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The Commoner."
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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-
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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
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