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A FREE FORUM
Any Man Who Has an Idea That He Thinks
Will Iteneflt Mankind can Have Space
in the Independent
The following article has been sent
to the Independent for publication.
The writer shall have, his say and the
readers of the paper can form their
own conclusions. There are two
classes of writers from among whom
come the best descriptions of the evils
of our present social system. When
the. editor reads their burning words.
full of fire, verbal dynamite and chain
lightning, as they tell of the wrongs
the oppressed suffer, lie gives up aU
hope of ever doing the thing half so
Avell and wants to go 'way back and
sit down. These two classes are so
cialists and single taxers. If all that
was needed to overthrow wTrong and
special privileges was a description of
the wrongs that are inflicted upon
mankind the job would have been
completed long ago. But there must
be a remedy. These two classes of
writers who have studied social con
ditions enough to see the wrongs and
describe them with eloquence and
power, are at sward's points when it
come -to the remedy. If there was any
doctrine that Henry George had the
most profound contempt for it was
socialism. But there are chapters 'in
his works when it comes to describ
ing the evils from which men suffer
that can . be almost duplicated from
the works of the best socialistic writ
ers. Henry George was not only a
great man, but a patriot and a lover
of all mankind. He believed that he
had discovered a remedy in the single
tax. He has thousands of followers
in the United States, and one of them
sends the following for publication
in the Independent:
Within sight of the place where I
spend several hours a day in the ef
fort to make a living is a piece of
ground of about the superficial ' area
of half an acre.' Until recently the
owner of this lot has been engaged
in the laborious task of holding it
idle. Not that the 'land would have
disappeared if he had not held on to
it, but soiely because he wanted more
money for it than anyone could afford
to give. Like many another lan J
monopolist, he would not use this land
himself nor permit anyone else to use
it. A few months ago, however, he
leased the ground to the present ten
ant for the following consideration:
Forty thousand dollars a year for
ninety-nine years, lessee to spend
$700,000 in improvements, pay all
taxes, and at the expiration of lease
to turn over land and improvements
to owner's heirs or assigns..
I do not mention this transaction
because it is unusual. On the con
trary it is quite common, but simply
to call the attention of farmers and
other workingmen to it, and to ask
them to particularly consider the pur
pose for which this money is paid,
and what the person who receives tho
money gives in exchange. Forty
thousand dollars a year for ninety
nine years is quite a comfortable an
nuity. Let us see what it means.
Though the contract is expressed in
terms of money, this is plainly be
cause money enables its possessor to
more easily satisfy his desire for
thousands of other things. If money
had not been invented, or if the owner
nrmlrl nnt p-pt nthpr thiners with tVio
money as he needed them then the
contract would have stipulated other
things.
What, are these other things? Can
they be anything else than the pro
ducts of labor? In the last analysis,
then, the $40,000 received by this lot
owner is a: draft on labor products as.
they are produced, and enables him
to command the services of . others
to this; extent. - ..Qr:ih . other .words,
what this lot owner receives from men
and women who work is furnished
houses to- live in, meats, groceries,
wines, ' cigars, horses - and carriages,
bicycles i and'automobiles, clothing for
himself and . family, and the personal
services- of, physicians, actors, sing
ers, writers', household servants, etc.
What for? Simply for his permission
to live on a part of the earth which
they admit,, to-be. his private property.
Does he give them anything, or render
them any service in exchange for the
things and services they give him?
Nothing whatever! Why, if he were
an; idiot or an, invalid, or spent his
time in a balloon or in a hole in .the
ground, or took a Rip, van Winkle
sleep fort , ninety-nine years, or the
rest of his life, air these things, all
these services, 1 would continue to be
furnished 'him ' jiist the same as the
are now furnished to a strong and
healthy man whose pride and boast
is that he doesn't have to work, an J
that his father and grandfather before
him d'd not have to work.
"'Now, when it is remembered that
thi3 no an is only one of quite a num
ber of landlords tnus supported i; by
those who work, that the total sum
-paid annually to landlords cannot be
less than the total annual expenses
of government municipal,-, county,
state and national and that govern-
: ment. expenses must also be paid bythe
membered, some idea will be gained
of what an expensive luxury a landed
aristocracy is, and what a load they
are for workers to carry. Indeed, it
were better if all the wealth which is
now absorbed by landlords was
thrown into the sea or burned up.
