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The Commoner.
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MARCH 28, 1913
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of 1913. A case in the supreme court, involving
tho fortunes of a close personal friend comes up
for argument hero on the 19th or 20th, and
unavoidably detains mo. I am therefore limited
to the less pleasing task of greeting Colonel
Bryan from afar, and congratulating the coun
try upon his elevation to the office of secretary
of state. It is an honor to the people of tho
United States that their first citizen should
have been selecu d to direct and shape thxj
course of foreign affairs and give the weight
of his counsel and the influence of his great
name to our democratic administration. It is
a recognition of the great service he has per
formed, not only for democracy, but for all
tho people during the long and weary years of
democratic exile; a fitting tribute to the one
man whose fidelity to popular government in
season and out of season, made possible the
victory of 1912.
Tho state which I have the honor in part to
represent in the senate of tho United States,
has always been true to Bryan. She gave him
her electoral vote in 1896, in 1900, in 1908, and
her sturdy voters are looking hop fully to the
day when they can gie It to him again. I
am more fortunate than most men, for I had
tho privilege of voting for his confirmation. It
wasn't needed, but it was an honor and a com
fort to cast a vote for Bryan that counted.
The president of tho United States has .been
both wise and fortunate in his selection of politi
cal advisers. He has begun well. He will con
tinue to do well. His democracy is the democ
racy of "Bryan, which is the real democracy.
Under the beneficient administration of Wood
row Wilson the seed sown by Bryan through
out the long days of exile and of travail will
spring up and bear good fruit for all the people.
Bryan is no longer ahead of his time. The na
tion has 'caught up and is keeping step with
him. The congress of the United States is at
tuned to the same democratic harmonies and
all is well with the republic.
Wendell Phillips once said: "There are men
whom we measure by their times they are the
chameleons of circumstance; they are aeollan
harps, toned by the breeze that sweeps 'over
them. There are others who servo "as guido
posts and land marks; we measure their times
by them."
Bryan has come into his own. Through ridi
cule, through obloquy, through abuse, through
misrepresentation, through tho bitter opposi
tion of the political, social and commercial in
fluences of his times, he has held steadily upon
his course and with serene courage remained
steadfastly loyal to his convictions and to the
cause of the people. Today he enjoys in large
measure that triumph which comes alone to
liim that overcomoth. Verily he hath "served
as a guide post and a land mark."
Posterity will measure his times by him.
Sincerely yours, C. S. THOMAS. -
MR. HOWARD'S ADDRESS
In the beginning Edgar Howard, toastmaster,
said:
"Mr. President, Ladies and Fellow-Democrats:
"To do service in honor of him whom we here
seek to honor has so long been my employment
that I shall take to it naturally, if not creditably.
If I shall so far forget or reject the toastmasters'
code of ethics to trespass upon the time allotted
to the distinguished men of our state and nation
who have volunteered, for service on this pro
gram, let my love for and devotion to him whoso
name your club is proudly bearing plead a par
don. When a Nebraska democrat is honored by
such opportunity as the present to sound tho
praises of the world's ideal democrat, ho feels
impelled to tribute of speech as is tho lark im
pelled to tribute of song at the dawning of a
spring-time day. And if in speech I shall seem
over brief, then shall I plead forgiveness in tho
name of your own desire to drain the cup of
eloquence and be filled with tho bread of wis
dom soon to be loosed from the lips of those who
havo volunteered that offering.
"For twenty years one man has given to Ne
braska always a conspicuous place In the eye
of the political world, and now that this man.
has accepted that post of premier in the new
democratic administration, there to serve &b
friend and helper to that educated Andrew;
Jackson now occupying tho exalted position
glorified by the presence of democrats of other
days, further still will his genius .nd his no
bility carry to the world, and challenge a world's
attention, the sublime principles Initially pro
claimed by tho democracy of this western com
monwealth which claims the greatest of com
moners as citizen and subject.
