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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1912)
f m MARCH 15, 1S12 The Commoner. Vlr. Bryan's Tour of the West Editorial In Spokane Daily Chronicle: A great American is in Spokane today a leader thrice beaten but a leader still. Just to be a president just to be a king -just to be a millionaire it means nothing. The holding of an offlco -without an object; the pos session of a fortune without a purpose; the attainment of power or position without the ability, the courage or the desire to make use of opportunities for the good of mankind it is worse than nothing. It is like a dwarf putting on the armor of a giant; he can not use it and it but serves to show how puny is his own frame. It is a great thing to be the leader of a mighty nation; but it is not so great as to be the author of a mighty idea. To aspire to be the president of this republic is a high ambition; but there is a higher patriotism that which strives with out thought of self to make this republic better, stronger and happier. Only one of 15,000,000 citizens can be elected president one in four years; but to every citi zen at all times is given the right to do his own thinking; to look for better principles and methods of government; to champion fair play; to be true to his ideals. If William Jennings Bryan can help to bring this fact home to the people of this city his visit will not be in vain. THE COMMONER Editorial in Spokane Daily Press: We have with us today this is not a circus announce ment, such as the injudicious often use when Mr. Bryan comes to town a great man, one of the greatest our country has ever seen. Some there are who disagree with Mr. Bryan's poli tical views. The fact that he has been unsuc cessful in running for the presidency has be come the basis for a nation-wide jest. But down in the heart of every man and wo man it must be recognized that William Jen nings Bryan is one of those great characters that seldom come before the public eye. He is an unselfish man; he declares that he is not the man of the democratic party, and yet where is the democrat placed upon such apedestal as Bryan? Through years of denunciation and the bit terness of defeat, he has risen from the "Boy Orator of the Platte" to a broad-gauged, lov able citizen who can be pointed out to our school children as a model of American manhood. And who knows what would happen if Bryan became the democratic nominee? Following Is the report of Mr. Bryan's recep tion at Spokane: "What we now want is pub licity as to the ownership of our newspapers. Do you know that a great many of our big papers are owned by men who stand back in the dark? Some are owned by railroads, by trusts or by franchise-holding corporations. They hire bril liant editors to choloroform the readers while the owner picks the pockets of the people. The people are for this and the overwhelming de mand will bring it and we shall do away with this assassin who stands back in the darkness and stabs those who defend the public weal." i Bryan in Auditorium speech. In the thirteen hours that William Jennings Bryan spent' in Spokane ho delivered seven dif ferent addresses, spoke to 4,600 people and re ceived the cheers from thousands more who had only the opportunity of seeing him drive by in a closed automobile. His speeches covered a wide range of topics, running from politics to religion, but it was at the Auditorium in the afternoon that the address of the day was made and hero Mr. Bryan de voted two and a half hours to the discussion of political conditions, outlining his political doctrines, sounding what might be called the keynote of the democratic national campaign and closing with a critical analysis of the two leading republican candidates, President Taft and Colonel Roosevelt. The well-rounded oratory, the interposition of bits of wit and humor and the ever-present epi grammatic climax that never failed to bring forth the cheers stamped him as the same gifted orator as In 1896. At the Auditorium also Mr. Bryan received Jils greatest ovation. Long before the hour for opening the doors, 1:45, the crowd packed the corridor and nearly filled Post street. It toott just 12 minutes to fill the theater, not only to seating capacity, but with standing room all taken. Manager Charles York says ho never saw the house filled so quickly. Before 2 o'clock tho doors wero closed and Manager York pleaded with tho crowd in tho lobby to go away. In tho meantlmo tho crowd outside kept swelling, till it backed up to Main avenue and left only room enough in Post street for cars to pass. Manager York was forced to telephone to the police station for aid in clear ing the corridor, and it took a squad of 15 policemen and firemen half an hour to move the determined crowd away. Women who tried in vain to gain entrance report the crush terrific, but no injuries were received. It is estimated that fully 2,000 were turned away, while inside wero seated 2,500 people. As tho automobile carrying Mr. Bryan came down Post street the crowd in the street gave vent to cheer upon cheer. At the stage door a crowd of 300 had gathered and besieged the commoner as he tried to gain the entrance, till he yielded, and, climbing upon an empty box, made a brief talk. Inside the Auditorium the ovation was a repetition of what ho had received on the outside. SEATTLE WELCOMES MR. BRYAN Editorial in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: No matter how widely many of tho people of Seattle may differ from the Hon. William Jon nings Bryan on political and economic ques tions, the distinguished citizen from Nebraska Is always welcome in this city. Regardless of all differences of opinion, the people here are always glad to greet and hear him. Mr. Bryan is one of America's greatest living citizens. He is a leader whose influence has been felt in every part of the enlightened world, a close student of political and economic ques tions, a thinker of broad range, an able writer, ,an orator of high rank, and a man of high ideals on all questions of moment to his countrymen. Mr. Bryan is not unknown to the people of this city; he has been here before; doubtless ho will come again, and as often as he comes he will find the people here eager to offor him tho homage a citizen of his sterling worth deserves. Seattle greets him. MR, BRYAN IN OREGON Editorial in the Oregon Daily Journal: With many standing throughout a two hours' address, ten thousand heard Mr. Bryan last night, and other thousands were unable to enter tho taber nacle. The like has seldom been seen. Tho Nebras kan seems greater in defeat than in victory. Save Gipsy Smith, no man has drawn so great an audience in Portland. It is an anamoly that three overwhelming de feats for the presidency have not crushed Mr. Bryan. No other man could have survived them, and still retain so great a personal follow ing. Any other man would have been driven by his disasters into political obscurity. Nothing succeeds like success.