Better for landlords themselves as
men, since then they would be per
sonally benefited by helping to produce
this wealth, and infinitely better for
those who now support them in idle
ness i nd luxury. Viewed in this light,
the notion that landowners, as such,
are of any use or benefit to a com
munity, is as preposterous and absurd
as anything can be. In reality, land
lord? do nothing but consume and de
stroy. Economically considered, they
are what ferrets are in the poultry
yard, what weevils are in the grain,
what rats are in the barn yard, what
brigands are to industrious citizens,
what pirates are to peaceful mer
chantmen. For the robbery involved
in the appropriation of ground rent
by landlords is not like te robbery of
a hcrse or a sum of money, that
censes with the act. Ii is, as Henry
George well says, "A fresh and con
tinuous robbery that goes on every day
and hour.. It is a toll levied upon
labor constantly and continuously.
Every blow of the hammer, every
stroke of the pick, every thrust of the
shu:tle, every throb of the steam en
gine, pay it tribute. It levies upon
the eurnmgs of the men who, deep
under ground, risk their lives, and of
those who, over white surges, hang
to reeling masts; it claims the just
reward of the capitalist and the fruits
of the invent or3 patient effort; it
takes iibtle children from play and
from hool, and compels them to
work before their bones are h,ard or
their muscles are firm; it robs the
shivering of warmth; the hungry of
food; the sick of medicine: the anx
ious of peace; it debases and em
brutes and embitters. It crowds fam
ilies of eight and ten into a single
squalid room; it herds like swine ag
ricultural gangs of boys and girls; it
fills the gin palace and groggery with
those who have no comfort in their
homes; it. makes lads who might be
useful men candidates for prisons and
penitentiaries; it fills brothels with
girls who might have known the, pure
joy' of motherhood; it sends greed
and all evil passions prowling through
society as a hard winter drives the
wolves to the abodes of men; It
darkens faith in the human soul, 'and
across the reflection of a just and
merciful Creator draws the veil of a
hard and blind and cruel fate!
It is not merely ; robbery in the
past; it is a robbery in the present
a robbery that deprives of their birth
right the infants that are now com
ing into the world! Why should we
hesitate about making short work of
such a system? Because I was robbed
yesterday, and the day before, and the
day before that, is it any reason that
I should suffer myself to be robbed
today and tomorrow? Any reason that
I should conclude that the robber has
acquired a vested right to rob me?
Let no farmer who depends for a
living by working his own farm de
ceive himself with the notion that he
is a party to the robbery above de
scribed, except in so far as he, through
ignorance, or folly, defends the insti
tution of private property in land.
As I have before pointed out, while
farmers own large areas of land, it is
for the most, part land of but little
value, and most of that value is mere:
ly speculative.
Farmers, as a class, though the'
are land owners, really suffer as much
from the evils inseparable from land
lordism as any other class of workers.
The landowners whom George refers
to, and those who are particularly
meant when this . institution is chal
lenged,, are those who own exception
ally valuable land city lands, timber
lands, railroad and steamship termi
nals, etc. The steel trust alone, for
example, owns land of greater value
than all the farms in the United States,
yet the area of lands owned by the
steel trust is Insignificant compared
to the total area used as farm land.
The Beaumont oil district, where farm
land has increased in value for $8 to
$bo,000 an acre, is, perhaps, the best
home illustration, of the difference in
value between land when used only
for farming and the same land when
used for other purposes.
To put a stop to .the individual ap
propriation of ground rent; to make
short work , of the ; system by which
such robbery is possible; to secure
a. fund sufficient to pay all the ex
penses of, government without resort
ing to any tax on labor products; to
prevent the withdrawal of land from
use; to solve the labor problem; -to
raise wages; - to abolish poverty and
the fear of want; to render labor sav
ing inventions a blessing to all,, and
cause such an enormous production
and such an equitable distribution of
wealth as to give to all comfort and
leisure, it is only 'necessary for the
community to take, in the form of a
tax, the full rental yalue, of land.
. This is the single tax.. . . ;;v
I have a booklet in which are an
swered fifts sixty questions mp.
I will gladly send this booklet free to
anyone who will ask for it.
C. F. SHANDREW.
Germantown, Pa.
