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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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VOL. 10, NO. 52
Lincoln, Nebraska, January 6, 1911
Whole Number 520
Three Questions
Tho eastern papers are already beginning to
discuss the relative availability of those whose
names are likely to go before the democratic
national convention. It is too early to pick
candidate, because the candidate must fit tho
platform, the platform must fit the issues, and
the issues will be largely shaped by tho congress
to meet next fall. But in considering can
didates there are three questions which should
be asked and answered. If any one of the three
can not be answered satisfactorily, the candidate
is not available, nd. matter who he is or from
what section he comes.
First, Does he represent tho special interests
or the people?
If he represents the special interests he can
not be an available candidate for the democratic
party. There are several special interests: First,
the trust interests they want to be let alone.
Second, the railroad interests they want to con
trol the interstate commerce commission. Third,
the protected interests they want to write the
tariff laws. Fourth, The liquor interests they
want to prevent hostile federal legislation.
There are other special interests, but these are
the most important and they all act together.
A candidate who is satisfactory to them can not
be satisfactory to the people, "for these interests
would not support him if they did not know
him to be with them and against the people.
Second, Did he support the ticket in 18-96
19'0 01904 and 1908? t
Of course ho supported it In 1904 the eastern
papers would not think of suggesting a candidate
who bolted that year, but how about 1806, 1900
and 1908? A man who was old enough to vote
in any one of those years must have understood
the issues and must have known the nature of
the opposition to the deinbcratic party. If,
knowing the situation, he either voted with tho
republicans or stood neutral, will, the more
than six million who voted the ticket take
kindly to his candidacy? The same funda
mental' division exists today that existed then
between plutocracy and democracy between
government by the special interests and govern
ment by the people. A man who went wrong in
any of those campaigns is still wrong unless he
has undergone a' revolutionary change of senti
ment, and if he has undergone such a change he
is now so radicalmade so in his zeal to undo
the wrong done that he would be more objec
tionable to the "conservative" element than one
who left the party.
Third, Who are the chief supporters of the
aA man 'is known by the company ho keeps;
and the character of a1 candidate can generally
be guessed by the character of those who appear
as his chief sponsors. When a candidate is
offered watch the papers. If he is praised by
?he papers which are representing the plunder-
CONTENTS
THREE QUESTIONS
THE PLUTOCRATIC PRESS
MARTINE'S "CHIEF ABHORRENCE"
ADVICE TO BOYS
nujTO qTTTIATION IN WEST VIRGINIA
WHA? TOE TARIFF HAS DONE FOR ME
WHAWQUOR LEGISLATION NEEDED
BOOKS WORTH READING
PRESSED
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NOT
W WASHINGTON NEWS
NEWS OF THE WEEK
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DEPEND UPOK IT
Some of the Wall Street Organs aro
insisting that Mr. Bryan should not bo
allowed to dictate to Uio democratic
party. They need not bo afraid of his
.trying to dictate; what they really fear
is that ho will use his knowledge of
men and political history to prevent tho
playing of a bunco game on the voters
and there is good ground for tho fear;
they can count on it as a certainty.
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bund it can be set down as certain that tho man
is secretly with tho special interests, no matter
how fair he may bo in outward appearanco;
they have to pick out a1 man who looks well
because they could not fool tho public with a
man who was openly allied to tho special inter
ests. Tho democrat who wants to know what
candidate would bo satisfactory to tho special
interests and, therefore, unsatisfactory to tho
people generally should watch tho editorials in
such papers as the New York Sun, the Now York
Times, Harper's Weekly and tho .Cincinnati En
quirer. Other papers might bo mentioned, but
these are samples and they are enough at pres
ent. Any man praised by these papers can safely
be set down as unsafe. It is proof that they
think he can be trusted to throw his influence
against democratic policies. There are other
questions to be asked and answered but theso
deserve special consideration just now.
MISREPRESENTATION
The Chronicle, acting upon a San Antonio
press dispatch, expressed regret some days ago
that the Hon. William J. Bryan had declared
that none of the candidates mentioned for tho
democratic presidential nomination, except Gov
ernor Folk, were big enough. We are glad to
learn that Mr. Bryan was misquoted. He also
denies the criticism of Mayor Gaynor. This
denial was hardly necessary, for Mr. Bryan Is
known to be a personal and political friend of
the mayor. As Mr. Bryan has a paper of his
own, The Commoner, in which he discusses
public men and measures with frankness, there
is no reason why his views should be misrepre
sented in press dispatches emanating from
Texas. Houston (Texas) Chronicle.
