Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-08-12
Political Principles
Expounded from ths chautauqua
Platform.
The Issues as Seen BY the Four Great
Political Parties.


INDEPENDENTS.
Tuesday afternoon the platform Of
the Chautauqua Assembly was occu-
pied by the independent party people.
Freeman Knowles, Of the Deadwood
Independent, was the first speaker, and
discussed the subject of "increase Of
wealth" He read q speech once made
by ingalls,, explaining how the rich
were growing richer, and the poor
poorer, and read bulletins from the
census department to prove the state
ment. The speaker compared the
state Of Massachusetts, which is the
most barren IN this country, he says,
with nine southern and western states /;
claiming that Massachusetts in ten
years had gained $63,OO0,OOO more
tEan these nine southern and western
states, Notwithstanding the fact that
these states produce fifteen times as
much as Massachusetts,. "Isn't it in
famous?" ..Isn't it robbery?' queried
the speaker. He thought the govern
ment was rotten because the New Eng
land states possessed more wealth
with less population, than 21 states Of
the south and west, and yet New Eng
land did not begin to compare with
these q states IN natural resources
"Do you wonder that the peoples
party want to control things?" The
causes of this discriminating and un-
lust state Of affairs is we'll laid down
IN our Omaha platform. The speaker
declared that all wealth comes from
the earth, all food, clothing, and
everything we need in life comes
from the earth, and yet the earth is
owned by a comparatively few people.
He said that 100 men being upon an
island and one of that number owing
the land and the 80 men, was fair
comparison with the present state of
affairs. This is the great and real
wrong from which we are suffering;
labor is shut of from its natural
resources and conditions; the last plank
of the independent platform should be
first; land is the heritage of all people,
and should not be monopolized for
speculative purposes. God stored up
the coal fields Of Pennsylvania for the
people, but six men own them. The
mines should be open to all idle men
30 that they could go there, get out
coal and sell it. Mr.. Knowles then
got nearer home and spoke of capital
lists owning the town-site Of Deadwood,
and all the land IN the gulch, and the
people to whom 1t rightfully belonged
had to pay for 1T. The party that has
been in power was responsible for the
great uprisings, hard times and
everything that was bad. but
s'if the land were owned by the peopl+,
and was free to all, the problem
would be solved" quoth Mr.. Knowles
A few men own the railroads and
never consult people about the cost OF
products, but charge what they
please for hauling 1t. Mr.. Knowle.
then related some Of his personal ex-
periences with railroads, and how
heartless they were in taking back a
farm because he conld not pay for it.
The government gave the railroads
land in Iowa but told him to come 6OO
miles farther west If he wanted land
He re'ated experiences that would tend
to arc.se ones sympathies, and said
be had earned enough to make him in
dependently rich, but that the rail.
roads had always taken every dollar
from him except a scanty living, and
at last after years OF toll the railroad
company took his land from him and
he came west tramp.
After Mr.. Knowles harrassing nd.
dress, in which he pictured life as per-
fectly miserable, and all the time get
ting worse, and the government going
to wreck in hurry, Mr.. Zipp took the
stand and carried out the same idea,
but took for his subject the financial
questions. as he said that was more i'm.
portant than any other issue; that the
old parties were fooling people in ar
guing that the tariff was the main
issue. He would "hew to the line and
let the chips fall where they may" yet
would not abuse old parties; then he
proceeded to pound the old parties for
all he was worth. He saia that for
the first time in his political experience
the ladies came out last fall to hear
political discussions, after the inde.
pendents came upon the stage, and
that now they could come without fear
Of having their modesty shocked. II
am a free lance" remarked Mr.. Z:pp.
and he proceeded to lance republicans
sin the interest of 65.OOO,OOO people"
whose rights and whose liberties can
only be secured by the Independent
party, whose platform is a second de.
claration Of independence. In 1860.
he said, Is per cont. of all the wealth
Of the nation was in the hands of
bose who produced it, and 80 years
ar we find that only 25 per cent. is
, i;r hands. Only IS per cent. of
ons;;e nome owners. while we live
lest nation on the face of the
roo.Vhat he was driving at when
'every man who votes for
lat throws men and women ont
ployment is . murderer" Was