The Isthmiam Canal
The editor of the Independent has
received several Inquiries concerning
the dispute over the two routes for
an isthmian canal and asking which in
reality i3 the best route. The editor
has read several hundred columns of
matter that has been published on that
subject during the last two or three
years. After weighing, all that has
been said on both sides of the sub
ject he inclines to think that the
Nicaraguan route, all things consid
ered, is the best. Each side declares
that the other canal is an engineering
impossibility, but in such assertions
he takes no stock. With time enough
and money enough a canal can be built
anywhere. A short letter written by
Gen. E. P. Alexander, a civil' en
gineer of world wide reputation,- gives
the conclusions to which the Independ
ent long since arrived. It is herewith
published for the answer to those who
have made inquiries, as well as for
the information of all others inter
ested. Georgetown, S. C, Dec. 26 Carter
H. Fitzhugh, Esq. Dear Mr. Fitz
hugh: Your favor of the 16th is at
hand and I take pleasure in giving you
briefly my views of the comparative
merits of the Nicaragua and the Pana
ma routes for the isthmian canal. I
fully indorse the unanimous finding
of the commission, recently published,
in favor of the Nicaragua route. The
principal reasons which they assign
are:
First It is the cheapest to build by
$63,510,000.
Second For commerce from our
gulf ports to our own western coast
and to China, Japan, etc., it is a two
days' shorter route.
Third It is much the healthiest
route.
Against these advantages the prin
cipal offset they note is the increased
cost of maintenance of $1,300,000 per
annum.
That seems to me to cut no figure
against the increased cost of the Pana
ma route alone, being only about 2
percent, nor should it cut any figure
to justify having upon our commerce
the incubus of such unhealthy ports
as Panama and Colon remain today in
spite of all the French could do; nor
of putting two days more upon every
voyage from our gulf port3 and one
day on every voyage from Atlantic
ports to the north Pacific ports.
There are, moreover, two other rea
sons which I have- not seen touched
on in the published reports of the
commission, but which to me seem
of grave enough importance in them
selves to determine the question in
favor of Nicaragua.
First The Panama route is almost
impossible for 'sailing vessels. Pana
ma'is itself iri latitude 9 degrees north,
which is in the doldrums, but it is at
the head of a gulf, to get out of which
a vessel must go down about to ? de
grees and then get back again. Grey
town and Brito are within influence of
the trade winds. Panama is notori
ous among sailors as about the worst
"hole" in the world to get in and out
of with sail. The canal ought surely
to be available for sail use.
Second Strategically we ought to
occupy the route nearest our own
cburitry. If we leave Nicaragua out
iri the cold in the course of time she
may find the means to build for herself
or with some foreign assistance. She
could not do it now, of course, but
who can tell what another century
will bring forth? ; Then an ' enemy
might find a lodgement between us and
our great canal and might , have a
shorter and inside route. In the
limits of a letter I cannot do more
than suggest these "considerations, but
they seem to me to easily turn the
scale in favor of Nicaragua, even if
the French were to present us with
all their work as a free gift. The
whole business in Colombia is so
mixed and tangled that neither the
canal company nor the Colombian
government is free to make any deal
with us without the other's consent.
And between minority stockholders on
one side and revolutionary generals
and statesmen on the other all sorts
of legal complications are possible! la
Nicaragua the whole ownership can
be clean cut and simply arranged.
Very sincerely yours,
E. P. ALEXANDER.
That "Favorable Balance"
Barnum stated a great economic fact,
one that has influenced governments
and turned the tide of trade, when he
said that the American people liked
to be humbugged and would pay hard
cash to anyone that would accommo
date them. Two minutes' thinking
ought to have convinced any man that
the republican campaign cry of a "fa
vorable balance of trade" was a hum
bug, but the American people took it
up and imagined that they were" grow
ing rich by shipping more wealth out
of the country than was shipped into
it. When this humbug was first an
nounced the Independent jumped onto
it with both feet, so to speak, in the
very next issue. Then it hammered
away at the foolishness of the whole
performance until the pops who real
the Independent got the facts of the
case well in hand. It is not a strange
thing at all for the republican leaders
to call black white. They know that
their followers will believe it, if they
ony say so. It would not -have done
at that time to have let them know
that republican policies were tending
toward the impoverishment of the
country instead of making it richer.
