1 ' .-
f
VOL, VI
WHAT ABOUT THE PLATFORM?
Thotie who have convictions regarding what
should be demanded In our stats platform are
Invite to send tbelr Ideas for publlcatlon.
Kcitok Wealth Mjkbhs
S. II. Sornberjcer's IJeet Judgment
Wahoo. Nkb., July 23, 18H4.
Editor Wealth Makkrs:
Your request for suggestions aw to
lur next platform and what it should
contain i timely. Principles are of
more consequence tban the names of
men which itand as their exponent. It
is more important that we be right than
that we immediately succeed. Suo
cess without a well defined and well
understood purpose of economio pro
gress, would be equivalent t failure.
Hence, so called "fusion" with any
body of men not fully imbued with the
nrinclDles for which the name "Popu-,
luujr vl uivh www j i
list" stands, while it might appear, from
the politician's standpoint, to promise
success, is sure in the end to prove a
failure. If Populism were the exponent
of no other purpose than the "free and
unlimited coinage of silver and gold on
a ratio to each other of 18 to 1, regard
lens of the action of anv other nation
on earth," the party might well dis
band, with a recommendation to its
membere to Join the free silver demo
crats" of this state, and so wipe the
'gold bug Democrats" out ofexistence,
so to speak. But this party stands for
much beside "free silver." Indeed,
free sliver is but a small fraction, a
' bagatelle, of the things Its adherents
seek to accomplish, therefore we can
not utilize those whoe political hori
zons are circumscribed and limited to
the one (very desirable) ida embraced
in the term "free silver."
Therefore let us ignore Mr. Bryan's
crittolatn, that the Populisls advocate
"or,e measures which seem to him "im
practicable" (he will shange his mind
some day, and it will be then time
enough to give him a good thing), and
continue the advocacy the great
economio change s embraced in
1, A radical increase In the volume
of money, lnoludlng the free and un
limited coinage of silver on a ratio of
16 to 1, the abolition of bnks of issue,
sta'e or national, and the establishment
of a direct issue of paper money by the
government and without any bank in
termediary. 2. Nationalization of railroads, tele-
. graph, aui all means of transportation
and communication.
3. Abolition of alien ownership of
land. Individually I favor the Single
Tax on land, but we have not coma to
tt ..... nonVuihlo uariRntn. lv in the West
in JO. p vi'uu'j , --
4. A graduated Inooroe tax.
5. The establishme nt of the postal
bank of deposit.
So much fhould be declared as ur
general platform, as the declaration of
the things we ish accomplished by
the nation. In addition we should, 1
think, give endorsement to the max
imum freight rate bill enacted by the
last leglalauire, and deplore the dila
tory and unprecedented action of the
Federal court of this district in Inter
im ruling P jurisdiction n retrain it
'Vineflcial operation. We should dw-
cla' M" the direct e't-otlon of Unite d
State -nator, tr the pataage (f laws
authoring municipal onerhlp if
street, railways, water faculties,
ant otbrr llghiltg.
W ought to dlcus the question a
to
whether th" Unit) has not coin to
St'P
ttio uitler le ol our ehol
lend, ami retain the remainder Ut-re
of rr ! only, and not for U
would bats beett wi-1 had we done to
i0 year ago.
WouUl It b well for u to fav,r tU
principle that lhi tat or th nation
should til ail laionitaUeg liquor
which shal U old wake, ail thai ntl
bo matt and Import alt ttt shall U
Imported, to tlio iul ot tttinWnUtng Iw
UWul I .flU(tiet ? Stuuj.ltun t aha I
ho clUd upon M dlcu anJ toi no
this qurltn. It U m now t bo at
Wt talatlatf of It
White, Inalnl tualiy, 1 'ante omtt
suffrage, I id not vrd at tutt
' tiina Ui a tt U iuii.x t ra'ton In'o
o atata piatform, T'- r r r f rtu
Ui tuau4 "I w'h tfatuHH ml. ut Import
aiutf wit(Hir is, tuoinara e4
daughters a a f I f tt of tit
Hpl tltat this quatttoa tnighl to
!alt tnsiuluttoa tit itowi i that great
if quiSS
We wwst h cAuratfeom a4 sggrv
site, Jft cimillatoty tu tlu hi wish
well to humanity, but not to the decree
of sacrificing a principle to gain ilve
and fishes." We champion the abolish
ment of great economio wrongs. These
wrongs cannot be abated in a day nor
in a year, and perhaps not in a decade.
