The Penn's Grove record., 1909-01-15
The Commoner's Mission
william J. Bryan.

The COmmoner's mission is to protect
and promote the interest of the great mass
of people who are not asking or desiring
special privileges. 1t feels, therefore, that
it is entitled to the support of those for
whom it labors. This does not mean
merely the payment of one subscription
price. >On that score there is no ground
for complaint. But means that those who
approve the work The Commoner is trying
to do shall, at every opportunity, make
reasonable efforts to enlarge the sphere of
Of its influence by increasing the number
of its subscribers.
The fight which Mr.. Bryan has made
through The Commoner and on the stump
has admittedly, forced some reforms the
tendency of which is to decrease taxes and
gives to the producers a larger share of the
results of their toll. But this has been
merely the sowing of seed. Cultivation
will nov be necessary and proper %cultiva-
ton means results. 1t is only by eternal
vigilance that the entertainments of the
specialinterests may be checked and leg
~islation for the whole people secured.
One can scarcely estimate the benefit
that will accrue from the educational work
OF the past year, but the work of the
coming year will be productive of even
greater results. Those who advocate
democratic principles labor under the
disadvantage of the lack of large papers
thraugh which to answer the misrepresenta-
lions of the corporation press. The repre-
sentaives OF the various protective indus
tries are now in Washington protesting
against a reduction of their particular
tariff schedules. The tariff barons~ have
their hands in the peoples pockets and they
do not want to remove them. The masses
of the people can not afford to go to Wash
ington and defend their interest in the
framing OF tariff laws. They are not in a
position to know all that is going on among
the men who lay awake at nights to devise
schemes to secure advantage over the people.
1t must be plain to every one that The
COmmoner is more essential to the publit
welfare at this moment than at any Other
period of its history; and without becoming
subject to the charge Of immodesty it may
be said that it is quite GENERALLY agreed
that since its establishment The Common.
er has filled an important. place in the life
Of this nation, and that in protest as vel
as in championship, it has discharged al
important duty so far as the public welfare
is concerned.
MIR. Bryan has again assfumedactive edi
torial charge and it may be believed thai
The Commoner will lose no opportunity to
protect the public interest.
Stirring times are coming and important
work is yet to be:.done. Only thoughtles.
men imagine that the work of American
patriots is at an end; only the non-observ-
ing imagine that the American republic is
secure from all dangers within.
Thoughtful, patriotic men realize as new
er before that it will require, patient, dis
interested, intelligent and persistent effor
on the part of good men everywhere to pre-
serve our government as the fathers laii
it and and to hold it true to the high pur
pose for which it was created.
The Commoner and PENIS Grove Rec
ord will be sent one year for 81. IS in adj
vance.