few originals of any of these coin lineaments, and tho reason is simple: Coin designers very rarely use a model Excepting In cases where ab solute portraiture is demanded, as in the coinage of European countries, with its likeness of reigning mon archs, the heads to be found on coins, both ancient and modern are mere fancies of the designer, idealized femininity typifying some such sen timent as liberty, equality, industry, and the like. On our own coins of every denom ination, for a century and a half, only three traceable feminine portraits ap pear. These are Martha Washington, Lady Hamilton, and the young Irish woman of New Jersey who posed for the new St. Gaudens' double eagle. But even in this last instance the features are not altogether those of the model; indeed, no artist engaged upon an Ideal work ever portrays the model as she exactly is, for some thing of spiritual quality must go in to tho making of every artistic ideali zation. Examine all our American coins bearing a feminine head, from tho disheveled lady of 1792 (which, after all, is only a crude caricature of the first president's wife), and you will find the predominating type based upon early Greek profiles. These were excellent examples to follow, but our native coin designers do not seem to have possessed suffi-4 cient skill of hand to preserve the consummate beauty of their Greek models while adapting them to the uses of American coinage. The nearest approach to a practi cal coin ideal Is that which Is on our silver 25-cent pieces and our nickel 5-cent bits, but this head, as already noted, has come surreptitiously by way of modern France rather than straight from the golden age of Hel lenic empire. We might do far worse than copy slavishly some of the ex quisite heads and figures on the coins of old Greece, or those of the Phoe nicians; or follow the careful artl sanship of the Egyptians or even the Intricately beautiful designs of the Henry and Edwards and Richards of a later day, and a nearer kinship to the living. Bohemian Magazine. THE SPECIALIST Thcro aro ovidont advantages In specializing. It is pleasant to know one thing thoroughly, if it is nothing more vital than tho Greek enclitic or tho wing of a moth. Even a woman may have an ambition to bo quoted as "an authority." Still, exports have their limitations if ono may judgo by thoir diverse conclusions on the witness stand. Josh Billings' wisdom remains true, and there is little virtue In knowing "things that ain't bo." When all Is said, life Is many sided; and thore Is a call for some persons who seo it thus, as from thoir natural point of view. Wo may sympathize with tho old darky who defended himself against tho charge of being a preacher: "Oh, no, massa, I ain't no preach er. I's only Jus' a 'zortor!" "Why, what's tho d'lfferonco be tween a preacher and an exorlorv Sambo?" "Oh, there's a deal o' difference,! massa! Do preacher ain't much use,"? for plain folks, 'cause he got tor stick," to his tex'. But de 'zortor, bress yo, massa do 'zortor ho kin branch!" Youth's Companion. SRMSMTSthgtpRpTECT- a o ii h i 7-u .. r c,,r'' oeu. itimp H.o..D.LWbci,watningion,D.C. fcgtab. 38B9. TOBACCO WAV SALESMEN tJood pay. steady work arid promotion. Kxmrloncn Dan villa tobacco Co., Box X 56, Danville, Va. 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JONES, President 1218 Washington Blvd., Chicago, III. Jefferson's Bible The Life and Morals of JESUS OF NAZARETH Extracted Textoally from the Gotpeht, tofctber with a comparwon of hi doctrine with thote of other. By THOMAS JEFFERSON JcfTeraon ramion mj leadership. Without an effort in hit part expretcion from hi L'p that from other men' would (carccly have at tracted notice, became thenceforth axiom, creed, and fatberinf-crie of treat mutei of hi countrymen. Hairy S. Randall. JcSenoa't Bible U a book of 168 pte. well printed and Mibitantially bound in doth. It wa pubikhed originally to be cold for 11.00 per copy. By porchanng the book in Luge number we are able to offer Commoner reader an ex eeptlonxl price of 75c per copy; nt by mail, porta fa prepaid. ADDRESS ALL, ORDERS TO THE COMMONER, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 41 I I 4 1 i 1 1 m 4 a f rl :',l W i ' M V rii ftr-4 h V ' i ( n i .' , ,f , i , - f;i ' iiWirti'nii mi jnri nmt fi m Wife
