The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-11-03

as they are. Here are the millions
supposed to be 80,000,000 people, who
are clothed with the right to govern
themselves. They do not govern them
selves. You may mention 100 men and
100 newspapers that absolutely govern
this republic, and you know it as well
as |. The power has been concentrated
in the hands OF a certain few And
what else? All over this land, one of
the most glorious that, God Almighty
ever fashioned, rich in all natural re-
sources, all over this land from sea to
sea, from lake to gulf, the grand army
of industry. the legions of those who
toll. the honest battalions that go
forth and conquer the forces of nature
hand in hand and produce this vast
accumulation Of wealth, which has
made our country the richest on the
globe. What becomes of that wealth?
Does it stay in the hands Of the men
who made it? Does it stay in the
homes OF the Workingmen who toll for
it? Do the many have it? You know
they do not All that vast output, less
the amount that is necessary to keep
you actually fed, actually clothed and
actually housed--in other words, with
the exception of enough to keep the
laborer alive, that vast accumulation
of gold is controlled, kept, used, and
zRlsrused by those few capitalists
those benefoia fds " t1ssslx xsssssl<ts -
never did an honest days work In
their lives. (Applause.)
Now the peoples party says that
can be remedies. We have not got to
have revolution. We have not got to
have war. We have not got to have
bloodshed. No. We have simply got
TO have education and we have got to
have courage. Education to find out
what we want and courage to unite
for 1t and agate for it. The two things
going together we can restore to the
people the control of this government.
Initiative
First OF all how? BY what Is called
initiative. AT the present time the
people are not consulted before the
law is passed by congress, legislature,
or town council-they do not take
you into their consultation room be-
fore they enact law. The first you
know Of any measure is after it has
been passed into law and you are
called upon to obey it. You are not
asked before hand what you want. No
body seems to care what you want 1t
is what the corporations want--it is
what the benefciaries OF special privi-
sleges want. it is what concentrated
wealth wants.
We are the people and according to
theory are sovereigns Of this land.
We won it from Great Britain with
the musket. We won it and it is ours.
Ours by inheritance. Ours by law.
Ours by right We mean to keep it.
How can we keep it? We will take
ufenm the hands of the lobbyist the
right to make IA 10 4tl0@Wills take.
from the secret conferences of bankers
and corporationists the power of In
itiating laws. and we will put it in the
hands of the people. (Applause.) Let
the people in their original capacity as
people, just as you are standing here
now--let the people come together in
their town gathering or county gath
ering or state gathering and reason
with one another as to what they want
what kind Of a law-what kind of
system-reach an agreement by ma
jority vote and then by petition, origi-
mating among the people, compel the
Legislature, compel the town council,
compel congress to do what the people
want, instead Of what the favored few
want. (Applause.) Under the present
system you have got no right to give
orders to the one who represents you
in congress or in the town council or
in the legislature. They take their or
ders from influences which may be an
tagonistic to you. They take none
from you. The peoples party proposes
that hereafter when you want a thing
done, it shall be your privilege, it shall
be in your power to put your coop
erative commands on him and make
him keep sten to the wishes of your
heart, your intelligence and your con-
science. (Applause.)
Referendum
What else? We propose that when
ever influences unfavorable to the
masses Of the people shall secure the
enactment of law which you don't
like-a law in the town. a law in the
county, law in the state or a law
in congress, which you don't like, it
shall not be left to the mayor alone