The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-02


Editor Independent: Enclosed, please
find $1.65 subscription for continu-
ance of The Independent for another
year, together with Watson's Magazine
for one year.
What is the matter with going on
with nominating the populist candidate
for president for 1908? The question
seems to have gone to sleep. | think
The Independents criticism of Client
is grand; particularly the big mean
ingless words" he uses, although |
agree with him in regard to man be-
ing a creature of circumstances, con-
ditions, environment. What makes the
children of Europeans, who are born
and raised here, Americans? Condi-
tions, and nothing else. A preacher,
about thirty years ago, speaking in
polemical way, to group OF five or
six of us, standing on one OF the streets
of Oakland, made this remark: Mature
adapts things to circumstances. In
that short sentence, he uttered the
whole science or philosophy OF crea-
ton. That accounts for the camels
foot being like tea saucer-turned
upside down; the earth worm being
blind also the ground mole, and the
fishes in the great Kentucky cave. Why
is the pine, the oak and the maple, the
ash and the black walnut and the lau-
rel here different from those in the
east? Circumstances, conditions. And
so of the animal and vegetable crea-
ton throughout the universe.
And now, friend Tibbles, can not
refrain from saying few words on
that all-important question, the cur
rency question.
AS am 81 years old and may not be
with you so very many years, | am
quite anxious that some person or per-
sons should understand the interest
question before cross over to the 10Th
er side," so that there may be at least
one to promulgate the grand truth
that interest is the cause OF all {
social and economic ills.
In the production of wealth, there
are but three essentials: material, Ia
Dor and SKILL So-called capital is not
an essential, any more than fog is. 1t
(capital) is not a thing-it does moth
ing-it can not saw board or drive
a nail; it's sole function is to rob labor
of five-sixths of it's product, through
it's twin evil, interest. Without inter
est there could be no legal robbery.
That being true, what becomes neces-
sary to do? Destroy interest; then
stock gambling, with all its evils, that
Tom. Lawson bemoans so, also special
privileges and the concentration OF
wealth in private hands, in the hands
of the few, would cease; and no one
could obtain a dollar lawfully that he
did not earn.
That much-abused woman, Mrs
Woodruff, said, in one of her hall
dozen lectures, delivered in Chicago
about twenty years ago, among great
many other good things: Money
should not earn money. 1t does not
do anything
Right here, is where all our troubles
come in. One says it is the liquor and
saloon evil; another that it is the land
monopoly; another that it is special
privileges: another that it is the rail.
roads discrimination; another, thai
it is bad laws another that bad peo-
nile are to blame. Ali are wrong. These
are merely the effects of interest, and
to combat them is to fight smoke in
stead of fire.
/ had to laugh when our courageous
president started in to control the cor
porations, which is the money power
that controls our courts, congress, TIT
press and the pulpit. In other words
to control the power that controls hin
AN impossibility!
With interest destroyed, conditions
would be such that one could not taxi
interest. if he wanted to ever so much
and then there would be no millionaire
and no poverty; and vice and Grim
would cease. When the smoke woul'
have entirely vanished, we should hay
heaven here in the place OF hades.
Having pointed out the cause OF on
ills. the next thing to do is to give tn
remedy. This is to move in the direc
ton of "the least resistance" there
fore, not to antagonize any person 0
institution; for, if interest is destroyed
it is very evident that all industrie