-Yn..xiv.
LINCOLN, NE15., JAN. 29, 1903.
No. 3C.
WILSKIRE VS. ANDREWS
Socialist Editor Cliallenfea Chancellor An
drew to Debate th Qaeatloa
of Socialism
Readers of The Independent will
recollect the address on socialism de
livered by Chancellor Andrews of the
university of Nebraska before the
rtate bar association, published in The
Independent of January 15. His
criticisms of "loose socialism" seem
to have stirred up the "kangaroos," as
the S. L. P. adherents call them. In
a, recent letter from the editor of Wil
shire's Magazine, the irrepressible H
cay lord encloses a copy of a challenge
he has sent to the chancellor, saying:
"Upon reading Professor Andrews ad
dress on socialism in your paper I
despatched him the enclosed letter.
If he accepts it will undoubtedly re
sult in a debate which will create
great interest throughout the coun
try!" The challenge is as follows:
New York, Jan. 23, 1903. Chancel
lor -E. Benjamin Andrews, Nebraska
University, Lincoln, Neb. Dear Sir:
I have read with interest your ad
dress upon socialism delivered before
the state bar association of Nebraska
" on January 9. As you have misrepre
sented the socialist position so com
pletely I think it is only fair for you
t meet me or some other socialist on
tae public platform and defend your
arraignment of socialism, which I con
tend is based upon a fallacy. I will
agree to go from New York to Ne
braska at my own expense, hire any
hall you may think suitable and pay
all the expenses connected with the
(I ibate, if you will agree to meet me
aay time within the next two months.
I shall be indebted if you will wire
your answer upon receipt of this.
Faithfully yours,
H. GAYLORD WILSHIRE.
Mr. Wilshire says: "I had a de
bute with Prof. E. R. A. Seligman of
Columbia - college here last Friday,
whirl attracted an immense crowd.
It was the bieeest meeting of the kind
ever held in New York? The audience
was overwhelmingly with me, and
the! whole-thing was a verv remark
able affair from any standpoint that
you mav look at it, aH hmigh the
metropolitan press, following their
usual policy of suppressing what the
people wan, to know, carefully omit
ted nny remarks on it. though the
Herald and Times had short accounts."
Readers of The Commoner who wish
to renew their subscription to that
paper should take advantage of our
special club rate. The Independent and
The Commoner both for one year only
$1.35. Send all orders to The Inde
pendent, Lincoln, Neb.
The Independent wishes to say to
those who pour out their wrath on the
Mark Hanna democrats and declare
that it is no use to have anything to
do with such a party should remem
ber that there are also Mark Hanna
populists, Clem Deaver and his gang
for instance. The only redeeming
feature on the populist side was that
the populists heaved Clem Deaver
head first over the transom, and the
democrats let Dave Hill stay in the
party.
The Best Agency
I have read your announcement in
your issue of the 22d inst. of your de
sire to enroll 100,000 recruits to aid
in the work of reform along the lines
adopted by your paper, and believing
it to be the best agency within my
knowledge for the dissemination of
such truths as will tend to arouse the
people to a consciousness of the grav
ity of the political and social situa
tion, and therefore the most likely
means of enabling thern to secure re
lief from the evils to which they are
being subjected, I desire to enroll my
name a one of your recruits for the
year 1903.
I enclose $2.00 for which please send
me one copy of your psper here at
North Platte,- Neb., addressed to me,
and one copy to William McMichael,
Wellfleet, Neb.
You may send me a recruiting cou
pon book of five cards and detach two
for these for which I send the money,
and I will dispose of the, rest and re
mit as soon as sold.
A. F. PARSONS.
North Platte, Neb.
RIOTING
WORK BEG
IMC
ill J
The Independent's Educational Plan
of Campaign for 1904 Receiving
Enthusiastic Support from Every
Part of the Union
WEEKLY PAPER BEST EDUCATOR
flajority of Voters Have Honest Motives but Many
are not Properly Informed on Political Issues and
the. Remedies Proposed for Existing Wrongs
WILL YOU HELP TO EDUCATE THEM?
Recruiting Coupons Each Good for a Subscription to
November 17, 1904, Only $i.oo Each in Books of 5
or More. Send for a Recruiting Book Today.
Any Unsold Coupons May be Returned
The proof that the plain people in all parts of the country are intensely inter
ested in political conditions is found in the enthusiastic response to The Indepen
dent's proposition to begin the educational campaign now. In the midst of the
much vaunted prosperity is great unrest and deep concern for the future. , With
the immensely rich becoming immensely richer, and with the percentage of home
owners rapidly decreasing the prospective opportunity for the great majority of
the rising generation is not bright. Where is theiojustice that results in such in
equality and what is the remedy? . Are the trusts and trust managers always to
receive tho special privileges that have made their. organization and growth possi
ble? Will they always control the law making and law interpreting powers of the
land? Surely they will make their greatest effort to do so. They will buy, bribe
and coerce public officials and in every way possible deceive the public in general
Plutocracy owns or controls already nearly all the metropolitan newspapers and
magazines and is systematically engaged in belittling the influence and import
ance of those that cannot be controlled. The public official in congress or else
where who dares to assert hia independence and undertakes to champion the cause
of the people is held up to ridicule and scorn by the plutocratic pross of the coun
try. He is lied about, villified and maligned until his influence is destroyed and
perhaps his public reputation ruined forever. Only a few public men have the
coursge to battle against such unprincipled manipulators intrenched and armed
with the power of the press as they are. Hundreds of men of national reputation
have been politically destroyed because they would not bow the knee to mammon-
James G. Blaine is a notable example. Although a republican he was defeated by
the money power because they saw in Grover Cleveland a more pliant tool a man
subservient and obedient to their every wish. Mr. Bryan has been twice defeated
by the power of money and the lack of organization and united action among the
common people. If the next National Democratic convention should nominate a
candidate more agreeable to the money kings of Wall Street than the republican
nominee, his chances of election would be good under conditions as they have ex
isted in the past How long will the money of the country play foot ball with the
people in that manner? Plainly until the people organize and prepare to choose
between the several candidates the one who will honestly protect their interests.
