The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
PoPULIsT FUNDAMENTALS.

ADOPTED BY THE NATION AS THE BASIS OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
To the Editor Of The Cau-SIR: "By all, for alp
is the first axiom in the science of government
as Populists understand the purposes OF gov
eminent. Their ruler is the legally expressed
voice of the people. They have no other king,
emperor or kaiser. eve, the people, do
dain,' is the Populist formula. With the
founders OF the Nation, Populists hold that the
sole purpose of instituung O government is to
secure the safety and happiness of the people,
and that its sole authority is derived from the
consent OF the governed, not from the will OF a
king or of plutocracy. They stand as Lin
coin stood, for "a government OF the people,
by the people, for the people"
Populists hold that whatsoever concerns all
citizens alike in National, State or municipal
government-as, for example, the proper edu-
cation OF the people for the safe exercise of the
elective franchise, the carrying OF the mail.
the raising Of revenues Tor the support OF the
! Government, the erection of suitable buildings
| for pu bic use, the choice OF those who are to
| govern or to enforce the laws, and the like
public needs-shall be done by the whole body
| of the people under the fundamental law, "By
ell for ALP Populists find as fact that until
within the last thirty years OF our National
! history this fundamental law was fairly well
| observed and recognized in the management
of public affairs, in the enactment OF statutory
| law and the exercise OF the powers conferred
| lists claim that within recent years gigantic
power has arisen, known the corporation,
| which overrides the rights of the citizen and
| that it is the express purpose OF the People S
| party to restore TO the Government the func-
| tions which have been unwisely and corruptly
! bestowed upon corporate associations of men,
| who exercise these functions of Government to
| the undue enrichment OF themselves and the
impoyerishment and oppression OF the people
| as q whole.
| Let US now put to the test the axiom "By oil
| fol all " the Populst declara ton of principles
! as set out in their National platform at Omaha.
| They contend for three great issues, namely, a
| national money, the Government or peoples
ownership of the railroads ana telegraphs and
| the restriction of ownership in land by cor
porations and aliens. The first contention, for
q national money to be issued by the Govern
ment only, and to be full legal tender for all
debts, meets the requirements of the axiom,
for it is TO be issued by all Tor all. OF equal
terms to all citizens thereby depriVing bank
ing corporations OF their exclusive privilege of
obtaining money from the Government at l
per cent, to be loaned by them at such rates of
interest the eXlgenc1es OF borrowers may
force them to pay, ranging from D TO Is per
cent. This is in accord with the rule, for IL
deals with exact justice by all and grants spe-
cial privileges to none.
The second contention, that the Government
shall own and operate the railroads and tele-
graphs in the interest OF all the people, is like
wise in accord with the rule, Tor II any profit
is charged above the cost of operation it viii
go into the treasury of the Nation and thereby
reduce the expenses OF the Government; or if
tofore collected by the railroad and telegraph
magnates in the hands of the people, and JUS
tice will be melted out to all the inhabitants
alike.
The third contention, that fthe land is the
inheritance OF the people," and may not be
monopolzed and held IN large areas from the
use and occupation of the people, accords with
the rule, for If land may OF right be monopo-
Ized, it is only question OF time, and not OF
dim and distant period, when all the land will
pass into possession of few Millionaire corpora
lions, aud 1.-The inheritance of the people, will
be the perpetual serfdom of a tenant peas
antry, toiling in ignorance and squalor for the
ruthless and soulless corporations which Gown
the land.
1t has been the glory of the Republican party
that it opened the public lands to the poor as
"homesteads"-the free gift of the Government
OF 100 acres to each head OF a family. That
party must certainly be in sympathy with the
Peoples party on the land ques tion-a cues
ton of the most serious moment to the Nation
II this is TO remain ''the land of the free and
the home of the brave"
l close with the suggestion that the President
and the Congress, the Governors and LegisIa-
lures, the Mayors and Councilmen, the Judges
and juries, as well as the county roads and citv
streets, the State and City public Libraries, the
asylums and the prisons, are only so many
illustrations of the practical application of the
Populist axiom, "By All for All,'' which must
soon include streetcar lines, gas and electric
lighting plants, water works, free public
market, and such like things needed for pro-
noting the general welfare, the benefit safetv
and happiness OF the people.
JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON
IL Essex street, San Francisco.