The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-09-22

ter from New York, it is impossible to
lobbyist is damage and an injury to
the people of this city.
In the last legislature the farmers
wanted the Brady bill passed. no in
telligent member Of the | legislature
could read that bill without feeling
that it was his duty to vote for it. The
farmers petitioned for its passage. The
bill simply provided that the railroads
should give adequate facilities to the
farmers in the shipment OF grain. A
lobby defeated that bill. A lobby gave
the farmers bill that the farmers did
not want A lobby said that 1T knew
better than the farmers themselves
what kind OF law they should Lave.
1t was the deadly force OF the lobby
directed against it that killed the
Brady bill.
Let me give you another instance.
We have heard much about Colorado
lately. DO you know that in the state
OF Colorado, few years ago, That all
political parties, populists, democratic
and republican, alike, pledged them
selves TO pass an eight-hour law 1or
the miners. These men, who 60 into
the bowels OF the earth and lie on their
backs the long day through, in the
darkness and in the mud and dirt, had
aroused the sympathy Of the people OF
that state so much that the demand
for an eight-hour law was well Llgn
universal. Everybody favored it. Al
most every man who went to the lesls-
lature pledged himself to vote fol such
a law, but, my friends, when the leg
islature met, the force OF the profess
sional lobby was directed against 1t
and the measure was defeated. There
Is no doubt that those who favored the
eight-hour law and those who were OPP
posed to it had right TO be heard be-
fore the legislature. But no man will
pretend that professional lobby, a
paid lobby, has the right to override
the wishes Of the people in that way.
1t is through the lobby that the peO-
pie are prevented from getting their
hands on the government. II Is
through the professional lobby that the
voice or the people has been silenCed in
our legislature. say that The pro-
tessional lobbyist whose business 1t is
to thwart the wishes of the people and
defeat wholesome legislation In that
way should be branded as criminal
and punished as such. He is all enemy
to popular government
Another reason why our state gov
eminent has passed out OF the hands
Ut the people Is OIL account OF partisan
ship. Political parties are only a means
to an end. Let me ask the rank and
file Of the republican voters OF this
state il it Is not true that the control
Of your party has long ago passed out
of your hands. Is 1t not true that you
have been compelled to support men
and measures because you could not
be heard or make your influence telt.
What is true OF the republican party
in this state is true of the democratic
party in Missouri. What is true of
the democratic party in Missouri is
true OF the republican party in Penn
sylvania. 1t Is disease confined not
to any state or any one political party.
1t is disease that affects every lomi-
nant party long In control.
am not here to condemn or fnd
fault with republican voters. On the
contrary want to tell you that be-
lieye you want to do what is right, and
that you want good government just
as much as do or as populisls and
democrats do. I believe that you are
patriotic enough that when the issue
is squarely presented that yea will vote
for the welfare of the state regardless
OF the party to which you belong
want the republican voters of the state
to hear me- Are you longer able t. say
who shall represent you in the legis-
Iature? Are you longer able TO help
name the men who shall sit in your
executive Offices in the state house
DO you help bring out these candi-
dates? do you have your hands on
the machinery of your party? Is your
voice heard and your influence felt in
your state conventions?
Let us see just how man gets into
state office and who puts him there.
Before a man can be voted for. his
name must be on the ticket Before
his namc can be on the ticket he must
be regularly nominated. Before he can