Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-23
FROM TIE
COMMONER
MIR. BRYAN,S PAPER
II R VOTER.

THE FIRST VOTER.
Young man, great responsibility At
taches to your first vote. AS you be-
gin, SO you are likely to continue. The
momentum that carries you into q
party at he beginning of your politi-
cal life is apt to keep you in that
party unless some conyulsion shakes
you out of it. Start right, and in
order that you may start right. exam
Inc the principles of the parties and
the policies which they advocate.
There are two great party organiza-
lions in the United States, one so
years old, and the other more than q
century old. The Republican party
has been in power almost u~ninterrupt-
eddy for more than half a century, and
under Its reign abuses have grown up
which threaten the perpetuity Of the
government and endanger our civil
1zation. So great are these abuses
that Republican reformers are now
pointing out that something must be
done-and what can be done? The
first thing is to undo the things that
have been done, and the party to
undo these abuses is not the party
which has done them, but the party
which has protested against these
abuses and pointed out remedies.
The Republican party has turned
the taxing power owe to private indi-
viduals; it has allowed monopolies to
grow up and assume control Of the
Industries of the country by granting
privileges by law and by giving immu-
nifty to the large violators of the law;
the Republican party has permitted
the fortunes Of the predatory rich to
become so large that government is
corrupted, politics debauched and
business polluted.
The Democratic party proposes to
withdraw the taxing power from pri-
vate hands. to SO legislate as to make
9 private monopoly impossible, and to
enforce the law without discrimina-
ton. 1t proposes to protect legitimate.
wealth and punish those who attempt
to plumber the public for private gain.
On which side do you stand, young
man? Are you with the masses in
their effort to restore the government
to Its old foundation and make 1t q
government of the people, for the peo-
pie and by the people. or are you with
the Republican leaders in their eff
fort to perpetuate the party in power
by selling immunity in return for
campaign contributions?
There are always two parties in the
country, and one is necessarily nearer
to the people than the other. In this
country the Democratic party is neal
er to the people than the Republican
party. It's leaders have more faith
In the people and are more anxious to
keep the government under the con-
troll of the people. Take the election
OF United States senators by the peo-
pie as a test. The Democrats want
to give to the voters a chance to elect
and to control their representatives In.
the United States senate The DEM
ocratic party in the house of repre-
for the submission of the necessary
constitutional amendment. They did
this eight years before any Repub-
lican congress did it. The Democratic
party has thrice demanded this re-
form in its national platform. The
Republican party has not done SO.
Why do Democratic leaders insist
upon this reform and Republican lead
ers oppose it? There can be but one
answer-the Democratic party is near
er to the people than the Republican
party. Young man. will you stand.
with the people or against them?
The answer to this question affects
your country. II you are with the
people your influence, be 1t great or
small, will hasten their victory. II
you are against the people, your in
fuence may retard that victory. But
while in the first instance it is your
country that may gain or lose by
your action, you must remember that
In the long run your own position in
politics will depend upon your con-
duct. You cannot fool the people al
ways. You may lead them gstray IL
you dare, but they will punish O
when they find you out. You may
work for the people without their rec.
ognizing it at first, but you can trust
them to discover the character Of your
work and to reward you accordingly.
II all the men guilty of trust connec.
tons We're retired from active partici-