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

corporation control ana IL our laws are
made at the dictation Of corporation in
fuences, then our state government is
not a government by the people, but a
government by the corporations.
A state government Of the people i'm
plies that il there is a law on our
statute books the people do not want
that they may repeal it. 1t means
that if the people want law for their
good that they will pass that law. I'll
means that the people shall suggest
and name and elect the men they want
to serve them. 1t means that the Of
fetal who is elected shall serve the peo-
pie and not some other interest or some
other influence.
It is a serious charge to say that we
have no longer self-government in this
state. But IL it Is fact somebody
ought to say it. Not only is our state
government usurped by these political
bosses and these corporation lnfiu-
ences. but the influence we exelt as
state in the national congress is OF the
same kind. Who elected our two pres
ent United States senator's? Did the
people have anything to do with it.?
What influence dominated the leglsla-
ture that elected those senator's? Was
lit the peoples influence or was there
some other influence running that leg
islature? What influence is it that
controls republican conventions? Tell
me when did the republicans have a
convention that was really peoples
convention. What did the people have
TO do with the extravagant apprCpria-
lions of the last legislature? What
influence is it in our state politics that
is so recklessly squandering our mon
ey? What did the people have to do
with the passage of our present rev.
enue law? 1t was not the farmers in
| fluence; 1t was not the influence OF
| the business men; it was not the in
| fuence of the mechanic or labOIing
men that is responsible for any of these
things Such abuses as these almost
discourage popular government. 1t
seems almost incredible that the peO-
pie Of Nebraska should submit to such
dictation. It is serious thing to con-
government is right in the main, that
| it is constantly perverted by inllu-
ences that work in secret The trou-
BILE is that the people who are ex-
pected to operate the machinery of the
government are pushed away from it.
Their hands do not touch it. All these
years the people have been asking for
bread, but the influences in control
have given them a stone. To the peo-
pie of the state, sound the note OF
warning. II you do not soon drive
these usurpers from the throne of our
state government, the time will come
when you will be helpless and Can not
do it.
But how, you ask, is this done
How is it that the people have the
legal right to govern themselves and
lyet any man or set of men can usurE
and take away this sovereign right:
How is it that the people will permit
this? How is it that in this state
where every man has the right to make
himself heard and to make his intiu.
ence felt, that few political bosses
and few corporations can control the
/ whole state government? This is done
! through several sources and by sew.
eral means. Let me point out few
of them.
In it's last analysis our constitution
and our laws are not our real govern
ment. All officials are human beings
1t matters not what our constitution
is, or what our laws are. Ii matter.
not what the people are crying out for
from every township and every coun
try precinct in this state. Our gov
ernment is just what certain influence,
make it, Influence is the real power il
all government. Where the influence Is
there Is the real seat of government
|, Influence suggests candidates. Iniu
ence elects candidates. IL is influence,
, that controls the representative in tn,
. Legislature. II liz in influence tina
, swerves the Judge on the bench. II Il
! influence that sways the governor Ii
, the executive chair Influence moves O.
stays the hand OF the Official, Tho OF
hcer, who walks the street. either see
| violations OF the law. or omits 10 SCI
them according to the influence tina
, named that officer Say what YOU will
our state government, from The chlc
executive In the chair down 10 tho iani