The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-24
THE THIRD PARTY

writing OF inane editorials upon
vial matters and speak the absolute
truth upon some question Of mighty
inLort. Such occasions are rare, of
course and most of their editorial space
is taken up day after day with half
truths or absolute lies about mat nrs
OF IMPORTANCE or silly twaddle regard
ing something, the settlement of which
could have little bearing upon human
welfare.
These occasions can hardly be
called lucid intervals" because the
mission of the republican press is to
deceive the great mass or people con-
stituting the republican party. Hence,
when a grea republican daily editor
tally prints the unvarnished truth
about some question of national inter-
est, 1t must be regarded rather in the
light of mental observation-disclosures
it is against the interests of those who
control the republican party to allow
the rank and file Of republicans to
know the truth or think for them
selves.
Recently the Chicago Inter-Ocean
printed long article regarding trusts,
labor unions, and consumers, treating
the subject somewhat after the man
ner of the English economist, John A.
That is to say, the Inter-
Ocean regards the trusts and labor
unions as two parties to a contrOver-
almost a warfare; but it
also sees with Mr.. Hobson that there
is a third party" whose interests
are never regarded as worthy of con-
sideration. The Inter-Ocean says in
part:
When capitalists combine to
raise prices, reduce expenses, or
anticipate profits 1t is this third
party that pays the higher prices,
stands the reduction or expenses,
and converts the anticipated pro-
fits into actual or S.
Every fiotation OF corporation Sc
curities depends for it's ultimate
7 success upon the ability of men
OF moderate incomes to buy and
hold the securities. The burden
of every advance in wages secured
by organized labor is ultimately
shifted upon the unorganized third
party.
The plain truth is that fully one
half the workers of the United
States-the men whose incomes
are from 5000 to $4,000 year the
men who are neither In trusts nor
nor labor unions, have not been
getting their share OF the nation
al prosperity. They are working
for the prosperity or capital and
organizer labor, but no one is
working for them. And under this
burden they are becoming exhaust
ed.
The InterOcean thus recognizes
three great classes of persons in the
United States-the pIutocrats or big
capitalists on the one hand, gather
ing to themselves colossal fortunes
through special privileges; the orga-
1ized wage workers, d great percent
age of whom own no productive prop |
erty, but are Obliged to sell their la
Dor power from day to day to the pluto
Gratis; and between these two ex-
II emes middle class or a third |
party owning some productive pro-
perty and having incomes ranging from
5000 to $4,000 year partaking of the
nature of wages and rent, wages and |
interest or of all three together.
The plutocrats have always clearl
the power of government Il,
aid them in robbing the rest of man
kind, and they have never lost an op-
portunity of being represented in all
legislative, administrative, and judicial |
bodies. From the village board up
congress, from the precinct assessor
or constable up to president; from |