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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1912)
z OCTOBER 18, 1912 The Commoner. 7 W r1 , m .-. ,. jr-i- '.v.1. 4 Ar Jb Every Commbner reader is asked to hand this copy of The Commoner to some neighbor with the request that he read it carefully. A FEARFUL INDICTMENT- Less than a year ago this whole nation was deeply interested in a certain tnatter. News papers sold thousands and thousands of extra copies because of this matter. At millions of firesides the eager question was: "What was done in the case today?" It was the absorbing matter in the palaces of the avenue and the hovels of the alley. Politicians used it. Lectur ers used it. Preachers used It. Authors used it. Playwrights used it. It was the soul absorbing topic of the times. Two workmen, one of them pretty dull-witted, had killed a score of people with dynamite as their protest against the tyranny of capital and were on trial for their lives. Today a much gre.ater case Ib before the pub lic. Let us become interested. Let us Watch every word published. Let us, above all else, keep our eye unwinklngly on the Goddess Justice. William Wood, multi-millionaire and head of the wool trust, Js under indictment at Boston on a charge of conspiracy in "planting" dyna mite to discredit the working people during the strike at Lawrence. For years Wood's wool trust has been killing men, women and children. Not with dynamite, but with hunger, cold and disease germs, the civilised, legalized, deadliest weapons. A man must support a family of five on $9, but he may wear out or take to drink in his despair. v A maiden must live on $3. But for her failure and despair there's the "easy" highway. " A child must help widowed mother and infant or sisters on $2.' But there are the dirt and germs of the hovel's miserable bedchamber; ' But they're not going to try President Wil liam Wood of the wool trust -for sulch systematic killings. Not before court, nor church, nor society are Slaughterers tried for that, but only before God Almighty. No, they will try Wood for 'conspiracy In a special wholesale killing the murder of a labor organization, the murder of people's character. Verily, let us keep our eyes on that Boston case, for the blind goddess, Justice, has surely got the manacles on organized greed this time; Milwaukee Journal. GOOD WORK . M. O. Metzgcr, Merriman, Neb. You will find enclosed $10.00 for which send The Commoner to the enclosed list until after election. .. E. R. Week, Spokane, Wash. Enclosed find money order to pay for the enclosed list of 110 campaign subscriptions to The Commoner. H. M. McDonald, 350 Phclon Bldg., San Fran cisco, Cal. As per my telegraphic order today, I. enclose herewith 525 campaign subscriptions io The Commoner. G. L. Thorpe, Chairman County Committee, Ada, Minn. Herewith find money order for $14.25 to pay for campaign subscriptions to The Commoner at your special campaign rate until after election. J. A. Strain, Treasurer, Wilson Clubr Pomcry, Wash. Enclosed herewith find draft to pay for the enclosed list of 100 campaign subscriptions to The Commoner. Wm. P. Gartner, Varsailles, Ind. Herewith find draft for $10.50 for which send The Com moner until after election, beginning with this week's issue, to the 115 subscribers, whose names and addresses are shown on the enclosed list. W. H.Harrop, St. Joseph, Mo. Herewith find 100 campaign subscriptions to The Commoner and check to pay for the same. I hope this effort will help to insure the election of Wilson but do not imagine that we need to worry about the outcome of the election in Missouri, or in any other part of the country for that matter. H. E. Mason, Coalgate, Okla. Enclosed here with find contribution for the Wilson and Marshall campaign. Democratic political pros pects in Oklahoma in the-national election never looked brighter. Wilson and Marshall will carry the state by more than 20,000 majority. A SOUTHERN VIEW Editorial in Nashvillo Tenncssean: Thoy reckoned without their hosts who Tojoiced in the belief that the Influonco and power of Bryan had been destroyed with his defeat for temporary chairman by Alton B. Parker. They overestimated their own temporary triumph over the groat commoner and the great cause he so boldly and so stoadfastly represents. They thought to destroy him, but they only aroused him to great effort and greater achieve ment, and with characteristic courage and con summate skill ho went Into the fight to throttlo the forces of Wall street. It was a daring challenge ho offered in his resolution excommunicating Morgan, Ryan, Bel mont and that class of committing the conven tion to a progressive and against a servant of Wall street. It was thought that Bryan had reached the climax of his audacious defiance when ho de liberately offered the following resolution: "Resolved, That In this crisis in our party's career and in our country's history, this conven tion sends greeting to the people of the United States, and assures them that the party of Jefferson and of Jackson Is still the champion of popular government and equality before the law. As proof of our fidelity to the people wo heroby declare ourselves opposed to the nomination of any candidate for president who is the repre sentative of or under any obligation to J. Pier pont Morgan, Thomas F. Ryan, August Belmont or any other members of the privilege-hunting and favor-seeking classes. "Be it further resolved, That wo demand the withdrawal from this convention of- any dclegato or delegates constituting dr representing the above named interests." As might have been expected, this raised