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The Commoner.
VOLUME 10; NUMBER St
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The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY
Entered at the Postofflce at Lincoln, Nebraska,
as second-class matter.
"WlIXIAM J. BjtYAH
Editor and Proprietor
XUCXIAXU) L, Mktcawx
Aeeodnto Editor
CllAnLKS W. "UTAH
Publisher
Editorial Hooms and Business
Office 324-330 South 12tii Street
One Year 11.00
Six MoathK 69
In Clubs of Flvo or
more, por year... .78
Three Months...... .25
Stogie Copy 5
Sam pi o Copies Free.
Foreign Post. Be Extra.
SUBSCRIPTIONS can bo sent direct to Tho Com
moner. They can also bo sent thr mi?1- newspapers
which havo advertised a clubbing: rato, or through
local agents, whero sub-agents have been appoint
ed. All remittances should bo sent by postofflce
money order, express order, or by bank draft on
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checks, stamps or money.
LISCONTINUANCES It Is found that a largo
majority of our subscribers prefer not to havo their
subscriptions Interrupted and their flics broken in
caso they fail to remit before expiration. It is
therefore assumed that contlnuanco is desired un
less subscribers order discontinuance, either when
subscribing or at any timo during tho year.
PRESENTATION COPIES Many rersons sub
scribe for frionds, intending that tho papor shall
stop at the end of tho year. If instructions aro
given to that effect they will receive attention at
tho proper time.
RENEWALS 'x'ho date on your wrapper showo
tho time to which your subscription is paid. Thus
January 21, '10, means that payment, has been re
ceived to and Inch-ding tho last lssuo of Tanuary,
1910. Two weeks aro required after money has
been received beforo tho dato on wrapper can be
changed.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Subscribers requesting
a chango of address must give old as well as new
address.
ADVERTISING Rates will be furnished upon
application.
Address all communications to
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nob.
CIRCULATE THE COMMONER
Dr. J. M. Fulton, Audubon, Iowa.
I hereby renew my faith and loyalty to
Tho Commoner by handing you $6 and
ton subscriptions. Our principles were
never more vindicated than now, but
what we need most Is the steadfast sup
port and loyalty to the principles for
which the real Jefferson-Bryan democ
racy is contending and embodied in the
Denver platform. The difficulty to wrest
the government from the 'hands of the
few Into which it has fallen since the
Civil war is a much more serious prob
lem than most people realize, but or
ganization and enthusiasm with right
eousness on our side must take the place
of money furnished by predatory wealth.
We can easily extend the circulation of
The Commoner to a million copies if
each voter will do a little extra work.
This work is not alone for democrats
but republicans as well for they will help
reap tho reward In the way of better
government. So many democrats would
greatly rejoice In victory but they 'are
not sufficiently' enthusiastic that they
will contribute that little that will ulti
mately bring success. Democracy means
much more than mere opposition to the
republicans. Democracy is contending
for the principle of self-government and
liberty that is as old as government it
self not handed down by a gang of
plutocrats from Washington but coming
up from the people from where good gov
ernment always comes. Every democrat
should take The Commoner, get posted,
and tell the good news to his republican
neighbor. Get his subscription if you
can and the chances are that he will
become 'a convert. You cannot hope to
convert a plutocrat who sincerely believes
in tho Hamilton theory of government
but there are many republicans these
days advocating democratic principles
and it is only a short step further over
where they belong with the democrats
and it is to these we must extend the
the great w6rk of The Commoner.
'
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Two Views of One Presidential Candidate
"THE SYSTEM'S" CANDIDATE
It must be confessed that democratic presi
dential politics are becoming a bit confusing.
Wo aro told on all hands almost, that dovernor
Harmon is the preferred candidate of "the sys
tem." Yet it Is impossible to escape noticing
that such publications as Harper's Weekly and
the Now York World, Sun and Evening Post,
who are generally accredited as more or less
friendly to the big interests, are sending up a
daily chorus of praise of Governor-elect Wilson
of New Jersey, and neglecting Harmon almost
entirely.
Yet we are estopped from classifying Wilson
as also a "system" favorite by the double fact
that his public utterances are uniformly of the
progressive order, and that he is engaged al
ready in a determined and even bitter fight to
keep James Smith, the corporation candidate,
from being sent to the senate by the New Jersey
legislature. He Is doing this in spite of the fact
that It was Smith who developed him as a can
didate, for governor, and in spite of the further
fact that some of his most cordial newspaper
boosters are also manifestly friendly to Smith.
There are Borne things peculiar, too, about
the status of Harmon, who it would seem was
not under "the system's" Influence- when, as
special attorney for the United States, he in
sisted so strenuously on 3ending Paul Morton
to jail that President Roosevelt had to discharge
him to save Morton. And Morton, then as now,
was a personal and financial intimate of the
head of "the system," J. Pierpont Morgan!
Ordinarily a democrat who was re-elected gov
ernor of Ohio by 100,000 majority, with all the
power of a republican national administration
invoked against him, would become forthwith a
foremost candidate, In the newspapers at least,
for the presidential nomination. Yet it is unde
niably evident that the Harmon boom is lagging
and is getting very little newspaper attention,
while the Wilson movement Is being favored
with unlntermittent publicity. Why aren't the
corporation publications paying Harmon some
attention?
