JANUARY 14, 1904.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
9
"POPCLI8T-DEMOCBAT8" VIEWS
The Independent is a firm believer
in giving a patient hearing so, far
as space will permit to all who are
actuated by sincere motives in behalf
of reform. But it does not, by the
publication of a communication,
thereby give editorial indorsement to
the views therein expressed. What
it does do, however, is to say in ef
fect, "This person is actuated by good
motives and deserves a respectful
hearing." -
Hence, the publication of the letter
from "Populist-Democrat" on another
page must not be taken as The In
dependent's, idea of political action to
,be taken by populists the coming
. year. But there is no doubt of his
sincerity; and in these days of politi
cal chaos, there is wisdom in the
counsel of many.
"Populist-Democrat" has outlined a
model platform. He will have no
trouble in receiving unqualified in
dorsement of it from populists every
where. But grave differences of opin
ion will arise over his plan for secur
ing the enactment of these principles
into law. There is where the hitch
will come.
Few populists even the most un
compromising "mid-roaders" will
deny that Mr. Bryan wields a larger
influence among the rank and file of
American citizenship than any other
living man. Few of them entertain
for him other than the kindliest feel
ings, the keenest of admiration, or the
greatest respect. But populists gen
erallythe thorough-paced, "Old
Guard" sort especially-rrepudiate the
whole idea of "leadership" as it is
generally understood. In other words,
they claim the right to think for
themselves, and to give expression to
their thoughts, without first receiv
ing a "cue" from the "leader." And,
while granting the wonderful influ
ence exercised by Mr. Bryan, they
know that his followers may be di
vided into three groups: (a) Those
who have the utmost confidence in
Mr. Bryan, and who are thoroughly
in accord with the principles he
stands for; (b) those who do not
take the trouble to study and under
stand economic and political ques
tions, but have such implicit confi-
dence in Mr. Bryan as to accept what
ever he says without question; and
(c) those who are looking for a seat
at the pie-counter and who care noth
ing for Mr. Bryan or any other man
or principles men who simply want
to win.
While this classification is theor
etically easy to make, it is difficult to
apply practically even today". But af
ter the next democratic national con
vention, it will not be so difficult to
point out those who belong in class
"c" at least unless those in class "a"
should happen to be overwhelmingly
in the majority at that convention.
The Independent does not agree
with "Fopulist-Democrat's" plan of
action, A few populist representatives
and senators at Washington, as long
as they maintained their party in
tegrity, were to a large degree the
"balance of power;" but as soon as
they entered the democratic caucus,
and agreed to be bound by the action
of that body, they lost completely
their i)wer to Influence legislation.
The existence of a powerful people's
party from 18!)' to 1SIH1, made it pos
Kiblrt for the Bryan clement In the
democratic party to win In the con
vention of that year. It U highly
probable that both the demo ruth and
republican parties' in would have
repeated their tactics of mi haj th
people's party Wen completely anni
hilated. "iVmiH ratle-Poi ullst" .jc'etns to for
ret that Mr. Bryan liaa never alHIIated
With tho people parly unler. hit
oto for the Weaur electors in IS!.
tinder advice from the democratic
party manager., In order to tak Ne
braska away from Uarriwn, i midlc
lent to make h'm ft populist; hence,
tuj effort on the part oi ropulM to
repair their now broken-down organ
ization, can hardly be called an effort
"to create a diversion from the hosts
he leads." Mr. Bryan has never "led"
genuine populists; but upwards of a
million of them voted for him in 1896
aye, even In the face of the refusal
of his party to recognize the nomina
tion of Tom Watson, and its persist
ence in keeping on its ticket a vice
presidential candidate who had no
sympathy whatever for the platform
upon which he supposedly stood.
In two presidential campaigns the
democratic party has resolutely re
fused to accept populist support upon
any other basis than that of voting
the ticket named wholly by the dem
ocratic . party. And the recent efforts
being made to harmonize the two ut
terly antagonistic elements in the
democratic party, have convinced
populists that a large number of class
"c" democrats may be found among
the loudest shouters for Bryan in 1896
and 1900. This being so, it seems
evident that if "harmony" is effected
In the democratic convention of 1904,
it will be a victory for the pluto
cratic element in the party perhaps
a colorless candidate on a straddle
platform.