They were ages in growth; they will
needs die hard. Fusion for temporary
gain, to get the offices, will never des
troy tiem; persistence and a never end
ing struggle will. Humanity pro
gresses, generally slowly, sometimes by
leaps and bounds. The first Is evolu
tion, the latter is revolution. Evolu
tion is best.
S. II. SOBNDOBOBB
A Letter From J V. Wolf.
LlNCOLM, Neb.. July 21, 1894
Editor Wealth Makers;
Youn ranuaatlnff1 mv ODtnton of wbat
- - m
our next state platform should contain
l before me. Vou say, "It has been
suggested, bv our most thoughtful cor
respondents, that a discussion of the
platform, on which our candidates are
to stand, Is even more important tban
the question, whom we shall have to
stand on It." I know that they, and
you will exouse me if I express my ser
ious doubts as to the correctness, and
soundness, of this statement. I may be
wrong, but, after years of experience,
and observation, I have come to regard
party platforms as of very little oone
quenoe a com pared to men. Pliitforms
may be, and they ought to be, all right,
but without men who are also all right,
they amount to nothing. Parties, In
their platform only profess, while men
in their official capacity have to per
form. Platforms cover, comparatively,
but few of the questions upon which
men, elect 4 upon tbem, will be rV
nnlMit t.n Ant. and tVtAv am eaallv and
, "
often Ignored, vlmtaHpfs are numerous
where the platforms of parties were
comparatively right, while the men
were oosltlvelv all wrong. The last
national platforms of both the old par
ties favored bl-metallsm. but the men
voted, as a rule, for a gold standtrd.
The republican party of this state ba,
for years, resolved in favor of a reduc
tion of freight rates, and other needed
reforms, but Ha members of the legisla
ture have voted against them all. For
these, and other reason that I might
give, I have come to regard party plat
forms of but little consequence com
pared to men. In my humble opinion,
the greatest, and moH pressing demand
of our ttme U, not for sound platforms,
but for sound men, men who are tlrt
witt enough to know their duty, and,
after tha, honnt enough to do it, either
with, or without, a platform. I would
.much prefer such a man, without any
platform, to the widest and best platform
without mob a man on it. Mv Meal
of a man. either In cr out of oflltv,
Is on who Is rapaile of knowing what
is right, between man and man, and
who Is incapable of,kuowlngly,dolng his
fellow man a wrong. Give such a
man, or such men, and I will hesa'lsfled
with almost ai y kind of a pla'form that
oar peopks wheu th-y tio to Grund
Island may s fit t adopt. Hut your
"mot thoughtful rorreaunndfnt'' and
I d 1T-T only in llm tUnrn of importance
to Ik attached renwollvdy to our plat
form, and the men to tie placed upun it.
I apprvhend but little. If auy, trouhlo
about our s'aUt platform, when wa shall
ge.t together at Grand Hand. If th. re
la ay pnrty that s practical' united,
In ja demand, It Wertinlv the I rule
pon len' i'tr. We can all certainly
aiv In r. altl ruling thtt principles and
dtHLftittl of tti UmaHa platfviim V
ea t aree. l) deniaedUig a more ec
munleal aiimlntra'lo of our stato
at'air, tl a inor strict a.-oounalUiy
'f I'uUMo i.rflra tsf money aapproprUt
t an.l -xpnJnl. If theiuprumn court
nhou'.d dcldi the tua unn rat hill
uaoonstltuttonal, hU'h it I lUely tt
do, ean gr to t again, or i n
of tinl'ar Import VV van aa'rew that
(ur eotuai'iA kitMNit fund ttall tw In
id aiM urUiti to 'a, a'ul itiouta ' rae
iif?, ' of ihotisand of 4 -lla'. par y
.m1h aud Ih'IvI p.tMlauir, Asd,
la fai't, I ' I a i'o It at ea a I arew
uhii tri)tUlsg that la att-tlutily
to ry to im feitM tuul of our cow
ul'ton a a nt-irwrlti ii'- lu onif
i - .
