The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-01-30
"THE COMMONER."
The Great Tribune Of the Psop,s
Explain theaaNams.
SPEAKS FOR THE MASSES.
Purposes and Ideals OF the Demo.
cratic Leaders journalistic
Enterprises Told In the
First Issue.

"Sh sDoaUs
A dispatch from I.:soolp, Nebraska.
says the FIRST pu nbsr of The Uommo-
oer, tho weekly paper Published BY
William j. Bryan, @ss issued Wsdnes-
day afternoon. IL is q nes..sppsaring
sheet typograhisally. The following is
the sslutatory:
THE coMxoNER.
Webster defnes . co@moner ss Zone
OF the common people," The name has
been selected for this pap.r because
The Commoner will endeavor to aid
the common people in the protection Of
their rights, the advancement Of their
interests and the realization Of their
aspirations.
1t Is not necessary to apologize for
the use OF q term which distinguishes
The great body of the population from
the comparatively few who, for ono
reason or another, withdraw them
selves from sympathetic connection
with their fellows. Anong the Greeks
"hoi polloi" was used to describe the
many, while among tho Romans the
word "plebs" was employed for the
same purpose. These appeliations, like
"the common people," have been as
sumed with pride By those to whom
they were applied, while they have
been used ss terms of reproach By
those who oo-:nted themselves among
the aristooratie classes. Within recent
years there has been Q growing ten.
dency Ia somo quarters to denounoe ss
demsgogic any reference to, or praise
OF, the common people.
One editor in late issue of his paper
takes exception to the phrases and
says:
This expression is an ILL., chosen ono
and should have no lodguent in the
vocabulary Of an American patriot and
statesman. II We sought it's origin, we
would look for it in that spec ecicus DEM
aso,y which has evolved the profes-
sionai politicisn, arrsyed country
against town-the farmer and his sons
aud daughters against the business aud
professional mon and their sons and
daug ughtcrs-ospital against labor, and
built up against neighbors the impreg-
nable barriers Of ejudice aud hate"
This quotation is reproduced because
1t fairly represents the views of those
who criticizs the expression. 1t has,
however, an eminently respectable ORR
gin. In the saue chapter 10, which
UhIist condensed mans daty to bis fel.
lows into the comme.5,....a. :. uI.ii;,:x
shalt love thy nessa5s. ss .!ly 5cis.
the same chapter in whish he de-
nounced those who devour widows
houses aud for 8 prstenss make long
fhIi q h, i
Of Him, The common people heard
Him gladly"
No higher compliment was ever paid
to any class.
The term, "the common people," is
properly used to describe the large ma
jority of the people-thess who earn
their living and give to society . fair
return for the benefits besto we'd By
sooiety-those who in their daily lives
recognise the ties which bind together
the mass of the people who have Q
| oouUon lot and . common hope.
Sometimes they are called "the middle
| classes because paupers aud crimin ais
| are excluded on the one hand, while ON
the other hand some ex,luie them
selves because of wealth or po ,ition or
pride of birth. The common people
form the industrious, inte.llssat and
patriotic element of our population; q; (;
they produce the nations wealth ia
| time of peace and fight the nation 8
battles in time Of war. They are self
reliant and independent; they ask Of
| government nothing but justice and
| will not DO sstis6s ID with less. They
are not seeking to get their hands into
other peoples pockets, but are content
if they can keep other peoples hands
out of their pockets.
The common people do not constitute
an exclusive sooiety-they are not oil
the four hundred; and ono can become
q member if he is willing to contribute
by brain or muscle to the nation
strength and greatness. Oaly those are
bArred-and they are barred by their
own choice-who imagine themselves
made of q superior kind Of clay and
VINO deny the equality of all before the
law.
A rich man, who has honestly 60
Guired his weslth and who is not afraid
to intrust it's care to laws made by hi:
fellows, can count himself among the
common people, while . poor ma il
not really not one of ihom If he fsxps
before plutocrAt and has No hi CHER
ambition than to bs q courtier or Q
sycophant.
The Commoner will be satis6 ID il,
By ddelity to the common people, il
proves It's right to the nAmo which IL
has chosen.
II