Wf '
The Commoner
jiNOABZ, 1920
a
W8I
I
ii nn tlio theory that. the old parties do
parties, uu tfaat iaye arisen. 0ur party
not.rSno par" that can qualify for the meet
13 tne. V; " i icoiioo Tt can oDDoae a class party
ing of t
. . , f Hooif hn nartv of a class, but
bhoa pSt" o the Wh6le PePle'regardless of
ClaShc republican party has become a capltalist
. irtv and has permitted tariff barons to write
Ic party ana uo maf?nn.tG to direct the
the tarm w. " -;-" n .
, nf the narty on iuo t nww") "
Pn dyDresidents to dictate its policy on the rail
of the' party on the trust question, and rail-
-Mnntfl tn fllCLiLLH 1L UUHW ViiX tuu inu-
roa Jli whn racking house companies
IS other proflteers have used it as their own.
w would divide the country into class parties
ind bv its own attitude compel the formation
of a farmers' party and a laborers' party.
"The democratic party, on the contrary, stands
ftr the protection of the rights of every class,
filing with each citizen as an individual in
BtVad of as a member of a class. It has, since
ft has been in power, given the commercial
classes a Splendid currency law; it was given
the farmers a farm-loan law; it has given labor
an eight-hour day and greater security in its
riehts! and has given to all the people relief
from the high-tariff burdens that had been
placed upon consumers. Democracy contem
plates co-operation between all elements and the
promoting of the welfare of society in general.
TRIBUNAL FOR STRIKES URGED
''It would prevent strikes, not by "prohibitory
laws, but by the creation of machinery which
will investigate disputes and thus secure a peace
ful settlement of differences before the con
troversy reaches the stage of strike or lockout.
"The democratic party will distinguish be
tween evolution and revolution, guaranteeing
freedom of speech and press to every one who
advocates governmental changes by constitu
tional methods, and, at the same time, prevent
the use of either freedom of speech or freedom
of the press for the overthrow of constitutional
government.
"The democratic party has for twenty years
denounced private monopoly as indefensible and
Intolerable. It cannot surrender its position on
this subject now when the beneficiaries of all
the private monopolies are mobilizing under the
banner of the republican party for a united at
tack upon the right of the people to own and
operate all necessary monopolies in the interest
of the public.
FIGHT AGAINST PROFITEERS
"The democratic party will continue its fight
against the profiteers. A government that re
strains the individual from the use of force in
the protection of his rights assumes the solemn
obligation to protect the disarmed citizen from
every arm uplifted for his injury.- We need
machinery in every state and in each commun
ity that will give to the consumer .a tribunal
before which a dealer accused of profiteering
can be brought for examination. The federal
trade commission is a step in the right direc
tion. But the subject is too big to be handled
by the nation alone or by a national commis
sion. The remedy must be as complete as the
evil, and it cannot be completo unless states
and communities as well as the federal gov
ernment are prepared to deal with this subject.
"I assume that the party will accept pro
hibition as the permanent policy of the country.
Three-fourths of the democrats in the senate
and two-thirds of the democrats in the house
voted to submit the national amendment, and
every democratic state voted for ratification
and every republican state except three. It is
inconceivable, therefore, that our party should
antagonize the moral sense of the nation. John
Barleycorn is dead. The democratic party can
hot tie itself to a corpse or become the champion
of an outlawed traffic.
NEED WOMEN'S VOTES
"I assume that the party will accept woman's
suffrage also as an "accomplished ,fact.' The
Women saved our party from defeat in the last
campaign, and we need their aid to hasten the
triumph of every righteous cause.
"I venture to suggest three new propositions
for which I ask consideration:
'First. A national peace-way, running into
every state, wide enough to accbmmodate both
Passengers and freight; and so permanent that
Jt will be a lasting tie binding together the
forty-eight commonwealths. It will be a me
morial to the soldiers and to all others who took
Part in the war, and a monument in commem
rationv of peace restored. It will not only be
JJ expression of patriotism, but it will be edu
Wucational as well as. useful. It will bring the
word 'peace' into the thought and conversation
of all our people for centuries.
