The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, December 01, 1922, Image 1
r "-MJ, T , 1 I The WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND, PROPRIETOR i VOL. 22, NO. 12 - J '"M MM TIIHII IIIWIIIIWnWHHHWiWMillHIIIIJMWMllwl Lincoln, Nebraska, December 192;L Whole Number 764- Progressive Sentiment Grows In 1920 President Harding went into office on a landslide which gave to the party not only the presidency hut more than two-thirds of the House and nearly two-thirds of the Senate. The Republicans have had everything their own way; they could "pass any law they wanted to pass and repeal any law they wanted to repeal. Their responsibility was complete and the coun try has held them to strict account. The con gressional election of 1922 was a landslide for the Democrats, almost equal to the Republican landslide of 1920.". A landslide differs from a victory in that in the former the success is great er than was expected by the victors. No Re publican would, have admitted- in advance the possibility of su'ch a defeat as that administered to the party and few Democrats would have dared to claim puch a victory as that won by thebr party. The RepublicaiisFVlos7t- seats that they held' in the last congress -whie the Democrats lust not a single seat. In the Senate only two Demo crats were defeated while the Republicans lost 8, a net gain of 6 for the opposition. These figures do not giyo the full measure of the re action against the Republican party. Aside from Jhe fosses to the opposit'on, the progressive Republicans gained at the expense of the reactionaries. Brookhart of Iowa, Frazior of North Dakota, and Howell of Nebraska, augment the progressive strength in the Senate, bo that progressive Republicans hold the bal anco of power in both' houses. The only west ern states in wfiich the Republicans held their, own were the states in which the progressive Republicans secured' control of the party ma chinery. ' if the progressive"" Republicans have the cour se to use the power which thoy have won, they can prevent the organization of both houses by toe reactionaries and imake themselves masters 01 the situation.rTlie . fact that the progressives do hold this balanco of power will tend to lengthen the progressive element in both of the old parties. v The Democrats, by proposing Progressive measures, can" secure their passage Ha the aid of the progressive Republicans; and :h reactionary Republicans can only secure legislation by framing their measures along degressive lines. ' , ' ' November seventh was a great day for the Naiu people; it illustrated the poss'bilities of JPular government.. When tho people awaken jjtr The Commoner . gv Jsg wishes a fo Jr Merry Christmas M ' and a m Happy New Year, j to-Everyone, Every- W 1m where, and For- dp ever. Jm to the need of reform they have it in their Power to remedy abuses atfd to safeguard their 8Mb. When tho masses .look back to tho un precedented majority, recorded, in favor of the epublicans two years ago and behold the jecKago of last -month, they are inspired with w nope and new confidence in our form ovf gov nment. "Weeping may. endure for a n'ght, but y COmeth in the morning." W. J. BRYAN. THE PROGRESSIVE BLOC ',' On another page wiil be toutfd a pVess dis patch reporting the formation Of aNprogressivo bloc in the next congress. Forty members of ...the Senate -and 'House 4ro claimed for'this-group' a sufficient number to hold 'the balance of powor. Senator LaFollette kof. Wisconsin and . Congressman Huddleston'of Alabama are at the head of the movement;' one a .-Republican and the other a Democrat, one from the nortlnyest a.nd the other from the southeast. . . Success to the progressive bloc. It will pre vent any reactionary legislation and can, if it will, dictate to both parties. How encouraging it is to have co-operation between the progres-" sives of the two leading parties. Wall Street has had a bloc for a- quarter of a century; the unseen hand, of New York financiers ha held the reactionary Republicans and Democrats to gether wherever big business was interested. The members of th's bloc aoted secretly but the bloc was no less a compact 'organization. The progressive bloc, havlng-nothing to conceal, will act in the open. It will draw the line and com pel timid senators and members of the House to take one side or the other. Politicians avoid issues wherever they can but, when they are com pelled to act, can generally be relied upon to go with tho voters. The progressive bloc will be a real influence in le'gislation. W. J. BRYAN. A CENTRALSTATES TRIO S Ralston of Indiana, Ferris of Michigan, and Neely'of West Virginia give the Democratic party representation in the Senate from the central states of the northern Mississippi valley. They are all strong men. Ralston made an excellent governor, of Indi ana and added to hi3 ' prestige by defeating Beveridge. : , ' Governor Ferris has enjoyed the highest hon ors, of his state and has the distinction orde f eating Townsend on the Newberry issue. s His victory has already borne fruit in tho resigna tion of Senator Newberry. Neely of West Virginia has served in congress where ho rapidly won prominence, ",'- ,. It is a" splendid trio. nr I Constructive Program Needed Now that the Democrats' have a membership in tlie Senate and House sufflciont to make remedial legislation possible, the Democratic leaders in both houses ought to got togothor and prepare a constructive program which will appeal to progressive Ropubl'cans. There aro many things that can bo done to bring tho gov ernment nearer to the peoplo and to insure more complete control of tho government by tho peo ple. One reform now within reach is a presidential primary. If the 'Democrats will, present a bill providing for a presidential primary In ALL THE STATES on tho SAME DAY at which ALL PARTIES will nominate, such primaries to bo under the control of the states where tho state' laws povide for a primary, it will bo'possibld to select- the presidential nominees for 1924 by popular vote. In order to prevent tho scandals-, of 1920, provision should be made to limit tho expenditures' of candidates so that, as near as pos3iblo,f.the poor may bo upon an equality with the rich, in the'r opportunity to present their claims to the public. A reform even moro necessary just now Is tho.. establishment of a National Bulletin as a means of informing tho peoplo upon the issues. The' bulletin should not lie a newspaper but merely' a political mpdium through which tho govern ment could bring to the notice of the voters the subjects to lie voted upon and the reasons for and against proposed leg'slation. Provision should be made for editorial space in Which each political group represented, in congress should have accoss to the public in proportion to tho strength of the group. If tho people understand the issues and the arguments for and against the propositions submitted, they can bo trusted to decide these quost'ons aright. The 'government bulletin should also furnish space to aspirants legitimately before their re spective parties so thatall candidates would be upon an equal footing in reaching the voters, ' The bulletin should bo garnished to all the vot ers either without charge or at a"minumum charge merely sufficient to indicate a desire to" be informed'. N Legislation is "also needed to establish a.tri- , bunal for the investigation of disputes between ' labor and capital not for arbitration but for'ah investigation which will bring out the facts and -inform the public of the merits of tho Con troversy. "' t y' Legislation is necessary to deal effectively with- the profiteer. ' He is tm"? evil genius that stands between the country and renewed pros perity. . While four important amendments have been adopted in recent years, others aro needed. Tho constitution should be so changed as to pqrmit a majority of .the Senate to ratify treaties. Tho reasons whiclr required a two-thirds majority X 1 f "H m kI y n s 0 IlLlUAAJWi l.rtL,...ji