The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-02-09

tie 1or polltlcal reform mas been lost,
once more the majority have endorsed
the policies of the republican party.
Acknowledged anew their servility to
the monopolist, and again given their
approval to the imperialistic policy of
forcible expansion and all other iniq-
uities OF past administration. Why
should it not be that way since the
majority. have SO willed it. May be
after all We are wrong in our conten-
ton that the people are in the main
honest and intelligent. If the majority
of the people are indeed honest and
intelligent, why do they not give more
evidence of it. Take for instance the
campaigns of 1895 and 1900. The party
that appealed to the honesty, integrity
and humanity of the people was thrown
down by them, while the party that ap-
pealed to the spirit of selfishness, greed
and brutality, was endorsed.
Were the leaders of the democratic
party so much to blame after all in
adopting republican tactics with the
idea of winning? Now, the fact that
the republican administrations did not
carry out to the full, the Ubiquitous
promises of the platforms, is to the
credi. Of the administrations, but not
to the credit of the people who en-
dorsed the platforms.
In the matter of the gold standard
they did the very opposite of what was
promised in both platform and public
and political speeches, in that they in
creased the supply of money instead
of decreasing it. 1t would almost seem
in some cases that their dishonest pre-
lenses were only for the purpose of
catching votes, and that beneath all
that was the honest purpose to serve
the best interest CT the people in spite
of the fact that the people were too
dishonest to vote for their best inter-
est. There is no use in denying that
the idea of peoples government" is
on the wane ana it will continue to
wane until the citizenship become hon.
est enough to assume their response
bilities toward government. Talk about
dishonesty among officials. II there
were one-half of the dishonesty among
the administrators of government as
the average voter exhibits, we would
have something to complain OF sure
enough. Bad off as we are, we are
better off than we deserve. Suppose
that by hook or crook, or trick We
could succeed in electing an honest and
capable set of men from one end Of
officialdOm to the other, what would
it all amount to without the support Of
an honest citizenship? Suppose we
had elected Bryan in 1896 or 1900 with
only a small part of even his own
party understanding Or being in sym
patty with his ideals. | tell you we
are beginning at the wrong end OF this
reform business. Abusing republican
administrations, trusts, combines, mo-
nopolies, while the real culprits, the
voters, responsible for the whole mis-
chief, remain unchided. The need is
for hand strong enough to throw the
whiplash of reproof on the dishonest
citizen Where did the trusts get all
their advantages and powers? Why,
the fool people gave them to them.
None of these great advantages were
taken away from the people by force.
they were all free gifts. And in spite
of all that is said the trusts are fairly
LCLupCl dIC Ill tuC tlSC VI IACAl POWCAo,
they are dishonest, yes! They take UNI
lawful advantage, yes! They crush
out honest competition, yes! They do
many abominable things, yes! yes! But
here take the average citizen, too dis
honest to cast an honest ballot, and
give him suddenly this great power,
this strangle-hold on the threats of the
American public and see what he would
do.
The worst of trust oppression"
would seem like humane benefaction,
in comparison.
Take the honest farmer" land by
the way it was the honest farmer"
that defeated reform when it was SO
near to winning). Take the honest
farmer" say, and give him the con-
troll over the price of meat that the
meat trust now enjoys, ami meat would
rot in their Smoke houses" at the
price of dollars per pound because
none but the very rich would have
money to buy it. The majority of the
citizenship has lost their respect for
law, their love of right, and retain
only their fear of the penalties of the