The Commoner
'APRIL, 1914
13
of the nation bad expressed their faith in the
democratic party. Today we can rejoice that the
party has kept faith and has written reform and
progress into the statutes and policies of the
country. And we celebrate today the fifty-fourth
birthday anniversary of the man who has done
moro than any other to achieve the accomplish
ments of this time, our own Mr. Bryan."
GOVERNOR MOREHEATVS SPEECH OP WEL
COME In welcoming the visiting guests to his state,
Governor Morehead of Nebraska spoke in part
as follows:
"Governor Cox, ex-Governor Folk, Senator
Robinson, we are glad to welcome you to our
city.. We are exceedingly vain of Lincoln.
Forty-seven years since, we had 200 people
where we now have 60,000 of the happiest, most
prosperous people on the face of the earth. You
may ask why this great change has taken place
in such a short time. I will answer, that In less
than a life time, Nebraska has forged to the
front and ranks at the top in the production of
its corn, wheat, oats, alfalfa, cattle, hogs and
many other products. Wo represent the smallest
percentage of poverty and the greatest percent
age of wealth per capita of any state in the
union. The people, as a class, are enjoying the
luxuries of life and according to statistics, we
have the greatest number of automobiles per
capita of any state in the union, with the ex
ception of the state of California and on investi
gating the matter we find that California is pop
ulated to a great extent with retired people from
the state of Nebraska who are seeking a climate
where they can live comfortably and enjoy the
wealth they have accumulated in our state.
"Nebraska citizens are not only vain of our
natural resources, but we are exceedingly proud
of the strides we have made in the enactment of
laws that are proving so wholesome to the coun
try in the elimination of favoritism in the inter
est of the wealth producing class of our state.
The corporations of our state have been looked
after and laws passed regulating them with no
intention to destroy, and we have many reasons
to believe that the laws passed are not only for
the good of the people of our state, but are in
the interests of the great corporations as well.
Some of the laws that have been enacted by Ne
braska have been embodied in the national laws
and some are now contemplated by our national
law makers.
"We also have made great strides along the
line of manufacturing and no state in the union
is more favorably situated for 'water power,
manufacturing, irrigation, and other industries
than the state of Nebraska. We have great
hopes of making use of the water and helping
develop the great resources of our state.
"I believe that I voice the sentiment of a large
percentage of our citizens when I say that they
rejoice today that we are coming back nearer
the fundamental principles of democracy than
we .ever have been before. The national legis
lation, so rapidly put through congress, is going
to adjust and regulate certain great principles
that have needed regulation for more than half
a century.
."We who are citizens of this state flatter our
selves that we have had much to do with the
change of conditions In this great country. The
man that we meet here to pay honor to, has ac
complished, by his great physical and mental
Qualifications, feats that never have been ac
complished by an individual before, in making
the fight for the great common people of this
country. He did It single-handed and alone,
under the most trying and difficult circum
stances. - His theories were carried to every part
of our nation, not only by the press, but by his
public speeches from the platform and train,
and while we admire the accomplishments of this
administration, we feel that our own citizen has
contributed more to bring about these reforms
than any other citizen in the United States.
"We who have seen the darkest days of de
mocracy and have felt that the principles of the
same would perish from the earth, feel under
lasting obligations to this great man and are
only too glad to have this oportunity to pay to
him our highest regard as a citizen, for the great
and noble work he has done in the interest of
the common people of this country. As a demo
crat, I am overjoyed to see our party in the posi
tion it occupies today and hope that all who
are in sympathy with the great republic will
do all they can to carry out our pledges as pub
lic officials so that our party will again be re
stored to the confidence of the people- of this
country.
"To be sure, we can see only to the crest of
tho ridge. Is there a valley of shadow beyond?
Who knows. Tho compunction of things may
conspire to bury and ocllpso the common man,
but the future, so far as we can peer into it, Is
lighter than tho past. Socially, democracy in
sists that tho grading of pooplo on the baslB of
birth, railk, or cash is barbaric. It does not deny
that men are as gold, silver and copper in rela
tive worth, but It wants men rated, not by birth
or trappings, but by essential things, wisdom,
character, and efficiency.
"Tho operation of these principles will give
more dignity and consideration to tho best peo
ple, who make tho world go 'round and furnish
the material force of our country. Tho barrier
of caste is down, so that more and more a man's
social standing depends upon himself. Tho lists
of life are open to all, and tho passion to succeed
comes with the value of tho prizes to be won.
Never before did so many common people strain
to reach a higher rung in the ladder.
"Perhaps the master force of our time is de
mocracy. It is a movement which is world wide
and tidal. It has gone on for a century and a
quarter, and invaded every homo of white men.
Even seventy odd years ago Sydney Smith could
liken its opponents to Dame Partington trying to
sweep back the Atlantic with a broom.
"It was my good fortune, with my friends, to
visit Washington at the inauguration of our
great president in 1913, and It was Indeed grati
fying to mo to see the esteen with which our
secretary .of state was held by the people of the
United States and the people from the different
parts of the world. The natives of the Hawaiian
islands visited Mr. Bryan in his room at 8 in tho
morning with interpreters and I listened to the
talk of these people, urging Mr. Bryan to inter
cede for them and to aid them in their educa
tional institutions, stating that they desired to
see their children have tho opportunities of the
rising generation of our country. It appealed
to me as a repetition of the treaty of William
Penn and the native Americans under the oak
tree.
"I have been reliably informed that on the
walls of Tolstoi's room, at his death, was found
the photograph of Mr. Bryan, as one of three,
showing with' what regard he held the great
commoner.
"He Is recognized the world over as a man
who has given his time and his life work in the
interest of the plain people, and by so doing, is
helping to make more and greater republics.
