6
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
JANUARY 14, 1004.
Auxiliary Organizations
Mr. Van Tlae Has a
Few Remarks on Organization.
Editor Independent: A few years
ago I became convinced that a rem
edy for bad laws could not be pro
cured from the political parties then
dominating the policies of govern
ment, and when that conviction rip
ened into desire for action, the oppor
tunity to aid in the formation of a
new political party presented itself,
and I entered upon that work with
all the vigor I could command, giving
thereto both time and means.
Thus was the impulse to break from
the power of oppression fostered and
cultivated until occurred that memor
able nomination, by- that new party,
of Mr. Bryan, at St. Louis. - That par
ty which had secured, our undivided
affection, sincerity and devotion,
there prostituted all"; that work, hope
and spirit, so inspired; in a disastrous
betrayal. The campaign of 1896 over, j
I determined to ever after oppose f u-1
sion with any party, or any division j
or group of men representing a party,
or piece of a party, and so far as pos
sible I have adhered to that line of
action.
As a mid-road populist, 1 opposed
fusion or agreement with socialists; I
opposed the movement for an allied
people's party, both at-Kansas City
in 1901 and at Louisville in 1902. "And
I opposed the fusion?. with f unionists
at Denver in 1903. .
I held that the mid-road people's
party- was quite as legally constituted
as any political party ever was, and
for the purposes of genuine reform
was altogether right.
As a political organization the mid
road people's party roll of member
ship was always open to the reception
of any voter, whatever his previous
party affiliation. There was with" the
mid-roaders, opportunity and a wel
come awaiting the socialist, the sin
gle taxer, the municipal ownership
man, the prohibitionist, the fusionist,
the democrat or republican. All who
joined, should be treated fairly, gen
erously and without prejudice.
Now, with this opportunity open to
every one, by the mid-roaders, of
what use to hold a conference with a
group of men claiming allegiance or
influence in other political organiza
tions, and thereby make some kind
of a new agreement; more especially
when the mid-roaders all the time,
with a tenacity born of desperation,
adhered to every attribute of the
Omaha platform? Why a conference
of that character?
"Well, the conference was held and,
contrary to my ideas, a new condition
was inaugurated.
I voted for Mr. Bryan in 1896 be
cause I could not do otherwise, and
in any attitude whatever vote for re
form. '
And now, I give adherence to the
Denver agreement, not because I be
lieve it was in any sense a necessary
affair or of any practical benefit to the
reform cause. In fact I believe that
like every other fusion the people's
party has entered upon, it will be
found a hindrance to reform progress
and a millstone about the neck of re
form sincerity; but I must go with
the Omaha declaration, mistaken
leaders as I believe to the contrary
notwithstanding.
The editorial in The Independent of
December 31, "A Straightforward
Course," is so nearly in accoid with
my views, that I am persuaded there
by to suggest some ideas concerning
organization. In the aforesaid edi
torial appears a paragraph as fol
lows: "But the people's party can
go to the 'bone and sinew' of Ameri
ca, the home builders, home owners
and producers." Relative to organi
zation, I first observe that "the old'
guard" of true and tried money re
form populists, are about the only
men who, in any essential respect,
seem to comprehend the vital rea
son and extraordinary necessity aris
ing from the question.
Why should a people, who would
preserve the essence of civil liberty,
practice eternal vigilance a3 the price
of that liberty? Yet we are often dis
appointed in many of "the old guard"
because In their eagerness to em
brace the nilllenlum of happiness,
which they feel the triumph of pop
ulism would achieve, they are con
stantly allowing themselves to be de
luded Into ecstatic anticipations, of
what victories, that profound states
man. Thomas K. Watson; or that
erudite philosopher, Wharton Barker;
or that political warrior chief. Will
lam V. Allen; or what the MUmiuiI
World or the Nebraska Independent
will do towards exposing nnatui.il
conspiracies and persuading voters to
espouse peopled party principles.
These men and newspapers arc
strong and faithful ; they create, as
far a possible to them, the most
important public sentiment;' but they
cannot, in an adequate sense,' reach
the numbers that much be reached,
and do not in any efficient way or
ganize the people.
What really should concern "the old
guard" is perhaps best expressed by
asking: What is that system and
method- needed? Not just to convert
the people to populism; but that sys
tem and method which, when the peo
ple are duly converted to populism,
will hold them fast, occupy their at
tention, keep them in organization,
and ?companionshipi': juntil the growth'
and 'strength of:'bat organization
shall, 1 become endowl&l ; witn a con
scientious fealty and. an intelligence
equal to feats of . patience, persistence,
deprivation, destitution., or humilia
tion, 'which are . the 'ever-present pr
more than probable concomitants to
an enduring emancipation -and ' the,
vucsnscLcu ur xorgotien; reiernai .vig
ilance price of liberty. " , ; :
What should concern everv Datriot
populist is that of finding a. .system
ana metnod of organization which
shall lead and command the rank- and j
tile constituency (feone and sinew of
America) in-a continuous lesson of
action for a just cause; to their being
inspired in every moment . of their
wont witn tne knowledge that the or
ganization is alert . and watchful to
sustain and protect its membershin.
to care for that membership's very
smanesi neeas, willing and able to
help that membership by a substantial
personal pecuniary benefit: thus en
ticing the sacred flame of confidence
and security to burn steadily, un
ceasingly ever and ever glowing. ;
It is thereby we shall secure a con
stituency that would scorn to "wob
ble on the spindle," that would meet
death rather than " desertion, that
would move when and as the organi
zation moves, forget or expire only
when their right hand forgets, its
cunning and the tongue cleaves to the
roof of every freeman's mouth.
