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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1917)
V MAY, 1917 The Commoner 33 bo employed, w insist that equal pay for equal work shall prevail without regard to sex. Finally, in ordero safeguard all the inter ests of the wage-earners organized lahor should have representation on all agencies determining and administering policies for national defense. It is particularly important that organized lahor should have representatives on all hoards au thorized to control publicity during war times. The workers have suffered much injustice in war times by limitations upon their right to speak freely and to secure publicity for their just grievances. Organized labor has earned the Tight to make these demands. It Is the agency that, in all countries, stands for human rights and is the defender of the welfare and interests of the masses of the people. It is an .agency that has international recognition which is not seeking to rob, exploit or corrupt foreign governments but instead seeks to maintain human rights and interests the world over, nor does it have to dispel suspicion nor prove its motives either at home or abroad. The present war discloses the struggle be tween the Institutions of democracy and those of autocracy. As a nation we should t profit from the experiences of other nations. ' Denu ocracy can not be established hy patches upon an autocratic system. The foundations of civ ilized intercourse between individuals must be organized m upon principles of democracy and scientific principles of human welfare. Then a national structure can be perfected in harmony with humanitarian idealism a structure that will stand the tests of the necessities of peace or war. We, the officers of the National and Inter national Trade Unions of America in national conference assembled in the capital of our na tion, hereby pledge ourselves in peace or In war, in stress or In storm, to stand unreservedly by the standards of liberty and the safety and presem.tion of the institutions and Ideals of our republic. In this solemn hour of our nation's life, it is our earnest hope that our republic may be safe guarded in its unswerving desire for peace; that our people may be spared the horrors and the burdens of war; that they may have the opportunity to cultivate and develop the arts of peace, human brotherhood and a higher civil ization. But, despite all our endeavors and hopes, should our country be drawn into the maelstrom of the European conflict, we, with these ideals of liberty and justice herein declared, as the indispensable basis for national policies, offer our services to our country in every field of activity to defend, safeguard and preserve the republic of the United States of America against its enemies whomsoever they may be, and we call upon our fellow workers and fellow citizens in the holy name of Labor, Justice, Freedom and Humanity to devotedly and patriotically give like service. SPEECH OF WELCOME r Speech of welcome, by Mayor A. C. Oulla han, of Stockton, California, upon the occasion of the luncheon In honor of William Jennings Bryan, given by the Rotary club of that city, on May 9th, 1917. It is one of the functions of my office to wel come strangers to our gates, but I am out of a job on that score today, for I see no stranger here. We all know Bryan. We speak of him in familiar terms, as wa speak of the man next door. He belongs to Stockton, because he be longs t6 every community in the nation. He is one of the greatest figures in our contemporary history. And the history .that will be written in another day will tell how some men differed from him, and how some men agreed with him, hut how all men honored and respected him, be cause he , battled always for some noble ideal and some lofty principle. He pretends to be a man of peace,, but we know he Is the greatest single-handed fighter of his day and generation. We are proud to have in our midst that states man and patriot who is rich In all those graces and attainments which make a man a man. In the name of the city of Stockton, Mr. Bryan, in the name of her people who hold you in affectionate esteem, I bid you a sincere and hearty welcome. Charles W. Bryan as Mayor of Lincoln filed Sn ltUnd tW, TCjPOrtS PrParCd and SJ,Hn J YL ? Clty councI1 of Lincoln, Nebraska, during the two years that Mr. Charles W. Bryan was mayor. Lincoln Is under the commSS I nffrtVnnmSnt- Mr' Bryan s clccted on a platform that demanded tho reduction in the rates for public utilities' service, in favor of adopting legislation to enablo tho city of Lin coln to compote with other cities in growth and development and to enforce tho law against tho evildoers of the city. Although a majority of tho commissioners elected were supported by eloments thnt wero unfriendly to Mr. Bryan's candidacy, and al though for awhile after he took up his duties as mayor tho majority of tho commission en deavored to prevent him from carrying out his progressive program, yet ho gradually over came tho opposition, and during tho last year of his term, tho majority of tho council sup ported practically all tho measures which ho initiated. Mr. Bryan's term as mayor ended May 7, 1917. Practically the entire platform program outlined by him when ho announcod his candi dacy for mayor was carried out during his term, together with a large number of other measures and reorganizations that could not bo foreseen before entering upon his official duties. Mr. Bryan's progressive, business administration met with such general approval of the public that, no representative citizen was found to stand as a candidate for mayor at this spring's election until Mr. Bryan announced, a short time before time for the primary, that he would not stand as a candidate for re-election because he could not make a further sacrifico of time and nerve force to continue in tho position. After Mr. Bryan's announcement that ho could not serve again as