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The Commoner.
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
A CALIFORNIA PLATFORM
Judgp John E. Raker, democratic nominee for
congress in the First California - district, and
opposing Representative Englebright, present
Btandpat congressman, has issued the following:
statement of his position:
Altman, Calif., August 3.1. This government
ehould not he a' business asset of the favor
seeking corporations. It must be tho people's'
government, and bo administered in all depart
ments according to the Jefferson maxim, "equal
rights to all, special privileges to none."
"That peoplo must rule," is the living issue
which presents itself in all public questions now
under discussion.
That such is tho primary issue has become
perfectly clear. The course of national legis
lation in tho past shows that gross abuse of
power by the "machine" has emphasized the
fact that the peoplo do not rule, but that tho
"machine," the "system," has ruled and does
rule. This is wrong. This is usurpation of
powor. It is a control of tho government by
the corporations and trusts, instead of a control
of the corporations and trusts by the govern
ment. And so long as this exists, just so long
will the people be deprived of their rights.
I am, therefore, in favor of:
1. A progressive, honest and economical gov
ernment. 2. An end of all official graft.
3. An honest revision of the tariff downward.
4. A fair and equitable banking and cur
rency law, (not a great central bank controlled
by Wall Street).
5. Conservation of our natural, national and
state resources, and a progressive upbuilding
policy, honestly and economically enforced
that we control our natural resources and use
them now in tho present but still control
them so the future use of them will be saved
for tho people of this nation. Keep them from
the hands of the few.
G. Controlling the trusts, and preventing
monopoly.
7. Reciprocity for a progressive purpose, and
not for retaliation.
8. A genuine control of railroads, freight and
passage rates.
9. A just and genuine control of railway dis
crimination between cities and towns.
10. Controlling over-capitalization of stocks
and bonds of railrocds and of industrial mon
opolies. 11. Physical valuation of railways as a basis
of fair rates and fareB.
12. A parcels post, and a genuine postal sav
ings bank act, and that it- be constituted so as
to keep tho deposited money in the community
where it is established.
13. Proper control of the gigantic gambling
in stocks and bonds and in agricultural
products.
14. A progressive inheritance tax on large
and gigantic estates, and an income tax.
15. Permanent system of devolpoment of our
national waterways and of national good roads.
1G A national law for publication of cam
paign funds before all elections, and a sound
corrupt practices act.
17. Election of United States senators by
direct vote of the people, and an amendment
of the constitution of tho United States for that
purpose.
18. Congress providing its own rules, and
that the speaker should not be the ruler of tho
house, but that tho houso itself should rule to
tho end that honest, just and proper legislation
may bo enacted.
19. Honest, fair, just and proper legislation
op behalf of labor labor must be dealt with in
a spirit of fairness.
20. An exclusion law excluding from the
United States and territories all Asiatics except
certified merchants, students -anti travelers;
There aro many questions presented in the
above. I havo thus stated them so there can
bo no misunderstanding as to my position on
tho important questions now confronting tho
people of this nation.-
It is true that those now demanding the prin
cipal attention of our people are: Corporation
control of our elections, monopoly of our neces
saries of life, domination by special privilege
corporations of our legislation, and conservation
of our national resources.
I believe in individual and national success
and prosperity. Merit should bo rewarded. I
have uq quarrel with corporations. They are
necessary and should bo encouraged for the -purposes
for which they arc formed. Corpora
tions" being formed for the purpose of serving
tho general welfare should not partake of the
freeman's political rights. It is" no part of their
business to run the government or to attempt
to run it; and when they do, they are stepping
beyond their legitimate functions and should
bo stopped. "
The Aldrich-Payne tariff law is a violation of
the first principles of this government.. It is
so arranged that it gives to the already wealthy
and takes from the needy. It should be re
vised, and revised downward. The beneficiaries
of the tariff should not be given this task.
Progressive constructive legislation should be
had at all times, and I am unalterably opposed
to "unobstructive" or "destructive" legislation,
just because it is "obstructive" and "de
structive." If elected I would deem it my duty to do the
best within mo for the entire nation. When I
could be of special service to this state or to
my district it would be one of my pleasures, if
within my power so to do, if not in conflict
with duties to the nation. No task would be
too burdensome to thus perform for this dis
trict, or the state, or any part ofthe state.
The rivers and harbors of this district need
material and efficient improvement, and special
care and attention, and the national govern
ment should be prompt and liberal for such
common good.
Wo have no desert lauds in this state when
water is applied. With an abundance of water
going to waste and nor restrained, and an em
pire of land lying idle, every effort should be
made to put -the water on tho land and utilize
it. This can and should be done. No man is
doing his whole duty unless he bends his every
energy to that end.