Genuine , populists men of the
"middle class," the "bone and sinew
of America," the small producers,
home builders and home owners de
sire legislation which wili protect
them from legalized, robbery; which
will insure "equal rights to all, spe
cial privileges to none." They care
nothing about the name of the "party
which gives them this protection and
which insures their rights. But a
great many of them have despaired of
receiving what they ask at the hands
of either old party. Will "Populist
Democrat" deny them the right to
this opinion? Will he deny them the
right to act in harmony with it? If
not, why should an attempt to do
what they believe to be right, "dis
credit those engaged in it?"
What the people's party may ulti
mately accomplish, no man can fore
tell; but it is evident that a great
many populists, when once aroused
from their present apathy, are earn
estly in favor of "independent na
tional action," as stated in the Den
ver conference address. That they
will put a ticket in the field, seems
certain. And that they have an un
doubted right to do so, without being
"discredited," IS certain.
DON'T NEGLECT
Recontly. the subscript ion depart
ment sent bills for subscription to
those whose accounts are a year or
more delinquent. Up to this time only
a few have responded with payment.
If you are one of those who have re
ceived a bill and have not made re
mittance, why not do so without long
er delay? Don't neglect. Send the
amount today and then it will not be
necessary to send you another state
ment. If you cannot find the bill, ex
amine the date with the address on
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the date at which your Mibscrlptlon
became delinquent. The Independent
depends upon the patronage of its
readers and their prompt payment for
subscription to make all of its growth
and improvement. It ha no sub
sidies from tho groat trusts to draw
upon. It b on the side of the people
and looks to them for ltd support. If
jour mibscrlptlon N delinquent kind
ly send tho amount the first time you
Ko to the jostotlUe.
THE tO-Ot'l H ATI ft I OM KMIOI
The meeting at Fa fundi Hall, I ton-
tun, on Tuesday ait.l Wednrday of
this week did ni receive wuh space
tit tho hand of plutocrat! journal
Uui, but In U tho trained observer of
human event can see the germ of a
forward movement In behalf of ha-
u.anlty.
llefurmcrs In great variety vro
thvre, each ith lis particular pre-
GRASS
:E0 m
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Red Clover jSr
Alfalfa)
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Prime..... J. 9.00 "
Choice.. f', 1.80 "
Prime..... 1.65 "
UfiA Tnn $ FaDC-f unhull'd tl bu
leU 1 Op Choice 65c bu.
Brome Grass!
Bl Gee J Fancy. . .1.75 bu.
Best 12.00 bu.
Prime 1.75 bu.
Ex.clean'd 65c bu
2-bu. grain bags extra at 15c each for alfalfa, clover and timothy.
SEND FOR NEW CATALOGUE.
GriswoBd Seed Co.
149 So. 10th, Lincoln, Neb.
V-
ohg i sons' W
SEED CORN, FIRE-DRIED, PURE-BRED.
Cut out this advertisement and return to us and wa
will Bend you free a copy of tha most complete,
illustrated, descriptive seed corn catalogue ever
printed, It fglly describes all the leading . and best
varieties of corn, which will -double your yields.
Ears is to 15 inches in length, weigh 1 1-3 to 3 pounds
each. Don't lay this paper down until you have sent
for one of these catalogue, it will mean dollars to you.
J. 13. ARMSTRONG & SONS, Shenandoah, Iowa
MILLET, CANE, KAFFIH. POPCORN, SEED CORN, ALFALFA, TIMOTHY, CL0VE3
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scription for. curing all social ills,. and
doubtless some of them went away
from the meeting with a feeling akin
to chagrin because so many refused
to be converted to his "school" of so
cial medicine'.
But these little differences were but
ripples on the surface of a deep-ffow-ing,
powerful river. The meeting, as
a whole, is-a mile-stone along the way
to a better and higher civilization.
