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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN,. EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
' VOL. 10, NO. 45
Lincoln, Nebraska, November 18, 1910
Whole Number 513
Progressiveness Pays
Have you read the returns from the election?
, If so, what conclusion do you draw from
them?
The democrats won a great victory.
Yes, but why?
It was because the republican party forgot Ita
pledges and betrayed the people.
Tho democratic victory was a protest against
standpattism in tho republican party.
Only in those states where tho progressive
republicans boldly repudiated their party's
policy and had the courage to denounce tho
party's perfidy only in these states did tho
republican party hold its own. Where tho re
publican conventions attempted to endorse the
administration and -to pledge tho party to a
cpntinuance of the administration's policies in
those states tho party was rebuked. Governor
Stubbs was accused of disturbing tho harmony
of the republican party, but ho held Kansas in
line for his party. The same accusation was
brought against Poindexter in Washington,
against Johnston in California, against LaFol
. lette in Wisconsin and against Dolliver and
Cummins in Iowa, but in these states tho pro
gressives successfully met the attack of the
democrats. In New York, Massachusetts, Penn
sylvania and Ohio, where the administration
was endorsed, the republicans suffered defeat.
In Indiana, where an insurgent was nominated
for tho senate and standpatters ,for congress,
the republican party "was defeated. Progres
sive republicanism will be stronger in the east
ern states because of republican defeats, and it
will be stronger in the west because of repub
lican victories in the western states.
Tho very obvious lesson which the democrats
will draw from the election returns is that
progressiveness will pay in tbe democratic party
as well as in the republican party. In fact,
progressiveness will pay even a larger dividend
In the democratic party than in the republican
party because more of the democrats are pro
gressive. If any democrat imagines that the
democratic party can win in 4912 by the adop
tion of a conservative policy and the nomina
tion of a candidate friendly to the interests, let
him recall the rebuke which republicans have
administered to their party for its subserviency
to the predatory element. If republicans rise
up against a conservative administration, how
much more emphatic would be the democratic
protest against an attempt to make the demo
cratic party represent Wall Street interests. The
republican party may or may not bo controlled
by the progressive element; the democratic
party must be controlled by the progressive ele
ment. If the republicans nominate a progres
sive, the democratic candidate must be progres
sive in order to hold the democratic votes; if
the republicans nominate a standpatter, the dem
ocratic candidate must be a progressive to draw
republican votes.
CONTENTS
PROGRESSIVENESS PAYS
"GATEWAY" REFORM
THE LESSON OF 1910
MR. ROOSEVELT'S NEXT MOVE
CHAMP CLARK FOR SPEAKER
PRACTICAL TARIFF TALKS
SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WAITING FOR THE RETURNS
EXPRESS COMPANY EXTORTION
THE PHILOSOPHY OF BOLTING
HARRIMAN'S PANAMA CANAL PROFITS
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Thanksgiving, 1910
Will M. Maupin
Thanksgiving Day! And 'round tho board
That all tho Joys of llfo afford;
VIth loved onen at our sldo;
With memories of a plenteous year,
And hearts that brim with lovo and cheer
Let como whato'cr bctldo!
For all tho loving1 Lord has shared,
For loved ones one moro cycle spared,
Wo humbly kneel with bowed heads bared,
And homage pay
To God alway
This glorious Thanksgiving Day!
Thanksgiving Day! Each fcrtllo field
Has given forth Its generous yield
To fill each grancry.
Tho luclous fruits and goldon grains
From orchards and from boundless "plains
Rewards our Industry.
For all tho summer's toll has brought;
For all tho Lord In lovo has wrought,
Upon each homo hearth's sacred spot
Wo kneel and pay
To God alway
Our praises this Thanksgiving Day!
Thanksgiving Day! From far apart
We gather 'round, heart closo to heart,
And old lovo ties renew.
A smllo for those wo meet onco more;
A tear for loved ones gone before,
And vows to bo moro true.
For all tho Joys of love and life;
For light that guides through storm and
strlfo;
For harbor safe .from tempests'' rife,
Wo kneel to pay
To ' God alway
Honor and "Praise, Thanksgiving Day!
THE LESSON OF 1010
Following is an Associated Press dispatch:
"Baltimore, November 13. Governor Austin L.
Crothers, United States Senator Isador Rayner
and John Waters Smith and Congressmen J. F.
