rt-
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IKOVEMBER 27, 1908
ihould do something for them. It is not straiten
that a child should take a very selfish view of
tfifo, for the paront is so glad to do everything
fpossiblo for the- child. It is encouraged to at-
' rn rl anil a1 rm -1 4-t M .1 .. ... t
uuu owiuui, miu tuu iJiuuaurea 01 vacation are
;held out as a reward. Christmas brings its
presents, and every day sacrifices arc mruln bv
tho parents for the child. It is quite natural,
.therefore, that the child should come to regard
itself as the center toward which all thinirs
pshould turn. It is the duty of tho teacher to
uuhuul (.ma impression ana impress upon the
child that its happiness will bo proportionate to
its helpfulness and that it Is. after nil. mnm
blessed to give than to receive.
The teacher must also assist in the cultiva
tion of a proper national ideal, and one of the
most essential elements of tho national ideal is
a recognition of the right of the majority to
rule. This does not mean that a majority will
I not make mistakes. It simply means that the
I majority has the right to make its own mistakes
E and that no smaller portion of the population
nas a divine right to make mistakes for tho
rest. Tho recognition of the right of tho ma
jority to rule not only reconciles the minority
p to defeat but it prevents the use of corrunt
f means to thwart the will of tho majority or
secure irom tne public that which the public
would not knowingly grant.
The social ideal is the only other ideal
I which I have time to mention. I might properly
can it tne economic ideal which should be real
ized in society, viz., that each individual should
draw from society a reward proportionate to
that individual's contribution to society. Justice
requires this and will be satisfied with, nothing
less. Inequity in the distribution of tho rewards
of the joint toil of the world is, the world's great
est evil today. Unless each one shares a reward
proportionate to his service, the sense of justice ,
is offended and endeavor is discouraged. The
teacher ought to lead the pupil to expect no
more than this, and all whn hnv nn Infliirmn
i in the creation of public opinion should seek to,.!
secure an approximation to this standard In the
matter of rewards.
There is, of course, a religious principle
that runs parallel with this, viz., that those
who are able to earn more than their fellows
or are more fortunate than their fellows should
hold what they earn as a trust to be employed,
not merely in selfish indulgence but for the pro
motion of the general good. No one should be
forced to accept less than his fair share in order
that someone else may receive more than a fair
share, but one's enjoyment of that which he
justly earns Is increased when he voluntarily
shares with one less fortunate and thus adds a
spiritual delight to mere physical enjoyment.
I am sure you will pardon me if I make
one application of what I have said with regard
to the laws of rewards. I have spoken of the
important work which the teacher does. I am
now prepared to add that I believe the teacher's
compensation is inadequate, if we measure that
compensation by the service which the teacher
renders. We intrust our children to the teacher
at that tender period when the child is suscep
tible to influence, and the good teacher returns
our children to us strengthened and fitted to
be a joy to us in our old age. The teacher's
salary is, as a rule, very small compared with
the salary of others, if we compare the work for
which other recompense is given. Whenever
one part of society is underpaid It means that
some other part of society Is overpaid, and I
respectfully submit that the teachers who will
agree with me that they are underpaid owe it
to themselves and to society to urge such a re
adjustment of rewards as will bring about a
fairer basis than is now employed.
But pardon me. I did not come to make
a speech but merely to acknowledge the cour
tesies shown me when tho invitation was extend
ed and to testify by my presence to my deep
Interest in your work.
The Commoner.
WHO GETS THE MULE?
5
In September last tho Associated Proas
printed the following solf-oxplanatory dlBpatch
Now York, September 21. William J.
Bryan has offered tho mascot mulo presented
by tho Agricultural Society of Minnoaota, as a
prizo to tho county showing tho largest per
centage of increase in tho vo.to for democratic
eloctors over tho average voto for doctors In
tho last threo campaigns. Tho offer is con
tained in a letter from the presidential candidate
to National Chairman Mack, who raado public
tho contents today. Tho letter from Mr. Bryan
reads as follows:
"Tho Agricultural Society of Minnesota
presented mo with a mulo as a mascot for this
campaign, and after a consultation with tho
newspaper representatives sojourning at Lincoln
ho was named Major Minnamascot 'Min' for
Minnesota, 'A' for Agricultural Society. Tho
titlo of 'Major' was given to him in honor of
representative who volunteered to ride him first
and who for a brief space was in close proxi
mity of the mule. Ho has been ridden, and r
think ho will bo safe riding by election day and
llcano. Last year our county gavo 700 rcpub
Bryan Th,S y?ar ,l gavo C0 Xo
Burlington, Colo. Kit Carson county, Col
orado, shows nf gain of 532 votes, tho sarao bo
Irig an Increaso of 2419-11 por cent. W P '
Dayis, president of Kit Carson County Bryan
Volunteers, writes that if his county wins, tho
SSL0 ?oc Jo Gray of Pinct number five,
beibert, Colo. -
mm An5hn cn' , Nob'TJ R' Wcatfnll claims
mulo for Bothol precinct. Jn this procinct tho
vote in 1904 was republican 35, democrat 7; la '
1908, republican 28, democrat 49.