When they told the mullet farmers
that they only needed dear money and
low prices for their products to mako
them prosperous and happy it was in
the same line of this statement, that
the more wealth we shipped out of the
country and the less we shipped in
the richer we would be. The Chicago
Public wants some of these men to rise
up and explain why . this balanie is
called "favorable." It says:
"The November report of American,
exports and imports is calculated to
make renewed demands upon the in
tellectual agility and statistical dex
terity of the 'favorable balance' ex
perts. This report is for the eleven
mohths of the current ; calendar -year,
and shows that the excess of exports
jniercharidise, gold and silver, all in-
Mark Twain's
Govt
9
G. C. Clemens, of Topeka,
Kan., the no
ted constitu
- tional lawyer,
who bears so
striking a re
semblance to
.Mark Twain,
(Samuel B.
Clemens) that
he is frequent
ly taken for the
; original Mark, Gr c: Clemens.;
is a man of deep intellect and
wide experience. He is con
sidered one of the- foremost
lawyers in this country. In a re
cent letter, to the Dr. Miles
Medical Co. , Mr. Clemens says:
"Personal experience and obser
vation have thoroughly satisfied me that
Dr. Miles' Nervine contains true merit,
and is excellent for what it is recom
mended." Mr. Norman Waltrip, Sup. Pres. Bank
ers' Fraternal Society, Chicago, says:
i Pain Fills
are invaluable for headache and all
pain. I had been a great sufferer from
headache until I learned of the efficacy
of Dr. Miles' Pain Pills. Now I always
carry them and prevent recurrjng at
taches by taking a pill when the symp
toms first appear." .
Sold by all Druesists.
. Price, 25c. per Box,
Dr. Miles Medical Co., Elkhart, Ind.
great outgo comes back to us in 'pure
gold,' as the ; lamented McKinley ex
plained with reference to our exports
in general, for gold is included. In
fact, the exports of gold alone have
exceeded gold imports thus far during
the year by $2,790,15; and silver ex
ports are $22,548,466 in excess of silver
imports. How, then, are we enriched
by our boasted exportation also of
over five hundred millions more mer
chandise than -e have imported? !f
our , countrv were getting equal or
greater values back we could under
stand the boast. But it is getting
nothing back. On the contrary, it is
shipping silver and gold. If we were
paying off our "debts, then we could
understand the boast. But our old
excess of imports has been ' paid off
over and over since the balance shifted
some thirty years ago. If we were
establishing a credit abroad, then the
boast would be explicable. -But we
are not. The surmise that we' are do
ing so is no longer entertained by
financial men. The New York HeraH,
for instance, in a financial review on
the 17th of r the stock markets, speaks
of 'the enormous sum which is owing
abroad,' of the enormous foreign bor
rowing' of our bankers, of the curious
spectacle , or - this country 'borrowing
and deferring payment to impoverish
Europe,"' and gives warning that 'this
foreign' money must be repaid somfi
day.' There appears to be nothing to
show for our excessive exports ' but s
little matter of tourists' expenses and
some payments for foreign freights.
Will someone kindly rise up and ex
plain, with veracity as to facts and
common sense as to conclusions what
there is in our excessive exports to
boast about and why this balance is
called 'favorable?'"
Fair Reasoning
Editor Independent: Please find in
closed a dollar for which credit ms
on my subscription to the Independent,
which is by "far the best paper in the
State. By your fair reasoning you
are doing great good in our state and
other states. May the good work go
on is my sincere wish.
FRANK ROTH.
Tekamah, Neb.
Stirred Him up
Editor Independent: I have re
ceived the Independent for the la.st
six weeks and have read it with much
interest. It is good to -read a paper
that so fearlessly flings the truth in
the , teeth of "the powers that be."
"Lay on, Macduff," say I, "and damne I
be - .the5 man who first cries hold,
enough." "Your editorial on the
Miles-Root episode was very able and
appealed to me strongly. It made me
want to write "Somp'in great, and
b'gosh! Ldone it."
.1 enclose aa subscription. Asking
your pardonf for taking this much of
your time, r'wish you unbounded suc
cess with your paper.
' . B. O. DUGGAN,
Principal Dibrell Normal Institute.
Sparta, Tenn.
( Regular Jefferson Democrats
'Editor Independent: My first vote
was' for Lincoln in '61. Since that time
I have been a democrat.- At that time
I -did not understand the tariff Issus.
