The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-06-23
Not Afraid Of Populisrn

ception of commercial justice.
2. Today, in every great city of the
United States, valuable franchises in
connection with transportation and
the supply of water, gas, and other
necessaries, are enjoyed, for which
little or no consideration has been Civ
en-. These franchises gained often by
corruption or neglect, have generally
been employed with an eye single to
dividends. Experience has abundant
ly demonstrated that private capital
cannot be trusted to conduct these
quasi-public functions with due regard
either to the employees Immediately In
volved or to the general public The
obvious remedy is to substitute public
Tor private management. This pro-
posal has received considerable sup
port from recent experience. Munic-
ipalization in the British isles, as re-
Gently described by Mr.. Frederick Up
ham Adams, has been great success.
Not only have the men employed
worked fewer hours and received bet
ter pay, but the service itself has been
vastly improved, the cost of the pub
lie reduced, and yet such sums have
been turned into the public treasury as
materially to reduce taxation. Like
results would in all probability follow
government management of railroads,
telegraphs, and telephones; and it is
not apparent why similar policies
would not produce similar results in
the United States.
3. When the constitution trainers
of 1889 thought to add conservatism
to the national senate through legisla-
tive rather than popular election Of
it's members, they did not foresee such
rivalry between candidates as would
block practically all legislation for
weeks or months, nor the tremendous
growth of the money power in this
country nor the widespread spirit OF
commercialism which renders the av-
erage legislator an easy prey to a
wealthy aspirant for senatorial hon.
ors and opportunities, nor the ap-
senatorship, like the Roman throne,
would be knocked down to the high
est bidder. Under the system of cleo
ton of United States senators as ad-
vocated by the populists, the small
state would still have equal represen-
tation with the large, the senatorial
term would still be six years, and, in
all probability, the long deteriorating
personnel of the senate would in some
measure regain it's former character.
a. The Sherman antitrust law, re-
Gently declared constitutional by the
supreme court of the United States,
provides in it's first section for GRIM
inal prosecution, with penitentiary
penalties. The trusts care nothing for
the fines that might be imposed under
the civil procedure provided in sub
sequent section of the act, and the
populist party simply demands that
the attorney general of the United
States. without fear or favor, perform
his sworn duty by proceeding In the
most effective manner practicable
against illegal combinations of capt.
tai in restraint of interstate commerce.
The party asks simply practical Illus
tration OF that good old democratic
doctrine-the amenability OF rich and
poor alike to the law OF the land.
s. That the rich escape their just
share OF taxation In this country. as
they have escaped II In all countries
and all ages. viii hardly be denied
An income tax, with reasonably pro-
gresslve exactlons. would tend Il
tighten the burdens Of that portion OF
the community least able 70 contrl'
butte to the support OF government. and
would provide the means for muct
needed internal improvements. The
income tax means no campaign Of tbs
poor against the rich. but would sim
ply rcstate In practical form the JUS
proposal that OF those 10 whom muel
has been given much shall bc re
quired. II " true that the Unlies
states supreme court has declared tina
an lncome tax Is unconstitutional nu