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The Commoner.
fllUGUST 5, 1S1
Jlx-GoTornor Folk truly says is the greatest
(danger to our republic. One this Is accom
plished, we must learn that the bed rock of th
groat privileged interests which already threat
en to destroy us lies in the monopolization of
inother earth and her bounties. And when wo
nti.ro learned that the true and complete art of
conservation of our natural resources lies in the
suggestion of Henry George, the greatest of all
democratic philosophers, to take the public fund
ground rent for public use, and sacredly pre
serve the rights of private property by leaving
oil wealth untaxed in the possession and for the
onjoyment of tho producer, then the people will
know what they want and how to get it
Dr. JV A. Thomas, Pleasant Point, Tenn.
Senator Owen made a great speech, no sane man
will deny, and by the publication of it, and
others, it becomes apparent, that tho limit of
the human mind, while fettered with tho mortal,
is not capable, in any one man, at one and the
same time to grasp the entirety of a majesty.
That the people have, and have been having, for
the space of forty-eight years, what they wanted,
history confirms. In 1860 they wanted eman
cipation of the slaves, they voted for it and got
it; in 1864 the people wanted special protection
for all infant industries (but the baby). They
also wanted Great Britain's controlling yes in
our monetary system; they voted for it, and got
it. Yet in 1868 they wanted the money system
of the United States embarrassed; they voted
for It and got it in 1872, and on down to 1896,
they incessantly clamored for tho absolute com
mittal of the entire money output into the bank
ing gamblers' control, and the effective protec
tive tariff of the same, asking that it may be
come the insatiate and undeniable burden upon
tho producer, laborer and wage earner, and
with the quartet of chargers as candidates,
Dlngley, Hanna, Hobart and McKinley the people
sallied forth, voted for, and got it to keep and
got it bad. And for a finish in 1908 the people
concluded that they wanted God out of their
governmental affairs, that the light of justice',
religiousness and common equity might no long
er, expose their iniquity, ,that any sharp; deal
that robs the. victim can be called skilled flnan-,
ciering .and no shame They voted for it and
got it. . And truly we are paying the debt,"" God
is .not mocked, whatsoever a man or a nation
sows; that shall they also reap. Read Deuter
onomy 28, then begin with King Saul's reign
and come on down by the way of history, take
every nation, every government that pursued
this same course, reaped just the same, we are
today, inevitable downfall. The only remedy,
unfeigned repentance and change your .vote.
C. A. Bouton, Boulder, -Colo. The majority
of the people do get what they want, but the
reason we don't get what is right is because a'
large part of the people are blind to what is
right and part of the people don't want right
when they see what is right. Money rules to
day with the consent of the people. We had
an 'example of what the people wanted in the
city of San Francisco when a man was fighting
for the freedom of the city and money was fur
nished free of cost to fight the battle and a
good start had been made, but a majority of
the voters said stop and elected a man to undo
what had been done for right. Is not this good
proof of what we don't get right today? As long
as a majority of the voters consent to wrong we
will get wrong.
John B. Waddill, Springfield, Mo. Why do
not the people get what they want? Because,
in the language of Carlyle, they are "mostly
fools," or what amounts to the same thing; they
are bljnded by their prejudices; they do not
consult their interests when they come to vote.
Take the voter unawares, one at a time, and
present to him the principles and the policies
of the democratic party without any reference
to party, and nine out of ten will agree these
principles and policies are correct. Mention
party and he is ready to fight; this Includes re
publican and particularly the "fool farmers" as
Colonel Medill, late editor of the Chicago
Tribune, used to call them.
E.,S. Schooley, Bast Orange, N. J. The people
do. not rule, they allow themselves to bo ruled.
The bane of the age Is lack of individuality, or
the merging of one individuality into that of
another! . ThiB is a condition, of social life, of
business life, and to a greater extent, of politi-
cal Uf. Am man loses his individuality, ho ceases
to reflect God, spirit, and to such extent loses
his Identity. Tho peoplo collectlvoly can not
manifest truth until tho individual manifests it
Until tho Individual awakens to tho fact that ho
must think for himself, and lot tho result of his
thinking be manifested, else ho will barter away
his birthright, the peoplo can not bo said to
rule, although thoy may deceivo thomsolves in
that regard. I believe, with Matthew Arnold,
that "tho few who keep insisting on tho good
of righteousness and tho unprofitableness of in
iquity, are the only real politicians," and indi
viduality, not personality, is righteousness.
Martin Marshall, Central Point, Oro. It is
astonishing when you take a comprehonsivo
view of legislation for tho last forty years, how
tho people have been deceived. They were ter
ribly deceived when tho national bank law was
established; whon the legal tender (green backs)
were destroyed and interest bearing bonds Issued
in their place. During these forty years thero
has been a perfect saturnalia of deception and
crime against the peoplo; all culminating in tho
results wo see today. Tho peoplo have thought
they ruled all these years, but thoy have not
Herein lies our trouble and disappointment. Tho
fact Is representative government is a flat fail
ure. We are forced to believe this. How else
can the situation, as we see it today, be ex
plained? Our republic is in great danger now
this minute. We must put in operation tho
principle of tho direct rule of the people as
soon as possible the sooner tho better. Tho
people, at heart, are sound and honest, and they
can be depended on in the main to do tho right
thing for all concerned. Thero is one princlpio
pressing for trial ra principle millions of peoplo
have been longing for throughout the centuries.
