The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-25

Their corrupting influence is felt
and seen all the way upward from
the town council to the judge on the
bench; from the bench to the senate
Of the United States, and from the
senate to the railroad commissions,
whether state or national.
Almost without exception, the rail-
roads OF this republic we're paid for
by the public, and not by the corpora
tiOns which own them.
In donations of land, of bonds, and
of actual cash, the American people
have paid for practically every rail-
road on this continent And we have
nothing to show for it. We ale pay
ing dividends every year on at least
five billion dollars of watered stock
The figures show that in every ten
years we pay IN freight and p6ssen-
ger charges an amount equal TO the
sum total Of the actual cost Of the
roads. Talk about the trusts. The
greatest support which the trust sys-
TEN of America has this day is in the
railroads. 1t is only by discrimlna
tions, secret rebates, special help and
favors that Rockefeller or any OTHER
great organizer Of the trusts could
make his way to the gigantic power
which he has established.
BY no other methods than by gov
eminent ownership of the railways
can you equalize. all shippers, ali per-
sons, establish a fair system OF ex-
change, restore public franchises to
public uses; take out of politics one of
its most corrupting influences, take
out Of commerce one Of it's most ty-
raniiicai masters, and thus put trans
portation where the postoffice system
= is making it a servant and agent OF
all the people, doing good where it
extends.
Is public ownership of railroads and
telegraphs and other public utilities
the cry Of mere demagogue? Is it a
step toward anarchy and chaos? Is
it subject which can find no room
in the domain of legitimate, respect
full debate? Gladstone OF England
was in favor of government ownership
of railways and when he was mem
Der OF Sir Robert Peels cabinet car
ried through parliament law which
empowered the British government to
purchase the railways, a law which
the corporations managed to render a
nullity.
Bismarck, the iron chancellor of res
directed Germany, was in favor of
government ownership; and it was
through his leadership that Prussia
acquired her railways. Nearly every
kingdom in Europe, many OF the
countries of Asia and Africa have
adopted the system and work it with
perfect success. And as an American
citizen, seeing that Australia and Can
ada successfully deal with this great
problem and operate railroads in the
interest Of all the people. feel
ashamed of the backwardness of our
own craftsmanship which fears to
grapple with that issue.
We are in favor of an income tax.
Planting ourselves squarely upon the
ground occupied by Thomas Jefferson,
we say that the larger the income the
larger should be the rate of taxation
on that income, to the end that vast
accumulations should be discouraged
and that the wealth Of the country
should always be in a process of dis
tribution.
No fairer tax than this can be i'm
posed. 1t would put the burden of
government upon the shoulders ,of
those who are most able to bear it.
1t would draw the support of the add
ministration from those who derive
from it the greatest benefits.
1t would throw our pension debt
upon that class Of men who during
the civil war speculated upon the ne
cessities of the country and grew rich
while the soldier was in the field.
Declaring itself in favor of a grad
uated income tax, the peoples party
supplements that by saying that there
should be no tariff tax upon the ne
cessaries of life which the poor must
have in order to live. Establish an
income tax, and you would give the
government a source of revenue indie
pendent Of the tariff and thereby pave
the way for the reduction of the tire
mendous burden of taxation which
now rests mainly upon the shoulders
OF the middle and lower classes AL
this time, when governmental extra
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