"Eloquently and fervidly the president of this
organization has voiced tho welcome of tho
democracy of this capital city to the most dis
tinguished guest, and soon wo shall hear from
our democratic governor gracious words of
official welcome upon behalf of the state whoso
honor ho represents and maintalnp, and now It
is my privilege to speak some word of wolcomo
on behalf of the privates under tho banner of
democracy. For more than twenty years many
have served In the ranks under his loadorshlp,
trustingly, hopefully, buoyed and sustained by
an unfaltering faith In tho Integrity of tho man
and In tho justice of his cause. With our own
eyes wjp have seen him lift tho democracy of
this state from the depths of. obscurity to tho
attention of a nation lift it upward and on
ward until during the past two decades It ha3
challenged the attentlpn and admiration of tho
world lift It so high that tho effulgence of tho
progressive democratic principles first pro
claimed by the Nebraska democracy have at
least been carried to the statute books of states
and nations. As the world measures success,
very few have been the victories of our leader;
bvt, welshed In tho balance of devotion to tho
holy cause of humanity, his career since early
manhood has been a march of triumph the
triumph of his own good principles over tho
false doctrines of the mighty hosts of error.
"Our ears now anxiously await tho message
which the great commoner a commoner still,
despite his exalted station will bring to his
homo people, and we know it will be the samo
message with which through tho years ho has
greeted Nebraska democrats a message of
honorable peace to all who accept the gospel of
principle written by tho Nebraska democracy
a message of challenge and defiance to any one
who may still entertain the hope or tho desire
of making the free democracy of this, state or
nation the handmaid of tho embattled enemies
of mankind."
"A WORLD CITIZEN"
Dr. Charles Reign Scoville of Chicago spoke
as follows:
"I consider it both an honor and a privilege to
speak tonight of Nebraska's distinguished citi
zen, who no longer belongs to you, but in the,
highest, truest, holiest sense has become tho citi
zen of the United States and of the whole world.
Tolstoy was the apostle of love, Washington and
Lincoln were the apostles of freedom, but Wil-
Ham Jennings Bryan stands pre-eminently as
' tho apostle of 'the KingBhip of tho Common
people.' As Napoleon Bonaparte Indelibly
placed France upon tho map of tho world, so
your distinguished citizen has indelibly placed
your great commonwealth on the map of the
United States and the principles here born have
made him a friend of humanity, a citizen of the
whole world. No fiat over went forth from man
more potent than that which proclaims the In
alienable rights and privileges of men, tho free
dom and equality of the masses, and tho 'king
ship of the common people.' The editor of tho
Omaha Daily World-Herald editorially said in
1890: 'Let Nebraska congratulate herself on
the fact that she has an orator who possesses
the physical and mental qualities to make him
a remarkable man in the history of this nation.
And if the World-Herald reads the stars aright,
the time will come when W. J. Bryan will havo
a reputation which will reach far beyond Ne
braska and it will bo a reputation for tho
performance of good deeds.' Tho timo
thus prophesied has arrived and tho repu
tation gained has been achieved upon the
highest plane possible for man 'the perfor
mance of good deeds.' The common people havo
never had a better advocate, spokesman, or
champion, He has dodged no issues. No greater
questions, none fuller of promise for American
persons and principles, none more potent for
the best interests of the governed and the gov
ernment, none more vital for the welfare for tho
greatest number of citizens, havo been before
our humanity in our day than those with which
this political, social and industrial leader has
grappled No truer citizen, no more ideal
American, no better exponent of American per
sons and principles ever went abroad than the
man who left your city and state to visit tho
governments of tho earth.
"It has been truly said that if you want to
find out what there is in a man send him
abroad. A father who was dissatisfied with tho
progress his son was making in college, decided
to send' him abroad to see If there was anything
in him. Before he had been on tho ocean six
hours, he said he discovered there was more in
that boy than ho had thought thero could pos
sibly be in six boys. Undoubtedly our honor
able friend had the same experience for I under
stand there wero times when ho couldn't 'keop
anything on bin stomach, not oven his hand
What a marvelous opportunity It would be at
such a time if a man could havo all his political
opponents present and throw up all ho has
against them.
