n
a -
mm
Vol. XVI.
LINCOLN, NEB., FERKUARY 9, 1905.'
No. 38
(if k t$
r
A
v 'r
"it '
Govenor Douglass for
irect Legislation
It Was an Issue in Massachusetts
By fraud and bull dozing Governor
Garvin was defeated in Rhode Island,
but her sister state, Massachusetts,
elected a man who is not afraid to
speak his mind. In his inaugural ad
dress Governor Douglas of Massachu
setts twice endorsed direct legislation,
once for national matters and once for
state affairs. He spoke about how the
tariff was cramping the industries of
Massachusetts and the necessity of rec
iprocity with Canada and advocated
the appointment of an industrial com
mission to study and report and said:
- "It should consider the advisability
or a referendum vote on one or more
of its conclusions the primary object
of such , vote being to obtain an ex
pressin of opinion from the people for
the information and guidance of our
representatives in the congress."
Then when he came to state affairs,
he dwelt longer on direct legislation
and said:
I have unbounded - faith in the in
telligence of our people and their abil
ity to govern themselves. Oun colony
and commonwealth haVe teenbred in
pure democracy through the town
meeting, which has educated the. peo
ple to the wise conduct of their own
business, and has vp'roduced local adr
ministration a3 free from corruption or
excess as any in the wcrld. ' There
seems no reason why this system
should be 'confined to towns andmay
not be wisely extended,' in certain
cases, to the sate. Indeed, our con
stitution is amended- by popular vote
directly . upon the measure proposed,
and if our organic Jaw is thus con
fided to the direct vote of the people,
it would be no innovation if such a
vote of popular approval were to be
required upon" measures of legislation
which are clearly inferior in dignity
and importance, to constitutional
amendments. ;. .
It is common complaint that our leg
islatures are not always responsive to
the popular will, and it would be quite
within the principles . of democratic
government if, by convenient means,
the will of the people should be made
effective when legislative measures
prove unsatisfactory. Such measures
have already been put to the test else
where with results .uniformly good.
"It is difficult to see what objection
there can be to such a grant of power
to the people over this legislation. As
members of the legislature are repre
sentatives of the people, they should
not object if their constituents be given
power to reverse or approve their acts.
If the objection be made that the peo
ple can "not be trusted, such an objec
tion is a denial of the success of popu
lar government as shown by the his
tory of town-meetings fd; 'more than
two centuries.
. "Especially do i commend , the pas
sage o a law giving broad powers to
the people of our citie3 to secure the
submission to them of acts of the city
councils affecting the interests of the.
citizens. ' Such a law would in my
judgment do more to purify the state
and city governments than any other
plan of reform. Any unfair grants of
privileges to private individuals and
corporations would thu3 be subjected
to popular judgment and legislatures
would become more cautious as they
became directly accountable to the
popular judgment.
"I believe that the public outcry
against the prevailing legislative meth
ods is the natural and inevitable re
sult of the granting of valuable fran
chises by -the state, especially those
known as public franchises, which de
rive their value from the necessities of
the community. When capital has been
invested in these franchises there
arises at once, in the nature of things,
a conflict between the public; which de
sires the cheapest and best service, and
the franchise owners, , whose purpose
is to gain profit. It is futile to expect,
if the legislature continues the sole
distributer of these valuable fran
chises that it will not be invaded by
men who seek them, or that their pos
sessors will not protect their privileges
to the utmost. ,
"If the people are given the right by
direct vote to determine whether such
franchises shall be . granted and how,
within legal limitations, they shall be
exercised, . the seekers and holders of
such franchises will be compelled to
meet the po"pular ; requirement. I be
lieve this principle to be wise and salu
tary, and recommend legislation along
these .. lines."
The Springfield Republican said edi
torially of this part of the message:
"Third . in . point of commanding
prominence arc the discussion of dem
ocratic principles and recommenda
tions for a closer adherence, thereto
in the : government of the common
wealth. Governor Douglas is obviously
a true believerin the theory of democ
racy, and therefore he refuses to halt
with glib words about the theory and
to shy at the pracetice of democratic
principles. If the town-meeting princi
ple, of legislation directly by the peo
ple is a sound - and good one, as all
admit, why not extend it so far as
practicable to the cities and the state,
as through the initiative and referen
dum? His argument for the referen
dum has irresistible force, and will so
impress pretty much everybody except
the syndicates seeking special privi
leges from the. state legislature and
city councils, and the members of those
bodies who are possessed with the idea
that the have been elected to repre
sent themselves and theirv own inter
ests rather than the people and their
interests. In line with his more-democracy
recommendations i3 that of
giving more home rule to the cities."
