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WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
, VOL 22, NO. 1 1
The Rule of the Rich
The legislation of "the present- Congress shows'
eonclusively that 'our government is under the
rule of the rich.. v The laws passed on the sub
jects of revenue and tariff give conclusive proof
that Big Business is in controlvThe repeal of
the tax on the profiteers and the reduction of tax
on big incomes, aswell as exorbitant tariff rates
given to favored manufacturers; all furnish
abundant evidence that the Republican leaders
are giving to those whohave large, fortunes and
taking from the poorer members of society
The contributions made to the campaign com
mittees are in harmony with the legislative .pol
icy of the parties. The Democrats, opposing
special privileges and defending the equal rights
of all, could not go to individuals or to any class
and demand payment for favors done, or con
tributions in advance for favors promised. The
press dispatches report $80,000 collected by the
Democratic committee, 'and 721vQ0 collected
by the Republican committee. These contribu
tions include those from the beginning of the
campaign up to the date Of publication, -about
ten days from the date o.f election. 'The Demo
crats gave small amounts as compared with the
Republican e contributions. The brother of the
Secretary of the Treasury, Mellon, gave $25,000
-nearly a third as much as the entire amount
collected by the Democrats. This looks like
Quito a sum and yet At is much' less than the
amount saved to Secretary Mellon by the reduc
tion of the tax on big incomes As he recom
mended the reduction and as the House passed
Ni Mr;. Mellon would have been saved hundreds
l thousands on his income-tax. If. the bill" had
become a law as the Conference Committee
agreed upon it, he would have saved nearly
twice as much as he did; but even as it was he
aved far more than .his brother contributed
(unless his wealth has been very much over
estimated). ' ,
Take the next contributor: John D. Rockefol-
ler Sr., gave $15,000 and his son $f0,000 to-
Wtaer this makes another $25,000. One family,
Mor and son, gave nearly a third "as much as
0 Deiaocratic fundtwo families gavenoarly
wo-thirds as much as the total of the Demo-
totlQ funds. '
The Rockefellers are largely, interested in the
andard Oil Company which is soon to declare
dividend of 400 per cent.
Strange that any open minded man should
mi ;, Ule connection between campaign con-
ons and the enormous fortunes accumu-
OV flln niA ' t in j ...,nnf
bam I IonB and ln return money out of the
renmi , tho A00"1 -then more contributions,
of tu y m0ire money taken from the pockets
u people.
wuctalT"!? au "onn'3SB ohai"-"
U by memory, l venture to
a Story I hoard mmiiv vnnra ncrn!
visitor commended a little boy for taking
It is aV'vicious circle," or what
To fix tho
memory, I venture to illustrate
Lincoln, Nebraska, November, 1922
Whole Number 763
Medicine
so willingly. "But,1' explained thaboy,
"Mamma gives me five cents every time I take
a dose."
"What do you do with the money?" asked the
stranger.
"I put it in the bank," replied the boy.
"And what do you do with 'the money in the
bank?" asked the stranger.
"Mamma uses it to buy more medicine," re-
plied the boy.
When the rank and file of the people under
stand what the rule of the rich means, they will
become fully aware of the change that has been
made in the policy of the government. Lincoln,
following tho philosophy of Jefferson, advocated
a government of the people, by the people and
for the people. Now we have a government by
the representatives of Big Business for the
benefit of Big Business. When tho awakening
comes, it will not take the voters long to reas
sert their power and make the government again
responsive to the people's will and an expression
of the people's welfare. W. J. BRYAN.
A LIVING WAGE
The Railway Labor Board has caused wide
spread discussion of a very fundamental ques
tion when it refused to consider tho establish
ment of a living wage. It is not a new propo
sition and can not be settled by the action of
any one board or court.
The minimum wage has long had its advocates
and its opponents; it is one of those class ques
tions which is sure to arouse heated controversy.
To the. capitalist the demand for a minimum
wage seems very unreasonable as unreasonable
as the suggestion of a maximum profit. His idea
is that he should be permitted to pay as little
as possible and to make as much as possible.
Society, on the other hand, is interested in fixing
a limit 'to capitalistic greed quite willing to
limit pressure upon the producers, as well as
extortion upon the consumer, Soc'ety is as
much interested in its own protection as the
capitalist is in his own prosperity. ,
The real question involved in the labor d s
nntn is net whether abstract justice requires the
equally worthy If. to' guaranteed
in certain lines oi ou mi burden
an income but
does not fall entirely up of th0 em-
is handed oi to t o Be wi IderatIon the pa
ployers in the case uh far,ners constitute
Irons of the railroad rhe farmer8
a third of th0 QniIbo?e?s If those engaged
than there are s We Baeet be protected from
in the railroad bushiesye to i wfl
wages nroaB,ona ?Mmers from prices unrea
refuso to protect the Jarmera jro i conceaied
aonably low? The farmen ivafc
in tho vrychje d
and tneso Yab ""iTi, the wages of unsiunou m
quate. And so with the was
UOr. How shal I these toe up a very large
Tho Labor Bdard has oi trth an(1
question; discus si on wil W ing der a
the truth is at jo jant J a mm mum
minimum wage for an w a maxlmum
ryan Elected
Governor
Charles W. Bryan was successful in tho No
vember election, being elected governor of Ne
braska by a majority of upwards of 50,000. Tho
exact majority will be given in a later issue as
the ballots had not been officially canvassed at
the timo this issue ofr The Commonor goes to
press.
In addition to Mr. Bryan's election as gover
nor, Charles W. Pool, a Democrat, wa3 elected
secretary of state, and the Democrats gained
three congressmen in Nebraska. Ex-Governor
John II. Morohead, Democrat, was elected in the
First congressional district by a majority "of
about 3,000. Former Lioutenant-Govcrnor
Edgar Howard, Democrat, -was elected in tho
Third congressional district by about 2,500 ma
jority, and ex-Governor Shallenbergor, Demo
crat, was elected to congress from tho EJifthulis-
4r . W "
trlct by a majority of about 2,000.
President Harding carried Nebraska two years
ago by about 130,000 majority. The Republi
cans this year elected their candidate for Unitod
States senator, Mr. Howell, by about 75,000
majority, elected all tho state officers with tho
exception of governor and secretary of state,
elected a majority of both branches of the leg-.
islature and elected three congressmen. Two
years ago the Republicans elected all six con
gressmen. ' "
Although the entire Democratic ticket . was
supported by all elements of the party Mr.
Hitchcock speaking in the campaign in behalf
of Mr. Charles W. Bryan for governor arid both
Mr. W. J. and Charles W. teryan campaigning
throughout the stdte for the re-election of Sena
tor Hitchcock, the latter was not successful at
the polls. Senator Hitchcock's defeat is at
tributed to causes that had no connection with
the issues of the present campaign. Senator
Hitchcock's platform andhp views he expressed
during the Nebraska campaign were in entire
accord with those of The Commoner, and, his de
feat is not only deeply regretted by all Demo
crats, but. the people of the state suffer a dis
tinct loss by his removal from tho Senate, where
he is recognized as the leader of his party and
whore he could be of great service to not only
the people of Nebraska, but of great service to
the nation.
Charles W. Bryan was elected governor on
issues which in a large' measure affected only
the state. His attack on higji taxes and tho
specific program which he outlined for placing
the state again on a business basis and putting
the state government backtnto the hands of tho
people proved to bo very popular with the vot
ers. Further information about the Nebraska cam
paign will be published in a later issue. Below
will be found telegrams exchanged between
Senator Hitchcock and Charles W. Bryan, also
between Mr. Randall, Republican candidate for
m
401
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