The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-31

nen,.
 speak to you here in Kansas exact ly as I would speak in New York or Georgia, for the most vital problems are those which affect us all alike. The national government belongs to the whole American people, and where the that interest can be guarded effectively only by the national government. The betterment which we seek must be accomplished. I believe. mainly through the national government. The American. people are right in de manding that new nationalism with out which We cannot hope to deal with new problems. The new nationalism puts the national need before section ai or personal advantage. It is 1mpa- tient of the utter confusion that re- suits from local legislatures attempt ing to treat national issues as local is- sues.
 1t is still more impatient of the inn potence which springs from the over division ot government powers, the inn potenee which makes 1t possible for local sel6sbness or for legal cunning, hired by wealthy special interests, to bring national activities to a dead lock. This new natfona1fsm regards the executive power as the steward of the public welfare. It demands of the judiciary that it shall be interested primarily in human welfare rather than in property, just as it demands ho h0 Inf "a resent all the people rather than any one class or section of the people. I believe in shaping the ends of gov ernment to protect property as well as human welfare. Normally and in the long run the ends are the same, but whenever the alternative must be
 faced I am for men and not for prop erty.
 I am far from underest stimating the importance of dividends. but I rank dividends below human character. know well that the reformers must not bring upon the people economic ruin or the reforms themselves will go down in the ruin. But we must be
 ready to face temporary disaster, whether or not brought on by those who will war against us to the knife. Those who oppose all reform will do well to remember that ruin in it's worst form is inevitable if our na- tonaI life brings us nothing better than swollen fortunes for the few and the triumph in both politics and busi- ness of sordid ard selfish material ism
 If our political institutions were per feet they would absolutely prevent the political domination of money in any part of our affairs. We need to make our political representatives more quickly and sensitively responsive to the people whose servants they are. More direct action by the people in their own affairs under proper safe guards is vitally necessary. The di- rect primary is step in this direction if it is associated with a corrupt prac- tces act effective to prevent the ad vantage of the man willing reeklessly and unscrupulously to spend money over his more honest competitor. It is particularly important that all moneys received or expended for cam paign purposes should be publicly ac- counted for rot only after election but before election as welI.j Political action must be made sim pier, easier and freer from confusion for every citizen. I believe that the prompt removal Of unfaithful or in- competent public servants should be dn ;,,
 experience shall show to be most ex- pedient in any given class of cases. One of the Fundamental necessities in a representative government such as ours is to make certain that the
 men to whom the people delegate thei- power shall serve the people by whom they are elected and not the special interests
 The object of government is the wei eare of the people The material prog ress and prosperity of a nation are de sirable chiefly so far as they lead to the moral and material welfare of all good citizens Just ill proportion as the average man and woman are hon. est, capable of sound judgment and high ideals. active in public affairs but first of all sound in their home life and the father and mother of healthy children-just so far and sno farther we may couQt our civilization a sue cess
 We must 1ave-I believe we have alreaGy-a genuine and permanent neral awakening without which no wisdom of legislation or administra- ton really Ceans anything. And. OH l the other ltaEd. we must try to secure the social and economic legislation without which any improvement due to purely moral agitation is necessari- | ly eyanesceDt.
 What we need are good citizens. Good citizenship means progress. and therefore all good citizens should stand l for progress and must be progressive.