Thinking men are more and more
coming to the conclusion that the
present state of society, with its gross
inequalities and injustices, is ripe for
a change of some sort whether for
better or for worse, time alone will
tell. Most of the wrangling today is
as to whether the future condition of
society can be shaped or modified by
statute law; if so, what is the most
desirable shape or modification to be
made; that determined, then how it
can be accomplished by individual
self-purification, through political uc
tion, voluntary co-operation, or seme
other means, etc.
When all the underbrush is cut
away, it will be found that all are
agreed upon the proposition that stat
ute law exerts a powerful influence
upon society. But the Marxian social
ists, adhering to the theory of eco
nomic determinism, insist that no
statutes will be enacted inimical to
the economic interests of the domi
nant class in control of the govern
ment; hence, that no modification of
the social structure Is possible
through statute law, except as the en
tire system then in vogue proves in
adequate and breaks down of its own
weight. Upon this theory they prove
that ancient slavery and tho later fi"rf
t'om were abolished because they did
not PAY. And upon this theory titty
try to show that the present was; eys
teni will break down, thus compelllns;
a change; and that a change for the
bettor must to to Ihe to-operative
commonwealth. Some of them be
lieve the co-operatlvo commonwealth
id inevitable. Othern, like Mr. (Jheut,
believe that a "benevolent feudalism"
will result If tho people are not
aroused to the danger of tho present
sxf.it of rapid concentration of wealth.
Th movliu spirit lu th tonen
tion, or. rather. In calling it. ar
Bradford peek, Ua!ph AlbrrUon and
ot! era of Uw 10 operative a -ot iat. n
of America; and tlusrt nun believe
that tho to-oprtlv0 commonwealth
will to ushered In through, voluntary
co-operation, at f.rt in building up
stuall loval affairs; afterward ta con
solidating these Into larger ones, un
til, finally, all industry will be on a
co-operative basis one grand "peo
ple's trust."
The meeting at Boston was in har
mony with this idea.
The Lincoln Daily S'tar is having a
tilt with the Post check currency bu
reau, and calls the plan a "bit of
liaici liailCIll. HUB uuiuca VVIIU JJUUI
grace from a sheet that upholds a
"piotective tariff" as blindly and un
reasonlnelv as does' the Star.
thing that would be a convenience to
the little fellow is "paternalism." But
if It helps "the big fellow enables him
to rob millions of the little ones
then it's "protection" and "patriot
ism." ,
Advertising in The Independent
brings results. Branch & Miller, the
hig grocery house in this city, rer
cently received a letter from a lady
in Oswego, N. Y., saying: "I have
seen your ad. in that splendid paper,
The Independent, and write you to
tay that if you will send me 100
pounds of sugar, I will send you a
barrel of selected apples greenings,
northern spies, Talman sweets, seek-no-furthers,
and a few gilllflowers for
tho children." Of course, they couldn't
swap on that basis, freight rates
standiug In tho way. 'Besides, Ne
braska produces a great amount of
apples, and Missouri, Kansas and
Iowa are not far distant.
Owins to the fact that another paper
In Denver had Incorporated the word
"Independent" as part of its name.
The Colorado Independent, which was
darted by K. A. Sclplo a few weeks
nc;o, was obliged to change its name In
order to Bccmo entry as second-class
natt4 Heme, No. 6 comes out as
The Colorado Commoner, with" a new
nddress; Koom 17, Iewls block, Den
ver. It is now a four-column quarto,
filled to the brim with live populate
matter and If the populists of Cu
tado do not nlve Mr. Sclplo the nup
port he deserves well, they ouuht to
k " wiiinmi a Mill lapT,
If the populUU didn't capture that
to-operative convention, down at
Pane-ill Mall. lu!,ton, Tuesday and
Wednesday, it rauit have l n beeauatj
they didn't ar to do w. The pro
frratn how the names of many cf tha
Old Ouard; A mo V Hideout, Geors
H. tihltdey, V tjerry l?rovn, Georga,
r, Wutltbvuu, and others.