In behalf of the state of Nebraska, I desire to
express my appreciation to you gentlemen for
the many good citizens who have contributed to
make the great state of Nebraska what she is
today and for your presence here tonight in the
commemoration of the anniversary of the man
whom we believe to be the greatest exponent of
pure and undefiled democracy that there is on
tho face of tho earth."
"WATCHFUL WAITING'
r-
Senator Joseph -T. Robinson, of Arkansas,
spoke I- part as follows:
"The liberality and permanence of political In
stitutions in the United States are evidenced by
the good temper in which our people seek to
solve all foreign problems.
"Wo differ radically among ourselves as to
domestic controversies. The discussion of econ
omic questions in the industrial centers is some
times attended by bitterness, and is occasionally
marked by violence and vindictiveness. These
disturbances, however frequent or intense, are
usually local in cause and consequence, and are
Tarely felt throughout the nation.
"When a serious complication with a foreign
country arises, when a crisis of international im
portance approaches, local differences are recon
ciled and domestic issues are abandoned. Uni
versal attention becomes centered on the com
mon and' all-absorbing problem.
"This is made possible through the belief ad
hered to by our people as a whole, that in spite
of the faults of our public officers and failures
in their administration of the law, our govern
ment is the best that political ingenuity has yet
devised because it guarantees and guards the
right of every citizen to b- secure In the enjoy
ment of his life, his liberty and his property.
Crimes of violence indeed occur in the United
States, but never through arbitrary power sanc
tioned by law, and always and only in violation
of law.
"Public interest in subjects of internal con
cern has been arrested throughout tho United
States and trained on Mexico, whose people sus
pect the United States of secretly contriving the
subjugation of their country. This feeling has
been encouraged and stimulated by both Huerta
and Villa. All eyes in tho Unitod Statos now
look toward our southorn border where the tents
of our soldiers gloam among tho s.ands that
glitter on the banks of tho Rio Grande. I shall
not assume to speak for the Washington admin
istration, which I admlro and support. Presi
dent Wilson and Secretary Bryan wisely reservo
their confidence and restrain utterances that
might influence tho public mind. Wo cannot fail
to recognize their wisdom in this course.
ILL-FATED MEXICO
"From tho days of Cortez, Mexico has been Ill
fated, and Her people have struggled Ineffectual
ly aga'nst misfortune. In Mexico revolutions
have rolled backward all tho tides of progress,
and blood and sacrifice have scorned in vain.
Tho last one hundred and twenty-five yoars have
witnessed tho spread of constitutional liberty,
liberty under law, to almost every other partof
tho world. Mexico is now the only alleged gov
ernment under which one man exercises arbi
trary power ovor tho lives and property of
others. How tragic and pathotlc Is Mexican his
tory. From tho Spanish Invasion to tho reign
of Maxmlllan, almost three and a half centuries,
revolutions were frequent, but no perceptible
advance was made. Under tho Iron hand of
Diaz, military strife was arrested and stable in
stitutions established, but tho one thing for
which men everywhere now are seeking through
all the organized forces of society, constitutional
liberty, was not enjoyed. Through graft, con
fiscation and tyranny, wealth became concen
trated and the return of the evil day made cer
tain. On the whole from Maxmilian to Huerta,
Mexico experienced decline. Whatever of ad
vancement was achieved undor Diaz has been
lost under Huerta. His dominion has been re
stricted to the southern half of Mexico.
MEXICO RENT IN TWAIN
"The republic is now divided. The northern,
half is controlled by the rebels, or constitution
alists, whose nominal head is Carranza, but
whose dominating force is Villa. The difference
in the customs, habits and ideals of the people
of northern and southern Mexico make it prob
able that tho final result will confirm this di
vision of the republic into two states or con
federation of states. Even if this occurs, the
prospect is not brightened. Neither section has
a credible promise of liberty and peace.
HUERTA COMPARED WITH MAXMILIAN
AND MADERO
"Conditions in Mexico are now analagous to
those which existed when Maxmlllan became the
emperor of Mexico. They are, in no sense, Im
proved; in many respects they are worse. Then,
as now, lawlessness and disorder prevailed.
Foreigners were killed or Imprisoned without
cause. Property was seized and confiscated -or
destroyed. Maxmilian was a gentleman, heir
to the pride and polish of a race of kings, brother
to Francis Joseph, emperor of Austria, endowed
with kindly instincts, and inspired by a dream
of glory which comprehended the happiness and,
pride of his beautiful and illustrious wife, Car
lotta one woman in history whose ambition
was inseparably associated with the good of
others and anticipated harm to none. Maxmlllan
and Carlotta loved Mexico, and sought to pro
mote liberty and prosperity among her people.
What striking analogies history presents!
Madero, like Maxmlllan, was a refined gentle
man. All his hopes centered in the liberties and
happiness of his people. Maxmlllan, who never
used his power to enrich himself or to oppress
the poor, was shot as a traitor. Madero was
assassinated. Suspicion fell upon Huerta, from
whose lustful visage and bloody hand the presi
dent of the United States and Secretary of State
Bryan turned in -horror and contempt. When
Louis Napoleon withdrew the French army from
Mexico and abandoned to fate the throne and
life of Maxmilian, the devoted Carlotta hastened
back to France to plead her husband's cause,
to urge an emperor to keep his pledge, and when
the weakling failed her, hope died and reason
fled. For fifty years Carlotta has been confined
in a mad house vhere she still dreams of her
beioved Maxmilian, of beautiful Miramar, and
stately Chapultepec. The widow of Madero and
her faithful son have helped to Inspire the
United States to refuse recognition to the bloody
Huerta, and patiently await the fall of him
whose treachery has destroyed her hopes. Max-
T feift 13Z
