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The Commoner
AUGUST, 1916
The Master Musician
is Dead
Copyright, 1916. by John T. McCuteheon. Repro
duced by courtesy of Chicago Tribune,
THE CHILDREN'S POET
Address delivered by William Jennings Bryan
at Miami, Florida, February 26, 1916, at the
James Whitcomb Riley Day exercises.
Mr. Chairman, Dr. Riley, Children, Friends:
It seems an intrusion for grown-up people to
take part in these exercises, and I shall not vio
late the proprieties by trespassing long upon
your time. This is Riley Day and the children
are his hosts; all the children belong to Riley,
and Riley belongs to them. You have just
heard him described as chief among the song
birds; perhaps that explains his migration to
Florida. Like the other song birds, he divides
his time between the north and the south in
order that he may sing the year round.
I ask your attention while I speak two words,
one personal and one as your representative. My
children were brought up on Riley food, and I
hereby acknowledge the family's indebtedness
to him. My wife has whiled away many an even
ing hour reading his homely and wholesome
rhymes to those who are to carry our blood down
through the years to come. Our son who
knows how many pitfalls he might have stumbled
into had he not been warned away by "The gob
lins will get you if you don't watch out" was
especially fond of Dr., Riley's writings, so much
so that, when a few years ago, the eminent au
thor honored us with a set of his works, we in
scribed on the fly leaf of the first volume, "with
remainder over to Wm. Jennings Bryan, Jr.,"
and the books will go from our library to his in
recognition of this early attachment.
And now, Dr. Riley, a word from the audi
ence to you. I do not know whom you had in
mind when you immortalized the words "Good
bye Jim, take care of yourself," If it was your
father's parting . advice, you have obeyed it to
the letter; you have taken care of yourself by
devoting yourself to others the only really ef
fective way. Your life has proven anew that
truth of the proverb: "There is a scattering that
increaseth." You have made a success of life
such a success as "few of your generation have
achieved.
Your name is not found in the list of our
multi-millionaires, but you have secured what
all their money qan not buy that "loving favor'
which is ratlfer to be chosen "than silver and
gold."
The blue books do not record your name
among the great legislators of the nation, but
this need not disturb you, for you are entitled
to the distinction embodied In the words "Let
me write the songs of a nation and I care not
who makes its laws."
You do not claim a place among the great
warriors of the world, and yet you, the "Hero
of the Nursery," are the commander-in-chief of
a larger army than any general ever led, and
those who follow you know not the cruel clamor
of war or the mingled miseries of the battle
field, but rather the joy ot innocence and the
laughter of youth. - . -
You are not of the royal company of kings,
fSmyyi?U reIgn disputed sway over the
twilight hours.
fh0?? R8plred t0 tne Presidency of
n?Jr !d St.ates' and yot without arousing tho
animosities of a campaign you have won a vic
tory nation-wide I constitute myself the mes
senger of the masses to inform you that, at an
election where all could vote, you have been
unanimously chosen to preside in tho hearts of
the children of America chosen for life, and to
live In memory forever after.
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
Commoner readers are responding genorously
to the appeal for contributions for the demo
cratic national campaign fund. Below aro
some of the letters received:
F. A. Guico, Douglas, Ariz.: Enclosed find
money order for $5.00 democratic campaign
contribution. As the democrats promoted the
policy of publishing contributions of largo sums
before election, I feel it my duty-to assist with
a small amount, hoping some progressive plan
will be framed to carry on election without
campaign funds.
Jas. Ryan, New Holland, 111.: Enclosed find
check for $1 for the campaign fund.
Ira Howard, Dakota City, Nebr.: $1.00, cam
paign fund.
Joseph Pollek, McPherson, Kans.: Herewith
contribution of $2.00 for democratic campaign
fund.
Peter Kohler, Tekamah, Nebr.: I hand you
herewith $1.00 contribution for tho democratic
campaign fund.
Spencer F. Ball, Terre Haute, Ind.: Enclosed
please find check for $5.00, my subscription to
the Wilson campaign fund. With the same
leaders, Wilson and Bryan, as in 1912 wo can
not fail to win in 1916.
Mrs. Sarah von Ehrenberg, Buffalo, N. Y.:
Please accept toward the campaign of the dem
ocratic party the enclosed post office money order
for $25.00, which may be used you to find the
distributor in disseminating the ideas of the
party as expressed' in its platform adopted at tho
recent national convention, and contained with
many other exceptfonally-Tgood campaign articles
in the Juno number of The Commoner.
J. L. Nash, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Herewith
$1.00 contribution to the campaign fund, as an
nounced in the last issue of The Commoner.
A. W. Hammond, Amsterdam, Va.: I am en
closing my pittance as suggested by Colonel
Bryan which apply to the democratic campaign
fund. If every democratic voter will contribute
$1.00, Mr. Wilson's committee will have plenty
of money and the party will not be under obli
gations to any large contributor.
I. J. Lucas, Junction City, Oreg.: Please send
the enclosed $1.00 contribution to the democratic
national committee for use in the coming cam
paign. Henry Diener, Washington, Calif.: Enclosed
please find check for $1.00 as my contribution
to the democratic campaign fund. It seems to
be a dollar well spent.