d ifr I )iiial a U ia (Uman.llnrf to i
tttktn got tmtti before w
dvmaiul iMtf4ti. although tl.a thing
iltiiia"dvl Ur. la tn(fiolta. rtiht, II
thachUf of tha aitlea tould say that
"all things ar lawful for tu but a'l
Ihtnga sra lot sijd!nt,H the chief (
LINCOLN. NEB., THURSDAY, JULY 2(5, 1894.
parties can certainly afford to adopt his
lutplrrd word. I, pnraou&iiy, bG'CTC
In many reforms, outnldo of those we
have already demanded, but I also be
lieve, that If we can get those demanded,
that It will be much easier to get all the
rest tban it will be to get any if we
demand them all at onco. If I bad to
suggest but a single addition to our
former demands ft r state legislation it
would be in favor of wbat is now known
as the principle of the "Initiative and
Referendum." I believe that the near
er we can get to, and the more we rely
upon, the people themselves, the better
it will be for us, and I have always been
opposed to the veto power in the hands
of any one man.
These, Mr. Editor, are simply my In
dividual views frankly and honestly ex
pressed, and you and your readers can
consider them for what they are worth,
We are about to enter upon a campaign
the most important in the history of
our organization, or that of the state,
and all pet schemes, and all pet men,
should be lost sight of, and the wisest,
and best men should be sent to Grand
Island, to make a platform, and place
upon It a ticket, solely in the interest
of success, and the success of our de
mands. This done, and what little in
fluence I may have, or what ability I
possess, as far as I am physically and
financially able, shall be devoted and
consecrated to the work of final triumph
in November. J. V. WOLFB.
A Mtrong Argument for Direct Legis
lation. ,
Loup City, Neb., July 16, '94.
hMitor Wealth Makers;
Allow me to thank you for the em
phatic declaration in your istue of the
12th Inst, in favor of making a demand
for the Initiative and Referendum ikt
Ant blank on the platform. It is time
we make this the issue of issues, and I
hope the offioe sueking element in our
own ranks, to whom extreme partisan
ship Is a veritable elixir vitml wilt Bot
be strong enough to side track it
We can, in almost auy neighborhood,
find ten Republican or Ddu,ocrat who
assent to many of the reforms we advo
cate, where we cannot find one who
will join our party.
Party organization is junltiable only
as a means U an end Is at bett but a
necessary evil, necessary only under
present prevailing conditions; and in
tho event of pony success it has invari
ably proved an Impediment to honest
government, and a prolific source of
political corruption.
In aitrmptlug to secure the enact
ment of laws for the reform of present
abuees we are hlndoied almost as much
as we are helped by it, because we offer
uo alternative to aonuat Republicans
aud Democrats oxoept to do violence to
ttielr personal preferences; or, being a
minority in tu.ir party, to cast tnoir
ballots in the interest o( mouopoly; a
faulty arrangement wnlcu has lur
lain bed our opponents the most formid
able Dalwark on checking our advance.
In tUe aame way we are Iianulcappud
througU being obliged to bunuu our
proposed toioruis iu a parly platform
wuiuU our ujin.ueo are piuld I J sup
port in Its entirety, though fully aware
that K is repuguaut to, aud will ba au
lag miad oy injiuy uouuat vulora on
aooountof tue proaonca of obuoxljua
plauk, wr tii aoaunco of utitera wtttou
tlu-y fvifl bouud Uiuivooate, aud wtiich
tn (uaupoltsU sue to It aro embodied
in the platlurm of aoma oilier party.
iu correvtitig thU misiakg of buuet
li g our rvlonua tut us U giu at Hu bo-
giuulng.
Legulation through rvpreM)UiaUv
iKKilf. r sis aotutj ou ttta grouud of con
j ouuniH , au4 lliougn the KphUm la
' now t poxl. d that auy Uidy of rvprv
, HiiiUUO, noauvtr Uet, snow bvt,r
! arnat ttte mus wao tUaa Hk v d i
the ut )vl la aiouu ry atittUn
I ,iu a tuis, U Usw of tho ropi t ol
dating to in ana,-a l'uk, rai.roa.U,
tvtvtraftis or for itultug ana
Irr g.tU'U, aaiMU ue for tu dpoait
ol atait, eo.lou, UimtK-r, el, ium!s
ai I ottivr tutuvra'a auil UH.ir prodaata,
aa a, bU ou a hu tt iu ua tha mUni
iiinl'utu ol vnchaaw. the pravlU a'iHUj
of ait ai tang ui ul nvh tUti It i fere a
(duui, Ubdr aUlv ft alt aUof tha g!
