Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-05-12

change and public necessity, the gov
ernment should own and operate the rail-
roads in the interest of the people, and
in a non partisan basis, to the end that
all may be accorded the same treatment
in transportation, and that the extortion,
tyranny and political power now exer-
cised by the great railroad corporations
which result in the impairment if not the
destruction of the political rights and
personal liberties of the citizens may be
destroyed. Such ownership is to be ac-
complished in a manner consistent with
sound public policy.
"And further manifestation of impe-
rialism is to be found in the mining dis
tricts of Idaho. In the Occur d. Alene
soldiers have been used to overawe miners
striving for greater measure OF indus
trial independence. And we denounce
the state government of Idaho and the
federal government for employing the
military arm of the government to
abridge the civil rights of the people and
to enforce an infamous permit system
which denies to laborers their inherited
liberty and compels them to foreswear
their manhood and their rights before
being permitted to seek employment.
TRUSTS, the overshadowing evil of the
age, are the result and elimination OF
the private ownership and control of the
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transportation and the means of trans
mission of information, which instru-
ments of commerce are public functions
and which our forefathers declared in the
constitution should be t,olled by the
people, throu gh their congress, for the
public welfare.
"The one remedy for the trusts is that
the ownership and control be assumed
by the people.
1--WE further demand that all tariffs OH
goods controlled by trust should be
abolished.
"To cope with the trust evil the people
must act directly without the interven
tion of representatives who may be CON
trolled or Influenced. We therefore de
mand direct legislation, giving the people
the law-making and veto power under the
initiative and referendum. A majority o
the people can never be corruptly infiu
enced
"Applauding the valor of our army ant
navy in the Spanish war, we denounc'
the conduct of the administration il
changing war for humanity into wa
for conquest.
"The action of the administration il
the Philippines is in conflict with all tn
precedents of our national life; at wa
with the Declaration of Independence
the constitution and the plain precepts {
humanity.
Murder and arson have been our re
sponse to the appeals of the people VIII
asked only to establish free governmer
d in their own land We demand a stoI
: page of this war of determination by tn
: assurance to the Filipinos of indepent
y ence and protection under stable go
e ernment of their own creations. Tt
S Declaration of Independence, the const
II tuition and the American flag are one al
e inseparable. The island of Puerto Rio
S is part of the territory of the Unite
& States and by levying special and extr
d ordinary customs dues on the conImer'
Il of that island the administration has vi
e lated the constitution, abandonGl Il
E fundamental principles of American Ii
lie erty and has strived to give the lie to Il
d contention of our forefathers that the
ID should be no taxation without represe
or tation."
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