t S111?0?; Nob-TJ- C- Hoborts makes claim
for Nackott precinct. In 1904 this precinct
cast no democratic votes, but gavo Roosevelt
TaftV10S; th VOt fltd' Bryan 10'
. Va,i?ftraiso, Nob. Itoports a democratic
gain of GOO por cent, lacking ono voto '
Benson, Nob. II. Lancaster reports that
Benson precinct cast in 1904, domocrat 01, ro-
publican 18. in 1908 this precinct cast Bryan.
1 ?
tail
"FIRST, AFTER"
Now tho puzzling question arises among the
enigmatists of Washington whether William H.
Taft is the twenty-sixth or the twenty-seventh
president of the United States. One bunch of
them prove that he is the twenty-sixth; another
that he is the twenty-seventh, and one proposi
tion is as reasonable as the other. The whole
trouble originates in the counting of President
Roosevelt. Pshaw! How easy it is to settle the
dispute in the spirit of brotherly Jove. Begin
the numbering anew, designate 'William H.
Taft first president after T. R.," and so on ad
infinitum, Columbus Press-Post.
Is broken- to work. Desiring to make the mule
valuable to the party, I propose that he bo
offered as a prizo to the county showing the
largest percentage of tho voto of electors over
the average vote for electors in the last threo
campaigns, on condition that tho county shall
turn tho mule over to the precinct securing tho
largest gain, the democrats in that precinct to
voto the mule to the democrat in the precinct,
who, in their judgment has contributed to tho
increase In tho precinct."
Let it bo remembered that the mule GOES
TO THE COUNTY WHICH SHOWS THE
LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE FOR
ELECTORS, actual possession of tho animal be
ing delivered to the precinct showing the largest
..gain. Tho Commoner will print brief state
ments of claims along this line.
Funk, Neb. The mule ought to come here.
This precinct made a gain of 777 1-11 per cent
over four years ago. (Funk is In Phelps coun
ty. It will be necessary to show the gain made
by the county. Funk democrats will please
send in this information to the editor of The
Commoner.)
Dansville, N. Y. In 3 896 Bryan's plur
ality in this town was 60; in 1900, 25; in 19'04,
Roosevelt carried the town by 14; on last Tues
day we gave you a plurality of 130, making a
gain of 144 votes over our showing of four
years ago. Our total vote at this election was
1,160.
Marydel, Md. W. T. Medford makes claim
for Caroline county but sends no comparative
figures.
Madison Township, Hancock County, Ohio.
C. P. Riegel, Arlington, Ohio, writes: "Last
year we had 69 democrats and 24 republicans.
This year we have 06 democrats and 29 repub-
369, Taft 312. Actual gain 504 56-61 per cent.
Rush County, Kan. Charles W. Kyle,
chairman democratic committee, LaCrosso, Kan.,
reports for RuBh county as follows: In 1904
Roosevelt had in this county 871 votes and
Parker 565. In 1908 Bryan had 892 votes and-.
Taft 762. Roosevelt's majority over Parker
was 310 and Bryan's majority over Taft wa
130, making a total gain of 446. Tho percent
age of gain on Parker's vote makes 78.93 por
cent gain, therefore if no county beats this rat
of gain wo are entitled to tho mule, and will
promise to feed him well and groom him for
four years. With best wiBhes wo remain.
Normal's high claim. J. D. Brandenburg,
University, S. C, writes: Tho showing made
by the Nebraska democracy deserves tho com
mendation of every democrat in America. Th
way in which the people of Lancaster county
(his home) supported Mr. Bryan was magnifi
cent. I suggest that tho banner democratic
precinct be content with its distinction and pre
sent Minnamascot to the democrats of Normal.
Would this not be a fitting recognition of their
loyalty? Normal ought to have tho mule,
Upton, Wyo. Precinct number two in
Western county, Wyoming, cast 22 for Bryan,
23 for Taft. In 1904 the vote stood, democrat,
3, republican 18. This Is a gain of 733 1-3 per
cent
As stated in the beginning, It will be nec
essary hereafter for these claims to be made by
counties.
Mr. Tom Watson has an editorial in the,
Jeffersonian on "What I Have Lived to See."'
Happily, all the things Tom has seen, however,
didn't come true. Washington Herald.
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