The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-02-25

national platform, which must be bic
enough to hold upon it every national
ISSUE"
In broad, full-sized platform some
will fancy one plank, others will be
pleased with different ones and the
number Of planks multiplies the men,
beship wonderfully. In short, what
the populist party needs to elect a
president on some fine day in Novem-
Der, in some year in the future, is a
national platform, good in every
state. attractive to every honest, pa
triotic citizen. with such skill in its
carpentry as will command the APP
probation and admiration of all men.
The country should be informed fully
Of the principles that would be ap-
Piled in legislation by pOpuiist con-
gress, populist president and cabi-
net, and what foreign, as we'll as do
nestle, policy, would be carried ont?
Parties seldom govern countries be-
fore their actual politics are fully
made known and approved. There
fore, give us PLATFORM big enough for
the nation to stand on.
WIN. WALLACE BATES.
Denver, Colo.
(Locke, more than 200 years ago, as
Prof. Ely points out, asserted that
disputations are traceable chiefly to
the failure of the disputants to con-
meet with common term the same
idea. They are supposed to be talk
ing about one thing, but are really
discussing different topics.
In the early days of America, when
manufacturing was in it's infancy and
agriculture was by long odds the chief
industry, there was sound reason for
legislation to encourage and promote
manufacturing. Then that industry
did indeed require protection in order
to grow. 1t will be noted, however,
that Jefferson placed agriculture first
and regarded commerce" as its
handmade"
The particular method of protecting
the manufacturing industries, how
ever, being in the nature of aggression
upon the rights Of the consuming
public, had result not expected by
the agriculturists who were so free to
lcgislate in favor of their "hand-
maiden" The "infant industries"
grew to enormous proportions and to-
day completely overshadow and dOmi-
nate everything in the republic.
The conditions which prevailed in
Jefferson's time have been completely
reversed-and as the direct result of
legislation "in harmony with the
principles which rule the universe"
as Major Bates would put it. Agri-
culture is now the "handmaiden" to
manufacturing-but the latter is not
so generous as were the agricultural
interests in Jeffersons time. The
protective" tariff made America the
home of gigantic manufactories-but
undoubtedly at the expense of the
agricultural classes and those inti-
mately associated with them.
Populist demands today for govern
ment money and government railroads
are for protection to the agricultural
interests, just as much as the Dingley
tariff is intended to help the manufac-
turers. But with this difference: The
so-called protective" tariff takes
from the consumers pockets and gives
to the manufacturer-purely and SIM
ply a legalized robbery; while the en-
actment of populist demands would
simply stop the additional robberles
which the farmer is compelled to suf-
fer by reason of permitting private
persons to exercise government pow
ers-to control the two great means of
commerce, money and transportation.
II Major Bates will take the trou-
BILE to read the Omaha platform again,
I believe he will find 1t broad enough.
He will find that 1t is based upon the
preamble to the national constitu-
ton; and IL that is broad" enough to
sustain our government, it ought to be
broad enough for a political platform.
What Major Bates calls protection"
is such from the manufacturers View
point; to the farmer 1t Is "aggres-
slon." What he calls broad" the
lawyer would call "multifarious." A
broad" platform. according to Major
Bates, Is one that contains q
multitude of planks. even though they
may be antagonistic or at least incon-
sistent. Editor.)