f
The Commoner
16
VOL. 17, NO. 8
v(
C. W. Bryan Suggests All Should
Help Carry War Burden
From tho Nebraska State Journal,
August 10.
"In order to strengthen tho hands
of the 'government," says ox-Mayor
Charles W. Bryan, "it is the duty of
tho people to soo that when soldiers
go away to ontejr the army they can
do so in full confidence that tho folks
they leave at homo will not fall vic
tims to war profiteers. A man called
into tho army will go much more
choorfully if ho can bo assured that
the government is able and willing to
protect his family from being imposed
on in the purchase of necessary sup-
plies.
"This mattor is vital to tho success
of tho war. Th'e number of claims
for exemption is increased, I feol
sure, by a general feeling that tho
people at homo, and especially the
business men, are not prepared to
make as heavy sacrifices as are de
manded of the men in tho ranks.
This is a time for equal participation
in tho war and equal sacrifice. Tho
goneral government is moving to se
curo this equality. In order that Lin
coln and Nebraska may do their
share, I respectfully make tho fol
lowing suggestions:
"First That the city council of
Lincoln meet at once in special ses
sion and make the sale of vegetables
and other products free to all per
sons in Lincoln by repealing the
present ordinance which virtually
keeps hucksters off "the streets. Tho
ordinance was passed as an aid to a
food monopoly and should bo re
pealed. "Second The council should fix a
standard weight for a loaf of bread,
so that the people can tell how much
they are paying and so that they may
make intelligent comparison of
prices.
"Third The city council should
establish a public market at a central
location, whore producer and con
public know whether these dealers
should bo vindicated or condomned.
"Sixth Tho legislature should be
called in special session, members
and employes serving without pay,
to pass laws granting the state officers
tho right to' determine what was a
"reasonable profit" in connection
with tho purchase and sale of food,
fuel and clothing, and bo empowered
to enforce their findings and to work
in harmony with tho efforts of the
national administration to protect
the public against 'trade patriots "
MR, BRYAN'S PROPOSALS
Commenting on the above propos
als, the Nebraska State Journal said
editorially:
"It would be useless to deny that
back of former Mayor Bryan's pro
posal for dealing with the local food
situation there lies a considerable
body of public opinion.
"Mr. Bryan urges that the ordin
ances restraining huckstering, which
he says, were 'passed as an aid to a
food monopoly,' be repealed in order
that anyone with produce to sell may
be free to sell it as he pleases. These
ordinances were adopted to protect
established business men from Irre
sponsible competition. But they have
resulted in limiting the handling of
produce to those permanently in that
business, save only those few farmers
who care to peddle produce of their
own growing. This does not set up
an individual monopoly, but it does
limit the business to the one form and
method. Now that individuals in any
line of business are generally organ
ized into associations which temper
competition, the public has at least
superficial grounds for fearing the
existence of monopolistic elements in
distribution. Merely because the re
peal of these ordinances would dis
arm thefse suspicions, the merchants
affected can well afford to favor the
repeal.
sumor could meet without charge for'rep.eaV . " wU1 not uarm auy leglti
stall rent during the war. I mate interest, while increasing public
stall rent during the war.
"Fourth The mayor should be
authorized to purchase and sell food
and fuel during the war, similar to
tho powers now being conferred on
the President.
"Fifth A well defined feeling ex
ists that there have been unreason
able profits in flour, fuel, produce
and other necessities. If thit is not
well founded, business men should be
free of suspicion. If they are guilty
they should be prosecuted, publicly
condemned and socially ostracised,
and a repetition of the offense made
impossible. To find out and to clear
the atmosphere, I suggest a commit
tee appointed by the city council or
a public meeting, a committee having
the confidence of tho public, which
shall confidentially investigate the
books of dealers in coal, flour, prod
uce and other necessities, and let the
Corn, Wheat and Clover Land
that has proven itself tho greatest
producer is horo In tho Doxtor District
of Stoddard County In southeast Mis
souri. It is tho most llvablo country in
all tho Mississippi Valley, a district
without saloons, and whoro soventy
flvo per cent of tho .poople who
own their lands live on them. Wo
have a few choice bargains ranging in
price from $35 per aero and up on
easy terms. For copy of our Square
Deal booklet and particulars write
NcwIiouhc & Hcldscrer, Dexter, Mo.
leal proceeding such as the fixing of
prices and profits by state action. The
work of tho federal authorities will
probably suffice in that field. But in
no way can the business men who are
sacrificing their time and strength in
local war work better convince tho
public of the disinterestedness of
their patriotism than by helping to
clear up all buspicion of war profit
eering in the distribution of the
necessaries of life."
good feeling toward business.
