Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-17
THE LESSON TO POPULISTS.
What Breidenthal Thinks Kansas Election
Returns Should Teach.

Topeka, Nov. 11.-John w. Breidenthal be-
1ieves that to the Peoples party the lesson OF
the state elections last week is that 1t must get
back to first principles or go out of business.
He believes that the slogan Of the party should
be "public ownership of public utilities" and
he sees in the vote cast for Jones by the labor
Ing men of Ohio that the people are ripe to
discuss the question. Mr.. Breidenthal says he
is not a candidate for governor, but there is no
doubt that he will help frame the platform
and the principle of public ownership will be
emphasized. In this he will have an earnest
ally in the person of George H. Munger,
candidate for governor who stands on the same
platform. Speaking of the Jones vote and the
light he puts on it, Mr.. Brcidenthal said to-
day:
"Tne large vote polled by Mayor Jones, the
independent candidate for governor OF Ohio up
on public ownership platform, particularly
the vote III Cleveland, indicates clearly that the
people are ready for the change from corporate
to public ownership of public utilities. TIE
party which will not only declare in favor of
this policy, but will show its good faith by
making vigorous campaign on this issue, will
in my opinion, secure the support of the labor
ing classes of all the large cities.
ALL LAID TO CORPORATIONS.
"The ownership and operation of public
utilities, especially street railways, gas, electric
light and water and telephone systems by cor
porations, has imposed greater burdens upon
the laboring classes in our cities and has been
greater source of corruption than all else
The granting of franchises for these purposes
to corporations is wrong in principle and cor
rupt in practice the people are becoming in
formed on the subject of of public against cor
porate ownership, and when once they become
well informed any party that opposes public
ownership will surely suffer defeat. The evils
of corporate ownership Of the street railways
was made apparent i'll the recent strike in
Cleveland, hence the overwhelming majority
for Mr.. Jones, who was a champion of the peo-
pie against the corporations.
"All advocates of public ownership were
greatly encouraged by the election of Mr.. Jones
to be mayor of Toledo on this issue and his
magnificent vote for governor will result in re-
newed efforts to educate the people aid keep
this issue before them.
A FUNDAMENTAL POPULIsr PRINCIPLE.
''The idea of public against corporate own
ership of public utilities aud natural monopo-
lies has been fundamental principle of the
Populist party, but of late years it has ceased
to agitate for this principle, and just in proper
ton to its lack of agitation has it failed to meet
with success at the polls. The party came in
to existence for the purpose of agitating GER
tain questions. If there has ceased to be any
necessity for agitation then there is no longer
any excuse for its existence and it should els
band.
''I contend that there was never greater he
cessty for agitation than to day; that the issue
is one of the corporations against the people
that this proposition includes every issue before
the people, at this time. The fundamental
principle involved in the money question is
whether the government (the people) or the
banking corporations shall control the money
of the country. The present administration
favors corporate control and will enact legisla-
ton at the coming session of congress calculat-
ed to enlarge the powers of national banks and
place in their hands the absolute control of the
money OF the country. The questions of trusts.
of transportation, of taxation and even expan-
sion are simply questions of organized incor-
poraed capital against the people.
THE ONLY WAY OUT.
Corporations are rapidly destroying the in
dividual, and the only remedy to my mind is to
substitute the government for the corporation in
the ownership and operation of natural monop-