The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-12-31

whiStling Yankee Doodle leaving the
Yankee out.
1t looks to me very much like the
populist party had run its course, and
that Bryan, as a democrat In the
democratic party. is dead duck
murdered by treachery-and that the
sensible thing for both to do is to
raise high the banner of Jeffersonlan
and Lincoln patriotism, without
thought Of party and party consiiera-
ton.
You will pardon my taking up so
much of your valuable time. am
deeply interested and feel that I must
soon lay down my pen and my voice
be hushed in the silent tomb.
Yours while l am able to stand on
the firing line.
JONATHAN HIGGINS.
Cambridge, Neb.
Il am glad to publish in full MIR.
Higgins letter, Notwithstanding the
fact that he Is not in accord with
the work in hand. Although he de-
cries the Denver conference as Gun
timely'-and he is by no means alone
in this view-yet he confirms at least
part of what is said in the address
presented by that conference. There
is absolutely no hope Of reform
through the democratic party" says
Mr.. Higgins. Experience (has) dem
onstrated the futility of any attempt
to secure the enactment of our prin-
ciples through either the republican
or democratic party" says the Den
yer conference address.
fail to grasp Mr.. Higgins mean
ing when he speaks Of "cultivating
brotherly love among the rank and file
of all parties, WHOSE INTERESTS
ARE THE SAME" Does he mean to
abandon the party system altogether
and adopt some plan like that by
which Golden Rule Jones made
himself mayor Of Toledo? A political
party is nothing more than magni-
fed individual and, under our system
OF "laissez faire," cannot honestly
represent ALL the people who consti-
tute the nation. 1t must represent and
seek to promote the economic welfare
Of its those whose inter-
ests are the same" Adam Smith ar
gued-and 1t has become rule of ac-
ton in all our efforts-that the indi-
vidual in pursuing his own interests
thereby promotes the public good. BY
parity of reasoning, the political par
ty, being nothing more than many in
dlyiduals banded together for COM
mon purpose, namely, to promote
their own interests, best promotes the
public good by honestly looking after
the economic welfare of its own. MEM
bership. have no patience with
those sweeping assertions about form-
ing a political party to look after the
economic interests of ALL. AS pop
ulists we oppose the "plutocrats =
yet they comprise PART of "the peo-
ple."
Carried to the last analysis, one
may reach either of two conclusions:
(a) That the interests of all men are
identical. (b) That the interests of
all men are adverse. And although
either of these may be correct-de-
pending upon the viewpoint-yet it
is possible to draw some sort of a
line of demarcation which will show
the necessity for more than one politi-
cal party and less than eighty mil
lions of such parties. Roughly speak
ing, one of the parties will represent
agIarian or agricultural interests, an
other will represent manufacturing
interests; and, as politics is evolving,
third party will represent those who
have no productive property, either
agricultural or manufacturing, but
must live by selling day by day their
physical or mental energy. Aside
from these Is q sort of nondescript
class of Observation-Disclosures, doc
tors, preachers, teachers, editors, etc.
who belong to neither of these three
classes, but who will be found work
ing with and for one or more Of them
Now, 1t does not require diagram
to demonstrate that the republican
party has for forty years represented
the manufacturing interests exclu-
sively. Ii has never done anything
In behalf OF the agricultnrists OF
wage~workers. except as a sop to catch
votes. The democratic party, seem.
ingly. by honestly taking up the cause
OF the agriculturlsts and wage-work-
ers. might soon have permanently de-
thfoned the republican party. Hut its
/ eonrua for forty year4 has been one