I am opposed to the system of which Cannon,
or Cannonism, is but a representative, a symbol.
No man who holds the views of parliamentary
procedure or national policy of Cannon should
be speaker of the house of representatives.
And I would consider that I held a' commission
from the peoplo of this district to vote against
any man with such views, and if elected would
vote for a speaker who is in favor of tho house
providing its own rules and methods of pro
cedure, which should be free from domination
by its speaker.
The will of the people would be my guide.
This is a government of tho people, for the
people, and by the people. The people can be
trusted.
I have no special claim upon the people of
this district for their suffrage. I have no "ax"
to grind. Having an abiding faith in our in
stitutions and form of government, and holding
the views I do, I would consider it a high
privilege and right to participate in its affairs,
believing that I would not abuse the confidence
. VOLUME 10, NUMBER 38
of this people. Having been a resident of this
district for thirty years, I feel I know their
wants and needs.
The matters and things here presented are
for the purpose of making my position clear
to the public, with a firm belief in the same,
and with a free and full promise to carry tho
same into effect as far as it may be in my power
and ability so to do.
JOHN E. RADER.
WHO'S WHO?
From the Kansas City Star, rep.: Under tho
direction of the republican campaign handbook,
which instructs the stump speakers that the
Bristow charges against Aldrich is "a tempest
in a teanot," here is wha't you may expect to
hear when the spellbinders reach that delicate
point in the full, free and open discussion of
tho issues:
"And now, my fellow citizens, let us turn our
attention briefly to tho rubber schedule.
(Laughter.) Ah, I see you havo heard of tho
rubber schedule before (More laughter.)
What about the rubber schedule? Simply this!
Senator Bristow of Kansas has charged that
Senator Aldrich manipulated that schedulo to en
rich himself and his friends.
"Who is this man Bristow? What did Bris
tow ever do for the party, my friends! A man
who was greatly honored, my fellow citizens
by the grand old party, he now seeks .to disrupt.
But when he was placed in a position of trust,
what did he do? He was a disturber of party
harmony from the beginning. He sent some of
our most valiant party leaders to prison and
drove others from public life that's the kind
of a republican Bristow has been, my fellow
citizens, and he is still trying to disrupt the
party that has honored him by electing him to
the senate. (Expressions of indignation from
the assemblage.)
"Do you believe the charges of such a man as
that my republican friends, against a statesman
like Nelson W. Aldrich? (Cheers and cries of
'that's it!') Why, my fellow cit.'.zens, every page
of our party's history, every statute enacted by
congress for forty years is illuminated by the
handiwork of this constructive statesman. The
night has never been too dark or the day too
stormy for the party to command Nelson 'W,
Aldrich. and it has. always found him ready to
serve his friends and the interest of his party..
"My fellow citizens, this is the greatest coun-r
try on earth. The sun that shines upon Old
Glory, the breezes that ripple its folds, testify
to that fact. It is the land of. the free and the
home of the brave, and, my friends (takes a
sup of water"), over its sunny prairies, along its
rippling streams, through its shady dells and in
its rich, fertile valleys its prosperity is due to
the wisdom, the patriotism and the courage of
such grand statesmen of our grand old repub
lican party, as Nelson W. Aldrich.
"Having completely refuted tho foolish
charges of this man Bristow, I now turn to
the glorious record of our party's achievement
and first I will take up the homestead act and
free schools." (Loud laughter from' the au
dience and shuffling of feet as half the crowd
walks out.) r
NOT NECESSARILY SO
Mr. George Harvey, editor of the- North"
American Review, charged that Theodore Rooser
velt said that if a national election were. to be
held this year ho (Roosevelt) would undoubted
ly be the republican candidate and would bo
elected. Mr. Roosevelt denies that ho made any
such statement.
Mr. Harvey replies: "It would be unseemly,
for me to engage in a controversy with Mr.
Roosevelt in a controversy' involving a ques
tion of veracity. That which I wrote, of course,
is true."
It is now a question of veracity. Mr. Harvey
may have the consolation of knowing that public
men can not always remember everything they
have said. Mr. Roosevelt may console himself
with the thought that though Mr. Harvey put
Into print a particular statement, this does not
necessarily give .that particular statement the
character of a fact, Mr, Harvey has been writ
ing for many years, and sometimes his friends
have suspected that as a historian he is a
dreamer of dreams.
Tho American Homestead, a monthly farm
journal of national scope, will bo sent to all
Commoner subscribers, without additional cost,
who renew their subscriptions daring the montb
.of October. Take advantago of this offer, at
once, and send in your renewal.