?
The Commoner.
3
ItARCH 31. 1911
as well as two kinds of republicans. But,
gentlemen, there is a world-wide difference, an
irrepressible conflict, an uncompromising con
test between tho progressive and the stand
patter, and disguise it as wo will, deny it as
we may, the next political contest in this coun
try is to be between the progressives of all
parties and tho stand-patters of all parties. And
no party lines, nor party prejudices, nor party
regularity, nor party tyranny, will prevent tho
voters from expressing their choice along these
lines in the next presidential contest. Pinchot,
a few nights ago, expressed the predominant
sentiment of this country at the present time,
when he said: 'It is better to be right than
to be regular.' This sentiment will sweep tho
country in the next election and it ought to.
Party name and party organization should be
used to carry out the will of tho people and not
to thwart it. Humanity today sweeps onward.
Changed conditions confront us. The people
are coming into their own. They are demand
ing results, not promises, men, not parties.
They are demanding the election of United
States senators by a direct vote of the people,
and are keeping tab on their every vote in con
gress. They are demanding the tools of govern
ment, direct legislation. They are demanding
that the platform pledges be kept in spirit as
well as in, letter. They are demanding that
graft and special privilege be uprooted. The
only hope of the democratic party in the future
, is through progressive measures backed up by
progressive democracy. The next democratic
national convention must nominate a progres
sive democrat who will command the support
of the rank and file of the party, whose environ
, ment and record and. sympathies and public
i utterances, and heart and soul, are in accord
. with, the progressive, dominant thought of tho
"tlmes The" democratic party 'is. in no position.
J to mark time or -stand pat.. It must move for
7 ward or flos'e the fight. Let us stand by the
i great commqiL people of. the nation, and. the
great commoner of Nebraska 'in keeping and
making the democratic party the party of the
masses and not of the classes.
, "For fifteen years our distinguished guest,
, in whose honor we have met here tonight, has
been the storm center of American politics. A
man who, though thrice defeated for the highest
office in the world, stands today vindicated and
triumphant in the general and political prin
, ciples of government and morality that today
are sweeping, not only this country, but the
governments of the world, into newer and better
things, is In a great measure due to our dis
tinguished guest and his loyal supporters, who,
fifteen years ago declared that the rights of
man are superior to the rights of the dollar.
The power of an idea is well illustrated from
that timo to this. The struggle for this idea
placed LaPollette in the United States senate
and retired Spooner to private life; it stirred
St. Louis to throw off political corruption and
graft; sent political bosses to tho penitentiary
and Folk to the governor's chair; it turned the
search-light on the great insurance scandals
and elevated Hughes to a' place on the supreme
bench; it aroused men like Rudolph Spreckles
of California, to place country above income;
compelled the state supreme court to reverse
its decision and sent Abraham Reuf to prison;
it drove from the United States senate such men
as Aldrich, Dick, Depew and Burkett, and
brought in their stead such men as Poindexter,
Pomerene, Kern and Hitchcock, and Maguire;
it destroyed the leadership of such men as
Bailey of Texas, and brought to the front such
men as Shafroth, of Colorado, and Gore and
Owen of Oklahoma; it destroyed the keystone
of the arch of standpatism in America Uncle
Joe Cannon, and will place in his chair the
great progressive democrat, only one step re
nidved from the presidency of the United
States, Hon. Champ Clark of Missouri.
"This progressive democratic doctrine has
invaded the heretofore impregnable stronghold
' of plutocracy the republican party, and has
organized the progressive league. . It has plaeed
the ban of shame on a Lorimer and forced tho
resignation of a Ballinger. It has forced a
president of the United States to forget Winona
and Tawney, and take up reciprocity in Canada
and animosity in Mexico. It has furnished
'' thousands of readers for the progressive maga-
, zincs and created two of the greatest pen pic
tures of the times since the 'Les Mlserables,' of
Hugo, 'The Jungle,' by Sinclair, and 'The Beast,
tyy Ben Llndsey. Well may the great commoner,
on his fifty-first birthday, look out over the con
tending forces and say: 'It is well.' Progres
sive democracy is destined in fact, if not in
name to become the supreme factor in shaping
the destines of this nation. Progressive democ
racy! Is it necessary to deflno in, legal or techni
cal phraseology? No, wo can namo it in tho
common language of every man. It means
LaFolletto, in Wisconsin; Cummins, in Iowa; .
