Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1912)
- , 't Bi i 1H b - B' IT ' 3 m X $ & fc" fc.v (1 6 The Commoner. Mr. Bryan in History Editor Tlio Commoner: Of all tho centen aries Unit have boon and are being observed throneliout tho civilized world, of those whose characters and services for tho good of humanity liavo been writ largo upon tho scroll of famo, there Is nono whoso life will bo found to bo more inspiring or moro replete with in struction at tho present hour, particularly for tho millions of our countrymen who have stead fastly followod tho matchless leadership of America's great commoner through tho decado and a half now of triumphant and still triumph ing struggle, "to roform tho enormous abuses growing out of consolidated, law-defying wealth, avarico and legalized rapacity," than that of John Bright. Ono hundred years ago, 1811, John Bright, tho great English Quaker, orator and statesman was born. Apart from tho proprioty at this time of pay ing tribute to tho man to whom our country owes an oblgation and debt of gratitude for what ho did at tho time when this country was in tho throes of a groat national calamity that Is moasuroless the purposes of this article is two: First, to call attention to tho striking similarity between tho great struggle that was waged in England in which John Bright took so conspicuous a part and that which is now being waged hero. And, second, by carefully noting what follows regarding John Bright, spoken at a great testi monial meeting given him at Birmingham, England, in 1883, certainly ono of tho most re markablo tributes over paid to any man. Tho millions of admiring and devoted followers of democracy's great leader here will bo struck with tho fidelity with which this portraiture of his great English prototype portrays his character and public services, and his incorrup tible integrity, which is tho chief secret of tho conildonco, admiration and enthusiastic loyalty with which thoy have como to regard him. On tho occasion above referred to, concerning tho character and public services of Bright, tho Birmingham Liberal association wrote: "Wo need not recall tho vital questions which have been raised and settled, tho beneficent roforms which have been effected, and the measure of progress which has been achieved during tho period of your services. These are written in tho history of our country; and, there, also, Is Imporlshably recorded tho great share which you have had in bringing them about. There is no roform for which you have pleaded that has not received support from your country men, and recognition from tho legislature, these "have been tho objections of your ceaseless en deavors; to those you have been faithful in all vicissitudes of political fortune, and under all circumstances of personal trial, undismayed by momentary failure, undeterred by persistent obloquy. And, thanks in a great measure to your advocacy, tho principles for which you have contended, from your entrance into parlia ment until now, are largely embodied in acts of legislation.' The National Liberal club sent an address and it was signed by Mr. Gladstone. The National Reform union (Manchester) wrote: "Your life has been an onsaraple, your career an inspiration, your name a strong-hold of poli tical faith. There have been times when the groat party to which we all belong has been endangered of losing sight of the end and aim of its existence. Then your singleness of pur pose shown forth like a beacon to keep us in tho right course. When tho principles which wo all profess have been temporarily obscured by tho passion of party or by consideration of so-called national expediency, your fidelity to prlnclplo has raised us above the influences of tho moment. If wo have ever felt uncertain and doubtful as to a particular courso of politi cal action, our confidence has been restored, or our doubt made certainty by tho attitude you have assumed, so strong has been our faith in your political sagacity and the purity of your motives. It would bo vain to attempt to enu merate all tho great and beneficial movements which you have led or taken a leading part in promoting. With your name will ever be as sociated the 'acquisition by your follow-country- - .. . . t e c.aa Ir-nAn n frno nrP.RS. men of tno oiessinga m "w "y,.;" . ' and an extended franchise. The cause of liberty has ever found in you a ready and an uncom promising champion; and you have often striven, with a courage greater than that of tne soldier, to stem tho tide of war, even when it flowed with tho full passion of a nation. Secure of popularity alike by the services you have rendered to the people and by tho gift of marvellous eloquence with which God has en dowed you, the breath of popujar prejudice has never shaken your resolution. Basing your own conduct, in public as well as in private life, on tho firm and immutable foundations of morality, you have consistently endeavored to shape your country's policy and secure her well being by a strict application of tho same principles ifi her national life." t "Wo who have heard him so often," said a speaker on the occasion, "can never forget tho music of his voice, the simplicity and noble strength of his English style, the admiration of scholars, and intelligible to tho least cultivated of the people. Wo have been charmed by the felicity of his illustrations, drawn from the best English sources, but by preference from those ancient and venerable scriptures which aro dearer than all other books besides, to the hearts of the English people. Again and again wo have felt the force of his massive common sense, wo have been moved to tears by his pathos, and we have been kindled to passion by his glorious declamation. But, sir, the hearts of a great population aro not to be won by eloquence alone, no matter how splendid. We aro here to acknowledge that Mr. Bright has rendered immense and incontestable ser vices to ourselves and to the whole country. These services alone would have been sufficient to secure for Mr. Bright lasting gratitude and renown. But in addition to this he, beyond all other men who took part in tho great struggle for reform, achieved the political emancipation of thousands of Englishmen in all our great towns. (Applause.) But, sir, I venture to say that tho affection and veneration which Mr. Bright has inspired are not fully explained either by his eloquence or by the magnificent