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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 1908)
wp, r -r"TW.r- 2 The Commoner. t VOLUME 8, NUMBER 50 JVE i.. K-'.T" ' JUlU l EVn love said (quoted from memory) "that force is the hammer which can break a block of ice into a thousand pieces but leaves each piece still ice, while love is the ray of sunlight which, though acting more slowly and silently, melts the ice." At this season of the year our thoughts turn to the contemplation of the new degree of love revealed to the world by Jesus. To the love between members of the family and love be tween friends He added ah all-pervading love that includes every member of the human race. Even enemies are not beyond the bounds of this love, for man's puny arms are not strong enough to break the bonds that unite each son of God to all his brethren. "Love is not stupid," says Tolstoy. It makes known to us our duty to our fellows and it will some day . rule the world. Force is the weapon of the animal in us; after it comes money, which the intellect employs, sometimes for good, some times for harm. But greater than all is love, the weapon of tho heart. It is a sword that never rusts, neither does it break and the wounds that It leaves are live-saving, not life-destroying. No armor can withstand it and no antagonist can resist it. But why try to define this love or to measure its scope? Paul, the apostle, in his first epistle to the Corinthians describes it in language to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken. Let liis words suffice: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all the mysteries, and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so ag to remove mountains, but have not love, I jam .nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed-the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me noth ing. Love sufferoth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth hot itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itsell! unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteous ness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things; believeth all things, hopeth all things, ondureth all things. Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away with. For we know in poTt and we prophesy in part, but when that which is per fect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When' I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child; now that I am become a man I have put away childish things. For now wo see In a mirror, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; then shall I know even as also I have been known. But now ablddth faith, hope; love, these three; and the greatest of these' is love." PRESIDENT OVERSTEPS THE LIMIT President, Roosevelt has sent to congress a mteBsagewhichrannounces a new and danger oug'Ulo'ctrlneV It is the duty of every publisher -and iof every believer in free speech and a free press to resent the president's attempt to use the 'government to terrorize those who would criticise the action of public officials. No official can .claim exemption from criticism merely be cause he is an official, and no act of the govern ment is so sacred that the humblest citizen may not express an adverse opinion upon it. It is a matter of little consequence whether the charges made by the World are true or false that can be determined by a suit at law in the ordinary way but it is a matter of great im portance that every editor and every other in dividual shall be free to express his opinion on any subject connected with public affairs The World demands an Investigation of the Panama purchase and it is for congress to determine whether tho investigation shall be made The fact that the president thinks no investigation Is necessary is immaterial. If a law is passed -which requires the president's concurrence he can sign or voto it that is his constitutional right. If upon receiving his veto the house and senate approve of the measure by a two-thirds voto, the measure according to the constitution becomes a law in spijte of the president. Insofar as the Benate and house can constitutionally act without tho president's concurrence, they are at liberty to do so without consulting him or in spite of any thing he says. Insofar as either house has a right to investigate, it can do so whether he approves or not. An Investigation is' the best method of bringing out tho facts and if there has been misrepresentation the president ought ' to Urge investigatifcn rather than oppose it. But his proposition that the government can institute libel proceedings against an indi vidual or a paper for criticism of the govern ment's action is not only a new doctrine but an extremely objectionable one. If any individual has been libeled, he has his action at law. If tho individual concerned does not see fit to prosecute his remedy the government can not become his champion. The Panama purchase was made by the administration in pursuance of an act of con gress. If any improper influence was brought to bear upon senators or members to secure the passage of the purchase act, the public has a right to know it and any senator or congress man wrongfully charged with being improperly influenced can resort to the court to enforce his legal remedies. If any individual is wrongfully charged with "bringing improper influence to bear upon a senator or congressman, he can bring an action to protect his name and his honor. The president says that the execution of the purchase act was in the hands of Attorney General Knox and that he (the president) approved of every thing that Mr. Knox did. If either the president or Mr. Knox is charged with improper conduct, the courts are open to them, but the president can not use the attorney general to punish those who criticise him, Senator Knox or any other official. Whatever offense the World has com mitted If it has committed an offense is not against the government but against individuals who have temporarily acted for the government or against individuals who are accused of bring ing improper influence to bear upon officials. Mr. Pulitzer