The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, May 24, 1912, Page 6, Image 6
fcfmWMMifoWMimWtymvtM'MhtoMnVlM V fc M4 p"" " Jl If.; IK ' !-' ! i.- Bii IB J .1 6 voto of ilia people, I will vote for It In that form; but I consider the option plan very much stronger than either. It 1b not original with mo, although, so far as I know, I wan the first to propose It to con gross. Judge Thomas, of Deadwood, S. D., first suggested It to mo, and I accepted tho sugges tion as a good one, because the plan avoided tho question of federal control, acted In tho line of tho least resistance and recognized the demo cratic principle of allowing tho state to decide tho manner of olectlon for Itself. Mr. Bush noil of Wisconsin, presented a minority report in favor of it in tho last congress. I having then Introduced a bill embodying the optional feature. Tho substitute which I have presented is tho only one that I havo seen which avoids all other questions. If anybody has any other proposi tion which will avoid both Scylla and Charybdis I will willingly support It, but no such proposi tion has been offered and I do not know of any that has been suggested anywhere. This leaves tho state to do as it pleases and avoids all side issues. No person can complain of this propo sition on tho ground that It takes away an exist ing right. No person can oppose it who does not want to engraft on tho constitution some now provision not thcro today, and I ask you are you going to load this question down with burdens that it ought not to carry? Aro you going to make its fato depend on other propositions over which people aro con tending, or are you going to do tho patriotic thing and say that because you believe In tho olectlon of senators by the people you will sub mit that proposition, simple and direct, for tho people to decide upon? If you do tho latter I bollevo that victory is ours. I believe that we can call upon tho common people and summon thorn to tho defense of their rights; but, sirs; if we ask thorn to accept this proposition con nected with somo party tenet wo must go out and fight the prejudices of thirty years. Is it not tho part of patriotism, is it not tho part of wisdom, to striko from this everything but tho ono proposition and make the opponents of popular government come out in tho open field and fight for tho control of politics by corpora tions, if they dare to make such a fight? (Ap plause.) Tho Speaker: Tho question is now on tho substitute of tho gentloman from Nebraska (Mr. Bryan) which will bo read. Tho dork road as follows: Striko out all after tho enacting clause and insert tho following: That tho following amendment bo proposed to the legislatures of the several states, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said legisla tures, shall become and be a part of the con stitution, namely: That section 3 of Article I bo amended as follows: Strike out of the third section of Article I the following words: ''The sonate of the United States shall bo composed of two senators from each stato, chosen by tho legislature thoreof for bIx years; and each senator shall havo one vote;" and Insert in lieu thereof tho following word's- "Tho senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, chosen for six years; and each sena tor shall havo one vote. Tho senators shall bo chosen by the legislatures of the several states unless tho people of any state, either through their legislatures or by the con stitution of tho state shall provide for the elec tion of United States senators by direct voto of tho people, then, in such case, during the oxlstenco of such statutory or constitutional pro vision, United States senators shall be elected in such state at largo by direct vote of the people; a plurality shall elect, and the electors shall havo tho qualifications requisite for electors of tho most numerous branch of the state legisla ture." The question being taken on agreeing to the substitute, there were, on a division (called for by Mr. Bryan) ayes 78, noes 6G. Mr. Tucker: I call for tellers. Tollers were ordered. Mr. Hepburn: I call for the yeas and nays. The question was taken, and there were yeas 88, nays 108, answered "present" 2, not voting 153. NEUTRALIZING THE PHILIPPINES Congressman Jones, of Virginia, chairman of the committee on insular affairs, has introduced the following resolution looking to tho neutraliza tion of tho Philippines: "Sixty-second Congress, Second Session House Joint Resolution No. ,2.78. in the Houso of Representatives, March 2,5, 1912 'Mr Jones Introduced the following joint resolution ' The Commoner. which was referred to tho committee on insular affairs and ordered to be printed. - "Joint resolution to authorize the president of tho United States to secure the neutralization of the Philippine Islands and the recognition of their independence by international agree ment. TT . "Whereas, it is tho purpose of the United States to relinquish sovereignty over the Philip pine Islands and the people thereof and to permit said people to establish for themselves an independent government, and it being emi nently desirable that such independence shall bo secured and safeguarded by a general treaty of neutrality: Therefore, "Resolved by the senate and houso of repre sentatives of tho United States of America in congress assembled, That the president be, and ho hereby is, requested to open negotiations with such foreign governments as in his judg ment should be parties to the compact, includ ing those of Great Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Japan and Spain, whereby the neutrali zation of the Philippine Islands shall be guar anteed and their independence recognized through international agreement." This is another step in the program looking to the carrying out of tho last national platform of the party. The resolution is all right and should pass. DOES RELIGION MIX WITH POLITICS? Mr. Bryan wrote an article for the Congrega tlonalist and Christian World, published at Bos ton, which article was entitled, "Does Religion Mix with Politics Why the Two Belong To gether." In the introduction to Mr. Bryan's article, the editor prints this note: "At our request Mr. Bryan has just written for this number, which contains so much ma terial bearing on men and religion, the following special article which makes it clear that he, like many other men in American public life today, does not find It difficult to reconcile the out spoken religious life with an equally earnest interest in political affairs. It is generally known that Mr. Bryan is an elder in the Presby terian church in Lincoln, which he regularly attends; that he was one of the delegates to the Edinburgh missionary conference in 1910, where he sprite several times to great audiences, and that