A National Pcvrty
This election made more satisfaction
to tho square mile than any of recent
times. The republicans were satisfied
because they saw, ; nothing to , make
them leave their party and were ex
ceedingly gratified, because of the large
maority that - seemingly - endorsed
them. " The populists, Bryan and
Hearst democrats were pleased be
cause it wiped out the, politico-corporation
democrats' and the socialists were
pleased according to Debs, because the
democratic party as a middle - class
party was wiped out. The democratic
politico-corporationlsts were satisfied
because their interests are safe in the
hands of their republican partners. So
on the whole it was almost unanimous.
The disappointed ones are only' the
ignorant of the present trend of poli
tical thought who vote the' ticket or
' tickets becauss their fathers did. May
the country, pray to be delivered from
"the "yellow-dog" voter, whose ignor
ance or prejudice is a constant me
nace to progress and broaaness of viewV
and in whose ranirs are the unreason
ing persecutors of liberal, thoughtful,
sympathetic workers of the world's
weal. It now behooves all thinking
men who devote time and thought to
the enlargement of democratic ideals
to consider on what grounds a party
that can be trolly called national should
be founded in order to effectually op
pose the republican party,
It must be constructive. -
It must be able to preserve individ
ualism in unhampered development.
It must provide ample means of
revenue'; to meet the legitimate needs
of government. . '
It must not be" sectional.
The republican party meets the first
and the third of the aforesaid proposi
tions. With the defeat -oi Mr. Bryan
and the utter defeat of Mr. -Parker,
where is the democratic party?
In the minds of the people it stands
merely as a carping critic, first trying
one expedient and then another only
to be defeated and then coming up
supporting the things it formerly, de
nounced. Instance, Seymour green-
backism vs. Tilden hard money. Bry
ansilver vs. Parker gold, Mr. Bryan's
proposed re-reorganization scheme is
merely mutilated populism.
The . republican , party r- has consist
ently supported the demands of every
special interest and has i given privi
leges with a lavish hand;, from its
Pacific railroad legislation to , the ex
tension of national bank privileges and
power.
' On the other extreme lies the so
cialist party who see in thi3 growth
the crushing out of the middle class
and establishment of sole power in
the hands of a few; the ultimate clear
cut contest! between the "workers" and
the "worked." In this contest the
propose to 3eize the interests of the
all-powerful few and apply and operate
them for the needs of the many. This
I revolutionary. Then to what party
should the mass of the people turn?
In the seizure of governmental power
as an asset of a private business both
republicans and socialists are agreed,
except as to who shall use and enjoy
the same. Thus violating two fun
damentals of this republic, distinguish
ing it from monarchical forms of gov
ernment. First, that of th? individual ;
seoend, that of the government These
distinctions are Important and will ex
plain when looked into much Of lack
of the principle and spirit of Chris
tianity in modern business as shown
in I.awson's articles in Everybody's
Magazine. Only by the complete sep
aration of these two spheres of hu
man action and sternly insisting on
them will the corruption and .venality,
the utter selfishness now rampant be
subdued. . V .
The new national party must also be
true to the fundamental concepts of
Christianity. '
1. "Our Father" means brotherhood
of man-consideration.
2.' The equality of air men beforo
God. .. V
Y a. Equality as to' justice.
b. Equality as to opportunity in
use of His material gifts.
There is only ens party then -left
that appeared in the last election that
will be considered here. This ' is the
people's party of which th$ Hon. Thos;
E. Watson was, presidential nomineel
It had in this campaign three main
planks: - -"-- "'
Land Single Tax.
.Transportation railroad ownership
Money issue and control solely in
the government. I
Besides -it stood for the initiative
and referendum, tjie imperative man
date, election of iJnited States senators,
federal judges, etc. I v M' -
On all three propositions it is con
structive. '
They' preserve individualism in un
hampered development.. : -
It provides a better and more stable
revenue than, by the present system
of tax on imports and internal revenue
levy on spirits, liquors and tobacco.
It is not sectional because its - pol
icies are uniform all over the country;
not as the tariff high protection in
Louisiana sugar and free trade in hides
as desired in Massachusetts. Thus
making one think with General Han
cock When he said: "The tariff is a
local issue."
