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OCTOBER 18, 1912
The Commoner.
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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.
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