Before organization must come education. The best educator in any home is a
weekly newspaper honestly edited. It is read by the fireside in the evening where
political passion is least aroused and where the mind is most receptive.
If you would help in the restoration of the government to the people you should
enlist in The Independent's Army as a recruiting officer. If you have read it you
know how well it champions the cause of the plain people. Send your order to
day for a book of 5 or more recruiting coupon subscription blanks. Only $5.00 for
a book of 5 recruiting coupons. Each coupon is good for one subscription to The
Independent to be sent to any address until November 17, 1901, nearly 22 months
from this time. No money in advance. Send your order today and pay after you
have sold them. Any unsold coupons may be returned. It costs you nothing to
try. Begin now. Carry the book with you and get a recruit whenever and wher
ever you can. Address The Independent, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Encouraging Words From the Battle Line
Your paper and your proposition
just suits me. It is what I have
wanted for years. I believe a good
fight on that line .ill win. Send me
a book of five and I will start and go
my length. A. R. CROSS.
Lewis, Kas.
Send me a book of 25 recruiting
coupons and sample copies to work
with. Want to get them on the list
until after the election in 1904.
O. S. WILLIAMSON.
Beaver City, Neb.
Please send me a recruiting book of
five cards and I will sell them for
the love I bear you for the grand
work you are doing for the peoni
J. M. KNOX.
Cambridge, Neb.
I take pleasure in writing you for a
coupon book and sample copies. I
have shown The Independent to three
or four that talk encouragingly.
A. W. GINGERY.
Lamar, Colo.
THE COAL TRUST
V. It. Iltaral'a EflbrU to Kill It-Two
Prices for Coal Tlio 'Independenta"
sod the Trait
Editor Independent: , There is -no
politics, now, in New York, except
how to get coal. Anthracite coal is
$14 a ton in New York city, yet we in
Jersey City, right across the river
from New York, arc paying only $6.50
a ton; and, this has been the price
since the strike.
Why is coal $6.50 in Jersey City and
$14 a ton in New York city?
There are two kinds of coal in the
market, namely, five-dollar coal and
fourteen-dollar coal. The latter Is
sometimes a little less and sometimes
a little more 'than $14. The five-dollar
coal is what 13 mined and brought
to market by the great coal trust, a
combination of eight coal carrying
railroads. This, for short, is some
times called "company coal." This
coal is $6.50 a ton when it gets to the
consumer, both in New York and Jer
sey City.
The fourteen-dollar coal Is what i
mined by the so-called "independent"
operators, who own mines or operate
them under a lease) and bring their
coal to market over the coal trust
railroads. The "independents" cannot
get their coal to market without per
mission of the railroads and therefore
they are subservient to the railroads;
and there is no such thing as indepen
dent coal.
For the purpose of showing the tone
of society in New York, I quote from
an editorial of the Press (rep.):
"President Baer's ceremonious
tnreat to shut off the supply of any
coal dealer charging more than $6.50
a ton, if it were put into execution,
would make that price the ruling fig
ure all over New York city in twenty
four hours. Meanwhile, in anticipa-,
tion of the coal trust's enforcement
of that price, the few alleged 'indepen
dent' or insurgent dealers who are
charging their own prices would get
rid of their coal at the best figures
above $6.50 they could get, knowing '
that when the coal trust commanded
the dealers on penalty of loss of their
supply to put the rate down to $6.50
they, too, would have to meet th-j
cut. We say 'alLeged' insurgent deal
ers, because we have not believed that
a single dealer is offending the coal
trust or breaking one of its rules in
gouging the public out of every last
dollar for the commodity which It
must have to keep from freezing to
death.
"But President Baer's ostentatious
'threat' to discipline 'refractory' deal
ers is only hollow mockery of coal .
trust victims, as we happen to learn
from a case coming to our own
knowledge. We know a dealer whose .
relations with the officers of one of
the five coal trust railroads are so
fortunate that through the strike and
since he has been able to buy his coal '
AT THE MINE; and being thus made
immune from tax by the carrying and .
distributing departments of the ex
tortion system, this particular deal
er's customers have had their press
ing wants supplied through the famine
for $6.50 a ton. Within the last few
days this dealer has increased his rate
day by day until it is now $11.50 a
ton (when he has the coal). We hap
pen to know as a dead-sure fact that
this dealer makes exactly the SAME
PROFIT at $11.50 a ton that he made
at $6.50 a , ton. The reason he has
had to raise the price $5 is that he
has had to pay that much more at
I 3 mines to the coal trust! For the
time has come when no favorites can
be played, and everybody must be
gouged alike."
Continuing the editor says:
"The coal trust lets the dealer make
the same profit month in and month
out and gathers in all the extras itself.
No dealer could get a POUND of coal
if the trust put him on its blacklist.
as President Baer pretends to threaten
to do. It is all so simple that we
wonder how people can credit the
queer 'explanations' that are being cir
culated nowadays to account for the
increasing oppression of consumers
and to relieve the coal trust of re- '
sponsibility for the extortion which''
is applied more and more mercilessly
as the temperature falls below the
freezing point. Rational folk will
meet all these inspired 'explanations
of 'insurgent' dealers with a question
addressed to themselves: 'Has tha