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The Commoner
JULY 24, 1908
9
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two yearswas graduated from Farmer's colleger'
near Cincinnati. He joined the staff of the Com
mercial in,:183, bought 'ariMtfterest in it thejnextj
year anil 'became chief owner in 1865, retaining
his interest until long after the Commercial's'
consolidation with the Gazette, nearly twenty
years later. Later he was editor of the Brook
lyn Stan dardrUn ion. He was the author of nu
riferous books and sketches. He made his rep
utation as one of America's foremost editors
and editorial writers while associated with the
Commercial-Gazette. He was well known as a
writer in 1856, when he reported both the re
publican and democratic conventions for the
Commercial. In 1859 he attended and wrote
a description of the hanging of John Brown near
Harper's Ferry. He reported all the various
conventions of 1860, and gained further fame
as correspondent in the civil war. He acted as
war correspondent in the Franco-Prussian war
in 1870-71, and often visited Europe on special
trips. One of his most interesting journalistic
experiences was his trip to Iceland on the occa
sion of the millennial celebration of 1874, in
company with Cyrus W. Field, Bayard Taylor
and other distinguished men. He was also the
author of books on the Boer-British war, the
Russo-Japanese war and the Spanish-American
war. His rejection by congress after President
Harrison had appointed him minister to Germany
was the occasion of intense political feeling
throughout the country. His articles about the
purchase of senatorial seats were believed' to
have aroused the enmity of the legislators."
O EFERRING TO the Philippine assembly,
XX, the New York Evening Post says:
"Burke once said that the way to And out what
a people wanted and was fitted for was to ask
its chosen representatives. Well, the Filipino
assembly adjourned yesterday after an admirably
conducted first session, with a declaration,
passed by fifty-seven votes to fifteen, that in
dependence was the aspiration of the Filipino
people, and that they were ready for inde
pendence now. Certainly their excellent legis
lative record warrants them in maintaining that
their body would compare favorably with any
American legislature. They have engaged in
no fist-fights, have bowed down to no vested
interests, and have cbnducted their debates on
a proper plane. Their one act offensive to the
ruling Americans, aside from their parting shot,
was to propose to cut down the salaries of the
foreigners who occupy the choicest positions in
the Filipino civil service. This desire for
economy, this move for a Filipino treasury for
the Filipinos, was properly rebuked by the Phil
ippine commission, which saved the salaries of
the Americans to the Americans. Curiously
enough, this ringing declaration of the Filipino
assembly was coincident with the nomination
of Taft for the, presidency. This is the same Taft
who insists that the Filipinas will not be ready
for self-government for generations. Mr. Taft'a
elevation, friendly as he is to them, does not
mean that their wishes will be granted within
a reasonable time. For this he is too 'much of
an imperialist. At any rate, here is Mr. Bryan's
chance to get the solid Filipino vote."
TTNDER DATE of Burlington, la., June 29,
LI a reader of the Louisville (Ky.) Courier
Journal, wrote to that newspaper as follows:
"There seems to be some question of the ability
of the democratic party to raise a sufficient cam
paign fund, although it seems to be conceded
that the republicans will have no difficulty in
that regard. This is a situation which should
be taken advantage of by the rank and file of
the democracy. The democratic managers
should not ask or permit the men of great
wealth and the special interests to contribute the
means to carry on, the campaign. With them it
is an investment an investment in governmen
tal favors, special privileges and graft. Let the
rank and file; the common people, make an In
vestment also an Investment in good govern
mentand secure the return of equal r ghts and
equal opportunity. The common people of the
country, from the day laborer to the highest
salaried wage-earner, with their dimes and their
dollars, can and I belieye will, if given the op
portunity contribute every penny needed to
carry on a vigorous campaign without asking
anything of those people and those interests who
only contribute with the expectation of a large
return. ' I speak as a workingman when I say
that the number of men who appreciate the fun
significance of the rebuff given the waga-earner
by the Taft managers in Chicago runs into the
millions, and they are determined men, who will
'gladly contributoio. .a. popular campaign fund
to( securci4Jiis-'defeat. In the past the rank and
4 file of tho democraCuV party havje Beeniislow' 03?
toffer;theIr contributions because: they,Tmve npi
been called upon. Lefc'tho democratic managcrt
give them a chance and see with what zeal they
come forward and note, too, a newly awakencu
interest in democratic success."
REFERRING TO the gentleman who placed
Mr. Bryan in nomination at Denver, tho
Omaha World-Herald says: "Igiintius J. Dunn
is a son of Nebraska. He was born February
6, 1868, on a farm in Sarpy county, and re
ceived his education in the public schools of that
county. He read law In Omaha, and was here
admitted to the bar in 1890. Taking an early
liking to politics, Mr. Dunn has been an active
member of his party organization Bincc he at
tained his majority, and for fifteen years has
been an ardent supporter of William J. Bryan.
He was identified with the preliminary fight that
was undertaken to wrest the control of the party
in Nebraska from the gold element. The only
office that Mr. Dunn has held has been that of
assistant county attorney and his present posi
tion of assistant city attorney of Omaha. lie
is a forceful speaker, whether on the political
stump or' in the court room. He is a man of
pronounced views, Inclined to be radical in his
tendencies, and has always been fearless and un
tiring in the advocacy of them."
