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The Commoner
VOL. 15, NO. 3
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The Commoner The Man of Burdens
ISSUED MONTHLY
Entered nt the Postofllco at Lincoln, Nebraska,
afl second-clans matter.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN CHARLES W. BItYAN
Editor and Proprietor Afisoolatc Ed. and Publisher
Edit. Rmfl. and BuslneHs Ofllce, Sulto 207 Prefcs Bldg.
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Address all communications to
TUB COMMONER, LINCOLN, NKB.
Here's a declaration hoard thousands of times
since tho great war started in Europe: "It's
lucky for the United States that it has Woodrow
Wilson in tho presidency now,. A president dis
posed to fight every time somebody makes a loud
noise in his vicinity would have had this country
embroiled before this." Nothing very brilliant
or profound about that remark, but it has tho
merit of wisdom and of being a specific ex
pression of general sentiment.
Senator LaPollette has been trying for a num
ber of years to secure enough support among his
party members for his seaman's bill, providing
.better conditions for the seamen, and greater
safety precautions, but the shipping trust always
had too many friends among the republican
members. Tho passage of tho bill was one of
tlio last acts of the democratic senate. Here is
a fact that should give tho fighting senator from
Wisconsin some food for thought.
Tho sudden and considerable drops in the prico
"J ', "Vmt f0ll0WGd "Pon the bombardment
of the Dardonelles, a movement which if success
ful, will release a largo Russian supply for use
abroad, indicated very clearly that it was not
the farmers of this country who were holding
their crops for speculation, as the grain gamblers
made very plain when they heard the news. It
was one of tho pretty Actions of the market and
the newspapers that tho producers were reaping
the benefit of the high prices, but it exploded
with a bang when the speculators became excited.
So far as observation goes, .every effort made
by tho hack politicians to hamstring the direct
primary, has met with defeat in the state legis
latures this winter. Some "wanted to Insert a
nominating convention that should winnow the
candidates down to a small number and others
wanted to limit it to the smaller groups of voters
on tho plea that opportunity is lacking for intel
ligent selection. Citing the fact that there is
not a single argument urged against the direct
primary that is not equally applicable to tho gen
eral election is the easiest way of closing this
debate.
THE TYRANT WAR
0 monstrous War, your carnage turns to blood
tho dew of morn j
Your cruel hand has blighted generations yet
unborn!
You force bravo men of vigor death in woeful
form to face,
And leave unfitted weaklings to be fathers of a
race.
You ruin mighty cities with your hostile torch
and shell,
Then you treat your helpless victims to a vision
of their hell.
You spread disease and famine as you torture
and bereave,
Xou stay the hand of progress in her effort to
achieve.
May Man through coming ages from your power
find release.
.Andfeel the blessed comfort of a universal peace.
Susan Flshner Milner, in Kansas City Journal.
In these troubled times, when every day shows
more clearly the dangers that confront even the
most sincero neutrality, the hearts of all Amer
icans should go out in sympathy and support to
that solitary man sitting in the White House at
Washington who carries the welfare of one hun
dred million people so largely in his hand.
His is a staggering responsibility. It is the
greatest that could be laid on the chief executive
of any nation in time of peace. No American
since Lincoln has borne such a burden has been
confronted with issues which are so big with fate
for the land we love.
It is easy for those who do not share his bur
don or realize its tremendous weight on heart
and mind to say what ought to be done under
any and all circumstances. But his is the sol
emn duty not only of saying but also of acting;
not only of acting but also of doing so with the
knowledge that the welfare of his fellow citizens
may hang upon his course.
Under such circumstances President Wilson
needs the sympathy and support of every true
American. He needs to know that political
friends and foes alike are with him; that they
know the burden he is carrying and believe that
he will carry it if with pain and labor to him
self with honor to the nation.
He should be made to feel that there is from
one end of the country to another an abiding
faith in his integrity and singleness of purpose
and in his absolute determination to walk with
circumspection but directly to the goal stepping
aside neither in the spirit of truculehce nor sub
servience. Ho should be made to feel that partisanship
and personal feeling wholly cease to have a
meaning for Americans when their president is
confronted- with what may quickly develop into
an international crisis of grave significance; that
the whole moral force and the whole heart and
the whole mind of the nation are his to lean upon
or to call upon for support.
And above all he should be made to feel that
Americans understand how free from the taint of
personal-ambition and pride are his high-minded
efforts to serve his country in these moments of
its need for wise guidance; that it is of his coun-
if a J1?1, of himself he thinks first and last of
an; that his one aim is to serve her and her
alone.
Nothing that could be said or felt or done can
avail to abate his high and solemn responsibility.
But his way may and should be brightened by
tho knowledge that those for whom he stands and
speaks and labors have confidence in his integ
rity, his ability, his singleness of purpose and
his zeal. Chloago Herald.
IMPARTIALITY PROVEN
A religious prejudice often causes one person
to form a mistaken opinion as to the actions of
i8, We reProtluce elow two letters received
at The Commoner office in the same mail, each
contradicting the other, and both proving Mr
Bryan's impartiality in. the matter referred to!
