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nnf nffiilfi. flftino ono has Bald that no one need
:!)0 a ulavo "Who nan learned how to die. Ho was
r willing to rink hlB political ruturo ana umy
tnoBo who are wining 10 uiu iu u kuDU .
UAvMiv n Hv Willi H. III! HaYB illllt 10 Will
Hln& with Prealdont WIlHon ho promises that
mti administration win uo progrunivu uui ....
lriadeo 1b unnecessary his record 1b sufficient
v nnvnpnnc WIlHon 1h another llliiBtratlon. Ho
'liad proparod himself through years of study
una investigation, lie whh reuuj- unu..'
"t?inces opened tho way for him to enter the
, Whlto House and clrcumstan ;cs are more
potent than Individuals in tho selection of candi
? dates for lileli office. Tho harvest was ripe
'tho hour had arrived and tho man was at hand
. ino ono was over better equipped for tho posl-
tibn. I havo no doubt that ho will reflect tho
-''wishes of tho pooplo.
.. i- In marking a boundry tho other nay 1 was
reminded of a fact with which ono becomes fa-
-mlllar in surveying, namely, that two points
): must bo fixed boforo a lino can bo run. So with a
,' public man, there are two points which must bo
established boforo wo can feel suro as to tho
courso ho will pursue Ho must bo consclon-
: tlous and ho must bo in sympathy with tho
! peoplo. Unless an ofllclal is conscientious un-
J loss ho profors the approval of his own con-
"-clonco to tho applause of those about him you
never know whon ho may draw asido from tho
path of duty.
" 1 There arc only a few questions upon which
; n, platform can touch on most questions, as
also upon persons, tho oflleiul must docldo for
iulilmsolf what ho should do, and a man without
li consclonco Is llko a ship without a rudder.
But to bo conscientious is not sufficient tho
' aristocrat may bo conscientious. Ho may bo
just as honest as tho democrat, but if, instead
! of bolloving that society is built from tho bot
tom, ho believes it is suspended from tho top,
; ho will conscientiously do what tho peoplo do
V NOT want dono. If, howovor, a man is both
r nnitcintntif Imia niwl fit oii rwi 4 It iirftlt f 1 ir1rt
,' ho will do what tho pooplo WANT dono. Such
',a man can bo trustod; ho can not go very far
: 'wrong and whon ho does mako a mlstako ho soon
3"eorroets It.
It Ib because T bollovo our now president to bo
' such a man that T expect him to so improve tho
,' groat opportunity that has como to him as to
...a, TTJtll U IllH't 1'HIVU lUi llllllttUU 111 IllHUIiy JUKI
l.'.. fYvrtn f-lir nfunnri! itiit liln .w-.r l l t l. lhA
i'i biuiiujr aui;iiHiuii mo Jtit i.y uy MUMUHI.111& uiu
country. No president during tho present gene
ration ha"s entered upon his diHa umtor hucii
.favorablo conditions or Had bohind him such
fv. unanimous good will. Ho has tho support of a
united democratic party that is a groat ad
rvnntngo, and ho was the socond cholco of all
V)tho republicans tho followers of Mr. Taft pre-
; ,-iornng mm to Mr. itoosevoit ana tno followers
,of Mr. Roosovolt preferring him to Mr. Taft.
What superlative good fortune!
To democracy, alBO, an opportunity has como
vr-an opportunity for which our party has been
waiting and which It is ready to improve. It
tf -has already put its victory to splendid ubo. It
.naB proven to tlio country that tho panic argu
.Jhont usod by tho ropublicans was false. With
, av democratic president, senate and house there
Mis no sign of business disturbance. Those who
ifKiinl Irtilltr lstr1ffwl t ltn iiiliilrt 1. - 1. v
ftWV1'"" w- lu iiuuiiu uuvu ueuu iouukcu;
i-iuiose wno wero innocontiy misled havo been In
structed. There was no reason for anv ono to
&. ho frightened. Tho domoci'ats havo more reason
Li than tho ropublicans to guard against a panic.
ji-ney couui not stana a panic as well as tho
ropuuncans couiu they havo loss money laid
. tip, If our opponents admit that wo are In-
torestod in prosperity but question our intnlii-
xgenco I roply that for nearly two decades our
nrparty nas naa to turnish Ideas for both lmrtton
.Nearly every good policy now urged by either
,orancu 01 tno ropuuuean party had its origin in
. democratic platforms.
