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WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR '
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VOL, 21, NO. 7
Lincoln, Nebraska, July, 1921
Whole Number 747
The
Democrats
J;
le
at Work
The Democrats in the Senate andf House at
Washington are making a great record. They
have reduced the army against the protest of
Secretary of War Weeks; they have reduced
.-
the navy appropriation against the protest of
Secretary of the Navy Denby and they have
aided in the passage of the Borah resolution re
questing the President to calj a conference of
ithe leading nations to start disarmament. That
is a mighty good start. Of coursef they could
have done nothing without the aid of-insurgent
Republicans, hut the Democrats furnished the
P largest number of votes. Now for the' amend-
ment of the Federal 'Reserve ;ct tfo which at-
f tention is called .in other editorials) 'and -the re
duction of taxes. The reactionaries waut to re
lieve the hig .taxpayers first; the Democrats, jn-
sist on protecting the small taxpayersand the
I Democrats . will win. JEheKnox-Eorter rspl"ur.
tion divided, the uemoqrus, Du-it.asiovyery
little importance td the party; the wdr,:i3 over
Land it did no harm (and but little .good) to
make the formal declaration.
I The reaction has set in; the Republican
majority would be several millions legs if ijhe
fcvote were tqken today. W. J. BRYATn.
THE LION IN THE WAY
The tax question looms large at Washington
it is the supreme question. , Now let's see how
fthe Republican leaders can satisfy the demands
of big business. If there was pnly some way
rto transfer the burden, UNSEEN, pom the rich
.to the poor it would be easy,' but the poor are
i looking. The farmers can not stand any more
taxes their prices are falling. The laborers cau
not stand any more taxes their wages are fall
ing. The small merchants can not atand any more
taxes their profits are falling. If the prof
iteer can't pay his taxes, who can? And bssides,
the profiteer is the orly man who can. by his
own act relfeve himself. If he stops stealing
his excess profits tax stops. W, J. BRYAN,'
Let the People Answer
Shall the Federal Reserve Banks be ad
ministered for the benefit of the legitimate
business interests of the country, the prop
er financing of the great agricultural and
producing interests and the betterment of
the laboring classes, or shall they be used
to promote the selfish interests of groups
of speculators in Wall street?
Read John Skclton Williams startling
arraignment of the Federal Reserve Board
policies (on another page), and then write
your senators, and congressman to get busy
ut orico.. . - - i
j
THE BATTERED BATTALIONS
, Recent New York newspapers contained' vary
ing descriptions of the "mammoth" Booze parade
r8o long advertised and and so elaborately pre-
pared.,. The advance'notices promised an "erio5? '
mqus procession, variously estimated at 200,
000 to 300,000. Only 20,000 succeeded in get
ting into line only 20,000 in a city like New
York. But what's the use? The country has
gone dry; there is not even a m'rage to lure the
thirsty on. They can't get up even a good
"wake." Possibly it was well to have the parade:
it lanced the boil and let the matter out. The
saloon is a closed incident; the nation will pro-
. ceed to the .next order of business.
"ST(5P THE SQUEEZE" -
Congress should stop the Federal Reserve
Bank from collectihg and hoarding the people's
money.
The present effect 'off -the system is to strangle
industry, force farmers into bankruptcy and
throw laboring people out of employment while
the financial pirates are foreclosing mortgages
and paying themselves in dollars three times
.as large as they were when the loans were made.
How long will congress and the people stanv'
for tlTe. "deflation hold up?"
AMEND RESERVE BANK -LAW
Congressman Oldfield of Arkansas has intro
duced a bill that oughuto be passed at once.
On another page will be found a Washington
dispatch containing Mr. Oldfield's explanation of
it. It is intended, first, to prevent discrlinina-.
tion against rural banks both in proportion of
I money loaned and in rate of interest, and, sec-
ond, to give to purchasers of Liberty Bonds an
onnortunitv to borrow 80 per cent of the faca
I value of the bonds. Both propositions are
sound every word it true. Read the Oldneld
statement of the provisions of the bill and then
write your congressman and senators urging
them to support it. It should bie enacted at once,
W. J BRYAN,
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
We now have PRIVATE ownership of ail-;
roads, vith higher passenger rate?, "'higher
freight rates and poorer service, but the sub
sidized papers are not complaining. The gov
ernment could not have done worse than the
managers are doing. Experience is a dear
teacher but the people are learning.
- THE FARMERS AWAKENING
The farmers will have a splendid. Opportunity
to learn how, deceptive the benefits of the tar
iff are. Protection raises the price level of the
things they buy -but 'is powerless to raise the
level' of their products.: It .is, therefore; an -in- -jury-instead-of
an advantage. - - .
A Terrific Indict
ment Attention Is called to John Skelton Williams'
indictment of the management, or mismanage
ment", of the Federal Reserve Bank, It will be
found in this issue and should be carefully read.
Immediate action is necessary in lirie with Mr
Williams' suggestions. The farmer, the labor
er and the bus'ness man should have representa
tion on the board their interests are vitally
affected. It is a mistake to suppose that a
banker is the only one that understands the
. banking business or the only one who can wise
'ly decide banking" questions. His sympathies
may blind him to the interests of the masses,
no matter how honest he may be. Congress
should act and act at once. The Democrats
should demand" action and force the fighting
for relief. No time jSiould ba lost.
W. J. BRYAN.
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CHfEFnTUSTICE 3CAFT ""
The appointment of ex-President TaXt ,to the
chief justiceship was to be expected. That has
been the dream of his life compared with
which his experience in the White House seemed
something of a nightmare.
His appointment will give general satisfac
tion. He is constitutionally a conservative. He was
born that way, and his early environment and
later association confirmed him in the tendency.
But no one but a conservative could1 expect the
place, and he is honest and will do what he
thinks right. He has endeared himself to Demo
crats and Republicans al.ke by the way he took
his defeat, by his patriotic course during the
war, by his devotion to peace and by his active -interest
in public affairs.- The country is glad
to see him reach his goal. W. 3. BRYAN.
DAWES AND HIS SHEARS
General Dawes is at work with his shears
and is likely to prove the largest asset of the
administration. He has conscience and courage
two indispensable qualifications for the posi
tion he has, accepted. His mind is clear enough
to find the useless jobs and his heart is hard
enough to enable him to remove the useless of
ficials who are to the government what the ap
peifdix is to the body only more expensive.
.
THE SOLDIER'S BONUS
The Republican leaders are very anxious tc
take the tax off of excess profits t.nd at the same
time Secretary Mellon complains that they have
not enough money to give the ex-soldiers a
v bonus. Why not keep the excess profits tax and
use the proceeds to pay the ex-service men?
Those who collect MORE PROFITS THAN
THEY; SHOULD might help the boys -who re
ceiyed LESS BASY' THAN THBY EARNED.
W. 3. BRYAN-
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