Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-09-22

know today whether they win favor
6ne doctrine or another in their ma
tional platform; they don't know
whether they are in sympathy with
this or that doctrine; advancing 1t
Cne day and taking 1t to their bosom
in the next in the hopes that there
will be some warmth In the old corpse
of political hopes.
A few day sage Mr.. Waterson and
the democratic press from one end
CT the country to the other was de-
nouncing the doctrine announced by
Mr.. Bryan in New York in favor Of
the government ownership and muni-
cipal ownership of what they are
pleased to call public utilities, by
which they mean railroads.
/ cannot refrain, before taking up
the final question, which / desire to
discuss briefly, / cannot refrain from
leaving upon your minds tonight a
thought Or two in regard to that
question, the government ownership
of railroads.
Do you know that in the state of
Idaho in many countries. the rail-
roads pay more than half Of the taxes
that are paid? Do you know that in
the state of Idaho the railroads pay
/
are paid in the state? Now suppose
the railroads did not pay them, who
would make up the deficiency and
pay the fixed charges of the govern
ment-because the taxes represent
the fixed charges of government. Who
would pay it? Why the other pro-
perty owners, because, you must re-
member, you cannot tax the property
OF the government under any circum-
stances whatever in any state any
where. I can name you three coun-
ties in this state in which the rail-
road pays more than 60 per cent of
the taxes. school houses are built
in which the children are being edu-
railroads. Who would pay them if
the railroads are to be owned by the
government? What would become
Of the free and independent voter who
works for this vast aggregation of
railroads on election? Would you de-
prive him of his vote? Mr.. Bryan
| seems to think that would be one
solution of it. Would you deprive
100000 American citizens of their
votes as a penalty for entering into
the service of the government in con-
nection with its railroads? Oh, I
think not Would you place the ball
lot and the result of an election in
the hands of 400 odd thousand voters
When their bread and butter is at
stake? 1 think not. Now take this
into consideration. The question of
the withdrawal of this property from
taxation, the question of the effect
upon the elections of the voters in
the employ Of tn. railroad companies
end then your own minds will suggest
20 or 80 other reasons, and see how
sound are the principles. how safe is
the party that would favor such a
system of government.
Now you might have imagined a
few evenings since, here. that the only
issue to be made in this campaign !
was one affecting the safety of your
homes. and some very pathetic and
sympathetic terms and phrases and !
sentences were used in describing the
danger.
You were appealed to as though |
this terror stood outside of the door
and the lock was trembling 1t its
81 asp to break into the home. You |
might have imagined that this disas-
ter that was pictured was at the |
door of every home in Idaho. Now.
is a matter of fact, there is no such
threat hanging over the people of
Idaho rs they pictured to you. There |
Is no threat at all. 1t is very prob
eble that there are crimes committed |
in the name of religion. These crimes
have existed from the earliest dawn
" history-crimes In the name of
religion. Men have been burned at
the stake: men and women have been
torn in the forum. They have been
+ aried, and tortured by every device,
in the name of religion. Some of
my people We're hanged upon Boston
common because of their religious be-
lief; others We're driven into exile
because of their religious belief. The
same might be said perhaps of a
great majority of the people in this
audience. The constitution of the
United States guarantees perfect lib
erty so far as belief is concerned to
every person living under It and It Is
a safety protection that we dare not
lamper with, because in this vast au-
dience there are no two Of you who
believe alike as to your religious du-
ties. You may think you do. You in
dorse creeds but 1 tell you your re.
igion Is so purely individual that no ,
two people ever see it alike. No one
person can be religious for another.
Each with himself must hold the Dr. .
vine spark that guides his life Alright. |
The inner light must burn true; then
follow it's guiding principles, culti- 8
tate it, and that is religion. The rest ,
# 1t is ceremony, that Is all.
Now. We We're told the other night ,
hat the Mormons of Idaho consti- ,
dted menace to the homes and the i
virtue and the happiness and the
81 osperity and everything that Is
lear to and makes up state and our
Seople's happiness. That statement
vas based upon another statement
hat there exists in this state crime
,alled polygamy. You hear it spoken +
VI under other name, and different
erms. Polygamy is not encouraged
,r Endorsed by any political party in
IDAHO or elsewhere that l know Of .
i is henious offense. II is one that
s repellent and repugnant to every
sense of consciousness of decency.
Ind would not charge even the DEM
,cratic party with having fostered
t or believed in it or upheld it. CAP
.lause.)
The great mass Of the American