The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-02-23

at time when its trusted leaders had
weakly surrendered or basely deserted.
THE democratic party had grown
weary of the virtue which meets with
no substantial earthly reward.
"To lay up treasure in heaven is
apparently no part of its program.
For eight years prior to 1904 it
had done business on principles for
chilly borrowed from the peoples party;
but, while these principles were right
they had not yet become sufficiently
popular to command a majority vote.
We are tired of being in the mi
nority! cried the democratic, leaders;
and they astonished mankind by try
ing to win the game with the cards
which the republicans had already
dealt to themselves
The result was precisely what might
have been expected by anybody except
the party which, after having sent its
prayers skyward through ! megaphone.
chose August Belmont for its cashier,
Grover Cleveland for it's wet nurse,
Tom Taggart for it's prophet, and Dave
Hills favorite pupil for its candidate.
The smoke of battle has now lifted;
the campaign liar is taking a we'll
earned vacation; James Creelman has
turned his attention to Thomas Law
son; and we may, at length, form some
accurate estimate of what was ac-
complished by the campaign of 1904.
who gained ground by that contest?
1.-THE Radicals
"The republicans stood for conser-
yatism; the democrats stood for con-
servatism. No issues were raised.
"The two old parties were SO deter
mined not to alarm anything, or any
body, that they did not even alarm
each other.
"On every ubject-Finance, Tariff,
Imperialism-th attitude of the two
presidential candidates was SO nearly
Identical that neither of them ever
could or would define the difference.
"The radicals stood for vital reforms.
"And now what is the result?
"The conservatism of republicans
and democrats has been cast aside, and
the dear old twins are doing their best,
in congress, to convince the people
that they themselves are radicals.
''They realize that the great deeps
Of American thought have been brok-
en- up and that irresistible waves are
beating against the walls Of special
privilege and monopoly.
Suppose that Eugene Debs had not
made his splendid fight suppose | had
failed to answer the call of the Spring
field convention, does any one believe
that congress would now pretend to be
so eagerly interested in reform?
Year in and year out the wrongs
under which our people suffer had
cried aloud for redress and no presi-
dent had rushed to our relief.
1T was the campaign of 1904 that
put fire on the terrapin's back and
made him begin to crawl.
Can the republican party give the
people the reforms they need? Impos-
sible!
There are too many republicans per-
sonally interested in keeping things
substantially as they are.
Can the democratic party do the
work? ImpoSSiblei
There are too many democrats per-
sonally interested in keeping things
substantially as they are.
What then is the hope of the coun-
try? The union of all reformers. We
must draw from the republican party
those who oppose class law and money
bag aristocracy; we must draw from
the democratic party every true-hearted
Jeffersonian. We must gather into one
compact aggressive movement all pat
riots, no matter what they call them
elves, who are broad-minded enough to
agree upon essential reforms which
are within the reach of this generation.
We must choose for leaders men who
have in their makeup the fire of the
crusader and the consecrated zeal of
the martyr-men who are not to be
tempted, Or bullied; men who fear
nothing in God Almighty's world ex-
cept to violate their own sense of right.
This people will not be redeemed
from misrule by leaders who never
dare to take stand upon any question
until they have first considered, anx-
iously, how it will affect the vote. Such
reform as we need will never come if