The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 8, NO, 48
CONTENTS
CARING FOR EX-PRESIDENTS
GUARANTEED DEPOSITS IN NEBRASKA
INVESTIGATE PANAMA CANAL '
"CLOSE TOGETHER"
STORY OP A WHITE HOUSE DENIAL
MR. ROOSEVELT AND EDITORS CLASH
JOSEPH G. CANNON AS A "DIZZY
RADICAL"
SOLVING THE MYSTERY
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS v
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
. GUARANTEED DEPOSITS IN NEBRASKA
It may bo expected that all sorts of in-
genipUB .schemes will be put forth by bankers
and-their representatives to prevent the pas-
sage pf a "guaranteed deposits law1 by the Ne-
braska legislature. Realising that it will ba
itflpo'ssibfe'' ttf prevent .ppmoadtion on this lino
. thpT.en.Bmies of guaranteed deposijts "propose .&;
deerrefl payment plan1. Underbills plan the de
positor ffpuld not receive their4 money prompt
ly. -Indeed, as proposed by some, they wojild
n6t receive it until the assets of the bank were
disposed of.. This plan, would destroy the Very."
purpose of the guaranteed deposits system. It
would not prevent bank runs because the de
positor would be almost as much afraid of having
his money, tied up ip a broken bank as he would
of losing it entirely. It would not protect the
commerce of a community for the reason that
deferred payments would withhold, temporarily
at least, the deposits from use in the business of
the community.
The pledge with respect to guaranteed de
posits under which democratic members of the
legislature were elected was well understood by
the people and the Nebraska legislature may be
depended upon to fulfill that pledge. The Ne
braska democracy will give to the people of this
state a guaranteed deposits law that provides
for immediate payment upon the depositors'
demand.
The bankers who oppose guaranteed de
posits dominated the republican state conven
tion and dictated its platform. The issue be
fore the people was made plain and no one
will be successful in an effort to distort tho
issue before the legislature.
5 O
NO RESENTMENT
The Washington correspondent for the Phil
adelphia North American says that Mr. Cannon
has ..made known to members of the house that
any republican congressman who refuses to en
ter the republican caucus and to abide by its
decision will be denied recognition as a repub
lican in house proceedings if Cannon is re-elected
to the speakership. This correspondent adds:
"There is some possibility that the attitude Can
non has assumed will arouse the resentment of
house members."
It is more probable, however, that none of
these members will have the courage to show
their resentment in an effective way. Mr. Can
non will probably be re-elected speaker and even
though- the rules undergo a change on the rec-
ord, it will be merely a pretense and Cannonism
will continue business at the old stand. - v
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 11, 1908
Whole Number 412
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WANTED: AT LEAST SOME MEASURE OF RELIEF
CARING FOR EX-PRESIDENTS
' The New York World is Just now interest
ing itself in President Roosevelt's future. It
is urging his election as senator from New York
and inviting tho opinion of democrats and re
publicans throughout tho nation as to the wis
dom of the suggestion. The Commoner will not
attempt to select a senator from New York;
that duty rests, according to tho constitution,
upon the people of that state. It Is Interested,
however, in tho reasons which the World ad
vances In support of its suggestion. One of
these reasons is:
"Any man who has been president of tho
United States has gained an experience that is
invaluable to tho nation and should not be lost.
He has a knowledge of foreign relations which
is of the utmost importance to the senate in tho
consideration of treaties. His familiarity with
all the administrative departments makes him
a veritable cyclopaedia of information in regard
to many questions of legislation. Whether his
own policies be good or bad, whether his judg
ment be sound or weak, his experience In the
White House Is a great national asset which the
American people should have the benefit of."
This argument is properly submitted to the
people of New York and may have weight in
their decision. Some of the arguments advanced
by the World, however are not only unsound but
betray a leaning toward the European idea of
official life. It says: "Moreover the dignity of the
office is shockingly lowered when a president of
the United States, at the end of his term, is
thrust into private life to shift for a living for
himself and family as best he can."
This argument smacks of royalty; there is
nothing American about it. A president is se
lected -by-the people to -exercise temporary au
thority in the name of the people. How can the
dignity of the office bo "fhocklngly lowered"
when tho president drops back Into private life?
A congressman represents about two 1 undred
thousand people and docs an Important work,
and yet the dignity of tho office Js not "shock
ingly lowered" when he drops back to tho prac
tice of law, to merchandising or to farming.
A United States senator sometimes represents
five millions of people; the dignity of bis office
Is not "shockingly lowered" when he drops back
Into his place as a private citizen. A governor
sometimes represents more than five millions
and during his term of office is a very important
factor In the state machinery, and yet there Is
no lowering of the dignity of the office when
he lays aside the sceptre of state and becomes
again a fellow-worker with those In whose name
he exercised the authority of a chief magistrate.
It was tho hope and expectation of our fore
fathers that our nation would set an example
to the world in democratic simplicity; and that
Europeans who have been looking, up to their
crowned heads as if officials belonged to a su
perior order of beings would learn from us that
governments derive their Just powers from the
consent of the governed and that public official
are servants, not rulers or masters. But we
have been drifting away from this Idea, until
one of Mr. Roosevelt's hired men, Secretary of
War Wright, actually took Mr. Bryan to task
for calling the president a hired man. Secre
tary Wright's speech was not Important except
as it indicated how far some have drifted toward
the aristocratic idea.
No, the. dignity of the office is not "shock
ingly lowered" when "a president of tht3 United
States;- at thecnd of his term, is forced Into
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