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The Commoner
VOL. 14, NO. 4
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The Commoner
JHHUIOI) MONTHLY
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' THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
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All who arc opposed to n ship subsidy
and all who believe that tho United
States should keep faith with other na
tions are urged to immediately write or
wire- their senators to assist tho presi
dent in bringing about the repeal of tho
canal tolls 'bill now pending before tho
United1 States senate.
Tho British house of commons did its best,
but it mado tho mistake of trying to get a1 first
page position at the same time that the American
house of representatives was busying itself
backing up President Wilson.
For .confirmation of tho long hold theory that
language is something used to conceal thoughts,
see congressional speeches delivered during the
debate on tolls exemption with the object in
View of discrediting the national administration.
.
Ample proof is at hand to show that the race
of martyrs is not extinct. In at least a dozen
states in the north mon are coming forward and
offering to accept nominations at the hands of
the republican party for governor and other
executive offices.
A MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY
The following is a copy of a letter sent by Mr.
Bryan to Mrs. Bacon at Macon, Georgia, on the
demise of her husband, tho late Senator A. 0.
Bacon of Georgia:
STATE DEPARTMENT,
Washington, February 17.
My Dear Mrs.. Bacon:
Being prevented by important public business
from accompanying your husband's remains to
Georgia, I have, at the president's direction,
designated former Governor Folk, solicitor of
the stato department, to deliver to you a message
of condolence and sympathy.
During tho past year I have been in intimate
association with the senator and my affection
for him grow as did my appreciation of his
great ability, his tireless industry and his con
scientious devotion to duty. He was a tower of
strength to tho executive department as well as
to the senr.to, and will be missed by all who are
connected with the administration, especially by
those who deal with foreign affairs.
His death is a personal loss and I share your
sorrow. But moro soothing than any words
must be tho consolation that you find in the
fact that ho rendered a larr a' conspicuous serv
ice to his country and won tho respoct and ad
miration of all who were fortunate enough to bo
brougU into official relations with him.
His life was rich in fruitage and crowned with
that 'loving favor" which is rather to bo chosen
than silver arid gold. His good name and his
wide extended fame are to you a sacred posses
sion, and to his children and grandchildren a
priceless heritage. Sincerely yours,
"WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
To Mrs. A. O. Bacon, Macon, Ga.
Wh;
By GOVERNOR JAMES M. COX OF OHIO
In 1912 a constitutional convention, mado up
of delegates selected without regard to party or
partisan ballots, submitted forty-two proposed
amendments to the constitution. In September
of that year all but about half a dozen were
adopted. A number of these amendments were
mandatory a command to the legislature to
pass laws along specified lines.
In the fall of tho same year the present gover
nor and a democratic legislature were elected on
a platform carrying definite promises and
pledges.
Today it can be stated to the everlasting credit
of the commonwealth of Ohio and the officials,
legislative and executive, who participated in the
work of redemption, that every pledge made by
the democratic party has been kept and every
mandate given by the people has been carried
out.
The privileged interests and reactionaries,
after tho legislature had adjourned, set on foot
a propaganda to the effect that a perfect hodge
podge of laws had been passed. The people at
this time, however, are beginning to see the
widespread result of humanitarian and progres
sive laws; by the conditions created by them
they are enabled to understand the wrongs which
were corrected; and besides it is apparent that
the whole program of progress was methodical
and orderly. Underlying the laws that have
been passed are three definite principles which
stand out now in bold relief; first, a larger
measure of humanity in the laws; second, in
creased regulation of commercial and social
activities-; and, third, the doing away with use
less state departments and the cutting out of
wasted energy and resource.
A compulsory workmen's compensation law
was passed. " It is conceded by experts on tho
subject to be the model plan. Manufacturers
pay into the state fund twice each year a fixed
sum, based upon the number of employees and
the average of accidents that have occurred. If
it develops that the amount paid the first six
months was in excoss of the amount based upon
the average of accidents, a reduction is not only
made for the second six months of the year, but
(Continued on page 26.)
CONGRESSMAN OLDFIELD A CASE IN TOINT
Congressman Oldfield, from the second
Arkansas district, has been nominated by an
overwhelming majority. This is not surprising
as Mr. Oldfield is one of the aggressive, influen
tial young democrats of the house1. His success
is gratifying to his friends but there is a much
deeper significance attached to his sweeping
majority. The contest in one sense was a trial
of the popularity of the national democratic ad
ministration. The acute issue of the campaign
was tho wisdom of tho president in urging the
passage of legislation providing for tho construc
tion of a railway in Alaska. Congressman Old
field stood loyally by the president in his Alaska
policy, and voted for the Alaskan bill, as he has
stood by tho president with unshaken fidelity
tli rough his entire program of progressive and
patriotic reform. His opponent assailed his
Alaskan vote and attempted to use it to defeat
tho congressman.
