Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-08
LABOR'S REMEDY.
Van Wyck Talks to the People on
State Issues.

state issues.
PAwNEE CITY, Neb., Sept. 7.-fSpecal to
THE BEE. AT picnic of several oranges
and the Knights Of Labor held near this city
yesterday, General Van Wycls among other
things, said: ''Iour devotion to party is
discharged by voting the national ticket.
After that the issues in this state are local.
To-day the real question is whether corpora
tions or the people shall control the state.
Every voter knows that thrce-fourths of the
people are on one side and less than one
fourth on the other but allies to corpora
tions that practically make the ruling ma
jority. Conventions are usually managed by
them and practically they own the legisla-
ture. The most disgraceful picture ever pre-
sentcd was in the testimony given few
months ago before commission created by
congress to examine the affairs of the Pacific
railroads, where it was proven that dis
tinguished republican leader, always boast
ing of the purity of his motives and the
soundness of his creed, organized band
composed of straight republicans and solid
democrats, to prevent unfriendly railroad
legislation, to induce by well known COnside-
ratons men elected by the people to betray
their interests. Corporations, their attor-
neys and editors, arc full of party allegiance
when that party can be managed in their in
terests, ever ready to bolt when their mas
ters demand it.
"If you believe you have grievance
against corporate power and organized cap
tal, act as men who do believe it. Railroads
and syndicates in order to beat the people
and secure the last dollar, pool their issues.
Learn from them and pool your issues.
You ask, what is the remedy! 1t Is not
by continuing in power the same influences
which have despoed the people. The same
political gang who howl straight republican
or solid democrat, who usually wear the cor
poration brand, are always active to run pri-
mareS and cheat at conventions. The rem
edy is simple. You know the men of your
county, and when a straight ticket contains
those known to be in the interest or apollo
giZng for corporations, or talk in whispers
about the rights of the people, then rise above
the trammels of party and in your own in
tcreSt and men of all parties for their own
protection, come together and make a ticket
of such whose interests are with yours, and
whose life has been an open book on these
quest tionS aud will be a better guaranty than
lip promises only made to betray the people
and coin the basest Of crimes into money
from corporations.
Now, more than any other time, you need
some of the bravery and heroism of the puri-
tan fathers, when they threw the tea into
Boston harbor. Party machinery is turned
against you; party leaders in the employ of
corporations manipulate conventions and
legislate against you. And when feeble rail
road commission, forced by an active public
sentiment make an attempt to fix rates. then
corporations deny the power of the legisla-
ture to regulate; deny their right to en-
power a commission, procure injunctons
from the courts, and at all times spurn and
defy the people The time is now and the
remedy is in your own hands to elect men
without regard to past affiliations, to the leg
islature, who cannot be coaXed, bullied or
bribed who will stand like wall for the
protection of the people
"You demand a reduction of taxation in
the shape of import and internal revenue
duties, but great interests represented by all
political parties, protected by tariffs, band
together and hold congress by the throat
and you are poWerlesS. You demand
just system of state taxation, uniform
and local assessment of corporation and other
property. You know that the average valu-
alton of railroads in Nebraska is $4,000 per
mile, while the valuation in Iowa is $4,000
per mile, and millions are thus stolen away
from bearing the burthens of the state. An
honest legislature will reform this and fix a
brush away all objections made by shrewd
lawyers and sustained by courts as to the
power of commissions This remedy is in
your own hands. Have the courage to act
as men in defense of your own rights, the
protection of your own property, and no
power on earth can successfully come be-
tween you and the accomplishment OF your
demands.
'The enemy, in the sense of seeking the
lions share of the labor of the agriculturst,
is organized. You do the same. Organize,
no matter whether in alliances, oranges,
knights of Labor, labor unions; organize;
meet together; discuss. An hour now and
then from the tolls of struggle spent in CON
ference, and then act, will add to the re-
wards of every day of labor and TO the price
of every bushel of grain"