Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-03-14
TRirXrE MoXoFoLTEs.

struggling young lawyer, in Andrew
county, Missouri. from 1870 to 1875. No
me ut TINT time dreamed that j IN
Peter. rs everybody called him. had
within himself the ~tireless energy ind
ability that nave made his name u
household word all over this grea,
country. Rising from humble sur.
roundings he became the Governor Of b
great State md u potent factor in iii,
affairs OF the Nation.
His later years were given almost en-
tirely to the discussi ~ OF the great
questions before the Amencan people.
He WINS fearless ill the advocacy OF what
lie believed to be right and no power
could swerve hIm from the path OF duly
III he saw it.
In order that the readers OF the INDIE
may have an insight into thu
heart and mind Of John j. Aligeld. we
publish below the concluding portion q:
IN address delivered by Inn mt Buffalo.
New York, on the evening OF March G,
1902. on @Shall the people own the
M~onopolies?" 1t will repay a careful.
perusal:
The corporations arc the mother OF
corruption in public affairs, and this
corruption is gong to exist just rs long
M we have pavate m~onopolies. Private
~rnonopolies furnish the h md that brides
by day aud bribes by night. that poll
lutes everything it touches. and the eX.
stence OF corruption in our cities and in
our state and national government fur.
nishes the strongest argument IN favor
Of wiping out al private ~monopolies, for
it will give the people back their govern
ment. The great question in america
today is how to restore Republican
government. which has beer destroyed
by the corporations. They control not
only the local city governments, but
they control he State governments and
tile national government. They decide
what the Legislature may md may not
do, what Congre 70 may and may not do;
they determine the policies OF political
parties. and they have destroyed the vi
tality Of both political ~partice. Only a
few weeks ago the Chicago Inter Ocean
md the Chicago Record Herald, two Of
the most Influential Republican papers
in America, lamented the decadence OF
the House OF Representatives at Wash.
inRton and declared thnt Congress had
practically abdicated its functions to the
m~onopolies; that great public questions
were no longer discussed upon their
merits but were decided arbitrarily by
tho majority mud the decision was not
The result Of iuvesti cation md discus.
sion. but was the arbitrary dic:ation OF
The Lobbyists.
A mere change OF party admlnistra
ZION signifies nothing so long IA the
same slimy hands control the policy OF
government. We had two such changes
md their history was written with the
dirty fingers Of the expIoiters We need
il change Of policy. Instead OF being
owned the people must be the owners,
instead Of being lambs to be snorn they
must be masters ~ the fold. Our in
dustries and our great public utilities
were built with the money and the IL.
dustry and the genius Of the American
people, but they have passed out OF the
hnnds Of the people who made them and
are now controlled by m]auipulators.
controlled by bankers, by brokers, by
spectators. These men do not builu
railroads. They do not buiII factories;
they do not build %cities; they do not
create anything; they simply grab whit
! nthnP manila I've ra nrnntnl A.. 81.
they are mere birds Of prey, tearing the
flesh Of the men and the women who
work with their hands. eatmg the vitals
Of the men and the women Who do the
work Of the land and who make civilian
ton possible oil this ear.h. No Repub.
lie can endure TINT remnins III the
clutches ri these birds Of prey; they use
government ms u convenience in the pro-
cess OF exploitation, cXtortiop. md rob
berry. IL liz among the newly made and
corrupt rich that we find the spirit Of
snobbery and funkeyism TINT apollo
gizes for Republican instit ntiona. 1t lie
the monnpolists who demand the re-.
strictioU Of free speech and Of Il free
press. They moi only plumber the
people, but they would rob them Of their
liberties. Wipe out private monopoly
nnd yon will wipe out tho corrupt lob.
bies Mt the seats OF government; you will
restore tho people to power, the govern.
ment will again become an engine OF
justice and Il shield for the protection Of
the weak.
| hear men talk about Jcfiersonian
principles: | read %acc0un;e nt harmony
mcetinge IN which IL IL proposed that we
Democrats shall all get together, and
when look for the reason for getting
together, I lind IL summed up in the lie
sire to get something. They tell us wc
must wiui I ask why do we want To wInH
l1rD ] am told wo want t0 win Ia get
the offices. And why do we want the
Ill :csS Tho answer il. 90 that wo cnn
take caro- oi our friends.
NoS there il nothing in this program
that IL worthy Of the effort or even Of
the attention ~ mn American freeman q.