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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1900)
v frr ZWzr-T&P?" " wv THE COURIER. Av and desirability of solitude, the vul garity of a life passed in a crowd, the pious meaning of nature etc The society of one's kind is necessary but nineteenth century usage has devel oped an intemperate appetite for crowds, whose constant presence shuts off the air from delicate plants. And the soul of a modern woman is a deli r cate growth, needing more sun-Iight, more air and more root-room than the owner is.willlng to allot it. The AeautifuLthings of, Uiejwprld can not Jte moved into the bouse, mountains, sea sky," trees, bushes, ttie velvet -whispering grass are outdoors and be long to every one who will look. Eliz abeth's deep content and thankful ness for the arrangement of the earth, the procession of seasons, for babies and Bowers, and her toleration of in veterate, way-side weeds is medicine to women tired of the complex, puzzle of life: Elizabeth's books have the tonic affect of a vacation. They rest the eyes, so that familiar objects seem to be njatored to their primary colors. The trees and grass are washed as in a hower, our customary objets T aver Moh are, of a sudden, inoffensive, and the 'message of the Preacher gets a caodern and a local applicability. It was not because she cared for an author's fame or distinction that Elizabeth wrote, but because of the need of expression that always moves so large and so receptive an intellect. So many books are written because tbe author has acquired a vocabulary and has experienced some emotions, that when one is found that has been written spontaneously and because the author had a message of impor tance which had chosen to be deliv ered though her, it is to be kept close at hand and read for very inspiration and encouragement through tbe days that cloy. Elizabeth's books suggest Pascal's Penstcs, and Thoreau's Wal den. They have the exaltation of tbe Pensees and the' nature-worsliip of Thoreau without his misanthropy or ceresies. And the Style! the Style! If the university teachers of belles lettres would consider Elizabeth's books as a model instead of the humour-barren Barrie or the artificial and self-conscious Meredeth I am sure the change would be apparent in tbe pages of the Kiote, and in tbe greater lucidity and strength of the hundreds of novelists and poets an nually instructed at the university. J j Tommy &GriseL In the current number of The Cen tury Tommy and Grisel written by Mr. "Barrie, is concluded. Mr. Barrie is without the saving sense of hu mour. Tommy, his hero is choked to death by a spike which catches his coat collar when he tries to let him self down from a spiked garden wall, which be has scaled in pursuit of a woman whom be does not love, but "who has piqued his vanity. There are books in which we read with composure of detestable char acters. There are other books in which the detestable characters and .the author are more close ly related than father and son. This Tommy is an author who writes books that women read and appreciate. Tommy goes to London and is invited to receptions where the women sur round him in the peculiar and famil iar author-worship attitude. Tommy as born with a supreme love of him self. Never for a moment, has he forgotten himself and tbe monu mental attitude he believes his genius entitles him to strike. He caught sight of himself in a mirror, when he was a baby, and he fell in love with ni'mslf and his loyalty never wavered thereafter. But tbe author admires the unmanly, conceited Narcissus. No virile man ever admired anything like Tommy, but Mr. Barrie admires Tommy, therefore the inference is unavoidable that the author is in sympathy with Tommy. The close analysis of Tommy's thoughts is sub jective, and tbe unpleasant embar rassment of confession interrupts ad miration of the author's literary ability. Poetic justice demanded that Tommy should die an ignominious dea$h and Mr. Barrie bad tbe courage to kill his Narcisssus whom all men bated and whom women loved. Grjsel who is respectfully studied from the outside is a noble character sacrificed to Tommy's vanity. Why she loved him does not develop, but this is an old mystery. Tommy was one of those irritating people who talk about themselves and who continually fancy themselves doing great needs in the view of admiring multitudes. He never really loved any one but himself though he believed that he was unselfishly devoted to his sister, who fed his vanity from a flickering flame to a steady, consuming fire. The Election. The voting on Tuesday was so much in favor of President McKinley, that by eight o'clock Mr. Bryan had gone to sleep after his three months' talk with only short intervals for food and sleep. It is fortunate for tbe whole country, democrats as well as republi cans that the result was certain so early in the day. A long suspense of election returns has a bad effect on business, temper and all departments of buman activity. Suspense of any sort has the same effect upon the na tion as upon an individual. The four months of oratory, fireworks, street arguments, street brawls, conditional bargain-making, and monopoly by poli tics of the newspapers is strain enougb upon the American people .without a prolongatlon.of.the tension after the votes have actually been casl. Republicans rejoice in the fact, that though some democrats are a trifle disappointed, and all populists bit terly regret the overwhelming verdict of the American people against Mr. Bryan, the re-election cf President McKinley will benefit all-America. Democrats and populists will share equally with republicans in firmly established confidence at home and abroad. Tbe iosurrectos in the Fili pinos will now more quickly recognize the beneficent purposes of the United States towards their island and the expediency of agreeing with the point of view of the American congress on expansion. The United States is growing. It began to grow as a federation, soon after the adoption of the articles of confederation and terrItori-.il expan sion has proceeded steadily since that time, always against the protest of democrats or their antecedent repre sentatives. Expanding production seeks larger markets and this force has opened a new market for Ameri can products in the locality of least re sistance the Orient. The trans-Atlantic markets are nearer Europe and England, Germany, France and all the Mediterranean coast traders have tbe advantage of nearness. The trans Pacific market is ours by reason of the same natural law in the commer cial world. The immense territory and tbe impassive millions of China arc waiting, though they