It is such a system and method
alone which can build the impregna
ble fortress, from whence the veterans
of the Omaha platform shall vanquish
the tyrant despots of vested property
rights and the bribe-seeking, bribe
giving villains of monopoly.
Adequate organization must include
every possible department or auxiliary
in aid of the cause.
In 1890-1-2-3-4 and 5, the auxiliary
organizations that propelled the re
form party movements then, were
known in most states as the farmers'
alliance. In Illinois and Indiana tbey
were the farmers mutual benefit as
sociation. And I am of opinion that
had the fundamental laws and reg
ulations of those old auxiliary organ
izations been compiled with a view to
safeguard against the assaults of un
known and unseen foes, Internal
weakness, and the subterfuge of office
seeking treason's intrigue; and con
taining also a proper provision for
securing to its membership certain
personal pecuniary benefits, in reg
ular monthly periods; those old' aux
iliary organizations would have with
stood and overcome the political dis
appointments cr betrayals. '
Then, as a consequence of the aux
iliary organizations' survival, the
people's party would have thrust Its
plagues from companionship and,
within a twelve-month cycle of time,
reorganization would have done its
noble work; and again the people's
party would have occupied the whole
highway to success.
The future of our political - power,
the vigor granted us from public at
tention, our opportunity for control of
legislation and thus to direct the adop
tion of attributes leading to the gen
eral public welfare, is centered upon
and depends upon the exercise of abil
ities to organize. To so organize that
the rank and file can be kept busy in
approval or tne acts and purposes of
the leadership.
It seems to me we populists are like
unto the foolish vlrelns In the ar
able; our lamns are without thA "ii"
of organization so vitally needed
by a rank and file constituency. Be-
noM me unuegroom (campaign of
1901) cometh. and the oil of dnnnnr
nnxlllnry organization has been by us
lorgnuen. ignored or possibly misunderstood!
Conventions and conferences are
necessary no doubt; but so, or even
. . . . .
more so, i uio auxiliary organisation
indispensable to a rank and file; and
pray of what particular good or use
I a leadership, whether statesman,
scholar, or warrior, without a devoted,
loyal and enthusiastic or ealou rank
and file? The public regard for sound
ness of views will be secured or with
held In accord with the conversions
brought to accept our enunciation of
principles; yet no matter how wise
our utterance or how truthful our ar
raignment of vicious public adminis
tration," there will "be no material
progress without .the auxiliary organ
ization to procure and bring hearers
to 'rendezvous. .'. - " .
For unless voters attend meetings
and rallys, there will be no proficiency
of conversions or enlistments; and
how, without the auxiliary organiza
tion, are we to obtain the interested
attention of sufficient numbers of vot
ers, to make a reputable or respect
able .campaign? If, by any worthy
manner of means," we could bring to'
our aid an adequate auxiliary organi
zation,! evenly the time autumn wea
ther requirements should cause as
sembles to seek shelter in school
houses, town or village hall, in place
of the picnic grove that would great
ly: help; but limited means is the
present potent hindrance thereto.
If auxiliary organizations were now
formed or quite'well in process of for
mation, the courage, zeal and zest of
their; membership could be relied up
on to furnish means, but, but and
but!
Alas,' we have not the organizations
sufficient to create, any particular im
pression and so few engaged in that
organizing interest,, the probabilities
of that influence in , the coming cam
paign seem quite remote.
How shall the growth and strength
of the rank and file be augmented.
maintained and inspired?
If acceptable to the readers of The
Independent, in another communica
tion I will define a system and meth
od of auxiliary organization, that
from every prairie and intervale, rus
tic home and cabin simplicity, there
may assemble in its session rooms,
the neighborhood farmers (the bone
and sinew of America), bestowing un
to that membership the mutual ben
efits and blessings which all accumu
lated experience teaches, has ever
waited upon the ministers to justice,
virtue, intelligence and liberty.
A. C. VAN TINE.
Flora, 111.
(Mr. Van Tine's logic would be in
exorable if his premises were sound.
He seems to overlook the fact that
"as a political organization the mid
road people's party" has" no legal ex
istence in a number of states. It is
needless here to thresh over old
straw as to which wing is or was
ethically entitled to the name "peo
ple's" party; . but the fact remains
that there were, and are yet, two
distinct and separate national com
mittees, each claiming to represent
populists. In Nebraska, for example,
Mr. Parker's committee following is
too small to cast the necessary t per
cent "of votes to. get; on the official
ballot." In Texas,. Mr. Butler's com
mittee has little, ; if any, following.
