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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 1910)
-y-fm- -r -m-tm-iyi ? 12 The Commoner. VOLUME 10, NUMBER 8i cumstances to voto any law enacted by their representatives; nor do they havo any peaceful and lawful means to control tho acts of their repre sentatives. Aftor his election, a rep resentative has full power, protected by law, to betray his constituents, and to these tho law gives no pro tection, nor means of redress. Tho only limitation on tho powor of a representative, is the constitution, as this instrument may bo Interpreted by tho courts. This protection, to say tho most, is very uncertain, and, as oxperionco has proved, may bo used both ways; for instance, tho income tax decision. Even if It bo notorious that a law was procured by fraud and bribery, tho courts are confined to Inquiring if It is consti tutional. "Tho motives of tho legis lature, in parsing a particular meas ure, can not bo Inquired into, nor can it bo shown that it was procured by fraud and bribery." Thero is nothing to prevent a representative from betraying his constituents and nothing to prevent him from deliver ing tho goods. Tho moro statement of tho caso should indicate tho rem edy. Lot a government bo purely representative, such as tho courts havo declared ours to bo, and let tho population bo thin; tho amount a corporation could offer as a bribo can nover exceed tho amount that could bo taken from tho people by tho corporation and this, in a new, thinly settled country, necessarily must bo small. And as in a now country all natural opportunities are not privately owned the fear of want can not be a controlling power in directing a man's actions. And whore population is thin, and every man knows every other man, a traitor would find it difficult if not imposslblo to conceal his deed. For these reasons, the early history of our government shows that tho great majority of representatives wore honest. But lot population increase so that tho corporation can offer fivo times as much, ten times, fifty times as much or more, and tho fear of want, caused by tho private owner ship of all natural opportunities, has becomo a controlling motive of hu man action, and tho complications of industry caused by an increased pop ulation, makes it an easy matter for a corrupt representative to conceal his treachery the representative having full power to deliver the goods It is unreasonable to expect that, under these conditions, a ma jority of representatives will remain honest. Tho disease being radical, a euro that is not radical can bo neither permanent nor effective. This is why that tho initiative, tho refer endum and the recall must precede any other reform, in the caso of the American republic. bad lists of every votor in every pre cinct or voting place in tho state that could bo bought, and tho sldo that had the most money got that sale able vole. This commercial class of voters should bo disfranchised and then money would cut no figure in an election. Righteous and just men arc not over plenty and what few thero is are not putting thenv solves forward for office" and such are never sought after by the cor rupt. It is well known you can not change a man's heart by law, but through fear even a corrupt man can, In a measure, bo held right. Wo would therefore have a law disfran chising every man that buys or sells votes for any consideration whatever; oven a ride to the polls, furnished by a candidate, would disfranchise both. Then the initiative and refer endum and the recall will hold cor rupt' men of Adam's fallen race as near right as it Is possible In this world of sin and corruption. F. M. Jones, Cintortom, Ark. Wo havo a republic In name and an oligarchy in fact. Tho predatory in terests rule. As a first move for im provement I would suggest a change In our federal judiciary. Tho su premo court nullified tho income tax law. Adopt the initiative and refer endum and tho recall. Elect all judges by popular vote for a term of yoars and curtail tho powers of tho judiciary so that it will not be able to nullify the will of the people. by accepted platforms and afterwards ignored. No one is to blame except the people themselves. By making oxamples of delinquent legislators, holding thorn up to tho contempt of tho public and refusing them coun tenance in tho future as an example for others seeking political favors, a general change would be suro to appear. J. B. Brenley, Fort Smith, Ark. In my answer to Senator Owen in Tho Commoner of July 1 I am made to say that money rules, and if tho power of money can not be broken tho people never will rule, also that "Tho first step to this would be for tho government to loan the money direct to tho people and stop paying Interest. It should read "for the government to Issuo the money direct to the people and stop paying inter est." All tho answers yet given can bo placed to the same cause the power of money that rules. B. F. Caldwell, Pueblo, Colo. Hide-bound partyism Is tho cause. When public officials aro treated just as hired men aro, and required to givo tho same return, then tho day of Insolent and tyrannical public officials will bo ended. The reason tho peoplo do not get what they want is that they continue to voto to keep in office the very ones who are work ing overtime to prevent them from getting what they want. Bernhard Jannusch, Wittenberg, Wis. How can you expect the peo plo to get what thoy want when they don't know what they want. They should get together and have it un derstood what they want, and then vote as one. The graduated income tax should counteract swollen for tunes, and the Initiative, referendum and recall is a sure remedy against corrupt legislation. What Senator Owen