"Second. Wo need above all other things
just now a national bulletin not. a newspapar,
but a bulletin under bipartisan control, fur
nished to all who desire it at a nominal cost
a bulletin which will present to the poople the
Issues upon which they must act, with editorials
presenting the arguments for and against the
action proposed, so that every .citizen may in
telligently exercise the duties of citizenship and
bivo to ms government tne Donent or his judg
ment and his conscience. The avenues of in
formation are at present in private hands, and
the editors, being human, have a bias which
makes It impossible for them to present both
sides fairly; and to make the situation worse,
the great predatory interests are in position to
influence many newspapers in addition to those
which they absolutely control. If there is any
thing for which a government like ours can af
ford to spend money, it is to Inform those upon
whose will the government rests.
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
"Third. The initiative and referendum are
not now. For a quarter of a century the idea
has been growing and spreading. Since this re
form has been put into operation in states like
Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and Massachusetts, it
has ceased to bo a thing to be ridiculed. In
stead, it now excites the determined opposition
of those who are not willing that the people
shall be the masters of their own destiny
through a government entirely within their con
trol. The progress that democracy is making
throughout the world ought to encourage our
party to make the adoption of the principle of
the initiative ,and referendum its next great re
form, a reform entirely in hrirmony with the
election of senator by the people, and the pri
mary. The people are the source of authority,
and any machinery which obstructs the popular
will and puts into the hands of the minority
the right to determine, the course of the govern
ment is antagonistic to our institutions and
must give way before the progress of popular
government.
"We have become the world's teacher in the
science of government, and wo must not hesi
tate to express in practice our own faith in the
principles' that we proclaim. Our party must
respond to the call that comes from every state
and from across the sea to apply to every prob
lem the principles of democracy. Faith in the
people, faith in their capacity for self-government,
as well as in their right to self-government,
must be our party's policy now and al
ways.
i
ri
BRYAN PAVED WAY, DECLARES DANIELS
A Washington dispatch, dated January 8,
says: William Jennings pryan was given credit
by Josephus Daniels, secretary of the navy, for
laving the foundations of the league of nations
covenant through the arbitration treaties nego
tiated bv him as secretary of state.
In view of published reports that the three
times nominee of the democrats for the presi
dency again aspired to lead the party in a cam
Saijm Mr. Daniels' statement created one of the
most interesting moments of the dinner.
m -The declaration (of independence) and the
rovenant (of the league of nations)," the secre
cy said, ''are the two living light fountains
of Hberty and peace. It is the glory of the
democratic party that through Jefferson and
WlTson we have given these safe charts for all
vyuson wu icati0.n upon all seas.
Tust as sure Jefferson's declaration and
T inroln's emancipation glorify American states-
iSSTSK? rtSVKof foTwiS
S " tht
long ; step toward tha Jfal was rea
celebrated and beneficent u y Md
KtJWS? SWi. embodied In
the treaty of peace appreciatlve of the
Asserting that no ma i coming presi-
changlng AAtor any party, Mr.
dentlal election vreacsimea i tfae
even'ye - eba5?.eametaemocrat,o part,
to a renewed lease of power.
MR. BRYAN'S QUESTIONS
M, Bryan 2a4 Sno "aX'er S
to which he j'Vut perhaps ha has Intentions
rhroPwTactuntU-PMo.phiaInou.re,
Letters from Commoner
Readers
Casslus Haywood, Oklahoma In December's
Commonor U a "foa8t of roason and a flow of
soul." Bryan Is at tha front, with tho profound
clarion challcngo to tho mighty hosts of truo
lnmmt..r... ,1nmlwllln' 1. n t limit nt nnttl flit I.
uuiuuuiuujti uuiiiuiiuuiji VJiaw niu; in. uu l'"y ,j
themselves to tho task of considering a lander fa
who Is able to champion tholr cause and bo fore
most In every act that shall bo nocossary to
lift it out of tho slough of confusion and mako
It pure nnd cloan, that It may again bo prosont
ablo to fulfill tho hopo and sustain tho faith
that right shall and will triumph.