It is embodied in tho word justice. Let us ap
ply it to all people. In other words give the
peoplo.a "square deal" and let that deal be true
as steel and not the counterfeit
J. Coleman Alderson, Charleston, W. Va.
The people do not rule. Any one with ordinary
intelligence knows why they do not rule. If they
ruled they would certainly get what they want.
Mammon, the god of riches, rules. The millions
and billions of the 400 robber trusts rule with
the aid of their subservient corrupt machine and,
political bosses. Tho power of money as used
by trusts and monopolies is destroying this great
country. Listen! Last week the Messenger, a
prominent republican paper, published at Beck
ley, W. Va., said in its leading editorial: "Both
of our United States senators are open and de
fiant representatives of the trusts, their seats
in tho scnato being oponly purchased and no
substantial donlal mado of tho charges that tho
money to purchase theso scats comes principally
from trust sourcos. In the present contest Sen
ator Scott admits having spent moro than a
quaTlor of a million, if tho nowspapors aro to bo
credited, and so mo of thorn placo tho amount at
double that figuro, in an effort to secure a nom
ination." This was dono In n primary election,
a few weeks ago, of members to our noxt legis
lature. It may cost him and the trusts doublo
that amount to control tho legislature This
republican editor, who has just seen the light,
goes on to say: "Ills (Scott's) senatorial career
has boon one of servile subscrvlenco to tho trust
interests, and should ho bo relurncd, tho monoy
thoy havo invested in his seat will bo repaid ten
fold, every solitary cent of that paymont being
wrung from tho pockets of wago-earnors tho
ultlmato payers for all this profligacy and politi
cal debauchery." Why, then, should not overy
honest republican rebel, inBurgo? A fow years
ago, In a heated contest of a Standard Oil mil
lionaire, for a seat In the United States sonato
from this stato, a' prominent democratic member
of tho legislature, said In n speech before tho
joint assembly of both houses, that "tho tlmo
will soon como when it will be written In golden
letters over tho doors of tho United
States senate chamber that nono but
millionaires can enter hero." It seems
that that tlmo has como, especially in tho north
and northwest Tho people can and will rule.
If they will go to work earnestly and agitato,
educate, get together and organize in each stato
and then adopt and enforce tho splondid Oregon
laws, which were first advocated by Mr. Bryan.
They were conceived In wisdom and born in
justice to the people." Adopt the Australian bal
lot, tho registration law, tho direct primary, tho
initiative and referendum, tho recall and tho
corrupt practlco act to prevent tho abuse of aU
of theso features of popular government. Both
the giver and receiver of money or other val
uable considerations for votca should bo made
Oqually guilty of felony. I will add also, the
publication of all campaign contributions bofore
and not after tho election. The adoption of theso
laws will unquestionably insure absolute govern
ment "for the people, by tho people and of th
people."
W. O. Thomson, Vale, Ore. It has been said
that overy man has his price. This statement
might he made moro nearly true by amending
it so as to read, overy professional politician has
his price. Too many of these have become rep
resentatives of tho people, and predatory wealth
is paying too many of them their "price." That
is why the people do not get what thoy want
The Commoner's Million Army
In the campaign of 1908 Tho Commoner's
Million Army rendered distinguished service to
the. cause of democracy and it may well bo be
lieved that a similar organization will even bo
able to do bettor work in the year of 1910 now
that men who were heretofore indifferent aro
aroused to the importance of action.
If half of the readers of Tho Commoner would
take active Interest in the organization of this
Mjllion Army plan, the results would be imme
diately noticeable and the contribution to the
welfare of popular government would bo
enormous.
Many, individuals are willing to help In a
patriotic movement but find it difficult to know
just what to do to make their efforts count In
a struggle such as tho one we are now engaging
in, the efforts of every man, woman and child
on the side of popular government will count
and in The Commoner's Million Army a practi
cal plan is presented whereby tho efforts of many
individuals may be aggregated and used with
telling effect
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APPLICATION BLANK
The Commoner's Million Army
J hereby enlist in The Commoner' Million Army, and pledge, my uHmlntancc to
secure the nomination of only worthy antl incorruptible men an democratic can
did ut en; that J trill attend democratic vrlmarlcu antl nominating convent I (turn, and
aamlatin promoting the great democratic campaign of education by devoting a -Honablti
Hhare of my lime to the dtntrlbiitton, of literature. I will recommend
worthy permonm for membernhip in The Vommoncr'm Million. Army, and in any way
X can aauifit to increuae the UHcfttlncutt of thin organization
Signed. .
Address
Mt
With thfl understanding: that Mr. Bryan agrees to accept annual subscription to The Commoner frnm
momben of this Army at a net rata of a cenU each, and that each subscription to The Commoner shall In
clude a subscription to The American Homestead (a stroner homo nnd farm paper thus leaving The
Commoner free to devote 1U undivided effort to political matters and current events l cncloso herewith
6 cents for one annual sulncrlpUon to The Commoner (including: The American Homestead).
If you are already a subscriber to Tho Commoner and do not care to oxtead your expiration date at
thla time, the last paragraph above may be disregarded.
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