The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-02-12
RECRUITING 1904
Why You Should Assist in Helping
to Extend the Circulation
and influence OF The
Independent
Plutocrats are Always Alert

PlutOCratS are Always Alert
There may be some who at first
thought wonder why they should be
expected to assist in helping to ex-
tend the circulation and influence OF
The Independent. A little thought Will
convince them it is privilege, almost
a duty to do so. Do you realize how
thoroughly the money power is or
ganized and how thoroughly it con-
trolls every branch of the government
at the present time? Only last week
the Standard Oil company, with John
D. Rockefeller at it's head, demon
strated it's power and control of con-
gress by delaying, which means ultl-
mate defeat, all antitrust Legislation.
President Roosevelt found it neces-
sary to threaten the congress with an
extra session unless it should snow
itself able to pass some kind OF
bill to put an end to trust eXtoruon.
But the president will be helpless
against the combined organization OF
the trusts so long as the congress IS
republican and the trusts, through
Marcus A. Hanna, control the repub-
lican party. The millions contributed
by the trusts to the republican cam
paign funds were not given without
some consideration in return. With
all these things readers OF The In
dependent are familiar. But the read
ers of trust literature and the subsl-
died press of the country know nOth-
ing of the real condition Of political
affairs. The Independent has no trust
funds to draw upon. We cannot al
ford to employ travelling agents to
solicit subscriptions. We cannot use
the postmasters Of the country to
boom the circulation of The indie
pendent. 1t must depend upon the
patronage of the plain people whose
cause it champions for its support.
The Independent is the leading pa
per of it's class in the United States.
1t advocates certain principles OF gov
ernment believed to be for the best
interests of all the people. 1t pub
fishes facts without fear Or favor and
endeavOrs to furnish the information
to it's readers necessary to enable
them to cast an intelligent ballot. If
you believe in the principles advO-
Gated by The Independent and that
their enactment into law would bene-
fit the nation as a whole it is your
duty as a patriotic citizen to do your
part in helping to maEe tn m law
When the nation needs sold ers in
time of war to defend itself frCm its
destroyers and pres rye the dressings
of our free institutions it is your
patriotic duty to volunteer your ser
vices as a soldier. If the privileges
you enjoy are worth SO much sacrifice
in time of war, are they not worth
the lesser sacrifices of time and atten-
ton to preserve them in time OF
peace? AS prevention is better than
cure, SO it is better to keep the ma
chinery Of government moving in such
lines that war and revolution will be
unnecessary. The citizen who gives
time and attention to problems OF
government in time of peace is as
truly a patriot as he who follows the
flag in war. The man who studies to
improve his country in quiet time is
the man who can be depended upon to
fight for it when needed. A political
coward always makes a 'cOld-fOOted'
soldier.
The man who PRETENDS to be
TOO GOOD to interest himself in po-
litical matters and dismiSses the sub
ject with a contemptuous sneer that
''he don't care" should be reminded
that he cannot escape the annual Wis
it's Of the tax collector and that he
and his children will be required to
assist in paying the political fiddlers.
He should be reminded that he and
his family must use kerosene oil and
that John d. Rockefeller, head of the
Standard Oil trust, has arbitrarily
raised the price of that household
necessity from 9 cents a gallon to 16
cents a gallon, wholesale, and that the
retail price has gone up according
from IA cents to 20 cents in five-gal-
Ion lots. That is the tribute he pays
to single trust. In the same man
ner on every pair of shoes he navc