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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1916)
WYPfHJPfWl'WWH wnt. The Commoner OCTOBER, 1916 15W The Outlook Every day increases the prospects of demo cratic success in November. The women are for "Wilson because he has kept the county out of war with Mexico and out of the war in Europe. The farmers are for Wilson because of the Pural Credits law and other legislation in the interest of agriculture; business men are for Wilson because of the Currency law; labor is for Wilson because of the Eight-Hour Day law and legislation against government by injunc tion. These are special reasons that appeal to different classes, but all classes appreciate the fact that the President has considered all ques tions from the standpoint of the masses, while Mr. Hughes, like Mr. Taft, stands for the big interests as against the people. Let every democrat work from now. until the polls close to make it unanimous. W. J. BRYAN. REAL BRAVERY A press dispatch gives the following illustra tion of real bravery: "New York, Aug. 28. Through the plague stricken district of New York, Miss Theodora Booth, daughter of General Ballington Booth of the Salvation army, last week observed the suf fering being wrought by infantile paralysis. " 'We are looking for someone of strong phy sique to inoculate with infantile paralysis virus,' one of the tired doctors told her. " 'I'm willing to be inoculated,' spoke up the young woman. " 'But,' said the physician, 'it might mean your death you wpuld have to pass through every stage of the disease.' " 'I'd sacrifice my life if it would moan any thing to- thcao little children l see suffering,' she said firmly. - "The physicia'n said nothing more about the offer, but when Miss Booth returned to- her father's home at Blue Point, L. I., she showed her boast wasnot an idle one. She sent out word that she would be a subject for the experi ments the physicians wish to make. Because of her athletic physique, she may be chosen. " 'I would do anything,' she said. 'My life is iot worth as much as the hundreds of children hat I might save.' " 'The above is commended to professional sol diers and .jingo ministers. This will doubtless suem like weakness to those who exalt killing as a manly art; but it is the Christian way, and it is as high above the brute method as heaven is above the earth. CONGRESSMAN HENSLEY Among the many congressmen who have done well, Congressman Hensley of Missouri i deserves special mention for his untiring efforts, in behalf of peace. He should be returned by unanimous vote. PROHIBITION GROWING Nineteen states dry and eloven have gone dry within four years. That is a good record, but it is better than that. Several states aro voting this year and four more aro preparing to vote on the subject next year, with several oth ers approaching the issue. By 1920 not loss than twenty-six and probably thirty states will bo dry. And what is the record of the democratic party? Eleven of the nineteen dry states go democratic at every election, and the democrats are leading the fight for prohibition in Texas, Florida,' Montana, Utah, Iowa, and Now Mexico. The young men coming out of the colleges aro in the fight for prohibition. The future is theirs. Watch your step, and your vote. MORE POLISHED, BUT Senator Root's speech defending Mr. Hughes is more polished than the speches of his candi date and Colonel Roosevelt, but the ideas-Well, the ideas are Mr. Root's, the same Mr. Root who prepared a constitution for New York. And what was the fate of the constitution? Defeated by several hundred thousand. Colonel Roosevelt declares in a speech that the United States must be strong enough to de fend herself against all foes and must also never wrong the weak. The colonel will probably ex cept the United States of Colombia from the latter list. Mr. Hughes has had a hard time of it finding an issue that any considerable number of per sons were interested in. With all of the planks that Boies Penrose and the other boys put into the republican platform the candidate ought to be able to find one at least that would float. The value of a straw vote on the presidency is most evident and best appreciated by a man if Hi rcouit ravortf his candidate. If otlierwiso he is instantly able to perceive how piffling and worthless such a method of ascertaining the trend of public sentiment is. ' The republicans were sure for about two days that they had discovered a joker in the child labor law that destroyed its effectiveness. It proved, however, that the only joker was the chap who sprung the story in the hope that he could get away with it. There is a growing conviction among those who havelieard Mr. Hughes that Mr. Taft n.ust have underestimated the importance of the su preme "bench when ho selected Mr. Hughes for the position from which he resigned. A WET EXECUTIVE The papers are publishing an interview given out by the mayor of Davenport, Iowa, boasting that more whiskey is consumed under prohibi tion than when the city had saloons. The mayor of a city ought to be enforcing the law instead of bragging about the lawlessness of his com munity but this is what is 'to be expected when the liquor element is allowed to pick the officials. . - . ' If the liquor interests of Iowa are assisted in , their efforts to lift Mr. Harding into the gov ernor's chair, the voters will have only them selves to blame if their chief executive gives