mayor, Mr. J. E. Miller, one of Lincoln's most prominent business men, was drafted to stand as a candidate for mayor and was elected, and has npw , entered .upon, .his duties. The reports below contain a brief summary of some of the things that were nccompllshed under Mayor Bryan's initiative. These reports are official reports made by Mayor Bryan to the city council and approved unanimously by that body and spread upon tho records of the city. Immediately following tho reports are short ed itorials from the two most representative news papers of Lincoln (both republican) comment ing on Mr. Bryan's work as mayor. FIRST YEAR'S ADMINISTRATION The mayor's report to the council covering the first year of his administration was as follows: Reduction of the price of gas from $1.20 to $1 per thousand, saving to tho people of Lin coln $56,000 per year. Suit won in federal district court to compel gas company to return to gas consumers about $450,000 illegally collected by gas company in overcharges. Case now appealed by gas com pany to United States supreme court with every prospect of final decision fn favor of the city. People voted $50,000 of park bonds and ex tension of Antelope park from J street to O street. Purchase of needed property partly completed. People voted garbage disposal bonds to tho amount of $50,000 and now plans under way for establishing a garbage .plant to improve sani- . tary conditions in the city. Established free legal aid department in In terest of those unable to employ attorneys. One -hundred and thirty-nine cases settled from Sep tember 1, 1915, to March 1, 1916. y Established free municipal employment bureau to assist the unemployed In finding work. Arrangement of city work so as to give em ployment to labor at a time of year when there was the least demand for labor by private em ployers. -,y Enforcement of weights and measures ordin ances as a protection to the public against short weiehts in coal and all other commodities. Giving Lincoln people an opportunity to pur chase as an investment over the city treasurer s colter, paving bonds issued by this municipal- yConsolidatIon of the offices of health officer and city physician undor ono head, so as to In suro prompt medical attention to peoplo finan cially unablo to employ a physician. Extonslon by express coinpanloa of trao dtf llvory zono to includo practically tho ontlro city. S Successfully rcslstod a ralso In strcot car fare to school chlldron, thoroby saving about thre thousand dollars annually to stroot car patrons. Vestod pardon power In hands of tho mayor to prevent abuso of pardon power. SIdowalk inspector placed undor suporvlslo of city enginoer to promoto efficiency. Payment by city of premium on city treas urer a bond duriug tlrno city treasurer drawn no salary. Employment of visiting, nurso by cltr for ' honefit of needy. Purchase of additional automobile for poller department to enablo it to answer two omor goncy callB at ono tlmo. Reorganisation of police department and bringing pollco of city and county Into harmony so as to give hotter protection to tho public. r City budgot made up after an exchange of es timates between commissioners and after dis cussion and consideration of tho rolatlvo merits of the Items In each commissioner's estimate. Enforcement of the milk ordlnanco to protect public health. Put into effoct doubloHflre shift and addod thirteen now men to tho ffo department. Require appointments of flromon to bo con firmed by council, and also roquiro a physical examination of new flromon when employed, f protoct city's Intcrost in firemen's pension fund. Took fire department out of politics. Built offices In old council cbambor at Tenth and Q streets for health department to glvo de partment more room, to sogregato the thre public safety departments, to protect the pbll health and to promote olllcloncy of department. lrbmU new woman's ward in city Jail as a hu manitarian necessity. CHARLES W. BRYAN, Mayor. Tho above report was submitted by tho mayor and officially approved by the Lincoln council juuruii xo, iyiu. N REPORT FOR PAST YEAR Mayor Bryan's report, covering the second year of his administration and submitted to the council April 30, 1917, is as follows: To tho members of tho City Council: On March 13, 1916, I submitted to the coun cil a report of tho progress made la tho way of legislation and departmental work of the city covering tho period from May 1, 1915, to March 1, 1916. Believing that a full report of the ac tivities of the cjty administration should be regularly made to tho city council and should become a matter of record, I submit herewith a report of progress made .from March 1, 1918, to May 1, 1917. As repojrts by tho appointive officers covering their respective activities wore filed at the first of the year, covering the pre ceding twelve months, this report covers the measures, administration work, resolutions, etc., that were carried out either by the mayor, thru his initiative or in response to his recommenda tions. ANTELOPE PARK EXTENSION " During the past year, about thirty-five lots, tracts, or parcels of park land lying between J street and O street have been purchased for the purpose of extending Antelope park from J street to O street. A new channel for Antelope creek has been cut from M street to J street. Tho five loops of the old channel through the city park tract have been filled. Fifteen houses have been sold, moved off the tract, where 10, 000 yards of dirt have been secured and used fn filling cellar holes, and raising the park tract to prevent overflow of water. Boulevards on either side of the new Antelope channel havo been graded, crowned, and cindered from J street to O street, the rubbish and trash cleaned out, trees trimmed and ground put In condition for seeding and planting. Shrubbery and trees to the amount of several hundred dollars have been purchased for the park extension tract and are now being set out. Grass seed has been pur- 4 " i nS;