BufrT was soon-convinced that I ought
to vote the democratic ticket, ; and
have voted nq other since that time,
but. since Cleveland, and the money
trust demonetized silver I have been
slow to vote.1 4 The two last, presiden
tial: elections- V voted for Bryan, and
the'free coinage of silver. I felt like
a- constitutional demo;crat again. v ; It
seemed to me , we were going back: to
what" the fathers fought' for, -freedom
and liberty, hot for gold:bugs, and the
money; syndicates at the head of," tho
government. I cannot.riinderstarid
why honest labor should not have the
privilege of getting silver out oFthe
earth and have it coined free. Now
you must wait for some money trust
to come and buy and. sell it at their
price. To my mind this is taking away
the privilege that nature gave to all.
There are those who must have their
millions even at the cost of blood. The
strangest thing to me is why wiil
men vote for that. In my, mind they
have had,two.hances to elect an hon
orable, straight, forward man, a man
with a soul.' If we, had elected W. J.
Bryan, not one person would have
the gold bug. I believe I have pop
ulist ideas. I like that side. of gov
eminent issue of: money and hate tb ft
bank syndicate. I do not understand
why we should have to pay $20 to
$100 a day, to men, simply to set In
high' places and frown .upon thosa
that have to toil for a living. If you
have dealing with them you do just
what they would have us to do. They
are in my opinion a hard lot. I am a
Bryan democrat and will never vote
for a gold bug. i'hey are not democrats.-
; , . ...... . ... . : -
,it.&jms to me that the populists are
the regular Jefferson democrats, as
near as I. can understand, these arc
rr.en ofi convictions. . Your paper agrees
with my sentiments. I have subscribed
toi it with The Commoner.
- AARON BRYANT. ,
Collingswood, N. J.
; Real Riches
Men, creeds and nations die, but right
lives on. ,
Old customs fade and disappear from,
earth; .
The ages vanish and new epochs
: dawn;
New systems and. new races come to
' birth; . -
But thro ugh the wreck of empires: that
have .cne,
There is no death to anything of
worth. . "
The cause of love, of justice and of
truth
Continues onward in immortal youth.
There is now power in beauty to out
last The death of states, the ravages of
time.
Go read tho records of the distant
. past.
Whose are the lives that seem most
sublime?
Not titled imbeciles of rank and caste,
Not cmquerors who lived , by war
and crime;
But those who taught, who painted
and who sung,
Whose fame and works remain for
ever young.
In ruins lie the temples of the Greek;
And yet the. Muses from their sacred
hill
With their sweet songs and melodies
still seek
Our hearts with the old power to
touch and thrill;
Demosthenes and Socrates yet speak
And Plato teaches, Homer charms
us still.
Though Rome has fallen, down the
ces flow
The words of Horace, Virgil, Cicero.
A gi.'od' thought in the world is like a
spark
That kindles in our souls a sacred
fire,
That brightens, lives which hitherto
were. dark,: -That
. cleanses hearts from lust and
low desire.
A noble, helpful sentence leaves its
. mark ' ,"
And teaches other spirits to aspire.
'Tis thus a light that triumphs over
death, '
Floods all the world from Him of Na
zareth. A word that's uttered, or a deed that's
done
To help the holy cause of liberty,
In cherished recollection will live on
Throughout the seasons that, are yet
to be. ,
Though centuries. , since then have
passed and gone.
Men gaze .enraptured on Thermopy
lae; And so. in, coming ages hearts will
thrill '
To- hear of Gettysburg and Bunker
Hill.
Truth, love and beauty, liberty and
right,
These are the : real riches of man
kind. These are the priceless gems which
render bright
The inward, heavenly kingdom of
the mind.
Come up, come up, my brothers, to
the light
And leave life's dross and baubles
all behind.
Seek ye the treasures that will help
and bless
And add to the world's good and hap
piness. J. A. Edgerton.
A Democratic Mouth
The esteemed Jackson Citizen calls
attention to the political significance
of the defense of General Miles "by
all the democratic papers," and sug
gests that the democratic papers de
fend Miles because that gentleman
"has a democratic mouth that is al
ways open to discredit or abuse any
thing that is supposed to be republi
can." We again confess our admiration for
our Jackson contemporary and ac
knowledge our indebtedness for this
happy solution of the difficulties of
the situation aroused by the repri
mand of General Miles by the presi
dent. We had not thought to view the
matter in its political aspects. Wo
did not know that General Miles was a
democrat, although we have no other
reason to disbelieve it than the atti
tude of some : of his friends, and ad
mirers who have in time past urged
him forward as a candidate for the re
publican nomination for. president. We
had always supposed that General
Miles had . leanings toward republi
canism, but that his position in the
army obviated the necessity of classi
fying him politically; For some un
explained reason the people of the
United States, with all their eagerness
for viewing, everything in relation to
its political effect, have never yet dis
played any particular activity in asso
ciating their soldiers and sailors with
politics until the period of military or
naval activity has ceased. It Is
doubtful if even skilled politicians,
could tell Whether Admiral Remey or
Admiral Benham is a republican or a
democrat and Dewey's political com
plexion was never considered until the
battle of Manila had been fought over
again, in the m agazines.