, lat-rv otid v4 format ssdotaaiuwat
by thi vuturs rw they uul4 Uoma
tas, wtll at Uatt ta quettot4 bf
tiiaa.
J It wight (of the imBt If we
cut amdiubU to our cm!
tutlon by which the veto power would
bs taken from the governor, and In its
place the voters be empowered, on pre
senting petitions signed by forty per
cent of the aggregate number of regis
tered electors in the state, to demand
that any measure, not Incompatible
with the constitution of the United
States, which they shall deem neocswy,
be mbmltfcd fo'r their approval or re
jection at a special eleotlon, within
thirty dsys from presen atlon of the
petition, irrespective of whether the
legislature is or is not la session, or
whether the measure has or has not
been already passed upon by it or the
stat) courts; and If approved by ma
jority of said electors, such measure
shall become law without further legis
lative endorsement; and, as the aot of
the people, shall not be vetoed, changed,
or set aside by their servants in any
department of the government, execu
tive, legislative, or judicial.
Suoh an amendment, by empowering
the people to take the Initiative in in
troduojng needed reforms, and carry
ing tbesa Into effect, would remedy the
weak point in the present constltutlen,
under whloh they are debarred from
acting for themselves in making the
laws they desire, unless their servants
in the legislature by a three-fifths vote
oonclude to permit tbem to do to. It
would also deprive a corrupt judlolary
of the power to nullify such laws as the
people might make; and there would
remain but little Inducement for the
corporations to spend money to corrupt
our representatives In any department
of the government, as the people could
at any time constitute themselves a
court of last resort (or the final adjudi
cation of any matter deemed by them
important enough to call for their in
terference. As It would be useless to expect a
majority of the electors to vote for any
measure for wbioh forty per oeat of
tbem could not be induced to petition
the cause of reform could suffer nothing
from requiring so large a per centage,
while it would deprive its enemies of
the power to harass and weary the peo
ple with the turmoil and expense of
elections called for undesirable er un
necessary, pur poaes.
As the cost of getting up petitions,
and verifying and forwarding tbem
when signed, would be borne by the
promoters, it would not be open to the
objection of entailing needless expense
on the taxpayers; while it would fur
nlah the most effective means of calling
the people's attention to needed reforms
and would afford the electors an oppor
tunity to vote their sentiment, on ary
question unprejudiced by other issues.
A wide field would be furnished for
thoBe who have the necessary magnet-
Ism and ab llty to urge the cause of re
form before the people, without oomlng
under the stigma of being office-seekers;
and as the task of lookup artef details
and the performance of its duty by the
executive would be regulated to the
legislature our representatives would
besoleoted for the honesty and business
sagacity essential to tfficlent committee
men, rather thau for their brilliance as
orators.
If ptoperly preceded to the people,
an 4 supported by the evidence ol sin
cerity and the courage of our convic
tions on our part through selecting, t
far as practicable, members for official
Haltlons ou the ground ol eraoisal
character and capability Irrespective of
partisanship, making the election of
the three fifth of the legUlature nec?s
sry to ssoura the rlgtof the Initiative
to the p'opls the tnatu lue of the cam
paign, it does n t seem oreauiib! to
hop for sucoeas in our own slate, and
It uov'ef ul now, tur example would
giro an Impstus that would go far to
ward eiWndlng the refoitu to the na
tional government In l
And lurthvt, kop!ftg ttt feotainbi anew
that lh h ertloa that "ottti man's
vett4 rights are ofwa asother nun's
eVed tog," Is s ttue read hvk
aru a f -r an.lt; that this gra'-loe
I rriml!l, an I should sutfur tor Us
own iti'.iakr, that at ae'rpoat&la
for mailt g prtaU ownership of ths tna
terUl rtwuurvt a lM, aud, U the
eac it any lua hi gosi smaat of
cHrtlrlee of tu for product a-d
provrKl lp-'U'il, the oulf Safe and
rlable invea'tueal for the Irulta of
boal Ml, a vaaaot t J4tin4 if I
Msrvls'Sg the right of sraliwat do
main eoeflwaia hoit Uvestinsat
IV uttUUUvU Ml St.
