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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 1911)
'i5PV-17Jr''WVf l;fcLJ;-i"--- .3.1$ CtV" v .. '31 J? -..j"' teiniABf , w iiv The Commoner. Democratic Opinion Freely Expressed '(In publishing letters from rrir f i,. Jr neceftTy to say that publication doei not moan that The Commoner endorse the sentl mnt8 contained In the letters.) LA. James McDonald, Clayton, New Mexico.- was pleased to note an article on socialism t. cent ls8U0 o The Commoner. The fact that Mr. Bryan, while holding the viowB he does on socialism, yet finds spaco in his paper lor such an article, shows his breadth of view. It has long seemed to me regrettable that oppo nents of socialism failed to grasp several essen tial facts in relation to the growth of socialism. Socialists, in this country at least, are commit ted to pure democracy, under which the peoplo would rule. It follows that "ideal," "radical," or "logical" socialism, or any part or measuro of it, will be adopted if the people so desire; otherwise it will not. Only those, therefore, who fear the rule of the people need fear socialism, for even if it be conceded, as it need not be, that "logical" or extreme socialism would be dangerous, we know that it cannot become any more dangerous than the peoplo themselves desire to make it. The realization of this fact would help the progressive cause by clearing the issue between those who desire more democracy and those who do not, and by securing more united effort in favor of imme diate practical reforms. The Commoner is one of the best educators wo have ever had and I hope it will live long and prosper. A. J. Shively, St. Louis, Mo. I defy any true -. democrat that the party can produce, to offer one excuse why Mr. Bryan ought not to be nominated. Haven't the people endorsed every principle he stands for? Didn't they sanction them on November 8? Why, then, turn him down in 1912? You can no more elect a man that won't stand for the principles he stands for than you can make a stick two feet long without two ends to it. Now let every true Jefferson democrat stand by his guns and wo will nominate him and "the people will elect him sure. If the reactionary democrats don't believe it let them put their ear to the ground. The convention ought to be held at St. Louis or Chicago, the most central points. Thomas Campbell, Branchport, N. Y. I was convinced while at the state convention at Roch ester last fall that the "interests" wero seeking control of the democratic party. My choice for president in 1912 is W. J. Bryan, the great est American that ever lived. I have no second choice. As it looks to me now 1912may be the most important campaign that any of us now living will ever see. We can't afford to trust this great struggle with an amateur. It is only logical that Mr. Bryan be the candidate, now that his principles are the life and soul of all parties today. I want to live to attend the inaugural of W. J. Bryan as president of the United States. .. I..V Henry L. Fillman, Fremont, Neb. The demo cratic paTty can bring about real reform as long as it will voice the sentiments of the common people, and as long as the party will uphold and confide with the men whp have made, and are making, the democratic party, the party of re iorni. If the party refuses to do so, then suc - cess will never, never, never crown its effort. Any one who is not biased will admit that William Jennings Bryan is the real "power be hind the throne" in the democratic party, as much today as any time In the past. It is William Jennings Bryan more than any other man in the nation that has put the democratic narty in, the position of a "refuge In the time of storm' It was he that weeded out the obnoxious element in the democratic party to such an extent that when the democratic plat- form of 1908 was framed, fair-minded men hailed it as the greatest document of civic righteousness" that has been produced since Abraham Lincoln issued the "emancipation proclamation." Considering that Bryan has been the exponent of a "pure democracy" in the democratic party, and that his leadership has SIS the means of inspiring confidence in the democratic party to such an extent that when Tpeople finally realized the fallacy of looking to the republican party for redress, they turned to the democratic party a naturally as a duck roes to water. When you consider that it is fhis leadlrship and sound advice thai has put 4he democratic party in as enviable position as it is todayV then why, in the name of common sense, should tho democratic party Ignoro him now at this opportune tlmo? Why should ho bo thrown overboard after bringing tho demo cratic ship through the wild and tompestuotis political sea? Wo, tho democrats of tho nation, can bring about real reform if tho "would-be leaders" who have come into tho fold of tho democratic party, will shed their standpat con science, put their shoulders to tho wheel, help make a united stand against predatory wealth, and be like tho men who have mado tho demo cratic party what it is today. J. F. Hobbs, Marshalltown, Iowa. I am trav eling over tho state considerably; also other states, and find that. tho men who have boon voting for Mr. Bryan are Bryan men yet They all concede that Bryan is entitled to tho honors of holding tho parTy together and in lino, and Its success in tho last campaign. Thoy also say the next president, If a democrat, will havo to be endorsed by him, or go down to defeat. Personally, I am In favor of W. J. Bryan. Why? Because ho has been honest to tho party and fearless of tho enemy, who are plundering tho government and assailing every man who opposo them. I helped organize the Bryan Volunteers in 1908 and am ready to do it again in 1912, or for any other man who stands for tho same principles that Mr. Bryan has stood for. I find a good many who are In favor of Judge Har mon, .provided his record be 0. K.'d. Joseph Folk has some following, as does also John W. Kern. Practical Tariff Talks No more fallacious statement Is posaiblo to make than that which defenders of the wool schedule assert, that because the tariff has not been changed in thirteen years it cannot bo charged with responsibility for tho great