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The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY
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Hiciiaiiii I MirrcAt.i'K
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
NEBRASKA REPUBLICANS
Tho Nebraska republican convention met . at
Lincoln, Neb., July 26. They adopted a plat
form eulogizing the Taft administration, declar
ing in favor of direct legislation and on the
temperance question adopted tho following
plank:
"For the further regulation of the liquor
traffic" In Nebraska1, wo are in favor of the passage
of a county option law by the next legislature,
and plodge our candidate for governor if elected
to approve such a law on that subject as tho
legislature may enact."
OHIO REPUBLICANS
The Ohio republicans met at Columbus July
27 and nominated Warren C. Hardlnc of Marion
as tho republican candidate for governor. He
is the editor of a Marion newspaper and has been
lieutenant governor of the state. It was early
seen that the Taft forces -were in control 'and
so James R. Garfield, Roosevelt's friend, an
nounced that his name -would not bo presented
to the convention. The Taft forces completely
dominated tho convention, nominating the can
didates and framing the platform. The Taft ad
ministration was given a strong endorsement
and the platform declared among other things
that "tho tariff has been revised in accordance
with tho republican doctrine of protecting homo
industries and American labor."
The Commoner.
thereof whether or not intoxicants shall be sold
therein."
An Associated Press report of the convention
says: "Former Congressman Martin J. Wade,
chairman of tho resolutions committee, defend
ed Uie plank against a vigorous assault on the
part of General James B. Weaver. 'I am tired
of belonging to a party which is known as tho
liquor party,' declared Mr. Wade. 'Where a
majority of a community desire liquor they
should have It, and vice versa. That Is personal
liberty, gentlemen, and it is democracy.'
"General Weaver grew vehement in reply.
I don't know what will do more to make the
democratic party the liquor party than this
plank,' he said.
"The platform as reported was then adopted
with a shout and General Weaver demanded a
roll call on the liquor plank so that, as he said,
the people of the state would know exactly where
the party stands. He made a motion to strike
out the vital parts of the nlank, but was over
wholmlnglv defeated on roll call.
"A Van Wacrenen. of Sioux City, was nominat
ed for judge for the term beginning 1911 over
Frank Wilson of Adams countv, and N. C.
Mathews, of Dubuque. On the first ballot he
received 451, against Wilson's 329 and Mathews'
175. Judee P. B. Wolfe, of Clinton, was nom
inated for the term beginning in 1912.
Jerry B. Sullivan of Des Moines, in his ca
pacity as temporary chairman, delivered tho
kevnote spppoh. H. J. Strenger of Toledo, pre
sided over the permanent organization. A ring
ing snecch was delivered bv Claude R. Porter,
tho democratic candidate for governor."
MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS
The Minnesota democrats met at Minneapolis
Julv 28 and nominated the following ticket:
Governor John Lind. of Minneapolis.
Secretary of State Fred W. Johnson, of New
Ulm.
Clerk of Supreme Court Fred E. Wheaton of
Minneapolis.
Attorney General J. M. Freeman of Olivia.
State Treasurer Charles F. Lander of St.
Cloud.
Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner
James C. Tracy, of Rochester.
Statn Auditor T. J. Meaehari of Albert Lea.
Justices of Supreme Court T. J. O'Brien, of
St. Paul. A. W. Snow, of Winona, Philip E.
Brown, of Luverne, Calvin L. Brown, of Norrls.
Tho convention was a stormy "one, the big
fieht being over county option. The opponents
of county ontion controlled he resolutions com
mittee, and thpre were many scenes of dis
order. A resolution favoring county option was
offered from the floor by Professor Anderson
of the University of Minnesota. It was ordered
referred to the committee without reading. The
committee reported that it had decided to lay
tho countv option proposition on the table.
Later John Lind declined the nomination for
governor.
IOWA DEMOCRATS
Tho Iowa democrats met at Ottumwa July 27.
They adopted a platform denouncing republican
tariff revision, declaring trusts and monopolies
to bo intolerable, opposing the central bank
Idea, indorsing income tax, initiative and refer
endum and the recall, together with the Oregon
plan of electing United States senators. A vigor
ous fight came up on the resolution relating to
.the liquor question. The convention defeated
the temperance plank and adop.ted a resolution
providing that such townships and municipali
ties as are willing to pay a high license for
tho sake of selling liquor may do so. The liquor
plank follows:
' "The democratic party is in favor of as large
a degree of individual liberty as is compatible
with tho rights of organized society and, there
fore, with reference to the use and sale of In
toxicating liquor wo aro In favor of a strong
optional law, with a high license, the minimum
to be fixed by the legislature under which, the
municipality should declare by vote of tho people
'' VOLUME 10, NUMBER 30
purpose and under the order of one head. Their
power is based upon the illegal and unwarrant
ed use of public property and office; upon force
fraud and election crimes. Police-protected
dens of vice are made to furnish enough illegal
votes to overwhelm respectable citizenship. Both
of the tickets nominated and both of the plat
forms adopted, it is well understood, wero dic
tated by the same authority and were intended
for the delusion of the voters and the further
confiscation of the power of the political ma
chine.' "
NEW PARTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
A new party was born In Pennsylvania July
28. The following Ib the Associated Press re
port: "William H. Berry of Delaware county, for
governor; N. Clarence Gibboney of Philadelphia
for lieutenant governor; Cornelius D. Scully of
Allegheny county for treasurer and John Casey
of Luzerne county for .secretary of internal af
fairs, is the ticket nominated by the keystone
patty, formed here today to oppose the nominees
of both the republican and democratic parties.
