The
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:
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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VOL 22, NO. 1U-
muTMm lllllin
I.
Lincdlri,, (Nebraska, January, 1922
J
Whole Number 753
it
Something Must
Be Done
What is tlio Republican administration agoing
to do to aid the farmers'? Its revenue law', by
taking the tax off of the profiteers and by re.
ducing the tax on big, incomes, 'makes1' the farm
er's load relatively' heavier than it was before.
The Federal Reserve Bank, specially designed
(or the protection of the,masses, has npw become
the tool of "Wall street for over-reaching, the gen
eral public. The Republicans are seeking to
evade responsibility for the tremendous injury
done the farmers by the Federal Reserve Bank
by declaring that a majority of the members of
the Reserve Board are appointees of the Demo
cratic administration. That is a sham defense.
The president of the Board, though appointed
by the Democratic administration, voted for
President Harding, and the administration has
made no effort to protect the farmers from the
action of the Board. To aggravate matters still
worse, the Republican leaders are now planning
a new tariff law which will stiHJurther oppress
the farmers while it attempts to deceive them by
putting on agricultural products tariff rates
that are of no advantage to the farmer.
The condition of the farmer is worse than it
has been at any time, before in thirty years and
the Republican leaders- .know no remedy. They
are like the medical student who attended, an
examination when under the influence of liquor.
His only answer, when questioned about hypo
thetical cases was 'I'd bleed him, I'd bleed him
again, etc." , i
The reaction is coming if the Democrats will
only put themselves in a position to take advan
tage of Republican mistakes. In every statei
whore there is a senator to elect, "they should
present a candidate who stands four-square on
iciy issue, tie should ba for the people as
against Wall street. He should favor faithful
enforcement of all laws, including the prohibi
tion law. He should be able to appeal to the,
best sentiment of the country and to all good
Citizens. The DemonrnHn nnvfv rlnoa nnf fltnnrl
jor the money power, for the breweis and dis-5?
tillers, or for the underworld, and no candidate
who is not sound on all questions has any chance'
of success.
In every ConEreSSionnl THfttrfof fVm Tlnmnnrfit.fi
'should he just as careful in the selection of their
candidates. It is entirely possible for theDemo-"
wats to secure a majority in the House of Repre
Benattves in this fall's election, and then the
win be in a position. to lay its plans for a
presidential victory in 924. No time"' is to be -0i.
Lot the Democrats be up and doing.
.. W. J.BRYAN,
'I
i
At the beginning of this,
its 22nd year, The Com
moner rededicates itself
to the guiding principle
of its name fidelity to
the common people.
PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE
General Wood and Gov. "General Forbes re
port against giving independence to the Philip
pine Islands. They recommend that congress de
clare null and void the so called Jones law which
promised independence. These gentlemen need
not have gone to the Philippine Islands to pre
pare such a report. There is not a word in their
report that could not have been written in the
United States and there is not a position taken
that has not, been advanced by Republicans who
never saV the Philippine Islands. It is a matter
of instinct with some to oppose the independence
of a subject people, but the sentiment of the peo
ple of the United States was more accurately
expressed in the Jones Bill than it will be in
any endeavor to provide for a backward step.
The world is marching toward self determina
tion and a reactionary policy is not likely to
strike the country favorably, especially if it in
cludes a withdrawal of a belated promise made
by the United States to respect its own principles1
as well as the rights of the Filipinos.
W. J. BRYAN.
NEWBERRY'S CASE
TheN Newberry case will soon be decided, and
the decision will be as important to the Senate
as to Newberry. The evidence shows enormous
expenditure. If Senator Newberry knew that
the money was being spent, the Senate can not
afford to allow him to remain a senator; if he
did not know, his continued occupancy of the
seat would open the door to unlimited fraud. If
Senator Newberry did not know what was going
on, then ignorance will in the future be a suf
ficient excuse for any corrupt method that may
be employed in the election of a senator. If the
senator does not mean to approve of the meth
ods employed to secure his election, he ought
to resign. He can not retain the fruits of the
corruption if at heart he disapproves of what
has been done. W. J. BRYAN.
The Arms Con
ference The Arms Conferonco has not boon able to
keop up to the high standard it sot at the begin
ning. It convened under the inspiration of an
impressive funeral thb funeral of the unknown
soldier. Its opening sossion was characterized
by a proposition for the scrapping of battleships
a proposition that was startling in its sudden
ness and magnitude. While much has been
done since to justify the convening of the con
ference, it has .ailed to fully roalize the expecta
tions excited by its early acts and many ques
tions seem likely to be left unsettled. The "dis
position to peace," or as Secretary Hughes put
it, "The will to peaco," has not been developed
to the extent that was hoped. European na
tions are still engaged in trying to secure selfish
advantago or, at least, they lack the faith In
each other that is necessary to permanent peaco.
Insofar as advance has been made It has been
made along Democratic line3 and is much "more
consistent with the Democratic record than with
me jKopuoncan record. The fruits thuslaf
gathered have been gathered from a tree that
finds its roots in Democratic id,eas, and our party
need not fear to compare its program with the
things that the Republicans have accomplished,
W. J. BRYAN,
GEN. PROSPERITY'S. RETREAT
The Republican, campaign orators will have a
hard time explaining the retreat of Gen. Pros
perity's army immediately after the Republican
victory. Even Democrats expected that Wall
street would make a show of improvement after
, the election in order to deceive the public, but
the 'financiers were so anxious to realize on
their securities before the slump came that they
could not give to the Republicans even the ap
pearance of keeping the good times that had ex
isted. It is going to be rough sledding for the
stock arguments of the Republican speakers.
W. J. BRYAN.
It will be hard enough for the ex-soldiers to
forgive the Republican leaders for postponing
the bonus legislation even if all of the claimants
had helm treated alike. It is unbearable for the
soldiers to have to wait while the profiteers and
the men with big incomes are favored with seats
at- the first table.
With the farmers borrowing money to pay
their taxes, with the laboring men adjusting
themselves to decreased wages and the little
merchants trying to postpone the day of" reck
oning, about three-fourths of the people will be
too busy to attend Republican meetings this fall.
Progressive Democrats should be induced to stand for,, nomination in
each congressional district of the United States. :. -..
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