Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-24
Devoted Largely to Definition of
Name "Commoner."
BRYAN THINKS IT is A GOOD ONE
The Sheet is Neat One Typograph-
ically-Makes Bid for Favor BY De.
voting Large Amount of Space to
the "common People,"

Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 23.- The first
number of "The Commoner," the
weekly published by William ]. Bry-
an, was issued this afternoon. 1t is a
neat appearing sheet, geographically.
The following is the salutatory:
The Commoner.
Webster defines a commoner as
zone of the common people," The
name has been selected for this paper
because "The Commoner" will endea-
vor to aid the common people in the
protection of their rights, the advance
ment of their interests and the reali-
cation of their aspirations.
1t is not necessary to apologize for
the use of a term which distinguishes
the great body of the population
from the comparatively few, who, for
one reason or another, withdraw
themselves from sympathetic connec-
ton with their fellows. Among the
Greeks 'Hoi Expollo" was used to de-
scribe the many while among the Ro-
mans the word 'tplebs" was employed
for the same purpose. These appella-
tons, like ''the common people" have
been assumed with pride by those to
whom they were applied, while they
have been used as terms of reproach
by those who counted themselves
among the aristocratic classes. With
in recent years there has been
growing tendency in some quarters to
denounce as demagogic any reference
to, or 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 Judgment in the
vocabulary of an American patriot
and statesman. If we sought its orr
gin, we would look for it in that spe-
cious demagogy which has evolved
the professional politician, arrayed
country against town-the farmer and
his sons and daughters against the
their sons and daughters-capita1
Ineighbors the impregnabTe barriers of
prejudice and hate.
This quotation is reproduced be-
cause it fairly represents the views of
those who criticise the expression. It
has, however, an eminently respecta-
BILE origin. In the same chapter in
which Christ condensed mans duty to
his fellows into the commandant:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self; in the same chapter in which he
denounced those who devour Widows
houses and for pretense make long
lprayers-in this same chapter tits 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 a
| 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 who
have common lot and common
hope. Sometimes they are called ''the
middle classes because paupers and
criminals are excluded on the one
hand, while ON the other hand some
exclude themselves because of wealth
or position or pride of birth. The
common people form the industrious,
intelligent and patriotic element of
our population; they produce the ma
tons wealth in time of peace and
fight the nations battles in time of
WAR. They are self-reliant and indie
pendent; they ask of government
nothing but justice and will not be sat
listed with less. They are not seek
ling to get their hands into other peo-
lple's pockets, but are content if they
can keep other peoples 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
become a 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 their own choice-who imagine
themselves made of superior kind
CT clay and who deny the equality OF
all before the law.
A rich man who has honestly acquir
ed his wealth and who is not afraid to
intrust its care to laws made by his
fellows can count himself among the
common people, while poor man is
. not really one of them if he fawns be
fore plutocrat and has no higher am
bition than to be courtier or syco
, plant.
The Commoner will be satisfied if
by fidelity to the common people, il
proves it's right to the name which il
ohN FIt