But, now that the matter has Tieen
cleared up for all , time we must ac
cept the inevitable and henceforth
when General Miles does anything
which 'does not meet with our ap
provarwe win attribute it to tne raci
cratic mouth." By extension of th."
same process of reasoning! we will be
forced to add that this explanation
carries with, it an apology, tor the pos
session of . a "democratic mouth" also
indicates the impossibility of credit
able self-restraint. But, however, It
may be, we are deeply grateful to the
Citizen and take this occasion to as
sure It once more of our distinguished
consideration. Detroit Tribune.
A Misleading Phrase
The- Chicago Public in discussing
the phrase, "municipal government is
business not politics," says: ,
It is refreshing to one's democracy
to be assured by so prominent an east
ern democrat as Edward- M. Shep
ard, late the democratic candidate
for mayor of New York, that munici
pal government is not altogether n
matter of business,; but presents . po
litical as well as business problems.
The phrase, "municipal government
is business not politics," has a se
ductive sound, but the sentiment is
utterly flase. . If- municipal govern
ment "were business and not politics,
none should .vote without a stake in
the citya financial interest In its
affairs; and strictly the influence of
each vote should be in proportion to
the financial stake of the voter. That
the -first of these cqrollaries to tha
business theory of city government is
recognized by advocates of the theory
is evident from the spirit in which
they discuss municipal questions; and
sometimes they give themselves 'Mead
away" in unmistakable terms. Dur
ing the recent New York election, for
instance, ex-Mayor Hewitt, that ex
cessively interesting type of the un
democratic i democrat, declared for a
financial qualification for voting at
municipal elections as if It were a
generally approved principle. But
this theory is distinctly repudiated by
Mr. Shepard. At Philadelphia on the
10th, speaking to the subject, "The
Municipal Problem," he said: '
"It has been said that the problem5
of municipal government are business
problems simply. This i3 not correct.
Every municipal problem is a politi
cal problem in the proper, though not
necessarily In the partisan, sense of
the term. Ours is a democratic coun
try. Every municipal problem is a
political one that must be determined
in the light of popular elections.
Since that is the fact, every detail of
municipal administration depends
either directly or indirectly upon the
opinions of the voters in the commun
ity. I think if we recognize that mu
nicipal government is a political af
fair we will have made some headway
in dealing with ths problem. The pop
ulace must in some way be harnessed
to the. chariot of political progress.
Without that; you may make headway
for a year. or. two, with this experi
ment or that, bat you will find yourself
defeated at the end." ,
; . Get Together ,
Editor Independent: ; I wish you a
happy and prosperous, New Year. I
have received the sample copies and
find the paper very.' interesting it if
Interesting because 'it': Is- democratic.
This has been a government of dem
ocracy.;; Shall ..it: continue: .so? ; The
people who want it" must get together.
Your subscriber at Browpsdale, Minn.,
is abouf right; -Divided we fall.. Unit-ed-we
win; 'Mr.' J. E. Spencer; Beem
er, Neb., in Jie last six, lines is all
right and so :h the editor of The In
dependent as in that matter he halts.
I-don't like J. ..A, Wayland nor the
principles of his, paper. They do moio
harm than goqd. I. have - read him
since he started the Coming, Nation In
a vroodshed in Greensburg, Tnd., and
was agent for. it for' five years. A
number of Appeals to Reason come to
Rochester. Its. readers would be get ting
knowledge and something about
national affairs if they would stop that
paper and take yours. " '
G. A. WALKER.
Rochester, N. H.
. He's For Bryan
Editor Independent: Enclosed find
50 cents for six months subscription
to your paper. If you could only
work W. J. Bryan into the White house
I would subscribe for your paper for
twenty years. JOHN SHEPPARD.