on public platforms in all parts of this country he has unhesitatingly avowed' and de fended his Christian faith. But we aro sure that our readers will be glad to have this most recent statement from his own pen, of his own convictions concerning not simply the possi bility, but the desirability of mixing religion with politics. He is scheduled to give two ad dresses in connection with the men and religion conservation congress in New York." Mr. Bryan's article follows: "To say that there is any inconsistency between being a member of the church and being active in politics would be a reflection upon either the church or poli tics. If church membership really impaired a citizen's usefulness either in office or outside of office, it would be an unanswerable accusation to bring against the church. It would be a grave charge, too, to make against politics to say that political conditions are such that a church member is denied participation in poli tics either by his conscience or by his fellows In a democracy that is a country in which the people rule the strength of the government depends upon the intelligence and virtue of the citizens who control it. If but a small percent age of the people are intelligent, while tho masses of the people are densely ignorant, the government may be democratic in form but tho the few will govern. If but few of the people aie virtuous and the masses aro immoral tho government can hardly be good, whatever its form Our government gives the largest promise of success because our people are both intelligent and virtuous. o uie uom "Political virtue results from and is depen dent upon individual virtue. We can not expect ftSth?l ' K Ci?. n0t eXPeCt hlm to bo faithful to public obligations if he does not conscientiously endeavor to live up to private responsibility. v Prlvato "As religion, if it is worthy of the name manifests itself in public life as well as in private affairs, it follows that religion is not only a hindrance, but ought to be a positive he?p t0 ?J,!an in Pities, as elsewhere. P Political life, in fact, demands a higher m standard 6f morality than private life because of the publicity that' attends public life Sins both, of commission and omissipn, can be lived S2wfe?5S?- 1Ife-u nre easny ttai public life." The political 'eriomy is not sldW to B?Z)i8RW W ,dofect jta .character fo lajpsein VOLUME 12, NUMBER 20 conduct, but a high character is unassailable. 'Blessed is the man who walketh not in tho counsel of the ungodly,' was spoken of tho man in politics as truly as of man in any other occupation, profession or calling. A man is not likely to find religious professions embarrassing unless it can be shown that his practises do not conform to his professions. "We have abundant illustration of the fact that strict fidelity to religious obligations is no bar to political preferment. The various branches of the Christian church have been con spicuously represented in official life from the presidential office down, and there is no present indication of a change in public sentiment in this regard. While zealous members of any church are likely to resent at the polls criticism directed against their church, it can not be fairly objected to a man that he is actively interested in his church and in the propagation of his faith, provided he does not attack other churches. Religious liberty means that a man shall not be discriminated against because of his religion; it does not mean that he must bo colorless in religious matters, or that he shall be liable to punishment, for outspoken adherence to any creed or church. "If we consider politics in a large sense, we shall find that religion is quite a necessary factor, for a man can "not itchieve much in poli tics unless he has faith. One must travel at a sluggard's pace who does not go faster than his mind; no one is far-sighted whose vision does not outstrip his reason. One must believe in tho triumph of the right, even though he can not calculate the means by which, or the timo at which, the right will win its victory. It is not possible for any one to look alfead and esti mate the influence of an act; he is constantly exercising faith unless he is content with a small service. If religion can be defined, as it has been, as the relation which man fixes be tween himself and his God, it becomes an in dispensable thing if one would make his life influential. If it could be shown that a man in politics might, by activity in religious" mat ters, lose some votes among the prejudiced, he would more than make up for the loss in the number drawn to him by the moral courage which faith inspires and faith is grounded upon belief in God." SENATE WILL RETAIN I,ORIMlER The majority of the United States senate com mittee reported in favor of seating William Lorimer as senator from Illinois. Fletcher of Florida and Johnston of Alabama, democrats, joined with Dillingham, Gamble and Jones, re publicans, in the majority report. Lea of Ten nessee and Kern of Indiana, democrats, joined with Kenyon of Iowa, republican, in the minority report. The majority took the position that the sen ate having once solemnly and deliberately passed on the charges against Senator Lorimer, he should be permitted to retain his seat unless new and convincing evidence had been produced establishing corruption in his election. Absolu tely no new and substantial evidence" had been produced at the re-investigation, the majority said, and consequently they declared the rules of justice required the former judgment of the sonate upholding Mr. Lorimer, to stand. The report dealt at length with the evidence in an endeavor to show nothing substantial had been produced against Senator Lorimer. It also reviewed the legal authorities to show that the- first investigation of the senate should be taken as final. r,Jie iJinor;ty report signed by Senators Lea r?5?Tenn,); Kern (dem" Ind-). and Kenyon t?S lWa ' was introduced in the senate. It ?;?3ai ?ri:ui)t methods and practices in tho senatorial election invalidate Lorimer's election, ine report declared: nf"?if2le7lnigit?at the confessions of members ?nw esi?lature' strengthened by the cor roinHntt cIrcumstances, and by other evidence not inSfiLmembs,of the legislature who did thit nt Sf efstablis.hed conclusively, not only til te.n were purchased for the butPZf ftlflectinS William Lorimer to the senate dencl of n LreC?rdJeeks and teems with evi- 2LS general scheme of corruption, we have 2atablSh52C5 ln Sitating that the investigation tloJ of WiiSSW c,ontradietion that .the elec tion or William Lorimer was obtained bv cor- lmSto?i3iLln the,reforG invad d "e suDmit the following resolution: Resolved, That corrupt methods and prac- rm to SSP&SS lne eletIon William 'the staL J m& f,the. United statea from ', i