Perhaps when the truth Is known it will be
found that the real "system" candidate is neither
Wilson nor Harmon, nor any other democrat for
that matter, but rather a distinguished fellow
townsman of Harmon's whom "the system"
helped elect In 1908 and whom it would gladly
help re-elect In 1912, Editorial in the Omaha
World-Herald.
Oakland, Cal., December 9, 1910. Editor The
Commoner: There are Indications of a revolt
among tho people the great common people-
of this country against corporation and trust
domination of the government. And yet, in
some material respects, it is manifest that the
corporations and trusts continue dominant where
and when it was thought the result of the last
election ended their dominancy. Notably is
this the case In Ohio.
Governor Harmon was re-elected by a great
ly increased plurality. He Is the dominant po
litical figure in tfie Buckeye state, and he" is
regarded in some quarters Wall Street, partic
ularly as a probable presidential nominee,
looking to 1912.
And yet, Governor Harmon is not known to
favor election of United States senators by
direct vote of the people; the most urgently
urged and imperatively needed governmental
reform now before the people, to the end that
our government in fact may again be made truly
democratic as representative of the whole people
and for the protection, conserving and subserv
ing of the economic welfare of the whole people,
and not merely the aggrandizement of a part
a small class "numerically speaking of the
people.
Can it bepossjble tht Governor Harmon Is
non-committal on this Vital question, because
multi-millionaire John R. McLean desires and
expects to be elected United States senator by
the next Ohio state legislature, which will be
democratic?
John R. McLean in the senate would be a
reactionary, a corporation senator, as much so
as has been the outgoing senator, Charles R.
Dick. Would Governor Harmon's support of
Mr. McLean's candidacy be accepted by the peo
ple as evidence of Governor Harmon's fitness for
president in furtherance of governmental reform
as herein indicated?
It would appear that some influences, in its
own estimation potential in humbugging the
people Is getting overly bold when it openly
advocates for president as a "progressive" dem
ocrat a man who, as governor of Ohio, is so
obligated to John R. McLean' that he dare not"
say a woid in opposition to his candidacy for
senator.
Suffice to say that John R. McLean, as owner
and publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer and
Washington Post, has faithfully supported Wall
Street' interest in legislation and government,
and has as faithfully opposed everything in the
nature of governmental reform. And yet, his
money is liable to secure for him a seat in the
United States Benate, with the approval of Gov
ernor Harmon. JOHN AUBREY JONES
CAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY BRING REFORM?
(Continued from Page 3)
fighting the Wall Street element within the
party that we have not the energy we should
have to fight the opposition without.
The predatory interests are always at work;
they have their representatives in both parties.
They have a powerful press and campaign funds
without limit. They are alert to take advantage
of any favorable turn. If one of their men
carries a state he is at once boomed for presi
dent; his ylrtues are extolled and an appeal is
made to those who regard "who can win?" -as
the paramount issue.
Fortunately we are so near. 1904 that the
democrats will remember our fate when the
organization was turned over to those whose
sole aim seemed to be to please the men who
defeated our party in 1896 and 1900.
The arrogance of those who are now plotting
to make, our party subservient to the money
power will, I hope, finally arouse the voters,
for those in the scheme seem to assume that
opposition to the party in the crucial campaign
of 1896 will be an advantage in the coming cam
paign rather than a weakness.
I am pleased to know that tho democrats of
the state of Washington are alive to the situa
tion and that they see the danger which con
fronts the paTty. I shall discuss the merits
of the candidates in The Commoner, pointing
out who, in my judgment, can be trusted and
who are objectionable.
I can never fully discharge the debt I owe to
the democrats who have trusted me, but I can
make partial payment from time to time by
giving them the benefit of my acquaintance with
men and measures, and by assisting them, so
far as I can, in the effort to make the party
worthy of the support of the people.
Yours truly,
W. J. BRYAN.
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Making the life of "a little child glad, that is thef.
spirit that flows " -
Out of the season of Christmastlde sweet as the-'
dew of rose. . '" '
Making the life of a little one be
Merry and bright and sweet; "':
Clapping of hands with childhood "glee, -' ' 1 .
Dancing of little feet.
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Making the heart of a weary one bright, so that -the
world may seem "" ;.
Somewhat of sweet mid tho rolling storm down
in its deeps of dream. '
Making the life of a weary one feel
Something In life still dwells,
Sweet with the warm and the true and the real
Of the beautiful Christmas spells. - f
Making a troubled one's pathway turn unto a
rosier way, -' "
That is the glory of Christmastlde wherever it
glows today. - .
Making a troubled one look ahead " -.
Unto a hopo reborn, - ' v i
Bright with the beautiful beams that thread1 C
The crystal hazes of morn. - - "
Making a little child leap and laugh, wild in ll
fairy glee,
That is the spirit of Christmastlde wherever the
child may be. :., ,
Making a little child cling and kiss,
Swing in the dance of mirth,
That is the ladder that leads to bliss
Out of tho dust of. earth. ,'.
', ' " "' ' V-Baltimore Sun.'
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