in crease in the price of clothing for men and women. If conditions In tho wool market wero today what they wero in 1897, when tho Ding ley law was passed, the tariff would bo held blameless for any increase, but the fact is that if there had been no change in conditions there would have been no change In prices. Tho tariff has remained fixed and absolute, while the demand for wool has increased and tho supply has shortened. Under tho normal operation of the law of supply and demand, this shifting would advance prices, but tho advance would have been uniform all over tho world, if tho tariff -were not an interfering factor with costs in America. The increase In cloth demanded by foreign manufacturers from their homo trade has been from 5 to 10 per cent, while in America it has been from 17 to 40 per cent. As we have a high tariff here and England has none, logic points out beyond dispute the cause ,of the difference. But it is not necessary to depend on logic or any process of elimination to disclose the truth. A world-wide advance in the price of wool makes more necessary than ever that we have freer access to foreign wools of low grade in order that the growers of the same grades here may not pinch us. In 1897, when tho Dingley law was passed, standard elghteen-ounce clay cloth sold at 95 cents the yard; in 1910 tho price quoted was $1.80. Blue serge Is a cloth having the largest distribution of any manu factured and is used as a basis for the entire market on staple goods. - It sold in 1898 at 86 cents a. yard, while for tho spring season of 1010 tho price quoted was $1.50. After the tariff bill passed the senate a little oyer a year ago tho prices of tho three qualities of serge most generally used were advanced from 75 and 95 cents and $1-15 per yard to 97 cents, $1.32 and $1.50. The passage of the bill as sured to tho woolen trust a monopoly of tho home trade, and made Impossible until tho next revision any effective competition from carded wool manufacturers or low-grade cloth from abroad. If the tariff had nothing to do with the price, why this Increase almost immediately following its enactment? Evidence was presented to congress by the clothing manufacturers, the men who buy the cloth from tho makers of wool fabrics and who were vitally interested, that the maintenance of the old classifications and rates would cause VICTORY FOIt GUARANTEED DEPOSITS Tho United States supremo court, by a deci sion rondored January 3, sustained tho guaran teed deposits laws of Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas. Tho courtdeclarod tho right of a stato to roqulro guarantee of bank deposits. tho increase that actually followed. Tho sonato disregarded this testimony becauso Mr. Aldrldi had mado his trades for votes for this schedule, and tho majority was not Intereatod In learning tho actual facts. This ovldonco disclosed exact ly tho proedss by which tho Increased cost of tho cloth would ho passed on to tho clothing wearer, with tho addition of tho profit-porcent-ago attached by each person through whoso hands it wont. It was shown that dollar cloth produces four grades of suits, classified and re tailed genorally as follows: "Cheap," at $10; "medium," at $12.00; "good" at $1G; "flno" at $18 to $20, tho dlfforo'nco being duo to tho way In which tho garmonts woro trlmmod nnd tailored. Whon cloth priced to tho clothing manufacturer at $1.25 was used tho retail prlao showed something llko 30 to 35 per cont in crease abovo tho figures for clothes mado from tho dollar grade. Tho difference betweon tho prlco of clothing under tho present law and that which would bo mado under free wool Is sot forth In this testimony. Frank It. Chambers, representing tho National Glothiors Association, said: "Most emphatically do wo dlsputo the statement of Mr. Justice that tho Dingley tariff has not Increased tho cost of clothing, and that 'durable all wool suits can bo bought In tho United States as low as when wool was free of duty, and as low as tho cost of a similar suit In any part of tho world.' On tho contrary. It Is beyond any possibility of dlsputo that when wool was freo of duty tho clothing trado supplied to Its customers in a regular way for $5 as good a suit as thoy must now pay $10 for; and in all of the higher grades of suits far better value was given. Tho clothing man ufacturers know becauso thoy mado tho sulta then and they make them now." Justico had appeared beforo tho commltteo with a suit ho said he had paid $10 for. Chambers said h had bought it at a merchant's bargain counter. The tariff on wool protects an Industry in thla country that gives protection to approximately 22,000 persons, including all tho workors on tho ranches. A pension of $1,000 a year apleco would roqulro the expenditure of but $22,000. Tho clothing manufacturers say that tho passago of tho wool tariff In tho Payne-Aldrlch bill meant an addition of $200,000,000 a year to the cloth ing bill of the country. C. Q. D. GOOD BOOKS Mr. Amos R. Wells, Tremont Temple, Boston; Mass. Dear Sir: Answering your Inquiry I begr to say that, having devoted tho mature years of my life largely to tho study of government, my reading has beon principally along that line and I havo found "Tho Jeffersonlan Encyclo pedia" (published by Funk and Wagnalls, In New York) tho most valuable single book on this subject. The late Senator Hoar spoko of Jefferson as "the foremost man who over lived," and hl lifo was spared until he had discussed all the principles that enter into our form of govern ment. Among the religious books I have found "The Fact of Christ," by Carnegie Simpson (pub lished by Fleming H. Revcll In New York and Chicago) most useful. I havo also found Rev. Charles Jefferson's book entitled "Fundamen tals" very useful. Yours truly, W. J. BRYAN. 0 DON'T BE FOOLED The democrats cannot afford to be re actionary. Tho people's rule doctrine Is the great doctrine with which tho dem ocrats can sweep the country. If they fail to make this the issue. If they seek alliances with the reactionaries, tho pro gressive republicans will mako this tho issue and will sweep the country. Sen ator Robert L. Owen. ' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 j , I i 1 hi i -t ? i I I tlKJ-it- '-4