Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-06
CUMMlNS MAKES PLEA FOR !.
PRIMARY ELECTION BILL
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r HiMAhI ISlN DILk-J
CONTINUED from Page ID.
until July q, 1776, had the people held
their power in the government OF man
kind. You are the first people on this
earth who ever had such rights as you
enjoy. There were six thousand
weary dreary years In which the COM
mon people fought for kings and
princes, worked for masters and died
without glory in death or JOY in living.
But there came day when on the
shore of America an altar was erect
ed to the true faith. Here our fore
fathers set up that altar and hghted
the IRE. 1t burned fitfully at times, IT
is true, but it continued for 15O years
after the best souls and spirits OF the
cid country had begun the develop
pent of the new. At last those Two
streams of civilization, the one from
Plymouth Rock and the other from
Jamestown, united and on the broad,
majestic bosom of that union, there
f1oated away to it's destiny the govern
ment of the United States, the first
ever founded on the rights OF man, the
first by which the common people
were recognized as the foundation up
on which the governmental superstruc-
ture should forever rest. 1t began
with this statement: We hold these
truths to be self-evident: That all men
are created equal; that they are endow-
ed by their Creator with certain I'M
alienable rights; that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness. That, to secure these rights, gov
ernments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed In that Dec
laration of independence rests your I'll
tie to the noble manhood you enjoy.
am accustomed to think that the day
which gave to the world z nation
founded on the immortal principle OF
power derived from the consent OF
the governed was, second only to that
day which gave to the world Savior,
the greatest day in all the memory OF
man. The government has gone on
brilliantly, gloriously, successfully. 1t
has added to its territory and has fill.
ed it with S0,000,O00 Of the best men
and women and with the greatest
wealth in history. These are the men
and women who have held high In
We are happy. prosperous, in the
midst of plenty, and this is the best
hour in the world to ask yourselves
these questions for you can consider
them fairly now whereas you could
not if you were assailed by the pangs
tof hunger and poverty.
Are Institutions Menaced?
"Do you still believe that all men
are created equal?
"sDo you still believe that this
government derives all it's just power
from the consent of the governed?'
'The traditions of olden days cannot
solve the present question. Do you
see any menace to these principles
Has this government at this time all
of Its power from the unbought and
unpurchaseable people of the land?
don't think it has.
We have q O coo niles Of railroad
~ inns Country owned Iy a great mum
Der of corporations, but, the sympathy
between these corporations is so great
that six directors within a stones
throw in New York City control every
one of these 100000 miles Of railroad
and in half an hour there can be
brought together in that city, men In
to whose hands have been committed
by our neglect your destiny and mine
insofar as our agricultural and indus
trial future is concerned.
These railroads are capitalized al
thirteen and one-half billions OF dol
lars, more money than a man can esti
mate. l have been trying recently t.
think, to realize how much money 6
billion dollars is and the other day {
friend Of mine whom I asked for ale
gave me an idea that will give you
He said that II Adam, when he wat
created, had started to work for $685.
per day and had worked every day, moi
emitting Sundays and holidays, moi
taking a single moments rest, he
would have been worth just billion
dollars today. What a mighty power!
Mind, / don't say that these railroads
are worth that sum, but they are cap
italized at that. You, patient, and Ions
suffering victims of the greed Of those
few specially privileged men, are pay
ing the interest, more than 6 per cent
upon the baseless, worthless stool
that represents the audacity and Grim
inality of the owner and often the
credulity of the purchaser.
Railroads and Capitalization.
II have studied this question care
fully and thoroughly, and say to you
that the railroads, which are capital
ICED at $13, 100000 do not cost more
than S8O00,0OO,O00 If justice were
done to Americans they, and we, yol
and I, would not be compelled to pa!
a return on more than that amount
But because the railroads have undue
influence in the country's Legislative
3 halls you are forced to do 1t now.
cat Des Moines, right now, ther'
is railroad lobby that ought to shame
and anger every honest man and wo
man in Iowa. I would to God hat