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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1910)
wnF$m, TmfypSSfS The Commoner. REPTEMBER 23, 1910 11 If the People Rule Why Don't They Get What They Want? W. T. Johnson, Hinton, Okla. I must say that the majority of the people do rule and do get what they want, or at least do get what they vote for, just tho same nowadays as they did when the majority crucified Christ. Tho majority wanted Him crucified and they did the horrible deed, and the same kind of a clique, the same majority, led by the same kind of leaders, tho special interest captains, are in the saddle unto this day, and would again crucify Christ Bhould Ho appear on earth, and in any manner meddle with, or thwart their plans of oppression, deception and robbery. I don't aim to say that the people get what is best for them, or what they expect to get; nor will they ever change the situation while through ignorance and political prej udice they are so easily persuaded to p follow the advice of the standpatter captains. R. H. Brown, Buena Vista Ranch, Crowther, Texas. The man who thinks the people rule, his intelli gence on political questions deserves sympathy. It has been shown by reasonably good authority that money carried every general election since 1880, the party having the largest campaign fund being the victorious one. The power that elects is the power that rules. Quasi public cor porations and trusts are a menace to any republic. Their influence through money and other means permeates di rectly or indirectly every industry from the plow to a battleship and every political office from . constable to -president. If the wealth producers (but the wealth, they create they do not enjoy) would devote less time to their unions, but more time to poll tics and demand direct legislation-, the initiative, referendum and the recall (of these the recall is the most potent and which the boodle politi cian most fears) then the people might rule, but without it never. That every boodle and platform jumping politician and a very few honest men who believe the people incapable of self-government will most strenuously oppose direct legis lation is expected, because by the re call some politicians In office would lose their jobs. A boodle politician would rather lose his eye-teeth than his job. After having tvoted every democratic ticket straight since 1872, my first vote, and then being com pelled to view the ignominous spec tacle of democratic platform jumpers voting with high protection stand patters In framing the schedules of the Payne-Aldrich-Taft 1.71 per cent upward tariff revision, Is truth dem onstrated that legislation in the in terest of all the people is Impossible through either of the old parties. Many leaders in both old parties are controlled by and are the tools of the great corporations, hence said cor porations get what they want. The interests are already, through their tools in .one party, proposing candi dates for 1912 in order to forestall a real democrat. Taft and Harmon are their tickets. Democrats and in surgents take to the woods. But socialism is making progress, to which tho people may be forced. A new party is absolutely necessary Jefferson-Lincoln -party. W. J. Bryan for president and. R. M. La Follette for vice president in 1912. With that ticket success would be as .sured and the people would once more rule. and do not get what they want, it is because dictators in office and out, influence "tho powers that bo" to be tray the people and givo tho interests what they want. When tho people cease to follow tho leadership of dic tators (good or bad) they will get what they want, and their capacity for self-government will not be ques tioned. "Principles, not men," must bo the slogan in this campaign of education. Horo worship must cease. The voters must know what they want, and must nominato and elect trustworthy men to do specific things. To tho extent that tho voters fail in this duty, representative government is a failure. Men must work to maintain their principles. If they have no principles, or will not work for them, they can not expect to get what they want. A self-governing people must bo an intelligent and virtuous people. They must be edu cated in the science of government, and trained in civic righteousness. Ignorance and slavery go hand in hand. An Ignorant man is not a free man, neither is he a happy man. Ho seldom gets what he wants. He is a dangerous voter. If he votes for what ho wants and ought to have, it is because he is led by a wise and good man instead of a demagogue. But democratic government demands that the voter be educated to the point where he needs no one to tell him how to vote. The ideals of tho representative are not higher than those ofxtho average voter. In every movement for bettering their condi tion, the people must be in advance of their leaders. Do the people rule? Do they get what they want? Our people are the most progressive in the world, and have more capacity for self-government than any other people. To a greater extent than any other people wo rule ourselves, and get what we want. We will receive more blessings from our form of gov ernment, however, when we spend less money for battleships and more for education. forms and principles" upon which they were elected. After election they havo no recourso until another election. The oath of ofllco seems a farce. When we' havo direct legisla tion or tho initiative and referendum then will come tho day of salvation. God speed tho time. Then If tho voter exercises his proper function tho people will rulo and get