AT THE LUNCHEON given June 22, to the
alumni of tho Yale law school, Former
Senator Spooner delivered an address in which
he said: "I want to impress upon you that
while you may differ on political questions, there
is something which rises above politics, and
something which lawyers can not afford to differ
on. The lawyer, under his oath, owes it to his
country and to himself to stand firm to the basic
principle of popular government. He must be
lieve that the essentials in government ara three
co-ordinate branches, the executive, the legisla
tive and the judicial. Each must keep within
its bounds, or representative government can
not exist. And when you find a government in
which the three branches have become sub
ordinated to the will of the executive, popular
government has ceased to exist. I speak of this
in an unpersonal way. The last hope of liberty
in this government is an upright, fearless, in
corruptible judiciary. If, in the lapse of time,
you find a political body advocating any measure
which seeks to impair the foundation of govern
ment as laid down by tho founders, as you value
your oath of office, fight it. The principle of
the three co-ordinate branches of government
ought not to be forgotten for a moment. I am
glad the next president of the United States Is
to be a lawyer, a lawyer who knows the consti
tutional limitations of the executive and the
other branches of government. Mind you, I
do not say who that lawyer will be."
FORMER Congressman Littlefield of Maine
addressed a gathering of lawyers at Chi
cago recently. In the course of his remarks he
said: "Senator Lodge, in the republican na
tional convention, said that President Roosevelt
had enforced the laws as he found them on the
statute book. The republican party platform
congratulates itself on tho enforcement of all
the laws. In the light of cases I have cited to
you it would seem that a proclamation to ex
pend, not performance, constitutes enforcement
of the law. The distinguished publicists, like
business .men, are very much disturbed for fear
they are facing a prison cell for doing business
under modern methods. I do not think that
this apprehension has any reasonable founda
tion." Tho speaker pointed out that but seven
convictions had been secured under the Sher
man law since September 14, 1901, and con
tinued: "It may be that the predatory rich are
lurking in every corner, and that malefactors
of great wealth abound. If this be true and
they have been going about 'seeking. whom they
may devour' the extent to which the wicked have
thus far gone unwhipped of justice borders upon
the grotesque."
rWlE BINGHAMPTON (N. Y.) Press tells this
X story: "Last winter, when William Jen
nings Bryan was here, ho attended an informal
reception, for men only. He had told a number
of clean, witty stories, when suddenly a man, a
stranger, edged through the crowd and began
to joke" with Mr. Bryan. Nothing1 was thought
of this, as it was. a game of conversational give
-andtake. 'Suddenly from tho lips of; tho
stranger there, fell a single conrse remark. yTho
commoner's Jaw sot like a steel trap, and his
'eyes snapped. Tho stranger was quickly hustled
out'of tho room. 'Ho was a stranger, Mr. Bryan,'
said ono present, 'and had no business here.
Wo bog your pardon for this occurence 'Never
mind mc,' said. Mr. Bryan, his eyes softening.
'The man's Ill-judged remark did mo no harm,
and I know he had no business hero, but '
pointing to a lad of fifteen years, Who was
watching the scene and waiting for a handshake
'It was not just the sort of speoch for the lad
die to hoar.' "
Mr. Bryan to Laboring Men
(Continued from Page 5)
legitimate use of "the writ of injunction whoro.
there is real occ.slon for it, but the platform
says that this writ shall not be iscued in labor
disputes under circumstances that would not
justify its use were there no labor dispute; in
other words, that It shall hot be Issued merely
for the purpose of giving to one paYty to a labor
dispute an advantage over the other, but there
must bo conditions that would justify Its issu
ance if there were no labor dispute, and I think
that the labor leaders, in stating it in that way
have acted wisely, for they have not asked for
special privileges for tho laboring man.
"I have simply briefly referred to these
as- some of the planks in tho platform. I be
lieve it can be said that no great party has over
adopted a platform that embodies so much
as our platform does that is of vital in
terest to tho great tolling masses of the coun
try, and I am glad the platform has been broad
enough to embody remedial legislation needed
by all elements of our population, and the unani
mity with which you gentlemen speak for those
who are known as wago workers, those who be
long to the labor organizations, this unanimity
among you ought to be imitated by Uiobo who
toil in other departments of industry, for that
platform is just as true to those who toil upon
the farm as to those who toil in the factory; it
is as true to those who toil in the exchange of
products as to those who toil in the original
production. In a word, that platform, it seemn
to mo, speaks forth in the Interest of the average
man of the common people. And It is because
I believe, as stated in the platform, that tho
progress of our country must bo measured by
the advancement of tho average man, that I
appreciate the confidence you have expressed
and the pledge of support that you have given.
I thank you."
00000000000.
STRAWS
R. H. Knapp, Brock, Neb. Enclosed
find draft for $9.00 for The Commoner
to be sent to the following enclosed
named persons. Last year it was hard
work to get a list of five, or six subscrib
ers for Tho Commoner and then only
democrats could -be listed. This week I
spent about thirty minutes to obtain this
list of fifteen. There are names of men
on this list who, in 1896 and 1900,
thought that Mr. Bryan jvas the most
dangerous man in the 'world. There
was nothing too mean for them to say
about him. Today they have confidence
in him. They want to see what he has t
to say on the great economic question,
of the coming campaign. Does not this
show which way the wind Is blowing?
Does not this look good to Mr. Bryan?
Does it not look good to the rank and
file of the democratic party? It looks
good to me.
.
The Commoner will
be sent from now until
Election Day for Twen
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