The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-02-11

New York, Feb. s, lSO4.-lEulloTlal
Correspondence.) had an interview
last night with a gentleman who is
at the very heart of all Wall street
doings and schemes. He talked with
the utmost frankness.
"There are two parties forming
here" he said, among the governing,
tha. is, the wealthy class. The most
of these men know no party, and a
very large number of them no cOuns
try. They are equally at home in En-
gland, France, Germany, or America.
They all love power and, the subserv-
iency of the masses, and they find that
they can get that just in proportion TO
the amount CT money that they accum-
ulate. AS far as the power OF money
is concerned. that is the same in these
modern times, in all countries. You
may put it down, then, that the OBJ
ject and the only object Of all Of
them is to accumulate money. How
ever much they may differ, it is not
patriotism that causes it. That Is the
general statement. OF course there are
a few exceptions, but they are so few
that they may not be taken into con-
sideration as affecting public affairs.
"Any man of common sense should
know that this country is governed
by Wall street. and the governing
power consists Of much less than 500
men. AS far as a government by the
people is concerned, there is nothing
Of that kind and has not been for
years. The day for that is past. The
people are divided substantially into
two parties The press, which under
modern conditions is very easy
thing to handle, sees to it that the
people shall be SO trained that they
will vote with either one or the other
of these parties, and we see to it
neither one shall, if it gets into pow
er, do anything that is detrimental TO
our interests. That is a very easy
thing to accomplish also. The truth is
that the interests of the voters in both
parties are the same, but the press
manages to make each of them think
that the other is mortal enemy and
what he wants to do is to ruin the
country as you SO soften see it cx-
pressed. Ever since the civil war
that plan has worked efectually. The
only shock that it has ever received
was the action of the democratic ma
tioral convention at Chicago. For a
little while there seemed danger in
that, but was soon overcome"
''Was not he popuiist movement
prior to 1896 somewhat of threat
against Wall street ruie?' he was
asked.
sFor a little time there was some
anxiety about that, but way was
soon found to stop its growth"
"Was that done by encouraging flu
sion or the absorption of the populist
party by the democratic party?"
A quiet smile came over the gentle
chair and puffed at his cigar for a few
seconds before he replied. Then he
said:
THAT question shows how well the
Wall street scheme worked. Neither
of those things had anything to do
with the disorganization of the pop
ulist party. That result was accom-
plshed by depriving the party OF It's
press. Il has always been surprise
to me how perfectly the plan worked.
It did not cost so much either At
the time the populist movement start
ed. the number of papers advocating
its principles raa far up into the
hundreds outside of strictly political
organs OF the party. In fact, most OF
the agricultural papers. and many OF
them had very large circulation.
nearly all OF the religious press am.
in fact. there were some papers In
both OF the leading political parties
advocating more or less OF the pop
nlist principles II ls my belief, aud
that OF a good many others here. that
II the popullsta had not lost their
press that party would now be one
of the controlling influences in poll
ties. What surprised me most was
the quiet manner In which the read
eFa of those papers submitted 10 the
change az principles. There are but
very few papers advocating popullst
principles that have survived. not
more than the took a notebook out
OF the side pocket ~ hia coat AMI af-
Ter turning lear or two nnlAhed the
x4f FsH4.