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

bers of the United Mine Workers union
and their friends at Virden, H., Octo-
ber II, 1904, Thomas E. Watson, peo-
pies party candidate for the presl-
dency, spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, and Ladies and Gen.
tlemen: You will readily understand
that after speaking from day to. day
during the last two months my voice
is considerably worn, and a speech in
the open air with the wind blowing
against me and with the sounds that
come UP from the various parts OF the
ground becomes difficult matter, and
[ solicit your help in delivering this
address-your help in preserving quiet
and attention while | attempt to de-
liver my message. | have come out OF
the beaten track Of campaign work to
honor an invitation from union labor.
I am going to talk to you about the
peoples party. | am going to explain
as best can it's message and its mis-
sion.
Today, it | were asked to say what
is the chief fault in our government,
in our entire system, | would put my
finger upon the secret council-upon
astsaAS gacref conference upon closed
doors where there is no aess1t :. &c 2 pub
licity--where the people are not taken
into the confidence of the bosses.
There is a private conference in the
back room of some railroad king and
the next morning every citizen of the
United States finds himself taxed by
an additional rate on some article OF
merchandise. There is secret con-
ference of employers and next morning
we find that the life of mantle in
dustrial lite of man is to end at the
age of thirty-five years. There is a
secret conference Of the BelmOnts or
the McCarrens or the Standard Oil
company crowd. or the sugar trust
crowd, and the next morning we have
a political platform which they have
made-a political nomination which
they have made. and in either case,
whether it is back room meeting OF
the railroad king or secret conference
of the millionaire employers or a Sc
cret conference of Wall street poll.
ticians, the people know nothing about
it until it is too late and they are
only asked to ratify after it has been
done You are not taken into their
confidence before the thing is done.
Your instructions are not asked. Your
opinion, your view, your interest is not
considered, but the people at large are
asked to ratify after the secret coun-
Gil have reached their own conclusions
AMI formulated their own design. Isn't
that true?
The great fact staring you in the
face today is that the reins of power
-eTe~-saaSsinsgu out of your hands In
theory you s.fs-@ yefei9nss~~mlQ
theory and in law you are the rulers or
this land. In theory and by right 1t is
yours to say what laws you shall have,
what ruler you shall have, what policies
you shall have. | ask you plain Mr..
Jones-plain Mr.. Smith-plain Mr..
Brown where do you exert any power
whatever in the control Of this re-
public? You can work for it in time
of peace. You can fight for it in time
of war But where is it that you are
asked to operate or control it? Your
ballot is the bloodless weapon given
to you to defend your rights as free
man, and yet by the operation OF the
star chamber method-by the opera
tion of the secret committee-by the
operation of the bosses meeting in pri
vate conference. your ballot has be-
come almost piece of waste paper,
because whether you ratify or not the
plan has been made and the party puts
it through.
Ballot Represents Sovereignty
To every man there ought to come
this serious consideration, MY ballot
represents my share in the sovereignty !
of this land. Ny ballot represents my
voice-my influence in the control OF
affairs" If you study the questions of
the campaign, it you compare the one
candidate with the other and reach
conclusion which satisfies your nina, |
which satisfies your heart, which salts
fies your conscience that is where your
vote ought to go. And man who |
having reached conclusion of right |
or conviction, man who feels he !
ought to vote for this measure Or that |
man because it represents his convic- |
tion of wE:t ought to be done-a man |
who reaches that conclusion and does |
not cast his ballot accordingly is not |
fit to help govern this republic and is |!
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