. Tho very fact that tho two renuhHenii nnnfU-
k dates, by opposing each other, inaiirnri domn.
s;oratic victory ought to havo convinced the most
conservative tnat ouv party can bo trusted with
kwu,'"U41t wuiuu muy not nave stood together
;2u tnoy tnougnt that a democratic victory would
joupimuzo prosperity.
Sr Tho country has como around tn tho r7n,
.-.cratic position; tilings that used to bo regarded
" "" "uot "a Buios are now considered as
r;not only safe but necessary. Tho innnmn nv
lsed to bo denounced as dangerous but New
tViiurii i uiiu ui U10 tllirtV-lour ntntns tlmf ,o,r
,r-:xrtj it.- a.. .. " . w v.., miro
Muitucu tno coiiBLuuiionai amendment. Tho
popular election of senators usod to excite alarm
iuowu iiuro, uut x predict that your legislature
Sgill, at its next sossion, ratify the amendment
providing for it. The primary has been spread-
The Commoner.
ing over tho country and tho power of tho boss
is waning. Before another national campaign
rolls around tho peoplo will bo in position to
nelect their presidential candidates at homo
where politicians can not trade and barter, and
presidents, when elected, will be obligated to
tho whole population and not to a few.
Light is entering the dark places; investiga
tions are multiplying information; decisions
rest upon a surer foundation. Wo aro finding
that our dangers camo from the business cen
ters rathor than from tho country. Your thous
and stock gamblers disturb business and invade
property rights more every year than all tho
agitators in the country do in a generation.
Tho command, "forward, march," has been
given and tho nation moves forward with a pro
gressive presidont pledged to a progressive
platform a platform which your own distin
guished citizen, Senator O'Gorman, had a largo
part in writing. And to still further insure
against any backward step more than half of
tho republican party is camping on our rear,
fully armed and ready to attack us if wo at
tempt to retreat.
A glorious outlook opens before our party:
wo have cause to rejoice and it adds, to my
enjoyment of tho situation to know that Now
York's governor stands by the president-elect,
and that Now York's democracy keeps step with
tho democracy of the nation.
BRYAN IN THE ADMINISTRATION
St. Louis Republic: Mr. Bryan is going to
Bermuda. Mr. Bryan is not going to Ber
muda. Mr. Bryan has been offered the am
bassadorship to England and has declined it.
Tho post has not been offered to him. Mr. Bryan
will be the next secretary of state. Ho will not
bo in tho cabinet.
Tho newspapers are busily fixing Mr. Bryan's
placo in tho Wilson administration. It is
obvious he has not declined places that have not
been tendered him. Neither would it be con-
venient for him to act as premier and ambassador
to the court of St. James at the same time.
The exaggerated speculations of the press, how
ever, servo to depict the popular expectancy as
to Mr. Bryan's position during Woodrow Wil
son's White House tenancy.
Whether in the cabinet or in diplomacy, or
in unofficial relation, the Bryan influence dur
ing the next four years is bound to be big. It
ought to bo. Had there been no Bryan at Balti
more Mr. WJiRon would n0Jt have been nomi
nated. Everybody knows tfrut. woourow Wil
son's debt to Bryan is the biggest debt possible
in American politics. Proper acknowledgement
of that debt is expected. Popular belief is it
will be paid.
As to Mr. Bryan's fitness for the premiership
or the ranking ambassadorship opinion may
differ. All are agreed, though, that his career is
unique in our politics. His three nominations
for the presidency and his three defeats are,
after all, just simply events. His power has been
wielded between campaigns. He has been tire
less, fearless and at all times commanding. . Had
he been a mere agitator, a favorite of circum
stances, a gentleman of only superficial gifts, he
had long since disappeared. Instead he is the
most indomitable figure of his times. Loved by
many, hated by some, but acknowledged by all.
The peoplo elected president the man whom
Bryan nominated president. It is inconceivable
that Wilson should turn his back on Bryan now.
Such an attitude would be abhorrent to politics,
to justice, to plain manliness.
Whatever Mr. Bryan wants he should have.
He has earned it. This is, or ought to be, the
sentiment of every democrat in the country, from
the president elect to the most obscure private
in tho ranks. And whatever Mr. Bryan chooses
to take or refuse the democracy of the nation
will be at ono with him in making the Wilson
a'dministration a success.