know It not for American development. We will do nothing worse to China and tbe Filipines than trade with' them in open competition with tbe nations of tbe world. Open, that Is, as far as law is concerned. America has un fair advantages over tbe rest of tbe world in climate, productiveness of soil, vast extent of territory, a hust ling population and McKinley for president. Handicapped by these points in favor of her competitor, Europe has not the prospects for the coming four years that America has. With a President whose administra tion has been tried at tbe last court of appeal, and pronounced good by tbe overwhelming judgment of the people, American influence will ex pand: more rapidly under the assur ance of the entire approval of the citizensbip. To be right and to be president has its compensations. But when the nation rises up as it did on Tuesday and acclaims the adminis tration, it doubtless cheers the hu man being who occupies the most ex alted position in the world. He is only a man and the heartiness and real affection of his justification by his neighbors in Canton, by tbe citi zens of Ohio, and by the inhabitants of the United States, is heartening to our qu,iet dignified, able President. J J Evils of Boss Supremacy. Enough democrats voted for tbe Thompson delegates to the legisla ture to counteract the votes of those republicans who fully realize the danger of conferring power upon an unscrupulous and unpatriotic boss. A very large number of the republi can voters trusted in the judgment of the state at large, believing that tbe fears of Lincoln and Lancaster are unfounded. The confidence re posed in the delegates to tbe legisla ture from other counties of the state is not especially complimentary to our own people. But there is every indication that the city of Lincoln and tbe county of Lancaster expects every man outside this favored local ity to do his incorruptible duty. This conduct is safe and politic like that of the man who is continually urging a newspaper, Dublisheror apolitical speaker to "hit him again.' Specta tors like to see the guilty punished so long as their own precious persons are out of danger. The Couriers comments upon Mr. Thompson and his record have been made because tbe editor considers that tbe supremacy of such a man is a menace to the health of the com munity and that the firm establish ment of a boss with no political opin ious and no scruples is worse than open defeat from democrats and populists. The Consumers' League. Almost every account of state fed eration meetings records one session devoted to the discussion and exposi tion of the objects and history of the Consumers' League. Manufacturers whose articles are made in properly ventilated, warmed and lighted rooms by employes who are paid salaries they can live on are allowed to stamp their products with the stamp of .the Con sumers' League. This stamp indi cates that these conditions have been complied with. The movement threat ens the sweat-shop system and hopes to exterminate It. So long as woman's love of bargains deadens her sense of humanity and of pity for those who make their living by underpaid work in wretched surroundings, the influ ence of the League will be restricted. JustassoonastbeMHennium comes, though, the League will accomplish the object for which it was organized. Jt Business Men and Politics. When state or city officers default business men whose effect upon poll tics is limited to their vote, are apt to blame tbe politicians fortheir very bad judgment in nominating unreliable men. There are more men actively engaged in the prosecution of some industry than there are politicians who make a living out of politics. Without the acquiescence of the business men, candidates with shame ful records cannot oe nominated. It is not enough on election day to de posit a ballot. Tbe man who really cares bow his country's affairs are conducted will take an interest in the primaries and do his best to help nom inate honest and able candidates. If he stays in bis store or office while the bottoms4 are selecting a man from their acquaintance who has earned the job be has no right to object, but be invariably and bitterly does object. If unworthy candidates meant only stealing from the people, it might be of no great consequence. The influ ence of th3 saloon when unrestricted, as in boss ridden cities, endangers the morals, health and life of the new generation as well as its patrimony. The men wLo expect to make nothing out of politics, who conscientiously vote their convictions whether'demo cratic or republican, who live honor able lives in the sight of their fellow men and yet who avoid politics as a slum are in the large majority and it is in their power to regenerate any community. Tbe men and women who are op posed to Mr. Thompson as a candidate for the United States senate have no axe to grind, they are not seeking any office, their services are gratuitous, and their motives pure. They are ac cused of malicious jealousy of a truly noble man and of a desire to thwart his generous designs upon the people of Nebraska, but the history of the last ten years is written, Mr. Thompson-has played a conspicuous part and the record is plain. It is this history by which he will be tried, if elected by the Nebraska legislature it will be because Nebraska no longer cares how she is represented in the senate of this country. J j No More Fourth of July. Possibly No More Christmas. "The fight this year will be to carry out the sentiment of that song1 we have so often repeated, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee;" if we lose, our child ren and our children's child ren will not succeed to the spirit of that song", and cele brations of the Fourth of July will pass away, for the spirit of empire will be upon us." W. J. Bryan, in welcoming- the Bryan Home Guards and Traveling Men's Club on their return from the national convention, July 7, 1900. Why It Happened. Democratic politicians are explain ing the defeat of Tuesday. Many think that if Bryan had stayed at home, his majorities would have been larger. A president, even a presideut in pros pect, is too exalted a personage to go about the country for several months, speaking at cross roads and saying so many things that some of them must be false. As, for instance, that saying of Bryan's in Chicago that fifty per cent of the voters in the noth could not read the Declaration of Inde pendence or the Constitution of the United States. Mr. Bryan's camer aderie with Croker is regarded by democrats as another reason for the difference between his vote now and in 1896. Mr. Bryan's attitude from the first has been that of disinterested A r i H -i