F. A. Lucas, Junction City, Oreg.: The en
closed $1.00 is my contribution to the demo
cratic campaign fund.
Bernard Greenburg, Milwaukee, Wise: Please
accept my contribution to the campaign fund
$5.00 money order enclosed. It is the first $5.00
I have given for such a purpose, but I feel justi
fied in doing so. I have reached the conclusion
to let well enough alone. I am a man who
sympathizes with what is good and true, and
therefore will stand with the man who is most
God fearing. I am only a plain laboring man,
but I love my adopted country too dearly to be
indifferent to the evil forces in many guises
whose day I pray may be short. May the Lord
of peace, harmony and strength guide and
shield our beloved president into continued well
d0jnSH. Cohen, Sioux City, la. Enclosed find
$2 00 for democratic campaign fund. Send ex
tra conies of the June issue of The Commoner.
traWS Olson, Redondo Beach, Calif.: Please
find enclosed by check for $2.00 to apply on the
democratic campaign fund. How I thank M
for the record of the democratic administration.
FAKE "HOME RULE"
The liquor interests of Michigan are attempt-
?1ip same fraud on the farmers of that state
Sit was Perpetrated two years ago on the farm-
tnat waa ic i trying to overthrow
erS ft nnHon Ind they are using a false nag;
2?untTS ?home rule'' to deceive the people.
THEfEXPEC "to TOT THE WET VOTE IN
A FEW CITIES TO DISFRANCHISE THS
FARMERS IN THE COUNTIES. WILL THEY
ALLOW THE COUNTIES TO DECIDE FOR
THEMSELVES whother they shall have the
county unit? No. The liquor interests roly on
a FEW wot counties to take homo rule from a
LARGE NUMBER of dry counties. They say
they want "homo rule" for tho tow.ns but they
do not ask tho right to soil to tho people of the
town. Oh, no. They want the towns to license
saloons TO SELL TO THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE
OF THE TOWNS. Under the .nrotonso of "home
rule" they aro attempting to FORCE THE SALE
OF LIQUOR INTO DRY TERRITORY AND
AMONG FARMERS WHO ARE TO BE DENIED
A VOTE ON THE QUESTION Tho saloon doos
not dare to make an honest fight. It always
resorts to fraud and deception.
Popular Election of
Senators
In 1892, tho democratic house of representa
tives, elected in 1890, passed a Joint resolution
submitting an amendment to tho fedoral consti
tution providing for tho popular election of
United States senators. This was tho first con
gressional action taken toward tho securing of
this great reform. A similar resolution was
passed by tho house of representatives, also
democratic, in tho following congress. After
passing four moro times through tho house of
representatives it passed tho senate in 1912, and
was rapidly ratified by the Btates, so that on
May 31, 1913 it became a part of tho constitu
tion of tho United States.
While no party can claim tho entire credit for
the adoption of a constitutional amendment
since it requires tho support of two-thirds of
both houses of congress and ratification by
three-fourths of the states still it is worth
while to note: 1st, That it waB a democratic
house that first approved the policy. 2nd, That
tho proposed amendment was indorsed in tho
democratic national-platforms of 1900, 1904, and
1908, while it was ignored by tho republican na
tional conventions of 1900 and 1904, AND WAS
REJECTED BY A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ONE
IN THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVEN
TION OF 1908.
Tho amendment was submitted to the states
before tho democratic national convention of
1912 was held but tho democratic platform of
that year URGED THE RATIFICATION, whilo
the republican national platform was silent on
this subject.
It will be seen, thereforo, that the democratic
party has shown itself the constant friend of
popular election of senators while the REPUB
LICAN LEADERS HAVE DONE LITTLE OR
NOTHING TO AID THIS EPOCH MAKING RE
FORM. THE MASSES of all parties have fa
vored this reform, as they do all reforms in
creasing the people's power over the governr
ment.
W. J. BRYAN.
"PORK," AT WHOLESALE ONLY
The following quotation is from Mr. Hughes's
speech at Chicago:
"I don't care, if I am elected president, what
becomes of my personal political fortunes. I
propose that wo shall have government in a
business-like way. Wo won't have any more,
if I can stop it, of these 'kiss me and I'll kim
you' appropriations in congress."
Now this is some promise. Is he going to
REFORM and cease to look a 'tor his "personal
political fortunes"? Who haD-aurpassed him in
looking after, his "personal political fortunes"
in tho past?
"I don't want any hot air in mine." Who has
ever made hotter speeches? "I propose that
we shall stop this pork business," and yet his
policy means more "pork" for munition manu
facturers than they have ever had before, more
pork for the railroads, more pork for tho ship
ping trust, more pork for tho industrial trusts,
more pork for the tariff barons, more pork for
tho exploiters in Latin America. Congressmen
must not look for appropriations for their dis
tricts appropriations for rivers and harbors
and for public buildings. No, there will be no
retail pork it will be WHOLESALE pork and
that used to pay political debts to the plunder
bund.
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