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The Commoner.
VOLUME 10, NUMBER If
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CHOOSING A SENATOR
Tho Kearney Hub says: "Refer
ring to tho Orogon law tho Omaha
World-IIorald inquires, 'What does
tho Kearney Hub bollovo?' To bo
frank, it bollovos that tho Bo-callod
Orogon law is a fraud and a fako
and lntondod merely to givo tho
domocratB a lovorago in a republi
can stato. It is unnatural and un
sound to tho coro. Moreover, tho
law in this stato 1b simply a piece
of democratic partisan legislation."
Tho World-Horald commends its
Kearney contemporary for its frank
ness and compliments it on its cour
age for it must take considerable
courage, in an intelligent and pro
gressive stato liko Nobraska, to op
poso giving tho people a direct voice
In tho election of United States sen
ators. Tho subject is both interest
ing and important, and wo are prone
t6 pursuo the inquiry further.
Will tho Kearney Hub toll us why
it rogards tho Oregon law as "a fako
and a fraud?" Will it toll us why
It regardB tho law as "unnatural and
unsound?"
Tho law simply authorizes legis
lative candidates to declaro that, If
olected, they will abide by the will
of tho people, as expressed at tho
polls, whon they como to elect a
senator. It does not require them
to make any such declaration. It
does not require thorn to make any
declaration at all. But it permits
thoso to do so who wish to do it.
What Is there wrong about that?
What Is there "unnatural and un
sound" about it?
Nebraska has declared for a con
stitutional amendment providing for
tho election of senators by popular
vote. Suppose such an amendment
were nbw in effect. The people
would then elect whomever they
chose for senator and whatever legis
lators they choso. and their votes on
sonator and legislators would In no
manner conflict. They might elect
a republican senator on national is
sues, and a democratic legislature on
state issues, or vico versa. No one
would be compelled to vote for a
candidate for the legislature to whom
he waB opposed in order to vote for
a candidate for senator whom he
favored.
The Orogon plan, if generally
adopted by legislative candidates,
would work in precisely the same
way. And if only partially adopted,
it would be at least a' step In tho
direction of tho popular election of
senators.
Does tho Kearney Hub think it un
wise to let the people elect the sen
ator? DoeB it think it unfair? Does
it think the people are not to be
trusted in this important work? Or
is it afraid of the verdict of the
people? Is it anxious, perhaps, that
Nebraska should be represented in
the senate by someone who does not
represent the people, and to whom a'
majority of the people are opposed?
We will lay down two propositions
for the consideration of the Koarnoy
Hub, and of all other enemies of the
Oregon plan:
1 The Oregon plan would tend
to insure the election of the demo
cratic candidate for senator if tho
democratic candidate got the most
votes at the polls, and of the repub
lican candidate If the republican can
didate got tho most votes.
2 The candidate who gets tho
most votes ought to be elected.
To those propositions wo invite tho
attention of tho Kearney Hub, or
any other champion of Senator Bur
kett who is opposing the Oregon
plan. Omaha World-Herald.
MR. BRYAN IN LIVERPOOL
Mr. W. J. Bryan, whose speech at
the Philharmonic hall last night,
brought tho British conference of the
Y. M. C. A. movement to a brilliant
'climax, recalled by his personality
irad eloquence his great compatriot,
Henry Ward Beechor, who camo to
tho samo hall over forty years ago
to plead tho cause of tho north. The
gospel of the two men was tho samo
tho gospel of altruism but what
a difference in tho welcomo. Mr.
Beechor was howled down and
silenced by self-interested cotton
merchants who thought their busi
ness to bo dependent on slavo labor.
Mr. Bryan had a reception worthy
of a great ambassador of moral and
religious Idealism.
In his delightful self-revelation
last evening Mr. Bryan proved a dis
appointment and a surprise a dis
appointment as a master of pure elo
quence, and a surprise a very agree
able surprise as a man of deep
moral and religious convictions. Tho
massive head, smooth intellectual
face, and thin maBtorful lips spoke
of power and aelf-confldence; the
kindly oyo of benevolenr and hu
mor, and appearances wore not fal
sified. In his ninety minutes' ad
dress he displayed abundantly all
these qualities and many more. What
was missing was a justification from
tho English point of view of the
designation of silver-tongued orator."
