The Commoner
PJ3BBUARY, 1914
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the minister of today no longer represents his ,
sovereign or his government alone. He. acts for
his fellow, countrymen),. Ho must be truly reprer .
sentative of his own people and lie must he
familiar also, with the aspirations and ideals, the .
character and commercial standards of the peo- .
pie tP whom he is accredited. He must know
the leading men of his- own land and he familiar
with its best thought, and he must he fitted .
by training, knowledge and culture, to bo on
intimate terms with officials and leaders of the
country to wliich he is accredited.
As a graduate of an American university,
familiar with our people, and sympathetic with
our ideals, Viscount Chinda not only truly repre
sents his. imperial majesty the emperor of Japan
and the Japanese people, but he. is today, as the
Japanese ambassador, performing a great serv-
ice to the people of the United States.
ADDRESS OF MR. BRYAN
Mr. President, Distinguished Guests and. Gentle
men: In accepting the invitation extended by
the American-Asiatic, association, I am giving .
myself a pleasure as well as performing an offi
cial duty. My connection with the foreign af- .
fairs of the government keeps me in touch with
the expansion of American commerce and the
extension of American interests throughout the
world, and I gladly avail mypelf of every oppor- ,
tunity to hear these subjects discussed by those
who take an interest in them, whether that in
terest be financial or sentimental. But my com
ing is not a mere formal discharge of an official
duty; I come gladly because I can bear testi
mony to the deep sympathy the president feels .
toward all that affects the growth and develop- .
ment of our influence in national and interna
tional interests, and I assure you that my sym
pathy, is not less strong than his.
Your president, Mr. Willard Straight, speak-,
ing from a wide acquaintance with conditions in
the Orient has given us a most instructive ; ad
dress, emphasizing, as is both natural and
proper, the commercial aspect of our relations
with the countries across. the Pacific.' I do not
under-estimate the importance of these trade re
lations, and rI commend his words to those whose
attention' has been or will be turned to the sub-'
jectk I appreciate also the liberality of opinion
he has shown in discussing those questions upon
which different conclusions may be reached by
those dealing with the subject. It helps us all
to recognize differences of opinion, where differ
ences exist, and it is important also that we
recognize the honesty of those differences. The
new administration in Withdrawing approval
from the Chinese loan d'd not question the good
faith or good intent of those who had seen in it
a means of increasing our influence, prestige and
commercial power in 'China. The president be
lieved that a different policy was more consistent
with the American position, and-that it would,
in the long run, be more advantageous to our
commerce. It would not be fair to attribute a
falling off in trade, to which reference has been
made, to the change in policy, because the new
policy has not yet had time to bear fruit, even
if political conditions had been entirely favor
able. -
In 'his efforts to promote international peace
the president is also assisting in the extension
of our trade. The energies of man can find' em
ployment in the arts of peace; war is the enemy
of commerce and of those factors entering into
the extension of trade.
Mr. Straight has called attention to one step
already taken which means much for American
trade, viz.: the authorization of international
banks. We have long needed such a law, and 'I
am sure that our foreign trade will be stimu
lated not only1 in the Orient but also throughout'
South America by the new law which permits
banks here to establish branches throughout
the wofld.
Mention has also, been made of the new tariff
law in the promotion of foreign trade. This in
fluence' can hardly be appreciated at this time,
because its operation has only just begun. In
his "last speech, delivered just before his tragic
death, President McKinley called attention to
the necessity for tariff reduction as a means of
extending or increasing our exports. It was a
prophetic utterance, to wliicbi the country has
given a well-nigh universal response. We must
show ourselves friendly if we would have,
friends. We must buy if we would sell.. The
new policy means a larger commerce between
our nation and the world, and in this increase
the Orient will, have her sharet and this . ad
vantage -will be enjoyed not only.in generally-
the public but especially by those merchants and
manufacturers now turning their eyes to the
far east.
Another factor must not be overlooked: the
president has outlined a third reform whoso in
fluence cannot bo bounded by national lines.
Ho has declared war upon private monopoly,
and this means the investment of capital that
has heretofore been frightened away from in
dustrial fields. If the new policy results in a
reduction in the size of corporations that have
become overgrown, it will mean n larger number
of. independent and competing enterprises, nnd
this competition will mean a better article at a
lower "price. It is worth while to inquire
whether, monopolization has not necessarily re
sulted in the restriction of exports, for tho main
tenance of an abnormally high price at home
tends to prevent exportation, the manufacturer
fearing that a reduction of price abroad might
result in the loss of the advantage enjoyed at
home. In proportion as industries rest upon
their own merits rather than upon leg'slativc
favor, just in that proportion will they be
strengthened for successful contest with compet
ing industries throughout the world..
In response to the suggestion made by Mr.
Straight, with reference to the necessity or the
protection of American interests in Asia, I rofor
you to the assurance- given by the president him- .
self. I would make this assurance stronger. No
one need doubt that Americans engaged in busi
ness in other countries will receive both en
couragement and protection, and those who go
with a legitimate purpose will not be alarmed
by the fact that the president insists that our
commercial representatives shall carry with
them the highest ideals of business integrity. It
will not be difficult to protect American interests
so long as those who go abroad to assist in the
development of other countries remember that
they should give a dollar's worth of service for
each dollar collected by them.
The president in his pollc'efl thus far an
nounced has laid even a br.oader foundation for
the extension of our. tradfe throughout the Orient.