what thoy want. George Housor, White House, S. D. If the people -rule, they get what taey want If people do not rule, Rev. J. B. Maine, paBtor Littles town, Pa., , Methodist Episcopal Church. The people will rulo and receive what they want when they do absolutely want it. They can con quer and overthrow all tho political tricksters and shysters on earth when they fully determine to do so. The want is only half expressed. J. F. Eidemiller, Englewood, O. The people get just what the majority vote for; not that all the people voiced their wishes at the polls. They do not. A vast number of voters or we will say those who aro qualified voters, do not attend elections of any kind because they say it is of no use. Now these stay-aways are among our very best citizens, mor ally, intellectually and financially. They have become disgusted with the corruption practiced by our offi cials, dismayed with the obnoxious political manipulation of bosses who control elections, and legislation by the corrupt use of the money power. This, in our estimation, is a serious mistake for any patriotic citizen to neglect to exercise his right, his priv ilege, his individual duty to him self, his neighbor, his country and his, household. TJjo nefarious use and influence of money by corpora tions and trusts at elections and in our legislative halls both state and national render it impossible for the people to get what they want even if all should voice their want at th ballot box, as Jong aa wo elect men to servo us who disregard the plat- J. Edwin Wood, Charlottcsvillo, Va. The people do not rule for tho reason thoy do not know what thoy want. Why? Becauso a vast ma jority of tho prominent secular news papers and much other reading mat ter aro controlled by tho moneyed or special interests, and by constantly reading tho literature, under tho guise of news, prepared or Inspired by theso interests, they aro in many cases, made to bolievo exactly as these Interests want them to bolievo. For example, how often have the la boring men been made to bellcvo that tho protective tariff Is, imposed for their benefit? Time and again have I heard business men and others claim that trusts aro good things be cause they reduce prices. Let any legislation affecting adversely the railroads be attempted and you will soon hear tho cry that this agitation is affecting business and threatening a panic and that it will jeopardlzo tho savings of tho widows and or phans who own stock in tho railroads. Let a man undertake to accomplish a reform and he is soon heralded as a fanatic, or as a demagogue exploit ing his own selfish interests. It mat ters not how unselfish, sincere, or patriotic he may be, It matters not if. ho be poor and ,give his lime and services without remuneration, or if ho be rich and generously spend his means, ho is held up to ridicule by tho newspapers, which are tho pup pets of the special interests, and made tp appear a crank, a fool, or a knave. How many good people ridicule Mr. Bryan? How often is Governor Folk condemned by the best people in tho land? Are not LaFollette, Cummins and Dolllver all held up to scorn by some of our best citizens? Why? Simply because tho columns of our newspapers respond to a systematic and persistent effort of the "system" to discredit them by misrepresenta tions of very conceivable kind. Note how successful they were In tho Francis J. Heney case tho man who gave his services and almost contrib uted his life to tho people's cause. The public was made to bellevo him little less than a monster, all because of tho secular press, subsidized with tho money stolen from the people. At present money rules. This is proven by the fact that the Morgans and Guggenhelms may, with impu nity, organize, merge and perpetuate trusts, may entirely change tho color and effect of rate bills or any other inimical or regulative legislation; may cause to be appointed and re tained cabinet officers of their own choosing, or may arrange to havo turned over to them for a pittance tho vast territory of Alaska' with its countless millions of treasure. Yes, money buys congressmen, senators and other legislators. Who can say that even courts aro not brought un der Its magic spell? The rest of the people are blinded with false reading matter daily placed before their eyes. With a fearless, faithful, un prejudiced press to champion their cause, the people can and will rule. Find a way to get before tho masses the plain unvarnished facts, the con ditions as they actually exist, and tho people will get what thoy want. Walter H. Beecher, Norwood,, O. It seems to assume that the people know what they want. If they do, then certainly they do not know how to get it. Either faculty is vital to democracy. A rather broad hint of their gullibility and helplessness was THE GUARAHTY STATE BANK haa dcponltorn in every atnto of tho union In tho IntcrcHtH of wound and imfo bnnklnir you nliould bo ono of them. In tho Intercuts of your nolf and dependent! your monoy ahould bo placed whoro It in nccurtd. Wo nharo our kuccokii with our cuHtomors. Among our nsiieln aro strength, conservation and liber ality, tlirco Important factum to consider. SeBd for llooklct. M. G. HASKELL, V. P. MU8ICOGISIS, OKLA. THE GALL OF THE EAST Now York Ktnto calls for progioffslvo farmers to bur It Improved farm. Rood home nnd bbrhsrni; nt bargain price. These nro not worn-out lands; thoy mlito tho bott crops, but they nc'il more nrtlvo formers to urow wheal, tUa potatoes and cut alfalfa. Bond now for our tree lint or best farm In Now York nnd oiler Htnle. 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