The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-24
FIRST NUMBER OF
THE COMNONER
Byaa's Paper is a Neat-Appearing
Sheet,
DEFENDS CHOICE OF NAME.
1t Was Chosen Because the Commoner
VIII Euicavor TO Aid the Com
mon People in the Protcc-
ton OF Their Rights.
DEFENDS CHOICE OF NAME.
nv Associated Press.)

LINCOLN. NEB. Jan. 23.-The first
number of The Commoner.o the weekly
parer published by William j. Bryan. was
issued this afternoon 1t is a neat-ap-
Pearins sheet. geographically The fol
lowing is the salutatory:
Webster defines a commoner as 'one
of the common people" The name has
been selected for this paper because The
Commoner Will endeavor to aid the com
mon 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 term which distinguishes the
great body OF the population from the
comparatively few who, for one reason
or another, withdraw themselves from
sympathetic connection with their fellows.
Among the Greeks '.hoi polioi'' was used
to describe the many, while among the
Romans the word ''plobs' was employed
for the same purpose. These applications,
Hike 1.-The common people," have been as
stunned with pride by those TO whom they
were applied, while they have been used
AS terms of reproach by those who count
ed themselves among the aristocratic
classes Within recent years there mas
been a growing tendency in some quar-
Iers to denounce as demagosic any refer
ence TO, or praise OF, the common people.
A HIGH COMPLIMENT
one editor in a late issue Of his paper
takes exception to the phrase and says;
This expression is an ili-chosen one and
should have no Judgment in the Vocabu-
larry of an American patriot and states
man. If we sought its origin, we would
look for it in that specious demagogy
which has evolved the professional poll
Iician. arrayed country against town
the farmer and his sons and daughters
against the business and professional men
and their sons and daughters-capital
against labor, and built up against neigh
hors the iInprcsnabie barriers of preJu-
dice and hate.
This quotation is reproduced because it
fairly represents the views Of those who
criticise the expression. 1t has, however
an emincntly respectable origin. In the
same chapter in which Christ condensed
mans duty to his fellows into the com
mandmcnt: Thou shalt love thy neighbor
AS thyself: in the same chapter in which
he denounced those who deVour widow S
houses and for a prctcnse make long
prayers-in this same chapter 1t IS sala
of Him: The common people heard Him
gladly No higher compliment was ever
paid to any class.
The term. the common people. is prop
crly used To describe the large majority
OF the pcople-ihosc who earn their living
and give to society a fair return for the
benefits bestowed by society-tloSc who
in their daily lives recognize the ties
which bind together the mass OF the poo
pic who have u common lot and conf
anon hope. Sometimes they are called
the middle classes,'' because na1pers
and criminals are excluded on the one
hand, while on The other hand some eX-
cludc themselves because of wealth or
position or pride OF birth
BULWARK OF THE COUNTRY
The common people form the indus
trious. intelligent and patriotic element Of
our population; they produce the nation S
wealth in time of peace and fight the
nations battles in the time of war. They
arc sclf-reliant and independent: they
ask of government nothing bat justice,
and will not he satisfied 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 society-thcy are not of the
four hundred; any one can become
member if he is willing TO contribute by
brain or muscle to the nations strength
and greatness. Only those are barred
and they are barred by heir own choice
who imagine themselves made of a su-
pcrior kind Of clay and who deny the
equality of all before the law
4 rich man. who has honestly acquired
his wealth and who is not afraid 10 in
trust its care TO laws made by his fell
lows can count himself among the COM
mon people, while poor man is not
really one of them if he fawns before
a plutocrat and has no higher ambition
than to be a courier or a, sycophamt-
The Commoner viii be satisfied if, by
fidelity TO the common people, it proves
its right to the name which it has chosen.