CONVENTION
The Wagon Brigade and Overland Route
to Get" There-
GRAND I8L&HD IS THE MEOOA.
A Plan to Bring In Ten Thousand Pso.
pis and Sp end Enthusiasm in Radi
ating Lines Kvtrwbers.
The Time to Plan Is Now.
Elgin, Neb., July 15, 1894.
J A. Edgerton, Seo'y State Com.
Th Panola's Indenendent oartv club
of Eiitlu, Antelope oounty, Neo. beg to
submit a plan to represent tnemseives
at the oomlng state convention. Their
Idea is to extenaan invitation, tnrougn
Th Wealth Makers to sections
north, east and west to line In with us
and proceed to Grand island in a ooay
If the olan is feasible. Antelope county
would form the procession at Elgin and
start on Monday, August 20, and all
other places represented to the north of
us should line in with us at that place
and time, and drive the first day to Al
bion, hold a banquet on the evening of
the 20th; then the second dsy proceed
to Fullerton; the third day to Central
Cltv. and on the 4th day reach Grand
Island. All Dolnts alooir our line are
Invited to join ua. If you approve of
our idea piease have the plan published
through rsi Wealth Makers so It
will come Into the minds of the people
of every direction to make the 24th of
August the greatest day of this year. I
would sav that Antelope countr will not
confine herself to the delegates only, out
Included to tbelr friends, wives.sons.ane
daughters Inclosed please find dia
gram of our proposed route. If you ap
prove or tnis pian i wouia urge mat is
be published this week yet; so that other
seotlons may grasp the idea and pre
pare for it. i'lease mention how we
propose to travel, so that people in our
direction will watcn ror ns.
Yours for victory,
E. L. Bemdbr,
Seo'y of Elgin's People's indepen
dent Party Club.
P. S Please Inform na when would
be the earliest date that' we could ob
tain either Mr, Devioe, Green or Wea
ver, to come and speak to us and we
will arrange for a crowd, with a picnic.
. u D.
The above and accompanying diagram
did not reach us till after we bad gone
to press last week. We are very glad
to give It space in The Wealth
Makers now, and this paper strongly
endorses the plan. Our readers re
member that we were lhe first to advo
cate it months ago. We want numbers,
voices, noise, enthusiasm as well as
the truth. Multitudes draw multitudes
Numbers create enthusiasm. Momen
tum gathers power.
Now, then, we will give the substance
of Mr. Bender's diagram and plan.
Let the teams which are to form the
convention caravans understand what
principle routes are to bo followed, and
places and dates where and when they
are to come together. Convention
teams from Orchard, Savage, Wtigao,
Bazlile, litunswlck, PIanvlew, Nellgb,
Clearwater, Oakdulo, Pierce, and other
points should meet at Elgin, August
20; and from there the route would be
through Albion, Fullerton and Central
Cltv ta Grand Island. Another Hue
may be cboen for the Ponca, Wayne,
Norfolk, Madison and neighboring
towns.
Another company should draw to
gether and come down on Grand iaud
via St. Paul, Auothvr rouU ahould run
In from Ord. Another from Broken
ilow and btiyond. Another from Red
Cioud and other points branohlog from
and concentrating In Hastings. ( There
Is already a plan well started, In charge
of John K. M sours of Hastings, to bring
toother tha t?BVolUu Warns frvm
NuckoiU, Clay, WsbaUr and other
oourtlU, and hold a moving at la
tlnga, Aug. ti, a barbecue and great
mats meeting. Senator Allan is et
pn tod to be one of the speaker ul that
oocaloa ) A ad ol turte the llaatiogt
company of Warn. grally augtusated
at that point, will move on to the Poo-
uiUt oATatto Mm, t.ran-l uiend
(hhr routes trviu tha toutheaat aad
eaat aa-1 atoag the llaa f the l'. P,
railroad should re at onee agrl oa
aad earavaa plaaasj tor. Who will
volunloar to work up and evioeuaad
Ihsae wagoa brigade? Lt us bring
la a hoai e laniple a4 s4 up a shvui
that w(U hle lha lUpuhilvan waits.
