The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-09-01
REApING THE HARVEST

REAPING THE HARVEST
The increase in crime, and the dan
ger to life and property in the great
cities. makes life even for the rlcn
miserable. Some of them are just be-
ginning to find out that enormous ac-
.cumulation of dollars. or the acquir-
ing of special privileges which result
in pouring stream OF gold into their
Golfers SO great that the owners can
neither spend or profita5ly invest 1t, IS
not securing to them peace, enjoyment
and the security that they expected.
There is something more in life than
piles of gold. The "proletarlat' IN
creases in numbers and grows GRIM
inal and vicious Those OF us who i've
in the west and the south, where the
debasing influence of the plutocratic
dailies have not yet done their Daielul
work. where man is still neigh
Dor" to those who live near him, or
pass him on the highway, can not un-
derstand the dreadful conditions that
exist in the great cities. There IS
where the great dailies are sold for
one and two cents copy. What are
called the most respectable da1lles,
those papers which constantly de-
nounce yellow journalism are the
ones that are most responsible for the
degeneration that results in a threat
to peace and order. Take the very
best of them. It will have a page de-
voted to promoting gambling on horse
races and other betting games. 1t Will
at least have half page devoted 10
prize fighting and other degrading
sports and when there is a great fight
near at hand it will be illustrated by
the best artists and photographs OF
the fighters will be as we'll executed
and given more space than the paper
gives to it's candidate for president
1t will promote social vice by highly
illustrating every divorce case of
prominence and tell in extenso OF ey-
cry disgusting detail. The plutocrats
have been feeding the children OF the
land on that kind of literature for a
generation. Shall a man wonder be-
cause there are so many degenerates!
We say that the plutocrats have
been doing this. Every one knows that
when the great uprising against mo-
nopoly took place the first work OF
the plutocratic managers was to con-
troll the press. The great dailies were
subsidized Many of them that were
owned by partnerships or individuals
were turned into stock companies and
the controlling interest put in the
hands of Wall street Other papers
were suppressed through the power
of the banks. Great business firms
that carried large lines of credit in
the banks were forbidden to advertise
in papers that taught Jeffersonian
democracy under the name of popu-
lism. The attempt was made to fur
nish reading matter to the people that
would amuse them and draw their at
tention away from economic questions.
SO that plutocratic papers were filled
with pictures of vice and crime and
the ablest writer's were hired to dis
cuss trivial things of all sorts, as well
as fill their columns with matter con-
corning prize fights. horse races and
the proceedings of the criminal courts.
Now they are reaping the harvest that
they have sown.
They are finding out that unless
they have country filled with peace
able. law abiding citizens that their
gold is dross. Millions piled up in
safety vaults will not protect their
children. Dollars will not alone make
life worth living. Behind II all there
must be a country-a government hon
ored and respected by the people II
IL for such country that populism
stands. Upon the success OF the prIn-
I. clples advocated by the peoples party.
the perpetuIty Of this nation depends.
Va must have country--a peaceablo.
law-ahlding country. Without that
there can be no happiness, no pros
perlty no advancement.