services that he has rendered to the country. The man is greater than his eloquence; the man is nobler than his services. (Loud cheers.) We forget the genius of the orator, and the politi cal achievements of the statesman in our admiration of himself. (Applause) And the reason of this is plain: in the heart of every one of us there is an invincible conviction that the true nobility and glory of human life come from courageous fidelity to duty.'and in circumstances of great peril Mr. Bright has always been loyal to his conscience. Slander never turned him aside (hear, hear) from what he believed to be the path of righteousness, nor mockery, nor insult, nor hatred. He never quailed before the power of the great and when for a time fidelity to conscience brought upon him storms of un popularity, and he lost the confidence of the ?Gm le ,he loved and served. Mr- Bright remained faithful still. (Cheers, renewed again and again.) I believe that he has elevated the na tional ideal of political morality (hoar, hear ) and the value of that service can not be meas ured. His incorruptible integrity is the chief secret of the confidence and enthusiastic loyalty with which we have come to regard him. (Cheers.) To a man like Mr. Bright, with powers so great, with an influence in this nation so immense, the review of his public life to which he is called tonight must, have a certain solemnity in it. We hope indeed, that for a long while to come (hear, hear) his integrity, his sagacity his knowledge of public affairs" will long be continued to guide and to strengthen the great liberal party. (Cheers) "For ourselves, we are here to say that in our judgment, ho has discharged his great truiS with a noble courage, and with a stainless honesty (loud cheers) and has served us and tho nation well. (Loud cheering) AnS i Mr. Bright the grateful blessinfs of the poor are yours, for you have lessened their misedes (Cheers.) The confidence of the great masnnf -v.uu WUVill iJUiiLiuui wrongs. (CheorR You have won the respect of the most worthy of your opponents and you have won tho enthusias tic devotion of your friends. In every land where the English tongue is spoken you are honored as the foremost champion in these times of truth, of freedom, of justice and of VOLUME 12, NUMBER 15 peace. (Hear, hear and cheers.) These, sir, are glories which, surpass the most splendid re wards of mere personal ambition. They, . " 'Make the pageantries .of kings like Bhadows seem An unsubstantial drearm' " (Loud cheers.) This is what was said of John Bright. This is what will be said of-William J. Bryan and realized more and more as event upon event demonstrates how unerring is the great, strong and righteous hand that has been ordained to lead; and when his work is done it will as truly and justly be said of him as it was of Bright and it will be one of the greatest tributes that can be paid to his life's great work that "he was one of the greatest moral forces in American politics of his day." At a testimonial meeting given in England to William Lloyd Garrison, John Bright in speak ing of Garrison's work said: "It is a triumph which has pronounced the irreversible doom of slavery." Must it not now be said, thanks to William J. Bryan more than to any other single living man in these United States, that the irreversible doom of legalized plunder and moral obliquity in high places is finally and rapidly being sealed by a great people. C. H. BULLIS. Lancaster, N. Y. THE REAIi DEFENDERS OF PROPERTY Whenever any vested wrong is to be righted or any long-standing abuse corrected, those who profit by the wrong or the abuse are prompt to pose as the defenders of property and to charge the reformers with attacking property rights. This is the historic attitude of those who oppose remedial legislation. The insincerity of the position taken is usually shown by the argu ments employed by these self-styled champions of property, and one of the best illustrations of these arguments is to be found in the story of Demetrius, the silversmith. It reads as follows: "And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silveir shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, 'Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear, that hot r.lone at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul liath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the- great goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificance should be destroyed whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.' And when -they heard these say ings they wore full of wraftt, saying, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.''"' The silversmith was profiting by the worship of idols; the making of images was tjie source of his income. He called together those who were engaged in the same occupation and when all were convinced that Paul's preaching would bring them financial injury they joined in a protest but they did not give their real reason for opposing Christianity namely, that it would cause them a money loss, but they pre tended a fervent devotion to the goddess Diana. So, today, the beneficiaries of bad laws and bad governmental systems are defending their pe cuniary interests with arguments that imply great devotion to the public welfare. Having satisfied themselves that the reforms demanded by tho people will lessen their power to extort from and to tyrannize over tho people, these monopolists and their defenders shout, "Great is property! Great are the rights of property!" While the issue between the man and the dol lar seems to be an acute one, yet in the last analysis there can be no issue between human rights and property rights, for nothing more surely undermines property rights than a dis regard for human rights, and nothing brings HI a ,Becu?:ity t0 Property than a scrupulous regard for the natural rights of each human f, Bl we must always remember that JS2ni sht? are Paramount. In fact,' every l,,oS enGnds uPon the establishment of the Jt ? n between the individual and dull, inanimate property. nnnfh0iUBe a,nd its foundation are indissoluble connected, and we can not think of ono with- hJmo ,;, So' ftuman rights and property thfntr aJe ndissolubly connected. We can not tho LHLhQ ?Q witaout the other and as in fnSS it ding f a house we must think of the Soffit n and oi the huso as a1 super structure, so in thinking of society we must b I X. hslb ygrnyMMiM mn.i i.