The voice was deep and resonant,
and tho periods rich and easy-flowing;
but one found no trace of the
silvery tones and majestic phrasing
of Gladstone, little of the compelling
beauty of Bright, and none of the
whirlwind equestrianism of the typi
cal American "spell-binder." It was
strong, masterful, delightful, and cap
tivating speaking in a clear, untiring
voice,. not unlike that of Mr. John
Redmond, and with a diction bor
rowed from the well of pure English,
defiled only, if at all, by a pronounced
American accent and an American
prononess to the vivisection of long
words.
But if there was no silver in the
voice there was much refined gold
in tho matter, and it is here that
tho pleasant surprise came in. One
does not associate moral enthusiasm
and religious fervor with American
politics, and one remembered that
Mr. Bryan had thrice waded knee
deep in tho miry intrigues of a presi
dential election. His macnificent
championship of tho Y. M. C. A.
movement as a maker of men, physi
cal, mental, and moral, his acknowl
edgment of his own obligation to it,
his glorification of the moral ele
ment, his quarrel with Buckle for
excluding it from his definition of
civilization, and his masterly reply
to scientific atheism all this coming
from the lips, and evidently the
heart, of an American political lead
er was Indeed a surprising revela
tion. It was like hearing of tho
kaiser turning Quaker, or Roosevelt
becoming a local preacher.
Not the least delightful part of the
speech was it humor, and the most
pointed of his humorous shafts was
the remark that nowadays an ideal
is the only thing of value that can
cross a national boundary line with
out going through a custom house.
When a leader of a great party speaks
liko this and boasts, too, with all
the pride of a jingo, that tho sun
never sets on American philanthropy,
one feels there Is yet hope for the
great republic. From the Liverpool
Daily Post of June 10.
TOO SOON
An eminent speaker at the Con
gregationalist meeting in the First
Congregational church, East Orange,
was telling tho other day of a west
erner's opinion of the east.
"This man," said the speaker,
"was a prominent churchman and
had occasion to visit New York,
where he remained for a few days.
In writing of his experiences to his
wife in tho west he had this to say:
'New York is a great city, but I do
wish I had come here beforo I was
converted.' " Newark Star.
ORGANIZE AND
TORY IN 1910!
An Announcement of Extraordinary
Interest to Every Party Worker
Do you want party success In tho nation In your district this fall?
Aro you willing to do your part In bringing abojiit this result? Do you
realizo that victory Is In sight If the workers of tho rank and file go In
to win?
Tho prospects of a great democratic victory In the coming fall campaign
wcro never better. But "prospects" don't win victories. You can count on
tho opposition always being busy, but If you don't got out and "work, tho
promise of a sure victory may be turned into disastrous defeat.
Tho democratic party Is in a position to win this fall, but this can bo
accomplished only by aggressive work and action all along the line. . Tho
influence of tho opposition must bo counteracted by placing In tho hands
of every voter the facts and argumonts of our cause. We must secure the
widest possible hearing among the people before we can hope to win be
fore tho court of public opinion.
You Can Win Victory in Your Own
Community This Fall
by earnest effort and wise campaigning. You must keep tho rank and file
In lino and win over as many doubtful voters as possible. Tho best way to
ot and keep tho voters interested is by placing good democratic literature
in their hands and keep it constantly before them during the year. This
can best be done through tried and true democratic papers.
Thoso who have had experience know of the value of The Commoner as
a vote winner and party builder In their own homo communities. Party
workers know tho splendid results secured in their local fights by placing
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tho old adherents of the cause.
"CLUBS OF TWO" FOR $1
! n 111 lllll I ! 1
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ovory section of the United States. We want a decisive victory in every
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part to help secure it.
For this purpose we arc making, FOR A LIMITED TIME, the lowest
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BSSWSfi SRoSBSs'SSor of sondIne In as many clubs as pos"
Send at Least One "Club of Two
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This offer gives everyone an opportunity to do some work in this cam
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Form as many clubs as possible while this offer is in effect. Sample conies
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
r near,tJiy endorso The Commoner's efforts for democratic vlctorv in 1910
LZSS10? i?1,0? for lub of two subscriptions to Tho Commonor
to be sent to tho following addresses, and I will endeavor to send as manv
moro clubs as possible during tho next thirty days. a r lo SQna as many
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