The eathuolaiui of 1 J rpat4 this
ytar will bury tae lispMrdlMte rty too
i4f lor ruritUo. tf Ulag
now favetrt waking eton W the
NO 7
Populist faith. Now then for a strong
rf U ul togAthfr for lb1! r'!,T,'r.lnn ol
Nebraska. Tnree cheers for our state .
convention. Let everybody goby wag
on who cn tak the tim. . The ex
pense will bs much less than by rail.
Let us make it a time of needed recre
ation and have the biggest time that
the state of Nebraska has ever known.
Surely, Comrades, the Column SbaU
bs Given.
Ooalalla, Neb., July 23, 1804.
Editor Wealth Makers:
Having just finished reading Comrade
Mart Howe's open letter in last week'a
issue of The Wealth Makirs, and as
Comrade Howe voioes the sentiment
of all old soldiers who are not blinded
by old party fealty, the thought occurred
to me that it would be a good plan If
you could devote a special column for
the old soldiers to express their politi
cal views in. While moat of us are sot
proficient writers ai our younger dsy a
were spent in the manual of areas In
stead of going to school yet we oaa
give expression to our sentiments In a
short, precise manner, that can leave
no doubt la the minds of any how we
stand on the great questions of the day,
Such expressions should, and I think
would, have weight with all men who '
take Into consideration the true welfare
of thia nation for wbl ih the old soldier
suffered so much to perpetuate. I have
noticed in our People'e party conven
tions that there are always a goodly
number ef old soldiers there and they
are not ashamed to stand up and be
counted either. The Keith county
delegation thia year to the state con
vention and also to the congressional
convention will have two In its ranks
who stood up for "Old Glory" from '01
to '&". Give the old boys a ohanoe to
shoot off tbelr mouth through the
beat paper in Nebraska. Now boys,
"fall in." John W. WlLSOW.
Letter From V, O. Striokler.
Editor Wealth Makers:
I have just learned that Hon. W. H.
Denson, at present a member of Con
gress from Alabama, has come over to
the People's Party. He waa eleoted as
a Democrat but when that party sold
Itself to Wall street, and joined hands
1th the Republicans in an effort to
fasten the chains of industrial slavery
upon the people of this land he declined
longer to fight under Its banner, and
after bidding it a farewell returned to
Alabama where on last Monday he took
the stump for the People's Party ticket.
All praise to this man who after becom
ing convinced that his party no longer
stood for what he believed to be right,
had the oeurage to leave it, ank to cast
his lot In with the only party that be
lieves in equal rights to all and special
privileges to none. If all men had this
oourave we should see such an exodus
from both the old hartlea as would
make the Populist cause triumphant
from one end of the country to the
other. They cannot remain in the old
organization and at the same time be
In favor of principles on which the new
is organized. The time has come wbca
every voter must take a stand in favor
of tta system which has brought the
country into such a dreadful condition,
or by his ballot he must register his
opposition to It. A vote for either of
the old parties means a vote to continue
present conditions, and while a rabid
partisan may not agree with all of the
minor traito of the People's party, yet
voting for that party he register a pro
tost against existing ooadltions and de
clares himself in favor of a change,
am Inclined to believe that the worst
enemy the new party has Is the man
who claims to be In favor of all Its prtu
clpal Usuea, and at the same time al
lows his partWanahlp to keep him U
his old vrgaaliawoa. 1 am glad to he
abla to say that the prase at Indlsatloas
are flat thrwe other aiamW of Cea
grvt will aooa folio the txample of
Mr. Ujno and U'or the prewsat
campaign Is over wUI false thatr volet
la their ! state la behalf of the po
pi s party. Let s hop that atuoeg
the thousand i. gotl poopl who lite
upoa the Uloj pralrl U Nbraka
tasre way be many hi at the eoatlag
Uclio etll folio! the f sample vf
the Bob! NMA, aad vttfic partisan
ship la order that reo aad ooasetaaoe
may direct thtlr vwe.
V.O. ttt au KLta.
NW fathliNafahtta