"I am happy in my privilege tonight becauso
tho man of whom I speak is tho samo in the
dark as he is in the light; the samo confident,
hopeful, expectant, unswerving servant of God,
servant of humanity, whether in victory or ap
parent defeat. Ills Immortal saying that 'No
question Is evor settled until It is sottled right'
has been the mainstay and guiding star of mul
tiplied thousands. 'Since right is right, and God
is God, tho right is bound to win.' I repoat,
therefore, that it Is a pleasure to speak of one,
who Imbued with certain religious political prin
ciples, went abroad and acquitted himself abroad
as he did at home, always standing for tho right
as God gave him to see tho right. ' To demon
strate this, let mo quoto from his speech on
'American's Mission': 'Great has been tho
Greek, the Latin, the Slav, tho Colt, tho Teuton
and tho Anglo-Saxon, but greater than any of
these is tho American, in whom are blended tho
virtues of them all.'
" 'Civil and religious liberty, universal edu
cation and tho right to participate, directly or
through representatives chosen by himself in all
tho affairs of government these givo to tho
American citizen an opportunity and an inspira
tion which can bo found nowhere else.'
" 'Standing upon tho vantage ground already
gained, the American pooplo can aspire to a
grander destiny than has opened before any
other race. ,
" 'Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught tho
individual to take caro of himself; American
civilization, proclaiming tho equality of all be
fore tho law, will teach him that his own high
est good requires tho observance of tho com
mandment, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.'
" 'Anglo-Saxon civilization has, by force of
arms, applied tho art of government to other
races for tho benefit of Anglo-Saxons; Ameri
can civilization will, by tho influence of example,
oxcito in other races a deslro for self-government
and a determination to secure It.
" 'Anglo-Saxon civilization has carried its
flag to every climo and defended It with forts
and garrisons; American civilization will Im
print Its flag upon the hearts of all who long
for freedom.'
"I do not wonder that a Japanese scholar
recently said that 'Japan regards Mr. Bryan as
their best friend,' and I do not wonder that a
young Japaneso adopted your distinguished citi
zen as his father and in spite of many dis
couragements, forged his way to this country
and to Mr. Bryan's door and said, 'I havo
come' and that that young Japanese, educated
here and sent back to his homeland, has since
represented his own government on a special
mission to tho United States and is now tho
editor of a paper, following out in his own land,
as far as he is able, the line pursued by tho
commoner among tho American people. Neither
do I marvel that one of the political leaders in
tho critical, distrustful South American re
public has said, 'Wo believe in Mr. Bryan; we
understand him.' The only pity is that America
has not more such citizens of such genuino
stamp, caliber and consecration to send abroad!
You can stop the Invasion of an army, but you
can not stop the invasion of an idea and tho
ideals promulgated by your citizen will sur
mount all forts and fortifications and live when
tho mightiest armies, led by the world's greatest
generals, shall havo returned their dust to tho
original dust.
"What a contrast between tho Napoleon of
Franco and the Napoleon of Nebraska: Ono work
ing with destructive flreaTms, tho other working
for productive factories; ono with arsenals and
munitions of war, tho other with lyceums, school
books and the appliances of art, literature and
science; one stamping out persons and proper
ties, tho other pleading for the Inalienable
rights of persons and just political principles;
ono selfishly forging his way, making a great
name for himself on tho principle 'might makes
right'; the other lashing the money exchangers
from the Baltimore Political Temple, declaring
that no ono should trespass upon tho rights
of anpther; one prospering with the military
plan of the sword and spear, the other progres
sing with the plea that tho laborer should reap
the fruits of his labor no matter whether with
tho plowshare or the pruning hook; the
one ruling by tho kingdom of force, the other
through the kingdom of 'love your neighbor as
yourself; the one a crowned head on a despotic
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