Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-04-02
WHO ARE "THE PEoPLE?'

agrees in the main. But the pub
lication of this or other speeches
of Mr.. Roosevelt must not be un-
derstood to indicate that the Inde-
pendent favors his nomination for
: president After the progressive
forces had lined up for Senator
LaFollette, it seems to us that
Roosevelt made the mistake of his
life when he butted into the game.
He thus divided the progressives
and almost insured the nomination
of the standpat Taft And at the
same time the hitherto invincible
fighter rode for fall. Mr.. Roose-
welt takes the position that he was
the only man to lead the progress
ives to victory, but it looks to us
as if he had overestimated him
self and that, instead, his candi-
dacy by dividing the strength of
the forward movement will do
more than anything else could to
insure temporary reverse-for we
| are certain of the ultimate triumph
| ernment back in the hands of the
people as we are of tomorrow's
sunrise.-Woodburn Independent.
Here is a sample of the "argu-
ment" that is just now finding favor
in certain brand of newspapers and
of which we hear so much from GER
tain gentlemen who are anxious to-
serve the "peepul" in official posi-
tions. There are some utterances in
the above which so nearly approach
the confines of reason, that they may
be accepted with reservations, but
the implied declaration that the gov
ernment has been wrested from the
hands of the people" is the sort of
in every political campaign by a pack
of socialistic newspapers, and spread
eagle spelbinders who imagine that
only by such appeals, by a show of
standing for the ''peepuls rights"
can they succeed in taking their turn
at the fieshpots. These tactics are
as old as the hills. This cry has
been worn threadbare. 1t is moth
eaten and shaky but it is dragged
forth every few weeks and paraded
before the voters in all it's tattered
and bedraggled hideOusness in the
hope of catching a few votes or per-
mitting its circulators to pose as the
only friends of the peepul" in all
the wide stretches of the common
wealth.
Who are the people, anyway? Must |
we segregate one class as, for in |
stance, the farmers, and say, these
are the people" Or the laborers
In the factory, or the common work.
ing men, and decare that they only
are the people," All these are a
portion of the people, it is true, but
what about the banker, the capital
list, and all those whose money and
brains have assisted in making this
country the greatest on earth? Are
they not a portion of the people?
Where is the dictator to whom we
shall look for light on this subject?
The Observer is for "the people"
L believes in the people. 1t wants
he people to rule and it wants the
government back in the hands of
he people" But when we make /
his declaration, we hope we are I
'road enough to include every man, S
md not merely those who believe '
IS we do politically or otherwise. {
according to these impassioned pa
riots who speak with tongue and 4
zen, the "peepul' are those who
ote as we do-all others are the I
missaries of the interests" and the
orporation cormorants, etc. which {
ney upon the "peepul" and would
end them limb from limb but for
he activity and influence of these g
launch but lowlys servitors of the c
owntrodden and distressed. I
If the people have lost the govern f
lent, who has il? And whose fault =
ii that such things be? This is a g
zee country. Every man has the c
ght to take his place in the man a
cement of government and its poll r
es. At the ballot box each mans b
ote is equal. The millionaire and a
he pauper meet on common level e
nd each performs his own free act Il
his beliefs and his conscience die n
ties. They are the people. You. I. o.
! Of us individually and collectively
rely compose the body polite. the s
'oletariat and the plutocrat. In
,mocratic form Of government il II
m be no other way.
What's the matter with this coun-
y, anywaye It has managed to OF
orry along very comfortably for III
veral hundreds Of years until II is D,
lie OF the greatest on earth. Thous- ca
Ids OF men have made millions. an
lndreds Of thousands have become la
dependenuy wealthy and. while an
ere have undoubtedly been instanc- or
where this wealth has been acduir- d
by questionable means in the great on
atority OF cases. It has come as the
suit Of honest effort and ability.
lndreds Of thousands have risen
'm the lowly walks of life TO Sc 70
re positions OF wealth and anu in