Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1905)
II- fA PAGE 2 &6e Nobraskortndcpondorit JANUARY 12, 1905 for tEvubtleties'of academic discus sion. There is scarcely a demand of nn thenopulist platform which has not T1 pronounced success. Get "Politics in New Zealand" and cse for yourself. CHARLES Q. DE FRANCE. Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 6, '05. Mickey and the Lobby This stilty scare of the presence of the masked lobbyist at our legislative councils has no place in a real mes eage. No message reference should be made to a possible state of affairs, that does not exist and can have no real existence without the connivance of those officials who have in advance made distressing i reference to loby- ism. The governor in his message saw fit to assume a pessimistic attitude, and with studied emphasis declared "The bane of every legislative body is the subsidized lobby." The statement is not true in a general sense and Is therefore a reflection upon the integ rity of the American legislator. The condition which seems to alarm the governor for the safety of the state are not alone the work of the pernicious lobby. The personnel of the legislature cannot escape responsibility. The majority of all legislative bod ies are normally honest, and are con scious of a moral responsibility to their constituency. It is the minority of such bodies that give the lobby a tan gible existence. The venal- nexus be tween the minority of a legislative body and the lobby which is engen dered in corporate greed, and manifest ing itself in individual appetite, can only be established and maintained -yfeak . incanable and dishonest . . . . ... . . administration. The history or legis lation In our country affords many bril liant . examples of governors under whose administrations the slimy brood fiVM marlfi onv tracks within tha nro. incts dedicated in the name of courage end conscience to the interests of the pmmon weal. Notably the late Gov tnor Pingree of Michiganhad no oc casion to sound a lobby alarm because to lobby will only vegitate where cthditions are favorable. When he wis called to the office he so ably filled, heound the venal minority and a well ronized lobby, whom he attacked at the Very threshhold of his administra tions with courage and singleness of purtse, that the corruptness retired abated in the face of "a man." Th state of Illinois has had legis laUvtHexperience with and without a lobby u under . the retiring , Governor Yate3,;the venal minority and a well organised lobby seemed to be in con trol ofjlegislation The governor sta tioned t(ie troopsduring the session of the legislature in the , state house grounds! in readiness to quell a ript The electors of the common- wealth realizingkhe evident faithfulness of their representatives, swooped down upon the venal crew, and dispersed them. Tijp speaker of the house , nar rowly escaped mob violence at the hands of outraged citizenship. While under the late Governor Altgeld, the venal few vjith a boost from the "long green lobby! representing the gas com pany of Chiiago, succeeded in passing the gas billsThe governor promptly came to the fescue of the peaple, and vetoed that vacious legislation. In his -A. J 'V a . a eiu ihkius trtnign pcsiuon in etnics d morals, .ie fearlessly denounced corruption in illlgh places, sought out the sponsors ov vicious legislation ex posing their mhods an motives, the corfuptionists Setired under a judg ment of jublic opinion, from whose de cree there is not a peal, How inspiring and reassuring In these sordid dajfo of commercialism, is the strenuous Example of Gov, La Follete of Wisconsin, engaged In mor-- tal combat wittt organized greed. I 1 contli m mm To those who . They could ions. gave me their support in the last Presidential election I hereby return not have been actuated by any motive other than the desire to vote my heartfelt their honest M Those whn O.Hfit lllPir 'hallntc fnr ma nrava lirana onsturrVi tn anA orUL V. I I i 1 ! : enOUClitO think that a ballot, IN tnV4Ht.itllt.Pfl wllinh Aroa VIAlcnO tn nno'n aanaa -mir.U t'Viv m A t t ir t 1 x T 1 . ,i .... a v;uipigu vi ivv was dui apreiuae 10 me campaign 01 iyu. rne start had to be made, and it Seentxl to me a vital Tipp.pssitv t.n at.ttrt at. fho tima uUn i J 3 to Pluti'xVacy and Class Legislation. The Republicans stood pat for every evil of the present system which builds coissal fortunes upon the false basis of Special Privilege. The Democrats, led by place-huuters and time-serytVs ravenous for the spoils of office, shamelessly abandoned every democratic principle and trans- ferred thA- standard to the hands of the gambler, the monopolist and the Wall Street corporati on. v At ch a time, when both the old parties were down on their knees to the oamDered beneficiaries of Class Leg4ation, it seemed a high duty that someone should preach the" gospel of "Equal rights to all." H aS 1 C-Uld 1 made the fight fr Jeffersonian principles. All things considered, the support I received Was encouraging. Therefore, I am resolved to devote the next foUr vears to a camnaiffn of education, i.iwhich all governmental questions will be discussect and the citizen brought to realize how ruinous to till masses are the present tendencies of Municipal State and National legislation. v la,Wone man 8 business has been fostered at the expense of another's: bv law. one class has heen given special olmleges not enjoyed by others; by law, certain forms of wealth have been entirely exempted from national ttTat.inn f.A't.Via xroot iri-rw f iVir nsn n-tmm. In. '; , iijuj vx uuu-cAcmui, ut iw tuv aitiuuii persons, canea corporations A Tired Pomfich Docs not gc&nuch good for you out tor whit you czt, for it docqnet dijest much it k vrtcfiil. It feeb sore and bnso end is easily distressed fed often upset Jy 'lod.