a storm of objections, especially on the part of those representing the Interests aimed at, and after a sharp conflict Mr. Bryan withdrew the last section of tho resolution and tho rest was adopted by a vote of 889 to 196. . Tho resolution was a daring f feat and Its adoption was a decisive victory for Bryan. As Mr. Bryan declared, this vote eliminates all of the reactionaries, making it so a progres sive on a progressive platform can bo nominated and elected. In speaking to his resolution Mr. Bryan did not spare tho men he was seeking to disarm and defeat. Reminding the delegates that every one ef them knew there was being made at that in stant an effort to sell the democratic party Into tho bondage of tho predatory interests, he de clared: "It is a most brazen, Impudent and Insolent attempt to make tho nominee of this convention the bond-slave of the men who exploit the pcoplo of this country. I need not tell you that J. Pler pont Morgan and Thomas F. Ryan and August Belmont are three of tho men who are connected with the great money trusts of this country, who are as despotic in their rule of tho busi ness of the country and as merciless in their command of their slaves as any man in tho country." Who else but Bryan would have made this fight? Who elso but Bryan could have won It? The great Nebraskan was never braver or stronger in all his marvelous career than when he looked Ryan and Belmont in tho face, hurlod defiance at them and caused them and their methods to be repudiated and discredited by the great democratic convention. He never before did tho democratic party such vital service as he performed for it when he inspired the democratic national convention to declare against them and in support of genu ine progressive democracy. MR. BRYAN'S LINCOLN SPEECH The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal prints the fol lowing: Public Interest in the vnveillng of the French statue of Abraham Lincoln was all that could have been expected. People came by acres. It is probably true, though, that it is not generally appreciated yet what this monument really moans In tho development of art In Ne braska. If tho statue In as groat as Its admirers hope if it grows in strongth and boauty tho longor it Is studied tho time will como whon pcoplo will como to the city fort tho solo pur pose of scolng this work. Then tho dullest of uh will begin to understand what It is. Nearly one-half of Mr. Bryan's speech was delivered to a soa of umbrollas. Pcoplo on tho outside of tho crowd slipped away whon tho rain canio, hut at tho end of tho address a groat conn gregatlon wan still presont, and tho pattering of the drops had not hindered them from hearing every word of his remarks. In a way It was one of Mr. Bryan's most notablo addresses, al though it was In so serious a vein that it could not bring out much applause or arouse a groat deal of enthusiasm. Tho fact that his homo people stayed through It all, and got thoir cloth ing well damponed for doing it, must bo counted as much of a compliment as any speaker could hopo to recoivo. When It became known that Mr. Bryan had been lnvitod to make this addross, ono of his Lincoln admirers said ho hoped tho speaker would ho too busy to mako thorough prepara tions. "He'll do hotter if it comos red hot off tho anvil," tho adralror said. "If ho has timo to pound it tho iron will got cold and wo won't enjoy it half so much." It happonod that a part of the speech was evidently impromptu, while a considerable portion of it had been scarcfully thought out in advanco. It was as tho admirer prodlctod. Tho whole speech roads wel, but in grace, finish and lmpressivenoss no part of It is hotter than tho sections that from tho nature of tho case, must havo boon fashioned on tho spur of tho moment. That is to say that tho stimulus of a great audlonco holps Mr. Bryan to a facility of utterance and a happiness of expression that ho can't Improvo upon in his study, even if he has a year In which to got up a speech. Some portions of this address wore dramatic. When Mr. Bryan addressed tho old soldiers It was In a tone of approaching reverence, because ho envied them In the work they hud done and tho experience they had passed through. Whon ho wondered If any of them had seen tho Im mortal Lincoln hands went up all over the section reserved for the veterans, and several of them arose in their eagerness to answer in tho affirmative. That little Incident made the younger members of tho audience realize that they were witnessing an historical event and no doubt made them willing to defy tho rain that camo steadily on soon afterwards, as if It had business there, but didn't really want to spoil tho exercises. If any little word of mine May mako a life the brighter, If any little song of mine May mako a heart the lighter; God help me to speak that little word And take my bit of singing, And drop it in some lonely soul . To set the echoes ringing. If any little love of mine May make a life tho sweeter. If any little care of mine . May mako a friend's the fleeter If any lift of mine may ease . The burden of another; . God give me love and care and strength To "help my tolling brother. Mrs. Crozier. Wherever you go you will find the world' masses Are ever divided In just these two classes; And strangely enough you will find, too, I ween, There is tmly one lifter to twenty who lean. In whichdass aro you? Are you easing the load Of overtaxed lifters who toll down the road? Or, are you a leaner who lets others bear Your portion of worry and labor and care? . Ella Wheeler Wilcox. 1 m i 1 fi i wrt JiA-" 'At fak ! fa'-' -i t &!, ,&H.tf Ulv "