Needless here to presect and argue
the merits of single tax so ably brought
forth by the late Henry George, ex
cept as it applies to the propositions
made in this article. ,
1. " It is constructive.
2. It preserves individualism.
3. Provides ample revenue. '
4. Is not sectional. " ;
5. Gives justice to the worker.
G. Gives equal opportunity to usa
God's gift land. . ...
Railroad ownership in private hands
is a violation of two spneres of gov
ernment. The individual and govern
mental. When public necessity com
pels the use of governmental power In
a business that business should cease
to be a legitimate sphere of privata
individual action. Other government
do not allow it, why we? . ,
By railroad ownership in 'one stroke
440 trusts, fostered by the railroads
through rebates and rate d'fw5lna
tions, would go, and through fro com
petition prices would be lowered to
normal, and the tariff prove to be but
a subsidiary .question easily taken care
of and the people will be astonished
that" they ever laid such undue stress
upon it. . v
By single tax and railroad ownership
(he business man and the workman,
whether mechanic or laborer, will en
joy a real stable prosperity, get more
for his labor, find more plates to apply
his energytunhindered an1 have great
er economic and political freedom, ."
"Money makes, the mare go." It is
the "life blood of trade." Even if the
single tax and . ownership of the rail
roads be in the . hands of the people,
they still wopld be held, at a disad
vantage If they: couldn't control their
money, and prevent the credit of their
government from assaults by a gang
of commercial pirates, i These men by
the control of the people'u money can '
stimulate prices or depress them by
making money scarce. Fundamentally
money 13 a "measure of value" estab
lished by government, jusc as the yard
stick.Uhe. metric system, weights, etc.;
are fixed.. When money is saved it is
stored . labor value.
; We belieVe in the absolute issue and
control of money : by the government,
the abolishment of national banks
(such banks were a civil war neces
sity and like war; taxes must be set
aside), and the compelling of banks to
actually have, on hand the 25 per cent
of reserves instead of loaning them to
another bank and thereby . the more,
to inflate credits and the more redily
cause commercial disaster whencon
fidence is shaken.--The bonds ot the
government are the printed issue of its
credit ' paying interest its greenback
also represent Its credit, but draw no
interest."
Could more spaco be used the various
phases and points here1 brought forth
would be more plainly shown.
Summed up, the people's., party is a
great middle class party standing for
both business man and worker, not a
disseminator of bate or a breeder of
anSrchy, having a broad view ,of the
people's needs and rational practical
methods to gradually restore to ho
people ot these United States and per
petuate the democratic ideals of Jef
ferson, Jackson and Lincoln.
' F. FORRESTER.
St. Louis, Mo.
PASS DISTRIBUTORS VERY BUSY
BADGE OF DISGRACE SEEN EVERYWHERE1- s
This is the season when the railway
pass dispenser gets busy. One who
travels in any state, the: legislature
which is in session, will , see embryo
tatesmen flashing their passes in bliss
ful ignorance of the holy show they
are making of themselves to the rate
paying public. I say "holy show" be
cause of the lesson it teaches us. Some
people consider it an honor to hold a
railway pass but that is a question of
education, or want of it. In the writ
er's-opinion, the time will come when
the records of railway passes -will be
records of disgrace. Jn this matter,
reference, of course, is made to passe3
that are issued to people because of
their social prominence, or official po
sition in federal, state or municipal of
fee. It must be understood that no
reference is made to transportation
which is issued legitimately to opera
tive employes of the railway lines,
Anyone who visited the Indian village
at the World's fair' last summer, pos
sibly noticed the Indian boys dressed
with pants, the seats of which had
been cut out. Those who were cu
rious to know why that was so were
politely informed that the . Indian
mother had cut cut the seats in order '
to rcakeUhe savage nature of their
boys, dove-tail a3 it were, 'with the
civilized environment of their pants.
And not an Indian mother but was
proud of her dressed up boy, and the
little matter of the mutilation of his
trousers cut no "figure with, her con
tentment. The Indian mother and her
boy illustrate the passhclder of the
day. It would be well if we could en
act a law that all who travel on a pass
should wear uniform, consisting of a
short jacket of blue cloth (blue as an
emblem of truth) and pants of same
name' nature with seat cut out. On
the jacket we should put trass buttons
lettered "We are not bribed; it is only
a matter of course" and very coarse, at
that. 'When entering the train the
hodler of the .pass should be seated
well up in front and the common herd
seated in back of the coach, those who
pay the fare not only for themselves
but for the pass holder, would thus
be able to take particular notice of the