He is 'cultivating the friendship of the. people
across" the Pacific. Ho has already spoken "" a
word of hope to the Filipinos. They are nota
numerous people and their trade may hot seeni
so large a prize as the trade of Japan and China,
but the effect of our hat'on's Philippine policy
will be felt throughout the Orient. A recogni
tion of the rights of tho Filipinos to work out
their own destiny will strike responsive chord
wherever tho people have feared foreign in
fluence. Tho people of China have long regarded the
United States as a friend, and the attachment
has been strengthened by the prompt recogni
tion by th?s government of China's political as
pirations. Although less than a year has elapsed
since the president took oath of office, he has
, had an opportunity to prove to Japan his respect
for her position and achievements and his
friendship for her people.
In addition to these specific instances, the
president's policy contemplates the formation
of an environment which will encourage the
growth of all that is good. Man is not a creator
in a fundamental sense. The farmer cannot put
life into a grain of wheat, but he can give to the
grain an environment which it can utilize. So,
the government while it cannot create trade, can
give to trade an environment in which it can de
velop, and that it is the duty or our government
to do. If we can present to the world an ex
ample worthy of imitation, we shall be assisting
ourselves while we assist others, for we shall
"reap a profit out of every nation's advance. If
in any way we can stimulate education and bring
it nearer to the ideal which contemplates the
mental development of every human being, that
larger intelligence will be of use to us as well
as to the nations in which it is developed. If by
our example we can assist any other nations in
the improvement of their forms and methods of
government, we shall share in the prosperity
' this better government brings. If by a cultiva
tion of higher standards of morals we can as
sist any people anywhere to improve their moral
standards, we shall not be without our reward.
The doctrine of universal brotherhood is not
sentimentalism it is practical philosophy. As
it is impossible for an individual to gain perma
nent advantage by doing injury to his fellows,
so it is -impossible for a nation to so isolate itself
as to profit by another's downfall.
Our nation pro.duces and consumes more than
any equal population now living or that ever has
lived.. Why?. Because there is more hope in
the heart of tho average man in this country
than anywhere else on earth, and in so far as
this nation can instil hope into tho hoarts of
people anywhere, it will enable them to dq a
larger work and thus becomo moro valuable to
tho world both as producer and consumer.
Whether wo view tho world therefore from a
purely material standpoint or from the utand
point of religion, we must, if our force of reason
is intelligent, reach the same conclusion, viz:
that wo only build onduringly when we endeavor
to ra'se the level upon which wo all stand. This
is the president's purpose In what ho has done;
it is the purpose of your president, Mr. Straight,
and the purpose of overy member of this asso
ciation; it must bo the real purpose of all who
take a comprehensive view of our nation's posi
tion and responsibility in dealings with the peo
ple of the world.
Cross-examination of tho railroad men who
havo been boforo tho interstate commerce com
mission asking for a five per cent horizontal in
crease in rates has developed the interesting
fact that they give away free service to indi
vidual patrons who control large shipmont ton
nage that, if charged for at reasonable rates,
would increase revenues many milions a year.
Yet no class of big business lias shown such
heat as have railroad managers in declaring that
they know moro about how to run their business
properly than anybody else.
MR. BRYAN AND THE COMMONER
The Commoner, Mr. Bryan's great exponent of
democracy, free representative government and
popular rule, has entered upon its fourteenth
year. When Mr. Bryan started the Commoner, he
printed in the initial number this simple ex
pression: "The Commoner will be satisfied if, by fidelity
to the common people, it proves its right to the
name which has been chosen."
It must be a source of gratification to Mr.
Bryan to know that by fidelity to the common .
people the Commoner has richly won the right
to be called by tho name it bears and the name
it has honored. ,
In tin years .of doubt and peril, struggles and
conflicts fierce, when it seeined that greed, cor
rupt and powerful interests, and viciouB pub'lic
policies would triumph over the right, the Com
moner remained as true to its faith as its
founder had already proved himself to bo, and
in its teachings of corrupt principles and policies
enlarged and strengthened that public sentiment
which has been so emphatically expressed in the
administration of President Wilson.
There was an urgent public need for this paper
when it was established. At that time there was
need .for a quickening of the public conscience op
questions that are vital to the rights and liber
ties of the people, and the service the Commoner
performed so well and so faithfully was to not
only point the way but to arouse the people to
action.
Millions of people heard and heeded the whole
some advice of this bold and fearless though
cautious, counsellor, and, the great Commoner
and its greater founder enjoy the honors that
come to the faithful in the performance of public
duty. Not only the newspaper which has, been so
zealously fighting the battle of the people, but
W. J. Bryan, himself, who has-been constant and
faithful always, has won and deserves the name
of the great commoner, for each, by fidelity to
the common people in all the term applies, has
earned the right to the name.
Though there will be a time when Mr. Bryan's
work must end, his influence will live with the
enduring principles he has espoused, and when
he shall have passed away, we hope, for the. wel-?
fare of humanity, that his Commoner will live
on and be what it is now the champion of
human rights and the promoter and defender of
good government. Nashville Tennessean. ..
The republican editors, noting the distinctly
reactionary character of Former President Taft's
recent utterances, are asking whether he means
what he says now or did he mer.n what he said
when he was a candidate in 1908, or has ha
changed? Unfortunately for the republican
editors the witness who could give the .most
positive testimony upon this point is touring
South America. . .
THE JANUARY COMMONER
You should read the January Commoner; ,,It.
is the-best we have seen. Crete (Neb,,) Dem'o
crat.. . - :
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