C. Talbot and J. II. Covington have consented,
at the request of the Baltimore Sun, to act as
a committee to further a suggestion that a con
ference of leading conservative democrats of all
parts of the country be held for the purpose of
formulating a national policy and plan of cam
paign for the party. It is hoped the committee
will succeed in bringing about such a conferenco
in this city in January, 1911, or perhaps next
month."
The rank and file of the party, rather than a
self-constituted committee of "conservative dem
ocrats," will "formulate a national policy and
plan of campaign for tho party."
"The democratic party must bo progressive.
No Wall Street candidate can hope to hold
tho democratic vote.
Democracy must go forward and meet present
day problems boldly in tho spirit of Jefferson
and Jackson.
The democratic victory of 1010 is tho result
of fourteen years of democratic fight for reforms.
The party cannot retire now.
It must go forward.
FORWARD, MARCH!
John W. Kern, in Indiana, Gilbert M. Hitch
cock in Nebraska, and James A. Reed in Mis
souri wero all elected to the United States senate
by popular vote. The fact that this was made
possible in the absence of a constitutional clause
providing such a method is an indication of tho
popularity of the election of senators by popular
vote reform.
"Gateway" Reform
In tho democratic national convention at Den
ver tho election of United States senators by
direct voto of tho pcoplo was declared to bo tho
gateway to other reforms, and it is an apt de
scription of its strategic importance. In revo
lutionary days tho oariy settlers fortified such
points aB Fort Pitt, whero Pittsburg now stands,
because they guarded important routes of travel.
Tho predatory interests recognize that tho
United States senate occupies a strategic point
in legislation. Every remedial measuro of a
national character must travol through tho sen
ate beforo it can becomo tho law; just ho long
as tho sonato opposes a bill it can bo defeated
and the sonato has had the audacity to oppooo
a' great many good measures.
For ono hundred and thrco years tho present
method of electing senators was tolerated, al
though criticism increased and tho demand for
a moro popular method of election grew loudor
nnd louder. Andrew Johnson, In ono of his
messages, recommended a constitutional amend
ment providing for olection of senators by pop
ular voto, but his recommendation mot with no
response. Somo ten years later General Weavor,
then a member of congress from Iowa, intro
duced a resolution proposing tho necessary
amendment; Brlco refers to this resolution in
his "American Commonwealth," But still noth
ing was done. In 1892 a democratic congress
passed a resolution submitting a constitutional
amendment providing for direct election of Hon
ators, and tho next congrcHH, also democratic,
did llkowise. Then two republican congresses
met and adjourned without action; but tho
sentiment continued to grow, and in 1900 a
republican congress followed tho example of the
democratic congresses and declared in favor of
this reform. Two republican congresses since
that time have acted favorably on tho resolu
tion, but the senate has continued to defy tho
popular will and to obstruct tho passage of tho
resolution. Somo two-thirds of tho states of
tho union have endorsed the proposition, and
three democratic national conventions havo de
clared for it, while populist conventions havo
declared for it even moro frequently.
In tho last republican national convention tho
proposition was defeated by a vote of moro than
seven to one, but Mr. Taft, during his campaign,
repudiated the action of his convention and de
clared that he was personally inclined to favor
tho popular method of election. This, briefly,
is tho record up to today, but a new page is
about to bo written. The elections held on No
vember 8 resulted in the gain of several demo
cratic senators, and in tho substitution of sev
eral progressive republicans for republicans of
tho standpat variety. There is no doubt that
the democrats and progressives will havo a safe
majority in the senate. Now Is the time to press
for the securing of this great and fundamental
reform, and The Commoner appeals to Its read
ers to take up this subject and exert themselves
to the utmost to secure the submission of a con
stitutional amendment providing for tho election
of United States senators by direct vote of tho
peoplo.
How can it be done? First: Let every legis
lature that meets this winter bo urged to pass
a resolution declaring in favor of the popular
election of senators; let every senator elected
this year be pledged to this reform by tho legis
lature which elects him. Lot every senator who
favors this reform make It his business to see
that the necessary resolution is brought beforo
the senate. With a majority of the senators In
favor of the reform tho opponents of the meas
uro can bo put upon record, and those whoso
terms expire two years from now will hesitate
before they put themselves upon the wrong side
of such an Issue. Senator Depew led tho fight
against the direct election of senators when it
was last beforo the senate but he will not be
In a position to fight it again. Senator Hale was
opposed to it, but he, too, is going out. Senator
Aldrich was opposed to it his days are num
bered. Let the friends of this reform take cour-
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