The convention, composed of 117 delegates from
fifty-two counties in this state, denounced both
the 'old parties as being under the domination
of the liquor interests.
"The nominee for governor was formerly state
treasurer, to which office he was elected by the
combined democratic, prohibition and indepen
dent votes in 1905. While in office he uncov
ered tho capital scandal. In the recent demo
cratic state convention he was defeated for th
nomination of governor, but received 109 votes.
Many democratic delegates subsequently bolted
their party and took part in today's convention.
The name of Keystone was adopted by the
convention as tho party name. The preamble
to the platform adopted by the independents
begins with tho following language:
" 'Pennsylvanians are face to face with the
necessity for a desperate battle for the preserva
tion of representative free government;. A po
litical trust managed by cunning politicians
threatens the commonwealth. Some of the con
spirators aro labeled republicans and some dem
ocrats, but they are " all ,in league against the
people and act in harmony with one treasonable
If the JPeo2Ie Mule WJiy Don't
They Get Wliat They Want?
In his great speech, delivered in the United
States senate, Senator Owen of Oklahoma asked,
"If tho people really rule why don't the people
get what they want?"
Tho Commoner has received many replies to
this question and some of these are hereinafter
printed:
Edwin L. Moord, Lamar, Mo. The people
do not rule, because too many public servants
betray their trusts; because the federal judiciary
is saturated with czarism and anarcKy; because
the people themselves are blindly partisan; be
cause they place men above principle and be
cause too often they are indifferent and permit
the bosses and perpetual politicians to run their
primaries, conventions and party organizations.
L. Ferguson, Chetopa, Kan. I have just
looked over The Commoner's answers as to why
the people don't get what they want. I contend
they do not get laws passed to enable them to
keep what, at least part of what, they already
possess. Well the people own gas and oil, raise
corn and wheat and own it. Why not vote bonds
to erect mills in each township, bore for their
own gas and oil and save millions upon millions
every year and kill combines and trusts with
out blaming others for their own neglect and
nip them in the bud; "but they let go what they
have. One court fined Rockefeller $29,000,000,
another court releases the fine. Still they howl
combines and trusts. I can give one hundred
reasons why I so contend; will anyone please
glvo any reason that I am not right?
Fred W. Davis, Muskogee, Okla. My answer
to Senator Owen's question is "institutional
slavery," idolatry. The worship of idols. Men
worship political parties and through this false
worship become blinded to the true principles
of government. The same as worshippers of
idols are blind to the true God. The remedy,
direct legislation, an election law providing for
a general primary, no official recognition of
parties or party names in either primaries or
elections.
A. F. Culver, Hoyt, Kan. The inquiry is very
much to the point, and it would seem that the
reason is party politics, an honest and patriotic
democrat's vote cancels an equally honest and
patriotic republican's vote, thus eliminating six
or seven million ballots on each side on election
day, then in the state legislatures and in con
gress the same system of conciliation goes on
and the interests whose only party is their own
private gain seem to find a way of controlling the
few real representatives of their own selfish
schemes, which are left. Isn't that right?
William Mathews, Spokane, Wash. Our pres
ent government is not truly representative, but
one in which we delegate our power for a time
to a set of officials. This delegated power has
usually been abused by the recipients and the
people are helpless for the 'time being to prevent
Its abuse. What we must do, is not .only to
retain the power to choose our representatives;
but have continually the power of the recall
to guarantee faithful service. The people must
also have the power to suggest or initiate law,
and to compel their legislatures to be obedient
servants and enact their suggestions into law.
Tho people must further have the power to veto
any vicious laws in favor of the interests,
through what is known as the referendum. The
initiative, referendum and the recall, comprising
what is commonly known as direct legislation,
will give us a truly representative government
baBed upon the consent of the governed. Direct
legislation will arouse a greater and moro intelli
gent interest in putilic questions, and thus prove
to be a great factor in removing tho menace of
indifference on the part of the masses, which
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