out interviews similar to the one for which Daven port's mayor is responsible. The old tariff issue has been brushed as clean as possible and new buttons and a new collar sewed on, but somehow it seoms to bo exceed ingly difficult to conceaL-the worn condition of the seams and the poof quality of the cloth. There seems to be no doubt that Mr. Hughes's speeches are helping Mr. Wilson. The import ant question is whether the republican candi date's strength will hold out long enough to in sure the re-election of the President. If Mr. Roosevelt has any friends left after his desertion of them at Chicago they may in terpret his speeches to mean that Mr. Hughes's defeat this year will open the vway for Mr. Roosevelt in 1920. THAT BATTLE CREEK SPEECH One can not read Colonel Roosevelt's Battle Creek speech without wondering whether the Colonel wants 'Hughes elected or is really trying to defeat him. Surely he can not think that such a speech hurts Mr. Wilson. What do the people desiro above all other things? Peace and prosperity. Mr. Wilson and the democratic party has given them both. That's a pretty fair basis for a prediction as to tho outcome. The Woman Vote Democratic womon will not allow thcniBolv.es to bo misled into turning tho government back to tho reactionaries who t.ro responsible for Mr. Hughes's nomination and who will control tho government if ho la olectod. Tho women's party wants to make suffrage a partisan Issue, but it would be a grievous mis take to do so. No party Is likely to control two thlrda of both housos rnd three-fourths of tho states, and that is what a constitutional amend ment must secure. Tho womon who met at At-, lantlc City recently wero right in refusing to make woman suffrage a partisan Issue. Surely tho presumption of wisdom Is on the side of the majority who opposo making woman suffrage a partisan issue rather than on the side of the few who aro trying to use tho Issue to aid tho re publican candidate. And why does tho womon's party rely on Mr. Hughes's utterances Instead of on tho repub lican platform? Republican senators and re publican congressmen aro not bound by any thing that Candidate Hughes says. Thoy ar bound only by the republican platform which it , not as strong as tho democratic platform. Th republican platform after endorsing woman suf frago, leaves the question to tho states, while tho democratic platform recommends tho ox tension of woman suffrage to women. As between tho candidates, Mr. Wilson hae much tho better record. Mr. Wilson wont to New Jersey and voted for woman suffrage a year ago, while Mr. Hughes did not feel Interested enough in the question to vote when his vote might have decided tho question In New York. President Wilson was tho first president to put tho influence of the white housj on the side of woman suffrage. Is it not fair to assume that his action is largely responsible for tho recent growth of sentiment that forced the republican party to go as iar an it cucnr it must be remem bered, too, that President Wilson is responsible for the fact that the democratic platform pn dorsed woman suffrage. Being tho unanimous ' choice of the convention his wishes wero con- ' sidered in making tho platform. So far as. Is d known, Mr. Hughes had no 'part in making tho republican platform. W. J. BRYAN, THE REAIi ENEMY Mr. Roosevelt is still w.aging war on Mexico and Germany, but his shells are falling in the .camp of one Charles Evans Hughes. - No wonder they are talking of sending Roose velt to speak in Texas. He can not do any harm to Hughes there, which is more 'than can bo said of his speeches in the close states. Old General Apathy, who commanded an army of many millions when the campaign be gun,, is reported to be about to resign because he has run out of an army. THE HERO OP THE BLIND ALLEY Mr. Hughes has started out in so many direc tions and been compelled to back out that he has earned the title: Hero of the Blind Alley. HUGHES'S CANDIDATE BEATEN Tho San Francisco Chronicle says: "Most certainly Charles E. Hughes will bo better pleased to see a straight-out republican chosen as tho republican candidate for the sen ate. It is a wise presidential nominee who does not express opinions upon state selections, but it is a million to a dime that ho would prefer Booth." -ti But Booth was defeated. Johnson won In spite of the effort of the 'Booth men to connect their candidate with the presidential candidate. THE VALUE OFEXPERIENOE Tho New York World enquires how Mr. Hughes can, without repudiating his own logic, ask that an experienced President like Mr. Wilson be turned out to give a place for an Inexperienced man like tho republican candidate. THERE'S A REASON If Secretary Daniels Is ever irritated by the amount of space Life gives to criticisms of him and grape juice he may find a reason In the larger amount of space sold to advertisers of whiskey, cocktails and beer. GOOD OUT OP EVIL Since entering the war Rumania has closed all tho saloons. Good. War, it would seem, hath her victories no less renowned than peace. , CHANGE DANGEROUS Mr. Hughes thinks it almost a crime to, change ambassadors in France during tho war. What about changing presidents at a time like this? DESERVING DEMOCRATS Let's see, it is about a month now since Mr. Hughes has made any reference to "Deserving Democrats." Republicans claim .that Mr. Hughes is getting his "second wind," but considering tho use(J lhe makes of it it would seem an added misfortune.