WHY NOT POPULAR SUBSCRD7TION?
The secretary of the treasury is preparing to
issue a block of three per sent Panama bonds.
The rate is made three per cent on tbe theory
that they will not sell for a lower rate if, as is
planned, they are denied the note issuing privi
lege accorded to other government bonds. Why
not issue them in small denominations bo that
they can be sold at popular subscription? Why
givo them to a syndicate and then allow the
syndicate to exact a premium from investors?
The treasury ought to profit by tho experience
of 1893-7 when the Morgan-Rothschild syndi
cate made large sums by underwriting bond
issues.
THE OHIO MUDDLE
If the democratic state convention In Ohio
had nominated a candidate for the United States
senate as the democratic convention of Indiana
did the skies would be clear, but Ohio s gov
ernor did not take the view of the subject that
Indiana's governor did. It Is Kern in Indiana
who is it in Ohio?
WHY?
Kansas gained fifteen per cent in population
between 1900 and 1010 while Missouri on the
east gained but six, and Nebraska on the north
gained a little less than 12. Will the brewers
please explain why Kansas is growing?
The Plutocratic Press
Tho plutocratic pros is now busily ea-fage
in its quadrennial task of selecting the pruai
dontlal tlckots of tho two loading parties. It
advice may be taken by the republicans but
it cannot speak for tho democrat the cawpal
of 1904 is too fresh in tho minds of the ramk
and fllo of tho party.
A briof review of tho past fourteen years may
be helpful just now. Until tho atato conven
tions of 189 G began to moot, tho plutpcratle
papors novcr know that there was any sentiment
in favor of the restoration of bimetallism or, if
they did know it thoy kept their readers la
ignorance Whon tho platform was written
(and it was written boforo Mr, Bryan became
a member of tho resolutions committee tht
monoy plank which ho wroto about two wcoka
boforo tho convention being almost his only
contribution to it, and this was In tho language
of tho platform adopted by a majority of. the
conventions) tho plutocratic papers at onco bolt
ed and supported tho republican ticket. After
tho election thoy began to "reorganize" tho dem
ocratic party and thoy kept It up with seeming
confidence of success until the state conventions
of 1900 began to instruct for Mr. Bryan. After
his nomination nearly all tho plutocratic papors
bolted again, In splto of tho fact that tho money
question was no longor tho paramount Issue.
When tho election was ovor thoy again staTU
ed out to reorganize tho democratic party. This
tlmo they succeeded; two defeats hud dlscour?
aged many democrats and Wall Street's offer
to finance the campaign and Insure a victory was
accepted. In 1904 oui party had tho distin
guished honor of receiving tho oncouragoraout of
ALL tho plutocratic papors, democratic and re
publican, until after tho convention; then the
republican portion began to point out, regret
fully but positively, tho Importance of olectlng
a republican president. Tho plutocratic papers
which uso the democratic name for a blind con
tinued to support tho democratic ticket, alter
nately offering suggestions as to how to win and
congratulating the party on cutting loose from
tho voters. Tho support given by theso paperi
aroused so much suspicion among the rank and
fllo that the party polled a million and a quarter
less votes than it had in 189C and In 1900.
The rebuke in 1904 was so sevcro that the
plutocratic press found It impossible to make
much headway in 1908, although it did all the
bushwhacking It could. Tho monoy question
was entirely eliminated in 1908, but tho under
lying Issue was tho same as in 189C and In
1900, democracy vs. plutocracy, and tho pluto
cratic papers lined up with the republicans
again. They threatened all kinds of calamity
if Wall Street was disturbed. Having contrib
uted to three defeats (1890, 1900 and 1908)
by opposing the ticket and to a much worse
defeat (1904) by supporting tho ticket they
come forth and Impudently offer advice to tbe
party In the coming campaign. They Insist that
tho party must repudiate the platform of 1908
and mako its appeal to the predatory Interests.
No one is to bo considered as a candldato un-
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' NO RETREAT
For tho next eighteen months tho
chief business of The Commoner will bo
to assist those who are opposed to a re
treat. Tho so-called "conservative",
democrats are already organized and aro
at work thoy are always organized;
the progressle democrats must organize
if they successfully oppose tho reaction
ary movement. How many are ready to
assist? The Commoner will be pleased
to hear from those who aro willing to
enroll themselves in the Army of
Advance.
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