"Mr. Bryan's suggestion that tho
council fix and enforce a standard
weight for bread needs no argument.
The repeal of the standard weight or
dinance was brought about for no
purpose but to facilitate the raising
of tho price of bread. The city coun
cil was not thinking of the consumers'
interests when it made that mistake.
Correction should be made at the
earliest possible moment.
"The third suggestion of Mr. Bryan
is the familiar plea for a free public
market. We do not believe that such
a market, in these days of telephones,
wm answer as broad a purpose as
such markets served in former days.
Not many housewives will go long
distances to a public market, nor is it
economical for them to do so. But the
more needy would probably be helped
by such a market, and ..s a place for
wholesale dealings in produce it
might be very valuable. The public
would feel, moreover, that such a
market provided a salutory check on
prices and a stimulus to production.
"As toMr. Bryan's further sugges
tion that the mayor be authnrlzod tn
behalf of the city to purchase and sell
food and fuel during the war, and
that a committee of the city council
make confidential Investigations of
the profits of local distributors of
necessaries, this would perhaps be
unnecessary if the previous sugges
tions were followed. What tho public
wants to know and has a right to
know is that it is not being taken ad
vantage of under cover of war prices
It is doubtful whether the satisfac
tion of this need requires any rad-
Mr. Bryan's New Book-.
"Heart to Heart Appeals
Mr. Bryan has made a careful collection of the
Heart to Heart Appeals, scattered through the speeches
delivered by him during a quarter of a century (1890
1916) in the belief that they will bo of permanent in
terest to the reading public, especially to students.
They cover all the issues before tho country during
tho eventful period covered by his connection with
American and world 'politics.
Tho twenty-two chapters deal with topics ennumer
ated in tho tablo of contents below:
CONTENTS
XI.
L Government
n.- Tariff.
III. Income Tax
IV. Money
V. Imperialism
VI. Trusts
VII. Labor
VIII. Popular Election of
Senators
IX. Publicity Campaign
Contributions
X. Initiative and Referendum
-Banal Suffra.fr a
XII. Tho liiauor OnmHnn
XHLt-Issucs Past and
Present
XIV. Chicago Convention
XV. St. Louis Convention
XVI. Baltimore Convtion
XVII. Pan America
XVin. In Foreign Lands
XIX. Pcaco
XX. Religion
XXI. Ideals
XXII. Miscellaneous
Mr. Bryan is sepecially anxious to get the book into
the hands of University, College and High School stu
dents. Any student desiring to act as agent can obtain
terms by addressing the publishers, Morning H. Revell
Oo 158 5th Avo.t N, X Readers of Tho Commoner can
secure the book at one dollar per volume by addressing
Tho Commoner or the publishers.
It will be sent FREE to any subscriber sending in
three subscriptions at one dollar each. Address
THE COMMONER, LINCOLN, NEB.
Value of Life Insurance
In this age there are few who do not recognize
the economic value of life insurance. Most
persons can recall specific instances where prac
tically all that remained for the widow and
children was the proceeds of a life insurance
policy.
Such examples are not rare ones and as they
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of the economic benefits of life insurance. It
is not alono that the individuals comprising the
family in such cases are better housedTbetter
fed and better clothed, but there is a lar more
important factor; namely, the mother is enabled'
to keep the children together and the family
unit is not entirely destroyed. This phase of
life insurance has not been emphasized enough
nor given tho attention which its importance
warrants. Protect the family now by insuring in
THE MIDWEST LIFE
of IJNCOLN, NEBRASKA
N. Z. SNELL-, President. V ',',.
Guaranteed Cost life Insurance " '
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