Ryan, la.
Editor Independent: Another year
has passed and the sum of all villain
ies is done. Guess it was true when
the spell-binders told us last election
if Dietrich was elected Hartley would
be pardoned,, but the crankiest (pop
would not, way down in his heart, be
lieve it even if he did talk it. Hear the
governor plead (the object of e ery
penal law is or should be to adjust the
punishment to the enormity of the
crime) that is, if a man steals a quar
ter of a million, he is a public bene ac
tor while the poor devil who steals
forty dollars, possibly to keep the
wolf from the door of his wife and lit
tle ones, has no standing an jng
thieves and serves his sentence out
without any show for pardon, when
the republican convention resorited
Bartley back, it missed, it did not 'ca'il
for the governor's resignation ir the
scaie resolution and leave the ffice
vacant. Then thieves at least v ould
have got their due. Wonder if the gov
ernor looses any sleep about the bal-
ance of those in the pen. If he st idies
as faithfully to get the remainde out
as he did Bartley, they can all vcfee at
the next election. The governor lays:
"If the individual, who comm ts .i;
crime is punished according to tta de
gree of the crime, he has satisfiel the
demands of society and any further
penalty inflicted upon him is a wither
ing travesty on justice." , Quartef mil
lion, five years, stealing a horie up
to seven years.. Shades of Blackico'ne!
Leave our lovely-; state awhile until
our people wake up and make lafvs in
flicting punishment according, jo the
enormity of the crime. Make th pen
alty for stealing a hundred thousand a
life sentence, -without any pardoning
power. Put it in all the platf orris next
fall to grade crime accordingljto its
enormity, then the big and litwl thief
will stand on an equal footing Well,
Bolln is out and, as the goverif r says,
the benefactor, of the banks isll.t, an l
the common people are outvf sorts,
too. Let us conclude the gofJ nor is
right, that Bartley is a public
and vote 'er straight,, f ,Jn
tenefac-
werator,
G. S.
He Won't Suppress Us
'.Editor Independent: Having rr
celved.from a number of newspap.
men letters of inquiry and protect
concerning a recent ruling of th
postoffice department in reference t
unnaid snhsprinHnn! T Tii- tii n,
x g - - - . .....v.. l.HI t t .
matter before the department wit
my protest against such ruling.
made.
In reply. I am Informed by the p1-
office officials that such ruling w;
not apply to you. In any particular, in;:
was made to cover an individual ens.
and that postmasters have been not;
fied to so inform you.
Believing this a matter of genoi
concern, I send herewith a verbatr
copy of the decision of the depirtm -i
as was furnished me, and which i,
doubt will be much more satisfact";
to you and the readers of your new
paper. ' -
I am very glad that the test case
ferred by me has been decided
your favor. Very respcctfullv.
A. C. SH ALLEN UF.KGER.
If you haren't a rocrulnr, healthy rioTrai.Bt of i
bowels every liny, you're ill or v.-ill Ik-. k"r J
bowels open. nru1 bo well. Forrr. lit tlin thtirof'i
leut p't ysio or iill joir.oi, I rtatn,oroim. Tb mo-
est, easiest, most l-crfeos vy tt Uo-j iim tU feui
clear an J clean is to talco
CANDY
CATHARTIC
lun'n 4V i Mr jf hmp ifci.
EAT JEW1 LIKE CANDY
Pleasant. Palatahlo, Potent. Tast Ooo4. r-r..
Never Sicken, Weaken, or ;ii'. 10, t.'.. on-l M
per box. A'rito for fro eainpf" . on l bouk'.ct
health. Address '
STERLING! HfJEDT COIPAXY. fHiriGO .r SfW T : .
KEEP YOUR BinOD GLEJ
mm
4
ta Too In litest St vie.
r ' and McuMetantCtir'
m A ffenntno cheviot mult ra.1ot. yr t .'
In thu Intent English Hock atyla, well mad AU out .
trimmed, euoh nut as some t Hon cbarr.. . 0
A lata &milnp or Btttaoa block irby cr
Fedora II at f S '
A pair (tatyttaaLac Shoe, the new queen Ut 1.
A usndsome fancy ereclc osUeafcUrt Wi"J&
vii.r vuui Kwwirai ........................ J .
A Neat Bilk . Necktlo
A pair of fancy Web K I static Snuneaicra.......
