Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-12
SLOGAN SOUNDED
Socialists Sound Keynote Of
Campaign.
MEETING HELD At SOCIALIST HALL
Dr. N. A. Baker Outlines Position of
Fellows in Address Which They Say
is War Cry-Members Present
Cheer Speaker to Echo.

The socialist campaign in Wapello
county has opened. DR.. N. A. Baker,
one of the recognized leaders of that
party in Wapello county, fired the gun
of the campaign at socialist hall in an
address in which he outlined the posi-
ton of himself and his fellow political
believers. They say in this address
the keynote in the 1902 campaign has
been sounded.
Members of other locals as the diff
ferent organizations of socialists are
called, were present and cheered the
sentiments of the speaker as they
came from his lips
After the transaction of routine bust
ness DR.. Baker took the floor and on
the subject Sovereignty, Its Elements
and Obligations" said in part:
The obligation of a sovereign power
is not primarily or in principal a legal
obligation, since the sovereign is gen
orally conceded to be immune from
the suit at law and moreover makes
and repeats laws at will and for the
further reason that there is no power
above the sovereign power to COM
mand it in case it should conclude to
disregard an obligation. 1t therefore
follows that the obligations of a sover-
eign power are primarily and in truth
purely ethical or moral and following
this thought to logical practical con-
clusion, we must see that the standard
of administration by any sovereign
power Cat best) cannot by any means
transcend the degree of moral develop
ment of the sovereign and may fall be.
low it unless, indeed, the intellectual
development be full and proper COM
pliment of the moral and vice versa. 1t
will therefore be recognized that moral
and intellectual developments must
both be high or full in order to obtain
the highest and best exercise of sover-
eign power and that the measure of
quality, justice and equity found to ex-
ist in any government is not only the
measure of the fitness of the ruling
sovereign to govern, but also the meas
ure of its moral and intellectual devel-
opments.
From these facts, reasons and caus-
es it must appear that the character of
a government and the moral excellence
of it's standards or rules and admins
trationis but the sum total of the moral
and intellectual development of the
majority of those governed and that
which governs. This is more easily
understood when considered in connec-
ton with government wherein the
people by direct action make the fun
damental laws of the commonwealth
and are the recognized sovereign pow
er in law and in fact. 1t is matter
nf Il ti<,,
when a sovereign people are always
complaining of and suffering under the
abuses of such power as they alone do
and can possess as a non-divestible
and indivisable primary power and
right. AS there is no exercisable po-
litical power not vested in the people"
and on possible exercise of such power
officially, except by public delegation
thereof, it will follow that any lasting
abuse Of such power known to the
sovereign body, the people, proves
their culpability and responsibility for
the continuation of the abuses known
by them to exist and by themselves
tolerated.
"It is true the primary wrong or
evil is not or may not be in the peo-
pie or chargeable to them only in so
far as they are responsible for the
class of persons they choose to repre-
sent them in the exercise of their SOW
ereign powers. While such response.
bility is a pressing. important and
most serious one, that can hardly be
overestimated, yet moral turptitude
cannot fairly be charged therein, I'M
less the people know Of and by such
choice, approve of the pernicious and
evil policy to be carried out by such
representatives-by reason of plat.