Mr. Oldfield stood squarely upon tho demo
cratic platform adopted at Baltimore, as evi
denced by the following language: "Immediate
action should be taken by congress to make
available the vast and valuable coal deposits of
Alaska under conditions that will be a perfect
guaranty against their falling into the hands of
monopolizing corporations, associations or in
terests." This plank of national platform was
approved by President Wilson in his message
of December last as the following quotation will
demonstrate: "A duty faces us with regard to
Alaska Which seems to me very pressing and
very imperative; perhaps I should say a double
duty, for it concerns both the political and a
material development of the territory, and
Alaska as a store house should be unlocked. One
key to it is a system of railways. These the gov
ernment should itself build and administer and
the ports and terminals it should itself control
in tho interest of all who wish to use them for
its service and the development of the country
and its people." The policy also had the hearty
approval of the secretary of the interior who is
peculiarly charged with the development and
destiny of the splendid Alaskan region. In his
letter to Senator Pittman, Secretary Lane said:
i iPoni0m is refluested as to senate bills 48
ana lid. These measures, in a word, provide
for the construction by the national government
of a railway system in the territory of 'Alaska
I favor the adoption of this policy. I believe
it to be that under which Alaska will develop
most safely and speedily and under which the
resources of that territory will most certainly
become available to the people."
The people of this typical congressional dis
trict gave unmistakable proof of their confidence
n the wisdom and ability of their representa-
nnfHnH11 J U tho 'TlS(lon1' statesmanship and
patriotism of tho president.
We cite this contest and its result as an illus-
2n tho discriminating judgment of he
people and as an assurance to other public sp
ants that their devotion to duty, ttat ?,"
port of the progressive measures, that their
fidelity to the national administration will be
approved and awarded by an enlightened and
patriotic constituency. W. J. BRYAN.
When demand was made upon. Representative
Knowland, republican, of California, for proof
of his charge that the administration had made
a deal with Sir Edward Grey by which Great
Britain was to keep hands off in Mexico if the
tolls exemption clause in the canal act was re
pealed, he said that a man in whose word he had
confidence told him that a British diplomatic
agent had told him. Mr. Knowland's facility at
back-pedaling could only have come from long
training as a bicycle rider.
The railroads of the country, declare that they
are being underpaid $29,000,000 a year for
carrying the mails. This, of course, is the dif
ference between what they get and what they
think they ought to have. As most of the rates
were fixed in the days when each of the big
railroads boasted of a senator or two, the public
may be excused for its lack of enthusiastic sup
port of the campaign to raise them.
All of the progressive or third party members
of the house but two voted against the request
of President Wilson for a repeal of the free tolls
provision in the Panama canal act. Various rea
sons were assigned, but the real one was that
the progressives thought they saw a chance to
help discredit the administration. A third party
politician plays the same sort' of a stupid
political game as other kinds of party politicians.
Possibly Ambassador Page might be induced
to submit a copy of his speeches to his republi
can critics before he delivers them. But the
chances are that this wouldn't satisfy them. Mr.
l age represents a democratic" administration,
and that is the real reason why republican
editors and statesmen are using caustic pens
exclusively in his case.
:
Premier Asquith of the British government
displays commendable bravery in declining to
wait until the next general election to find out
if his course as a liberal party leader meets with
the approval of his particular constituency. He
resigned at once and thus forced a special elec
tion. This occurred in England.
BRYAN FIFTY-FOUR YEARS OLD
Thursday, March 19, was the fifty-fourth an
niversary of the birth of William Jennings
w ' Tnr?i; J?0 of Secretary of Stato Bryan,
L? William Jennings Bryan; for the man is
greater than the office he holds. It is twenty-
nnLy?arSPS1lcehe came into Puttie notice on
5S vir L hIs 5PBt tariff sPeech congress.
S x years thereafter he was the democratic can-
. PJSent, and since that time he haa
w Vfi,great JnfluencQ r good in this country.
His influence for good is greater now than it ever
S Gi0Te May ?e have many more years of
" L fPiWViCe t0 llB cuntry- He liyesto serve
his fellow-men. San Francisco Star.
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