The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-11

| government. So the stability OF par
ties depends on the reverence the
common people have for the principles
on which they are founded.
| The prestige of any party is main
| tanned only where the due reverence is
| given to the will OF the majority. No
| party can sell itsef TO the Morgans, or
| snackle itself with Wall street gold,
| and command the respect of the peo-
! pie.
| There is onl yone thing for a fear
less citizen to do, and that is to stand
! for justice and right. even it 1T leads
| him to forSake his beloved party. Par
| ties are not principles. Nor do they
| forward the cause OF humanity unless
they stand for what is Just and right.
And to support party, right or
wrong, is the yulgaresG kind OF pOlitI-
cal bigotry. Such a base fealty to
party has brought to the people, all
those ills which naturally accrue to
corrupt politics.
To support the Chicago platform, as
enthusiastically as many did, and
then turn around and follow Parker
ism, would be to give the lie to our
acts in the last two campaigns. When
the democratic democrats are asked
to put their stamp of approval on
Parkerism, they should resent it as
the rankest insult The democratic
party, with its Parker-Hill-Morgan
| leadership, have assaulted the sanctu-
airy of democracy and today her tenn
| pie is torn asunder and from her al
tars ascend the sitting fumes of greed.
The cry of the "Parkertes" is, meet
| fire with fire." That means that the
| party will hold zap Parker as a stool
| pigeon worthy OF the homage Of Wall
street money kings. 1t means that the
| plutocratic harlot has traduced the
| democratic virgin, till she thinks that
victory, though bought with Morgan's
| gold, is fair exchange for honor and
| stability.
| When a party exchanges honor for
the homage of money kings, 1t drives
| from it's ranks those VINO paid tribute
only to principle A party must stand
for noble ideals, if it wishes to COM
| mand respect. For a party to gain
victory without justice is to enjoy the
bitter fruit of inglorious defeat. ak
To one who is imbued with a lofty
| purpose and who Deifeves that the
! rights of all men are the backbone of
! free government, it is hard to see the
| ravages that greed has made. But
there is a consolation that one can
| fight just as hard under populist lead
ers as under the flag of democracy.
In fact, it is the only democracy that
is left The only home for the demo-
cratic democrat. To every citizen, who
loves the temples of liberty, who loves
| the sanctuaries of freedom and who is
ready to guard the as:ars of justice,
and who is ready to pay an humble
| homage to the rights of all men, we
say, support the popuiist platform.
| The reason we thought that the Chi
cago platform was profound declari
alton Of human rights. 1t declared
that the sovereignty of the citizen
should be supreme. And it further de-
clared, that to obtain this power the
citizen should have direct power
! such as the initiative and referendum.
That one plank was the keystone to
political progress. The fact that that
was mighty power, if placed in the
hands of the voter, is what made the
plutocrats denounce it as populistic.
Without the direct legislation plank
the cry for political progress was
throttled Without it the people would
be helpless. And any intelligent citi-
zen knows that if 1.-The people are to
rule they must have the power. And
the only power that will make the
voter sovereign. is the initiative and
referendum.
| wish 10 say to the populists that,
though am new recruit, | Will. none
4 the less, enjoy chance 10 hurl def
ance at plutocFacy. For il is begotten
of hi. born OF the harlot, greed. that
has mothered the most debased doc
trimes OF the present age. The vile
curse of being money-mad has loos-
ened lot OF vicious politicians. who
know no honor, who would bring forth
the goddess Of liberty 10 the shambles
of greed. These political assasslns dig
for the unsuspeciing people, pitfalls.
that rob them Of their just rights.
The question Is. Will we allow the
overly rich 10 chain as To the god OF