Brlstow, in Kansas; Champ Clark, in. Missouri;
Woodrow Wilson, in New Jersey, and Bryan, in
Nebraska. I propose the toast: Progressive
democracy, may she be regular as long as sho
may be right, but may she bo right always."
MR. QUACKENBUSH'S SPEECH
Representative E. B. Quackenbush, of tho
Nebraska house of representatives, said: "Ne
braska democracy, always a pioneer in political
reform, resting securely upon its confidence In
the ability of the people to rulo, will havo
added, at tho close of the present session of
the state legislature, another chapter to its al
ready splendid hlBtory, written in the cause of
the people. When tho speaker's gavel shall
havo fallen for the last time, its sound died
away, and the members of the house departed
for their several homes, not a single platform
pledge will remain unredeemed. While this
will be true, let it be understood that no pretense
at perfection in matters of legislation is claimed.
Errors have doubtless been made, and disap
pointment in certain instances will remain. It
hath ever been so, and so it will continue so
long as fallible man remains at the helm of
affairs of state. But on the whole tho present
session will have done much toward advancing
the cause of reform and some of the principles
for which, the illustrious democrat we are met
here to honor stands.
"Early in the session the house passed a
m resolution ratifying the proposed amendment to
the federal constitution providing for an income
tax-. By such, action assisting, in the accomplish
' orient of a reform long" demanded by the people,
. often defeated by corrupt partisan means and
; questionable court decisions.v
"Bills providing for a boaTd of control 61
state institutions, and for a purchasing agent for
the state have been introduced and are well
along upon their passage and enactment into
law.
"Investigation by a special committee of the
house disclosed a very inefficient, incompetent
and unsatisfactory method and system of the
checking and review of the accounts of receipts
and expenditures of tho several state offices, and
institutions and bills are now before tho house
arfd will be passed looking toward a proper
system for safeguarding of the state's interests
in this respect.
"Another important and far-reaching piece of
legislation passed by the house is the measure
providing for appeals from the orders and judg
ments of the state railway , commission directly
to the supreme court of the state, thus avoiding
the long delays and large expense attendant upon
trials in the lower courts and subsequent ap
peals to the supreme court. Such procedure
furnishes a speedy and effective remedy for the
citizen in his unequal contest with the great
public utilities corporations of the state. Tho
benefit which will accrue to the people from
this measure alone can hardly be estimated.
"Bills are also pending before the house, or
have been passed covering different phases of
the regulation of railways, telephones and other
public service corporations, and looking toward
the. betterment of the highways of tho state.
Also measures providing for the recall of all
public officers and to cure the defects in our
present primary election law, non-partisan
judiciary and election of supreme court judges
by voters. In all this legislation there is much
to look forward to and not all is discourage
ment. "A subject which is now attracting much
attention in the house, and should receive tho
greatest attention by both the legislature and
.the people of the state is that affecting tele-
phones and telephone service. Bills are pending
In the house permitting merger of the various
companies and a consequent monopoly. The
telephone has become an actual necessity in
.every family and place of business. For yeaTS
past considerable effort has been expended in
all quarters to break down tho monopoly In tho
telephone business enjoyed by what is known as
' the Bell system. Much encouragement and pro
tection by state and local city governments havo
been extended to the competitors of this
monppoly. Local municipal governments have
frequently given to independent competing
companies a monopoly In their respective cities,
granting long-time franchises and protecting
them In their use to the exclusion of tho Bell
and other systems. In other communities which
the Bell system did not cover, local companies
havo been organized to obtain sorvlco. To por
mit such companies to obtain long-timo fran
chises, and spocial favors from their neighbors,
and now transfer thorn to tho giant monopoly
tho public to bo loft at its mercy would bo
manifestly wrong. Tho smaller companies would
bo forced to surrendor and constant conflict for
good service at fair rates would result No
legislature could justify tho passago of laWs per
mitting it, and tho citizens of every community
should see that no long-time franchises are
granted to any company.