says is God's truth. I like his speech; God bless him, and also Mr. Hardy very good men, both of them. May their light shine so before men that they may walk in It. composed of men like Owen, LaFol lette, Clapp, Cummins, Dolllver, and men of their stamp, wo will have a country where all men are equal and havo an equal chance. J. E. Barker, Naples, Maine. The peoplo aro fooled. The peoplo aro really with Roosevelt, Bryan and La. Follette, but old party leaders havo been robbing them of their real free dom by playing in with the leaders of tho opposite parties. Thank God we havo some who are true and in whom the people have confidence. M. Phlllipps, Cheney, Wash. I do not answer It as Roosevelt did in his London speech "bind the laboring man a littlo closer." I would say, give him more freedom. Before tho people can rule, standpattism or Can nonism must be destroyed. The tariff barons must get out of politics. One mistake Roosevelt made was to ask for the election of Mr. Taft. Henry Mileur, Rush Springs, Okla'. If people aro to have what they want they must adopt the Initiative and referendum and recall without restriction, and when they delegate the powor they must reserve the right to accept or reject. They must also elect every officer, from presi dent to road overseer. C. G. Wilcox, DePeer, Wis. Be cause tho press has been controlled by the system and the press con trols the primaries convention to a largo extent. When the senate is George C. Giles, Kansas City, Kan. The answer is very simple. The peoplo do not rule, but tho special interests do rule. This condition is brought about by representatives who misrepresent for one reason or another, and by other representatives who become corrupted by the special interests. This can and will be rem edied in time, but every intelligent voter must work for reform. LOGICAL "Mother," asked little Ethel, "now that you're in mourning for Cousin Adelaide, will you wear black night dresses, too?" "What an absurd question, child!'.' "Oh, I only thought you might be as sorry at night as you were during the day," ventured Ethel. Harper's Bazar. S. T. Pidgeon, Jamestown, Ohio. Government for tho people and by tho peoplo looks like a forlorn hopo when we take a careful survey of the situation. Two great parties are led by professional politicians, and there is no principlo with thorn as a rule. Tho capacity of tho republican party for yielding gold bricks is unlimitod. They usod with great solomnlty to tell us to voto as wo shot. Tho power of the federal government as it is now dominated by the Interests for the deception of tho masses is sufficient to deceive tho very elect. W. B. Perrin, Koshkonong,. Mo. The question was asked, "Do tho peo plo rule?" Well, I guess nit, tho money power is in tho saddle now, spurring tho peoplo front, flank and rear. Why don't tho people get what they want? How can they when an old brass, self-action, double shotted, smooth bored Cannon sitting on the fortress of congress, defying any legislation that will help tho people? When will the people get tired of being bitten by a" few old galli-nlppers? ONE DOLLAR Pays for a Big Daily Paper 3 Times a Week and The Commoner Both One Year THRICE-A-WEEK N. Cameron, Lawrence, Kan. Probably the most important an swer is because of tho vaBt number of people who aro cor rupt at heart and aro for sale. How could that congressman in Penn sylvania spend $ 4 0,0 00 to get his nomination unless it was to buy the common voter, and tho voter that sells his vote for money gets what he wants, and the man that buys stands a good chance of getting what ho wants. Tt used to bo in New York when I lived thero that both parties George H. Hlggins, El Paso, Texas. Because thoy are enslaved to a fetich called party, and the party, whether democratic or ropublican, is controlled by interests antagonistic to tho rule of the people. Let us havo a' live insurgent democracy and chal lenge every candidate .for election to declare his principles; challenge every representative who is luke warm and retire every man whose record does not place him in the front rank of a militant democracy. Let every democrat be an insurgent democrat; then the peoplo will rule and they will get what they want. P. N. Hanson, San Anselmo, Calif. Tho people have the right to rule, but they- do not rule, simply because of their lack of Interest to uso that powor. Instead they are ruled by proxies whom they oven do not select themselves, and whom they do not compel to glvo an account of their actions as legislators, even if bound The New York World and The Commoner 1 Year $1. This Extra Special Offer Good Only for a Limited Time i A REiMARivABLE OFFER By special arrangements, good only for a limited time, The Com moner is able to make this unpar lolled bargain subscription offer to send The Dally New York World Thrice-a-Week Edition a big daily paper three times a week and The Commoner, both ono year each for $1. Regular price of both is $2. This big offer means 15 G big daily papers from the nation's metropolis for all practical purposes as good as i. regular daily and 52 issues of The Commoner, or 203 raperc for only yl, leas than a half cent apiece. '-.his special offer is good to all new or renewing subscribers "who send in their subscriptions promptly. To get the two papers, the full amount, $1, must be sent to Tho Commoner, Lincoln, Nebraska, and mention this offer when writing. The Commoner wants everyon to call the attention of their friends to this great offer. This extra special inducement will enable ycu to help alcng thj work 'jl'Iio Commoner is doing by adding to its list as many new names as possible. Address THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb. 1 jt iUwp lVMiVHHH& HWW i.t M rtmtnrmmmK