But both these committees, represent,
voters who believe in the Omaha plat- ,
form;; in other words, populists. And
if there was to be a union of the two
wings, a conference was the logical
proceeding. . ,,' ,"
The Denver conference simply gave
expression to a desire that the two
wings be united, which will be finally
consummated , when a new national
committee is selected to take the
place of the two , now .'existing.
The feature of Mr. Van Tine's ar
ticle, however, is his, suggestions re
garding an auxiliary organization.
There is yet an occasional subordinate
alliance in existence, and in every in
stance it will be found that the ones
which, lived were the ones that proved
of some pecuniary benefit to the
members. The alTiance, could not live
as a purely political organization, be
cause it was necessarily auxiliary and
aucilIaryto the party, which rose out
of it; but if each lodge had conferred
some material benefits upon its mem
bers,, the alliance might still be in
existence as a powerful factor. The
Independent will gladly hear from Mr.
Van Tine further upon this bead. As
sociate Editor.)
It is an old story, but as true as
ever The Independent office, com
posing room, and press room are still
unplastered. It is equally true that a
large number of our readers are de
linquent for subscription. .
The Philosophy of Freedom
An Open Forum for Single Taxers
A WORD FROM DR. BARNES.
Editor Independent: In your issue
of January 7 your associate editor
says, "Single taxers lay mu.h unnec
essary stress upon 'land values'." Our
object is to get farmers to see that it
is value alone that we would tax and
that valuable land is in the cities and
that the farmers' tax would be light.
The land in Chicago has more value
by five times than all the land in the
great state outside of the cities. A
friend of mine told me today that
he and five other men had bought a
piece of vacant land ten miles from
the center of the city, 150 feet front,
for residences, where not more than
one-third of the land was improved
for a mile in any direction, and they
paid $20,000 for it less than two
thirds of an acre.
Of course, by taking all the eco
nomic rent of land as a tax, land
would have no selling value. But
what would a farmer who expected to
remain on his farm care whether his
farm would sell for $1 or $100 per
acre, if he did well farming? At
present a farmer, to live easy, must
wait years for the raise in the price
of land and then sell. But the single
tax would put money in his pocket as
he goes along in life. It would raise
his wages as a laborer and his inter
est on his capital, consisting of im
provements, machinery, stock, etc.
We try to impress the farmer with
the fact that what he loses as a land
lord he gains as a laborer and a capi
talist. For there are but three factors that
enter into the production of wealth,
viz: land, the silent factor, and labor
and capital applied on land. Nov, if
the landlord is eliminated as a sharer
In the wealth produced, then labor
and capital must get all wealth as
wages and Interest. There is no
where else for wealth to go legitimate
ly.
At present the active farmer docs
not get the benefit as a landlord till
he sells. But the landlord who owns
and rents his land does get a bene (It.
The landlord as a landlord Is a leach
he lives and takes without Ktvlns
any equivalent in exchange, but has
to be supported by society,
Your associate editor assumes that
the farmer under a single tax, us now
would make a bare living, but If land
value should Increase as new and he
could pocket the Increase at some re
mote time as now, it would be all
right. . We single taxers want to ben
efit the farmer now, and benefit him
greatly, Waiting for land vaiue to
increase, is a species of hoarding
which is abnormal and unhealthy for
society. It is at the bottom of all
hoarding of wealth. It is worse than
hoarding it is robbing community of
a value it has produced for all val
ue of land is made, not by any indi
vidual more than another, but by all.
The land in Nebraska and every
other state, exclusive of all improve
ments on it, is worth $500 for tvery
man, woman and child in the stale.
Every man, woman and child in any
city or town, adds $4 to the value of
the center acre in the town and to
other acres proportionately to their
proximity to the center.- Take the
population of any town and multiply
it by 4 and the product will approxi
mate very nearly the value of an acre
in dollars of the center acres of the
town, showing that the man who
owns the acre did not produce its
value. Of nothing else can it be said
that increase of population increases
us value. J.i r BATiNMff.
Chicago, 111.
(Dr. Barnes is a little Inclined tn
jump at conclusions. I assumed noth
ing as io wnai tne larraer would get
"under the single tax." What I tried
to show is this: Under present con
ditions the farmer etts a haro m-ine-
out of his current production, and
urn mue more; mit the "unearned in
crement" rise in land values does
give the land-owning farmer some
thing more than a bare living in the
course of say thirty years. This un
earned increment, single taxers pro
pose to take nwav fr
and their representations of what he
win get In return are generally so
VagUO as to fail to convert ih nvr
age farmer to th ulnelo t
Hon. Associate Editor.)
II. I . Robinson, Mcl.arty, Ala.: "Am
well pleased with the- picket line plan.
Count me one of the Old Guard."
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