'Tls tho samo Bryan that electrified at Chica
go by tho chlsolod oloquonco of unbondlng con
viction. 'Tls tho same Bryan who at St. Louis
stood, pale and trembling, boforo that vast cpn
ventlon; who loft his sick bod at 2 o'clock- In
the morning to minister to tho wronged cause,
In such oratory of dauntless truths as bad
novor, until then, hold that enormous throng
so overpowered and In such broathloss pause.
'Tls tho samo Bryan who fought Bolmont and
Murphy; who won against Rockefellers and Mor
gans; who now witnesses his party precipitate in
tendency toward profiteers, wealth and Its fawn
ing cohorts.
'Tin the samo Bryan who championed tho in
come tax and tho popular election of Unltod
States sonators; who has for moro than a decado
advocated for every state a law to guarantoo
bank deposits, similar to tho Oklahoma guar
anty fund. 'Tls tho same Bryan who long since
declared against government by Injunction; wno
has observed his government ownership ideas
grow, since his Madison Square Garden speoch,
by leaps and bounds. Tho world knows of his -,
labors in tho cause of prohibition, and of tho
value of his efforts in tho furtherance of woman t
suffrage. And none will be deceived, thht tho t
body of tho League of Nations covenant was ' '
taken whole from his thirty rlguteous trcauoa.
He Is on tho sldo of labor, with ample rea
son, showing tho Btraln of Sunday to bo too
severe when the one day Is to be divided bc
hnnn rftinvnHnn nf fonrtv and snlrltttal devotion;
declaring the minimum wage proposition Just
and that it, In timo, would como to bo a fact.
What' of 10 to 1, with twilight sHvor morfif
precious than sunlit gold? What of his logic
relative to money's quantitative bearing on
prices? Ask whoever waysido shopkeoper. Pro
pound It to tho profiteers. But tho latter will
only smllo In ominous silence.
For you, Mr. W. J. Bryan, and The Commonor,
signal success.
i 1 i f
WUl Atkinson, Pennsylvania. With a "woC"
president prohibition will bo nullified. The on
ly "dry" who has any chanco of olection is
William Jennings Bryan.
Tho "alien and sedition act" destroyed tho
strongest political party of a hundred and
twenty-two years ago. The Espionage act- and
its silly enforcement during actual peace has so
disrupted tho Democratic party that no Demo-,
crat can be elected president in 1920 but Bryan
William Jennings Bryan will bo nominated and
elected president In 1920, because of universal
confidence in his absolute honesty and because
of his own advocacy of suffrage, prohibition and
nubile ownership will attract the votes of vomon,
"drys" and of public ownership advocates as no
otner cuuu u-w .. ,,
I would like to nommuiu i ue, ""
Former Governor Martin II. Glynn of New York.
PRESIDENT WON'T SEEK THIRD TERM
A Philadelphia dispatch, dated January 10,
Riva- Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer was
nuoted tonight by newspaper interviewers to the
effect that persons in close touch with President
Wilson are certain that he will not seek re-
GlC4ho president," Mr. Palmer is quoted as say
intr "realizes that there Is a certain sentiment
throughout the country against a chief execu
tive running for a third time and while he has
not made any definite declaration that he will
not be a candidate this year, his personal friends
imnw he will not even consider It.
The peace treaty wil be ratified with reason
able Interpretations or with reservations, said
Palme?, who attended a dinner of a Greek letter
fraternity of Swarthmore college.
fF "CaU them what you will, they will not nullify
the treaty and tho document will be satisfao
tory, I p.Srs.onally.believe, to President Wileto'
he said."
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