Tho two letters follow:
"Yamhill , Oregon. Mr. William J. Bryan
Lincoln, Nebr. Dear Sir: As my time is about
up for The Commoner, I have concluded to quit
taking it. I never believed in catering to the
Pope of Rome, and if I support you it will be
supporting them I thought you were the man
for the people, but standing in with the Pone
will put you out of business. I have heard some
good old democrats say they would not support
ison. aCCUnt' YUrS trUly H- P ConS-
f ,"?,ur Lad, of Mt Carmel Church, Gaylord
MIchigan.r-The Commoner: By a post office rul
ng a neglect on my part to renew the subLrTn-
will be for the country at large. This may souml
The comment by the friend nf tv,
that are at war in Europe on i the iX,1??68
by the secretary of state to SenatoJ n rUt?n
this government's attitude towaJdshi "beV
ligerents, as shown in an article reproduced h
low from the Louisville Times, proves the imnnr"
tiality and the absolute neutrality of the SXh
States government In its handling of the delicaS
issues raised by the most terrible war in histnrv
Thq Times articlo follows: Mstory.
' 'Clement A. Griscom, of Philadelphia, writes
to Senator Stone to complain that Mr. Bryan's
letter 'conclusively proves' that 'almost every
action that has been taken by the administration
has been in favor of Germany and against tho
Allies.' He adds: 'The administration of the e
United States has been the catspaw of German
manipulation long enough.' " New York World
"Quite another view is taken by Mr. Herman
Ridder, who is fully persuaded that Mr. Bryan's
letter is a craven surrender to England, conse
quently a blow at Germany.
"From all which conflict of opinion, it may
reasonably be supposed that Mr. Bryan has come
fairly close to making out a strong case for the
one and only interest that he undertakes to
speak for. Germany and England are the two
great belligerents. The United States is the one
great neutral. Their interests, if not diametric
ally opposed, are, at the least, not in harmony.
Had Mr. Bryan attempted to harmonize them, he
would have rightly been subject to the displeas
ure either of Mr. Griscom or Mr. Ridder, or. con
ceivably, of both.
"What Mr. Bryan has done has been to define
the American, not tho Anglo-American or German-American
position. That in so doing he has
satisfied neither of two vociferous advocates of
a hyphenated Americanism is in itself satisfy
ing proof that genuine Americans have no cause
for complaint." Louisville Times.
AN EXAMPLE WORTH FOLLOWING
,. The republicans, who have ridiculed the sub
stitution of grape juice for alcoholic liquors in
the entertainment of visitors, may be Interested
in the following extract, which will be found in
a book by Allen T. Rice, Issued by Harper Broth
ers in 1909. Among the reminiscences recorded
is one from tbe pen of Charles Carleton Coffin
(to be, found on pages 172 to 175 of the book
above mentioned). The quotation reads:
It was eiglit o'clock Saturday evening When
the committee called upon Mr.. Lincoln.
Conversation flowed as freely and laughingly as
a meadow brook. 'Mrs. Lincoln will
be pleased to see you, gentlemen,' said Mr. Lin
coln. 'You Will find her in the other room. You
must be thirsty after your long ride. You will
. find a pitcher of water in the library.'
"I crossed the hall and entered the library.
P.?n ithe plain table was a Pitcher of cold water
and glasses, but no wines or liquors. There was
humor in the invitation to take a glass of water,
which was explained to me by a citizen, who said
that when it was known that the committee was
coming, several citizens called upon Mr. Lincoln
and informed him that some entertainment must
be provided.
" 'Yes, that is so. What ought to be done?
Just let me know and I will attend to it,' he said.
O, we will supply the needful liquors,' said
. his friends.
" 'Gentlemen,' said Mr. Lincoln, 'I thank you
for your kind intentions, but must respectfully
SfAr17011' offer- HAVE NO LIQUORS IN
MY HOUSE, AND HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE
HABIT OF ENTERTAINING MY FRIENDS
5LEST WAY X CAN NT PERMIT MY
55XPS T0 D0 F0R MB WHAT I WILL NOT
MYSELF DO. I SHALL PROVIDE COLD
WATERNOTHING ELSE.' "
The Publicity association is the name of a re
publican organization that announces as its pur
pose the "harmonizing and bringing together of
an who believe in the fundamental principles of
the republican party and to gather and dissem
inate information which will demonstrate the su-
periority of republican principles and accom
plishments" It is understood tliat it will not
issue an immediate comparison of the work ac
complished by the last republican congress with
mat of the last democratic congress.
. With two of the principal measures passed by
llJe democratic congress covering appropriations
or 35 million dollars for a government-owned
railroad in Alaska and putting the government
into the Insurance business by authorizing the
sale of war risks m ship cargoes, tho old-time
Populists who aided much in placing the dem
?5 J? party undor Popular control should feel
tnat their sacrifices and their labors in behalf of
dearly-held principles were not In vain.
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