American democracy is united today, not as
a matter of expediency, but as a matter of Btern
national necessity.
AVAR ON POVERTY
The International Lyceum Association of
America, with headquarters at 122 South Michi
gan boulevard, Chicago, has adopted as its slo
gan, "War on Poverty." Tho very fact that the
association calls attention to this subject is
helpful, and it adds to its service by bringing the
subject to the attention of those who, through
the lyceum and Chautauqua, address those, esti
mated at six million, who patronize these meet
ings. cu
The crusade in which the association intends
to participate is one large enough and of suffi
cient importance to enlist the sympathies of all
VOLUME 13, NUMBER 1
and out of a study of tho situation will coma
suggestions that will be of advantage. The
subject naturally divides itself into four parts:
First. What can be dono by individuals to
Increaso production, to prevent waste and to
secure justice in distribution?
Second. What can be done by co-operation,
in the creation of public opinion?
Third. What can be done in the way of
remedial legislation? . ,.
Fourth? What can be dono to afford tem
porary relief while better permanent conditions
are being established?
It might be well for those having ideas upon
the subject to communicate them to the officers
of the Lyceum association, and thus aid in the
splendid work undertaken.
THE POPULAR VOTE
Tho common belief that the presidential vote
in 1912 was less than the presidential vote in
1908 is incorrect. According to the official
figures compiled for the World Almanac the total
vote this year was 15,033,669, as against 14,
888,442 four years ago, an increase of 145,227.
But only tho socialists profited from this
larger vote. They alone made gains, and very
significant gains. The DebB vote in. 1908 was
420,793; in 1912 it was 900,672, an increase of
more than 100 per cent.
As for the democrats, Wilson polled a total
of 6,293,454, as against Bryan's total of
6,409,104 in 1908, a decrease of 115,650.
Stranger still, the total vote cast for Taft and
Roosevelt was less than the total republican
vote in 1908. Taft's 1912 vote was 3,484,980
and Roosevelt's was 4,119,538. Together they
polled 7,604,518, which falls 74,390 under Taft's
total of 7,678,908 four years ago.
Even the prohibitionists 1 iffered from apathy.
Their vote in November was only 206,275, com
pared with 253,840. This loss of 47,565 is
nearly one-fifth of the 1908 total.
It is a curious fact that with the exception of
New Hampshire all the New England states cast
more votes in 1912 than in 1908. The middle
states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl
vania cast fewer votes in 1912 than in 1908.
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and
Iowa also took l,ess Interest. in the 1912 campaign
than in the 1908 campaign. The same ils true
of the border states, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Missouri. j
There is no uniform rule applying to the south.
Alabama, for example, cast more otes than in
iawanu Georgia cast fewer votes Toxne
showed a laugo inaroaoo aua south Carolina a
large decrease, while Virginia's slump was
exactly 70 votes and Oklahoma's was 839.
The mountain states all showed an increase.
Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
cast more votes than they did in 1908. By
reason of woman's suffrage California's vote
should have doubled, but her 1912 vote was
only 673,527, as against 386, 5i 7 in 1908
Apparently nearly 100,000 qualified citizens of
California remained away from the polls
The most significant fact In all these returns
is the increase and distribution of the socialist
vote. It is not a sectional vote, for the banner
socialist states in this election were Ohio
Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, New York
Oklahoma, Washington, Indiana, Wisconsin and
Missouri in the order named, while in Tdaho
more than 10 per cent of the total vote was
social st. This is something for democrats and
republicans to think about seriously; New
York World.
NEW SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS
t m00! I?,0naf1ly of Arkansas, has appointed
J. N. Heiskell, editor of the Arkansas Gazette
published at Little Rock, to be the succeVsb "to
the late Senator Jeff Davis. Mr. Heiskell will
serve until, tho expiration of the present term
which ends March 4th. The legislature will
elect a senator for the full term. Mr. Heiskell
says he will not be a candidate before the
legislature. .
GOVERNOR SULZER ACTS
Governor Sulzer sent a special messace' to
he New York legislature urging t ratifica
tion of the proposed constitutional amendment
providing for the election of senators by popular
PROGRESSIVE CONTROL
In the Nebraska- democratic house of repre
sentatives the progressives controlled the demo
cratic caucus by the selection of Dr. P c Kelly
of Hall county, for speaker of the house '
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