-C!TtcSs trcctmcAt is a course of Kcod'sSarsaWilla which is positively une rdlcd for c!l stomach troubles; V For testimorJcls cf reaarkaUe cures Czzi fcr Cook on Dyspepsia, No. 5. v. u tizo9 co., iowea, ivies. ffettlnC r?(Vltr VrA ta rnf am rmii'm r ,1 n 1 '' .1 mi a 1 y C 1 ,1 iitimnn ti-rw? ..i.'t! 1. Y 4- . . t,i i '. " j T 1 5 ' t m wnuuv rcuu irjBiBuoiy 10 conceniraie weann, power ana opportunity m lae nanas 01 a lew. Already, vtjp per cent, of our population own morc than the other ninty-nine per cent, combined. Al ready you can cott upon the fingers of one hand the trusts that annually absorb more than one-half of the entire increase in &ealth. Already you can name four railroad kings who, by agreement among themselves, can levy heavier" trfljute upon the people of this country than Congress itself can impose; the Trust invades every market, -dickies where you buy and where you sell; fixes the price when you sell, and fixes it when you buy. You are nothing; the law is nothing'; the Trust is all in all. . Meanwhile, expenses of government grow larger and larger; the cost of living mounts higher and higher, the raggedeiong of poverty multiply day by day; the rich swagger more and more with offensive bluster and display! ad the storm-cloud of class-hatred blackens the future as never before. Nine-tenths of the, sufferings of our people are due to bad laws and bad government. The situation has become so desper ately Intolerable that ie are nearer the danger line than we ourselves know. It is my purpot-e to discuss all economic and governmental questions, to point out abuses and advocate practical remedies. I believe that I believe that eqtal and exact justice between man and man should be the object of law. special privileges can never be granted to one class without gross injustice to others. ' 7 Instead of the tlaiclltonian theory of the Divine Right of the Few to govern and monopolize, I believe. as Jefferson and Lincoln cid, in the rule of all for the benefit of all. I invoke the co-operation of all who believe, as I do, that present conditions are wrong; that they can be and must be improved. I vrish this magazine to penetrate every city, town, village and country precinct with my monthly message If you are in sympathy with me lend your aid not only by promptly forwarding your own subscription but by going among your neighbors and enlisting their support. The political purpogiVhich is herein proclaimed is but one feature of this new masrazine; it will inter est every member of the fanUjly with reading matter that will appeal to and benefit all. The first number will ube issued in February. Subscription one dollar per year. Send it in at once, want my friends first, and with their aid we will have no lack of converts to our cause. RemitPostal or Express Money Urdcr, ox AJash m KegiBtered Letter to Tom Watsos's. Magazine, 121s West 4 2d Street, New York City. y 1 'A (TV 1.4 ... : ' V V- fcrt 4 Thomson, Ga. as la my striking calmly and unerringly gladiator without beating a party re veille. The heroic examfcle of Gover nor Van Rant of Minnesota, bids us; hope that the spirit of '76 will yet) "Fusion and the democratic party are reanimate those who will be charged 5 djd dogs and of right ought to be. No Surrender I Editor Independent: Here is ' vcte as always against fusion. from time to time with the affairs of the republic of humanity. The pre cepts and examples of the foregoing show that all that is necessary to do when conditions are about to arise with them, and such actions will al ways have the endorsement of the peo ple. Intelligence, honesty and courage are a sufficient safeguard againjJJtJbHfcu quarter; never daunted, often over baneful inu4--iO Organized greed is intelligent and adroit, it possesses a penetrating dis cernment and therefore is never de ceived in the character of I he people's representatives. And whenever the skulking lobbyist comes out in the open, it is a sure sign that it meets with covert encouragement. It would seem to be the .duty of ths governor to point out the abuses that hamper pro gress, and suggest remedial measures that will meet the trend of the times. BERNARD DOLAN. - At party that barters its manhood fair Votes is already damned. If we go down to defeat, let's go like theiallant Custer, with the last shell flf efi the gun empty and face to the en.snfy. Nail the banner of - no sur- djr to the mast, asking and giving powered, but never defeated. I. J. TEAGARDEN. Hamilton, Mo. . A Virginia Suggestion Editor Independent: In response to your suggestion for opinions from' the rank and file as to a conference of populists in the. near future, I would say, it were wise to get together, com pare notes, and have a consensus of opinion. tTo get advantage of railroad rates a conference might be held in Washington about the time of tho "coronation ceremonies." March 4. But how to determine whether to call a conference or not. Let the national chairman confer with all national com mittee men, state committees and edi tors of the populist pres3, and then in the light of replies received issue a call for a conference. What is the party plan of organiza tion and action to be in the future; referendum vote by precinct clubs, or the usual convention system? Some plan ought to be adopted, we believe, for getting a referendum vote from the rank and file on all questions of party management. Can we not guarantee a voice in party affairs to the individ ual voter who has no "say" whatever. in hi3 present condition 'under boss rule . and party regularity, etc. ? It would encourage many who are luke warm citizens to offer them the rights of a freeman whose referendum ballot will always be as potent as the vote of a "leader." Can't we re-vitalize the Cincinnati plan? ' ' - "J. L. KAY." Hillsboro, Va. - '