A JapanefittPllk llanrltoreklrt'.
A pair of fancy Ualo 'A to read Pocka.
Thousands cf AmerfcancltlErntpaydally fs-rti!t IT
DSPARTIVIEM 1 we win ruava till fir.i
Old ova rt'oeivtta for tlieeo eutio to order forcnir
and jflT the balance of the enmpiete otitiit ri'.f
with aaoh order. Actually 0C8.OOa;uoforoi.lT I o
to introduce and nothing to pmj t'll after you ri -lie
suit and all and flid It juntas represent J.
at oncoa postal card tvith your Dame acd rtt
address, and we will send you free sample of clot:, a
measurement blanle for atr of oait, etitr J. bat. tv
collar, etc. DO NOT DELAY afr r.a;-r t
10,000 orders otir price fo toese colts wiil be tS-CS -wo
msB ARTiOLca.
The Ctante Cozictets Oatflttlag C-3...
. NHS Adaaie Street, Cblsaco. lil.
'Vail ' i a .-s A- - i ... - w "- r -
ThU . i
kd chxla tot 11. 00.
Look . well nl k-t
M foS tlnw at an lit) 00 !!.r wttcb. Cm M .at ai mi .
I t.i w. Ui wad th TjtlTH ASH tH4l to r f "
Bramtna tfarm at your i pr., aSti?. aa4 It a. hmb.4 p. . .4
aemt aur apacial aala prlca 91. 4 an4 vsrtea. eta
ara touts. A manwtea far a ..arm . ' rwrt vt .
1L. fc. C1I ALXIKltS A: CO. ai2-3i IWrW. tsu CkU-
Mention. The, Independent wh.
writing.
IS t i)IS
'tin putXcp jadoo 1$
'S3J.Vd
PILES
permanently cured. v
laituluily pronine you au
solute cur no ma iter
your couditiou fur txt-
Xnternal, bund, tsieeamg or ltrti.o t .
Chronic or Kecsnt, without undritri.rijf
surgical operation or interruption or L"i.r .
Thousands cured who had cireo upiudf.;
of ever getting relief.
XVllY tO.MlM'E TO Sl FFtR?
costs nothing: to try our treatment. r.s
and particulars mailed Free.
Ho.v.S. 1. Hkaul,!IT. Paris. 111., write:
am convinced that you know your buiiiit sa
can cure where all others fail. lbaed..-i
for Piles for three years with no taer:c,a
suits, ami your treatment has cureu me )
few days. Iam County Judste of tdgar Coo
Illinois, and will be glad toaityoaiu or
in your remedy. Yours truly. S. 1. Hiaihs
Ms. KriWA.RiSOMK8, Castieton. ill.. nr
with bleeding;, swelling- and protrudmr 1"
for thirty years; doctors had triTea tiphitc
as incurable. He was completely cured my
treatment in three weeks.
Ala. M. M:Cot, Cognac. Kansas, CapLa.n
A, Fiftieth Indiana Infantry, writes: rie.-.-Remedy
Co. : Dear Sirs 1 have iocurvi
Piles since the Civil War - thirty i x yet
andam now glad to report teat. af:r u.
your treatment for a few weeks. I am coajj -ly
cured. 1 believe yon can cure anyone, f
man could not get in a much crs coo4.:,
than 1 was and live, and iam duly grate-' .
you. Yours respectfully. M- ilrCut
Thouftaads of Pile sufferers who had rnec
in despair of ever being cured have writtt
letters full of gratitude, after using our ft
edies for a short time. You can bare a f
sample mailed FREE by writing ut full par;.!
lars of your case.
HKRMIT KEMEDVCO.
738 Adams Express Building. Chicago. 1-
Any of the following $1.00 pau
for 65 cents:
$1.00 Peruna
$1.00 Miles Nervine
$1.00 Pierce's Remedies
fl.CO Hood's Sarsaparilla
$1.00 Palne's Celery compound. .
$1.00 Wine of Cardui
$1.C0 Stuarts Dyspeptic laDiets..
$1.00 Pinkham's Compound
$1.00 Kilmer's Swamp Hoot
$1.00 Scott's Emulsion
$1.00 S. S. S. . ....
we are fctill sewing castoria. i
Dr. Pitcher's formula. 13c.
S mmo s7 Gilt RS
R
Pliarmao
41 3
12th anl O STS.
; Where goods are to be shipprti