"I havo noted with much Intorest and some
alarm tho seeming willingness of tho public sor-
vico corporations of the stato to accept at tho
hands of this legislature, without opposition,
legislation placing these interests under the con
trol of the state railway commission. Whether
there Is anything in tho suggestion that it is
easier and cheaper to securo the nomination and
elect tho three men than sixty-eight, tho numbor
necessary to control both branches of tho legis
lature, has anything to do with this apparent
willingness I cannot say. Nevertheless it Is true
tliht tho concentration of so much power in tho
hands of three men furnishes great temptation
in fact, invites assault from more than ono
source. While wo all have confidence in our
commission,' tho surest and best test of their
fidelity to tho people's causo is soon to bo
made. Tho commission has for sometime been
engaged in tho arduous task of physical valua
tion of the railways of tho stato. This valua
tion to become tho basis of the proper earning
and dividend bearing capacity and ability to the
several roads. Let it bo hoped that no fabulous
'blue sky' valuation will bo imported into any
department of these roads upon any pretext,
but that real, substantial, reasonable and fair
value of property having an actual existence be
made, the basis., Tho people of the state should
not become unmindful of the great importance
' of seeing that competent and honest men aro
elected on the commission, and should remember
that from this timo on tho commissibn will bo
tho common point of attack in every election
for all tho combined interests of tho stato.
"An initiative and referendum measure has
now passed both branches of tho state legisla
ture and will bo submitted at tho election of
1912. While tho measure does not in all par
ticulars meet tho most sanguine expectations of
its friends and met with determined and stub
born opposition at every stop of Its course by
many who, while professing to bo Its friends,
were really its enemies, let us hope that a happy
medium has been reached and that its practical
application may bo successful in placing the
government directly in the hands of the people
and that it will be a workable law. The mere
passago of such a measure is a great triumph
for the principle of direct legislation. It is
by far the most important piece of legislation
that will be placed upon tho statutes at this
session. It is at onco a sword and a shield.
It is the realization of the old fiction, that 'tho
people rule.' It is the real instrument of govern
ment by which the actual sovereign (the people),
may again assume sovereignty and control. Ne
braska democracy sees in this achievement a
reason for self-congratulation and much satis
faction. It Is ono of tho many reforms for which
the democracy of this state has been contending
for nearly twenty years. In most of the pro
gressive measures which have been crystalized
into law by tho state and national legislature
during recent years Nebraska democracy has'
especial reason for pride. First, because most
of them found their birth in the early and fear
less declarations of the progressive democracy
of Nebraska, and, second, because both, before
and since party declaration made them
political issues they have had for their ablest
and strongest advocate and their best and most
powerful defender, Nebraska's most distin
guished citizen. He stood for them when they
could not stand alone. He became and con
tinued to be their champion when to do so
was to call down upon himself the aspersions,
Imprecations and abuse of tho most powerful
and influential, both in stato and national
politics. Then the terms demagogus, repudia
tionist and anarchist wore familiar terms ring
ing in tho ears of Nebraska democrats. Fidelity
to conscience and manhood stood firm. Today
ho lives to see the accomplishment and realiza
tion of what some but yesterday said was an
Idle dream. He has lived to see written into
the laws of his country more measures making
for the uplift and benefit of his country more
measures than any statesman, living or dead,
since the organization of the government. What
a source of satisfaction it must be.
"These are some of tho reasons for pride In
the hearts of Nebraska democrats. Theso prin-
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