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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1923)
PUBLIC EXPENSE a so-called scientific inter pretation of the Bible when orthodox Christians are not permitted to teach an orthodox interpre tation of the Bible? Evolutionists not only ignore scientific truth, but they ignore also the science of government, for, under popular government, rights are de termined by the MAJORITY, excepting where the rights of the minority are protected by the Constitution. This constitutional provision merely defends the rights of the minority from invasion; it does not authorize the minority to invade he#rights of the majority. Those who defend the faith of the fathers have a triple ad vantage over the evolutionists; they stand upon the revealed will of God; they are supported by the established truths of science, and they are working in harmony with the principles of popu lar government. The great need of the world today is to get back to God—to a real belief in a living God. Evolutionists either deny the existence of a God or put Him so far away that consciousness of His presence in the life is weakened, if not de stroyed. The world needs an infallible guide, such as the Bible is believed to be by a large majority of Christians. Evolutionists weaken faith in the Bible by discarding as false the account of man’s creation by separate act; and then, having ac cepted evolution as if it were a fact, they pro ceed to discard miracles and the supernatural including the virgin birth of Christ and the bod ily resurrection of Christ. When they have eliminated all of the Bible that conflicts with evolution, the Bible is no longer an authority, but merely a “scrap of paper." The world needs the Christ o»f whom the Bible tells. Evolutionists rob the Saviour of the glory of a virgin birth, of the majesty of His deity, and of the triumph of His resurrection. Such a Christ is impotent to save. The world needs a full-statured Christ; not a man aspiring to be a God, but a God condescending to be a man. His blood has colored the stream of time; His philosophy fits into every human need; His teachings furnish the only solution of the prob lems that vex our hearts and perplex the world. A prayer-line of communication between the Creator and his creatures is an imperative need; evolution raises no altars and inspires neither gratitude for blessings received nor petitions for Divine guidance. Man needs a belief in immortality to strength en him in hours of temptation: evolution gives no answer to Job’s anxious question: “If a man die shall he live again?" Humanity needs a Saviour to lift the burden of sin and open the way to a new life; evolution has no place for the cry of the penitent soul and holds out no hope of a new birth. We do not ask that teachers paid by taxa tion shall teach the Christian religion to stu dents, but we do insist that they shall not teach, under the guise of either science or philosophy, anything that undermines faith in God, impairs belief in the Bible, or discredits Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the world. A Republican legislature in Nebraska, actu ated by partisan motives and for partisan pur poses, has so far refused to adopt the program proposed by Governor Bryan, in redemption of his promises to the people to reduce their taxes. The governor has pointed out, without success ful contradiction, that if the legislature will adopt his program, which he urges,, not as a per sonal or partisan measure, but in the interest of the whole people, there will be effected a sav ing oif nine million dollars now paid by property owners as direct taxes or license fees. The gov ernor is appealing to the people to write to their representatives and tell them what they wish them to do. Here’s a people’s referendum that ought to produce results. Out of a desire to secure cheaper labor than is now possible, the great manufacturing interests of the east, backed by the bankers, are seeking to secure a letting down, in part for the present, of the bars that now restrict immigration. In order to work up a public sentiment in favor of this, there is much propaganda spread about that there is a labor shortage and what we cannot Cully resume our wanted prosperity until this is relieved. Look about you and see just how much o*f truth and how much of a propaganda there is in this talk. Look in the want ad columns of * your newspapers, and you will find it isn’t true. Income tax collectors have a difficult and thankless job, but what puzzles us is how they are able to check up on the returns that the Wholesale bootleggers hand in. Edwin Markham (Mr. Bryan’s introduction of Edwin Markham at Villa Serena, Miami, Fla., March 1, 1923.) Ladies and Gentlemen: We are guests of the Monday Club, assembled to meet and listen to one of the outstanding characters of this genera tion, Edwin Markham. He has the vision of the seer, the wisdom of the statesman, and the pen of the poet. He has given us a description of what a poet should be and has himself illustrated his description. The poet must have ideals to give him themes about which to write. He must have the prophet’s courage to prooiaim what Le sees and he must have the artist's skill in the use of words that his utterances may challenge atten tion and hold a place in the memory. Edwin Markham has the qualities of the poet; his songs disclose a sympathy with his fellows. He keeps them company in their onward march, but he sees farther than they and encourages them with cheering words. He goes before them, but not so far as to be beyond their sight or the sound of their heart-beat. He has put inspiring thought into beautiful words that will live, and, living, carry the thought to succeeding generations. Let me give you just a few extracts to illustrate the wide ness of the field in which he toiled. In speaking of Lincoln he brings together a group of similes. Where on any uninspired page has so much of beauty and of strength been ex pressed in.so few words? “The color of the ground was in him, the red earth; The tang and odor of the primal things— The rectitude and patience of the rocks; The gladness of the wind that shakes the corn; The courage of the bird that dares the sea; The justice of the rain that loves all leaves; The pity of the snow that hides all scars; The loving-kindness of the wayside well; The tolerance and equity of light That gives as freely to the shrinking weed As to the great oak flaring to the wind— To the grave’s low hill as to the Matterhorn That shoulders out the sky.” He has been the apostle of good citizenship, urging to duty by the awakeniDg of a sense of responsibility. What lines more needed or more compelling than these: “We need the faith to go a path untrod, The power to be alone and vote with God.’’ His writings follow all the paths that human feet can tread. He is the companion of those who toil in the shop and he walks by the side of the man in the furrow. He preaches civic right eousness and proclaims social duty—always drawing from the Heavenly Father as the Source and from the teachings of His Son. Of the Mas ter he thus speaks: “Tongues and Ages may disclaim Him, Yet the Heaven of heavens will name Him Lord of peoples, Light of nations, elder Brother, tender Friend.” His other splendid poems have been some what thrown into the shadow by his own lines on "The Man with the Hoe.” In this remarkable appeal to the sense of justice that God has planted in the human heart, he asks a question that has in it something of the searching power of that first question, “Where is Abel, thy broth er?” Mr. Markham pictures the toiler as he is represented on Millett’s canvas, and then asks, “Whose breath blew out the light within this brain?” and then follows it with another, scarce ly less compelling: “How will you ever straighten up this shape; Touch it again with immortality; Give back the upward looking and the light; Rebuild in it the music and the dream?” This generation has been fortunate in being able to read what Mr. Markham has said; we are highly privileged to hear his voice, touch his hand, and renew our own strength by con tact with his glowing personality. “THE RISING TIDE” On another page will be found a London dis patch that brings the welcome news that the British government is taking notice of “the ris ing of indignation” in this country against the use of the British flag to protect those who con spire against our constitution and laws. The Brit ish authorities will find some way of retiring from this disgraceful partnership with outlaws when they know that the American peop.e will no longer tolerate it. PRESIDENT MURPHREE, LEADER Dr. A. A. Murphree, President of the Uni versity of Florida, has fired a shot which will be heard throughout the United States. He has set an example that ought to be followed by every university president In the country and by the presidents of all the denominational and private colleges. A few weeks ago he signed a total abstinence pledge and sent & copy of it to each university professor and to the thirteen hundred eleven young men who are students at the State University. In a recent letter he announces that every member of the faculty responded by joining him in the pledge. Seventy-five per cent of the students have al ready sent in their signatures to the pledge and the returns are still coining in. It is not at all improbable that practically all of these boys will follow the example set by their revered president and their respected professors. All honor to President Murphree, and con gratulations to the faculty and students for the response they have made to the call. Dr. Mur,hree has set the University of Florida on an eminence; he has made it conspicuous throughout the nation; he has put it back of prohibition in the most effective way possible. Now, how many university presidents will follow his example? Few professors will refuse to sign the pledge if the head of the university or college leads the way, and few students will refuse to sign if the invitation comes from their teachers. Every university, college, high school, and graded school in the United States should have a pledge book; every teacher and'every pupil should be enrolled. The entire nation should be brought to the support of prohibition, and to^al abstinence is the surest road to en forcement. I am proud of Florida's University and proud of the University’s president, faculty and stu dents. It will give me pleasure to bring this splendid initiative to the attention of all our ed ucators. Public sentiment will goon impress upon all presidents, professors and teachers the importance of the step that Florida’s University has taken under the leadership of its great exe cutive. W. J. BRYAN. In 1917 the taxes in this country amounted to $5.97 per $100 of income. In 1921 they had mounted to $14.32. This means that out of every $100 a person earned he handed over to the various tax collectors a total of $14.32. At that rate of increase, by 1963, we will all be working for the government all the time. It takes six billions a year of fresh capital to keep our industries and instruments of commerce working to keep up with the increase in busi ness, and we are spending eight billions for taxes. This isn’t much of an argument in favor of longevity. A political writer, discussing whether the Re publicans will dare to renominate Harding or whether Harding will care to ask a renomination for what most politicians look upon as a Demo cratic year, says that it is quite likely that precedents will govern the action of the national convention. Well, Republican national conven tions have been governed in all sorts of ways, and perhaps precedents will do as well as any other method. A big group of men who operated a creamery in Nebraska for a number of years and which is now listed as a bankrupt are on trial on the charge of having inflated the value of the stock sold. We don’t know anything about this case, but we feel safe in saying that a creamery con cern did not have a monopoly on separating sta tions the last few years when it came to a part ing between a man and his money for worthless stock. An Iowa girl of good family, refined, cultured and talented was recently sentenced to five years in the state reformatory for embezzlement while cashier of a department store. It was found that her peculations began almost as soon as she as sumed the duties of the place, and no one was able to explain or understand how she could have done what she did until it was discovered that she loved to play the cornet. The congressional budget bureau recom mended to congress an appropriation of $27, 000,000 as being all that is required for neces sary work. The house increased it to $57,000, 000, and the Senate placed the stamp of its ap proval on that figure. Apparently the average congressman thinks that the business of a budget bureau Is to place a minimum limit on appro priations.