- Mr. Bryan has reversed the rule, and risen steadily under political catastrophe. It Is one of the marvels of a hum,an career. Tho Bryan of last night is the same Bryan of sixteen years ago, but different. He is the same in that his face is still toward the future. He is still insurging. He is still inexorable. He Is still uncompro mising. He has not retreated. He has been beaten, but not crushed. He has been van quished, J)ut not destroyed. He Is still a com moner among the commoners. But he is also a broader Bryan. Travel, time and events have widened his horizon. His address was from a world viewpoint. It was a survey of world movements, and a philosophical application of them. It teemed with optimism. It saw good and growth everywhere. It rehearsed changes for the better in Russia, in Persia, in China, in England, and more especially in the United States. Last night's speaker was a Bryan of hope, en couragement and good tidings. The discussion was that of polished and mellowed maturity. It was sweetened with tho utterances of a national brotherhood. Its attacks, if uncompromising, were Boftened by a delightful humor and genial wit that made them more sunshine than sting. Three defeats have probably eliminated Mr. Bryan from presidential possibilities. But his millions of admirers boliovo him,to bo a greater man as a privato citizen than inost men could possibly bo as president. THOUSANDS TURNED AWAY News report from Oregon Dally Journal: William J. Bryan's hold upon tho pooplo of Portland was again remarkably demonstrated last night, when 10,000 pooplo crowded tho Gipsy Smith auditorium and thousands moro wero turned away at tho doors, unablo to pack themselves in hearing dlstanco of tho speaker. Hundreds of men climbed to tho roof and gatherod around the skylight to hear what drifted throuch from below. Seldom has a public man, ovon in tho hoat of a campaign, been accorded such an ovation as Mr. Bryan received, and throughout tho meeting he swayed the listening thousands with his oratory driving homo his argument with clover analogy, and leading up to each point with a descriptive power that held his hearers to in tense Interest. Although he spoke for two hours r.nd twenty minutes, It was not until tho last half hour that ho warmed up to the Bryan of old. It was when he turned his guns upon Taft and Roosevelt that ho became again tho Bryan of '96, electrifying tho audience by his sharp thrusts at tho rival republicans, pointing with withering sarcasm to the Inconsistencies of the republican leaders, and pleading tho cause of tho democracy with tho fervor of a great advocate. The progress of a triumphant democracy was the general theme of tho Bryan speech, and It gave a world-wldo review of tho progress of tho nations. Lqssons were drawn from foreign na tions to show the intellectual and moral awaken ing that has brought revolution and now power to tho people. Turning last to the United States, tho speaker reviewed tho progress made tho last few years, showing how principles of the demo cratic party have been taken up and carried into law by the dominant party. There was also a note of altruism, a pleading of tho cause of man a3 superior to tho call of the dollar. To these general themes most of tho speech of the great commoner was given, and It was not until the closing came that present day Issues wero handled with tho old Bryan touch. Mr. Bryan came to tho' platform with Gover nor West, II. B. Van Duzer, Bert E. Hanoy and D. M. Watson. As ho made his way to the front tho audience rose and the cheering continued for minutes, until Bryan had made his way to tho platform and bowed his acknowledgement. Mr. Van Duzer, who is chairman of tho democratic county committeo, presented Governor West, who introduced Mr. Bryan. SCENES IN PORTLAND Following is the news report from another Portland paper: William Jennings Bryan, probably the most popular democrat and one of the foremost citi zens of tho land, was Portland's guest yester day. As on former occasions from tho time of hia arrival shortly before 1 o'clock in tho afternoon, until his departure at midnight for Tacoma, ho was tendered a continuous ovation. In this demonstration, which was as much a testimonial of admiration for the man as it. was a cordial reception to Portland and Oregon, party lines were eradicated and both democrats and repub licans participated. For two and one-half hours last night at tho Gipsy Smith auditorium, Mr. Bryan held an audience of 10,000 persons while he delivered an address on general political conditions. Fully one-half that number was turned away, being unable to gain admittance. Mr. Bryan discussed the progress of the coun try educationally and tho moral awakening of the people, particularly along political lines. He told of tho spread of popular government, strongly indorsed the initiative and referendum and the recall. "Big business" and stock water ing were vigorously assailed. Referring to tho presidential situation, Mr. Bryan said the entrance of Roosevelt into the contest was an indictment of President Taft that would bo used by tho democrats to advantage in the campaign. Roosevelt was severely scored as a candidate who had never been identified with any of tho "progressive ideas and measures until long after they had been enunciated and fought for by Senator La Folletto. Mr. Bryan charged that Roosevelt was al ways lined up with the interests in campaigns where Bryan and the democrats wero fighting for progressive seform. He was greeted with thunderous applause when he declared that ii nrn m lite If u 1 1 !', 1. 1 :i i Ifi I i if H MV