is on solid ground when he re sists the president's attempt to convert news paper criticism of officials into a criticism against the government itself. The president's message is indefensible insofar as it asserts the right of the government to prosecute the World or Mr. Pulitzer, and he will find that he has overstepped tho limits of his authority ,if he attempts to use' the attorney general's office in the way that he has proposed. The president is not the' gov ernment; a criticism of him is not a criticism of , the government. "THE PRINQE OF PEACE" At the beginning of the campaign Mr. Bryan refused to allow the committee to cjr-, culate his lecture entitled "The Prince of Peace," but later when the republican committee circu lated, as a campaign document, Mr. Taft's ad dress on missions, and Mr. Taft nimself began making Sunday speeches at churches and before ,,,M:,C A meetings, Mi Bryan withdrew his objection, and "The Prince of Peace" was sent out when asked for. Rev. J. F. Nugent, of Ues Moines, Iowa, f so. mucn interested in the circulation of The Prince of Peace" that he -wrote a preface to it, and sent out a number of copies to his friends. In another column -will be found Father Nugent's introduction. As the readers of The Commoner have read the lecture itself, they mav bo interested in Father Nugent's comment upon it. THEN GIVE IT A JtEST In an address delivered at a b.anquet in Chicago John Pierpont Morgan said that this country "now needs a rest.". If Mr. Morgan imd ' other representatives of special Interests will give ttie country this much needed rest alon suffering people will be grateful. g V V W v THE SULTAN STEPS FORWARD A new constitutional government has been inaugurated in Turkey, and the first parliament under this constitution has just convened Tho Bultan proceeded from his palace to 'the parlia ment hall amid shouts and cheers. Never wore the streets so crowded before, the dispatches ari- ' nounce; ambassadors and foreign ministers were given hearty receptions, and everything .., off without a jar. The sultan saysy hate nro claimed a constitution thirty-two years aen Dw found such difficulties in the wav tw i?f ' bUt pended it temporarily, and he declares thVhS s now heartily glad to restore it and Jw L is definitely and unalterablTcommitteri thS and joins the constitutional procession. TurW . the most backward of all the countries S Europe, has now abandoned the doctrine of un limited monarchy. Our congress ought to C a congratulatory resolution. Now that the suit has ceased to govern without a constitution the republican leaders may consider the advisability of giving the Filipinos a constitution. y e& tw t V POSTAL SAVINGS BxVNKS It is to be hoped' that the democrats in the senate and house will assist in the passage of the measure providing for the postal savings bank. The democratic platform gave a condi tional endorsement to this plan, declaring for it if the guaranteed bank could not be secured and as it is the only measure that can possibly pass during the next four years, the people ought to be given the benefit of it. The demo crats ought to endeavor to perfect the republi can measure by such amendments as may re move its objectionable features. The deposit limit, for Instance, ought to be raised so that a larger number of persons can take advantage of the savings bank, and deposit larger sums, and the community ought to be protected by a provision compelling the government to loan the money to the bank or banks nearest to the place of deposit. No discrimination should be permitted as to banks. The security ought to be fixed and then all local banks, state and na tional, be given their share of deposits, propor tioned according to capital stock. t W i& t WHY THIS DISCRIMINATION? The New York Tribune printed a dispatch, from its Washington correspondent explaining, in detail, the White House threat that if con gress censures Mr. Roosevelt for the charges in his message "he will he compelled to show rela tionships between certain members and certain large interests which made necessary some in vestigation by the secret service." Calling the Tribune dispatch "semi-official" the New York World makes the following point ed inquiries: 'If this is how the secret service was used, why were its extra-legal activities restricted to members of congress? "" ' ' ' "Why did no secret service man shadow Theodore Roosevelt and Edward H. Harriman while they arranged the details of the $260,000 campaign contribution which Mr. Harriman boasted 'turned 50,000 votes .in New York?' "Why did no secret service man follow George B Cortelyou while he was collecting a Roosevelt campaign fund from trusts and cor porations which it had been his . duty as secre tary of commerce to 'Investigate? "Why was no secret service man on the heels of Mr. Roosevelt's campaign-fund assessor when $100,000 was collected from the Standard Oil company and $150,000 from the great life insurance companies? "Possibly it was an oversight on Mr. Roose velt's part that no secret service men were as signed to spy upon his own peculiar 'relation ships' with ..'certain large interests.' " && A QUESTION 'If 'there isn't any Santa Glaus, who is it turns . ,your leet ,., Toward the Bhop where gifts are smiling as you walk along the street? Who Is it sets you thinking, though you're busy as can be, About the songs and laughter, 'round the child ren's Christmas tree? Though you vow "this Christmas .business is a nuisance, anyhow," There's an influence at work, that clears the frowning from your brow; The small tin trumpet sounds a "blast that wakes ' your soul serene To homage for tho doll who 'is! a-lady and a queen, . " ' '. ' '" And the once prosaic world where' it has been : your lot to dwell . Is a realm of' fascinations neath"some mystic fairy spell!" ' .- " ' If there isn't any Santa Clauswho is it, day by day, ' ' . : That turns our thoughts to Christmas, strive to shun it' as we may; ' '. Who comes at. this bleak fcoasonHarmed with ' telepathic arts'' ' ' And by generous suggestion ddminates our mind3 -' and hearts ?lc "i. " ,r i .?of i Washington Star. : r 4
