The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-31
The. Cofnnloner.

Webster defines commoner as zone
of the common people" The name
has been selected for this paper be-
cause The Commoner will endeavor to
aid the common people in the protec-
ton 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 them
selves from sympathetic connection
with their fellows. Among the Greeks
"Hoi polloi" was used to describe the
many, while among the Romans the
word "plebs" was employed for the
same purpose. These appellations,,
like 'the common people," have been
assumed with pride by these to whom
they were applied, while they have
been used as terms of reproach by
those who counted themselves among
the aristocratic classes. Within re.
cent years there has been growing.
tendency in some quarters to denounce-
as demagogic any reference to-, OF
praise of, the common people.
One editor in late issue OF his pa
per takes exception to the phrase and
says:
"This expression is an ill-chosen one
and should have no lodgment In the
vocabulary of an American patriot
and statesman. If we sought its origin,
we would look for it in that specious
demagogy which has evolved the pro-
fessional politician, 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 neighbors the i'm
pregnable barriers of prejudice and
| hate"
This quotation is reproduced be-
cause it fairly represents the views OF
those who criticise the expression. 1t
has, however, an eminently respectable
origin. In the same chapter in which
Christ condensed mans duty to mis-
fellows into. the commandment: Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;
in the same chapter in which he de-
nounced those who devour widows
houses and for pretense make loEg
prayers-in this same chapter it !s.
said 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
majority of the people-those who
earn their living and give to society q
fair return for the benefits bestowed
by society-those who in their daily
lives recognize the ties which bind TO-
gether the mass of the people whu
have common lot and common
hope. Sometimes they are called "the
middle classes" because paupers and
criminals are excluded on the oEe
hand, while on the other hand some
exclude themselves because of wealth
i. or position or pride of birth. The COM
mon people from the Industrious, IN
telligent and patriotic element Of our
population; they produce the nations
wealth in time Of peace and fight the
nations battles in time of war. They
are self-reliant and independent; they
ask of government nothing but JUS
tice and will not be satisfied with less
They are not seeking to get their
hands into other peoples pockets, but
are content if they can keep other peo-
pies hands out of their pockets.
The common people do not consti-
tute an exclusive society-they are not
of the four hundred; any one can be-
come member if he is willing to con-
tribute by brain or muscle to the ma
tons strength and greatness. Only
those are barred-and they are barred
by their own choice-who imagine
themselves made of superior kind of
clay and who deny the equality of all
before the law.
A rich man, who has honestly ac-
quired his wealth and is rot afraid to
intrust it's care to laws made by his
fellows, can count himself among the
common people, while a poor man is
not really one of them If he fawns be-
fore plutocrat and has no higher
ambition than to be courtier or a
sycophant.
The Commoner will be satisfied If, by
fidelity to the common people, it
proves its right to the name which has
been chosen.