The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-01-31
Both OF the Old Parties are Dodging
the Main Issues

Both of the Old Parties are Dodging
the Main Issues
In one of our weekly papers re-
Gently appeared an article headed
1.-The World Dodgers" This article,
however, referred to the New York
World, but taken in its broadcast sense
it seems quite appropriate to the con-
ditions that exist today, especially SO
in our political world, for both the
republican and democratic parties
seem to be lodging the main issues
that now confront us. The Progress
sive republicans and Progressive dem
ocrats are working along the right
lines, but they use too much policy;
or are too timid and afraid to grapple
the real issues of the day bare handed
and without gloves. More radical
changes in our governmental system
must be advocated, and it should be
done before our next presidential
election. There must be new party
with a new name, and 1 think the
Progressive republicans and Progress
sive democrats should form this par
ty, and their platform should be
based upon equal rights to all, and
special privileges to none.
1t must not be policy party" but
q party founded upon eternal right
and Righteousness. Now / will give
you a brief sketch of the principles
and the issues 1 think this new party
should inaugurate; also a name for it.
In the first place, let us consider the
land; for land is the source of all
wealth; we cannot live without it any
ho xrrttb oir
breathe; neither can we enjoy the full
est measure of freedom that our Gre
ator endowed us with without it;
hence we have a God-given or in
herent right to enough OF this earth
to support ourselves upon and any
manmade laws that rob us of these
inherent rights are very unjust.
/ believe, however, in the individual
ownership Of land, and good healthy
Family Unit to build our govern
ment upon, for all republican forms
OF government spring from the family
unit, and the better the family, the
better the government will be- But it
Is not right for one man to own all
the land his money will buy; for In
doing so he would be intruding upon
the inherent rights Of others; and be-
lieve q graduated tax should be placed
on all land. where the ownership ex-
ceeds $40 acres, and this would even
tually make a much more even dis
tribution of the land and enable near
ly all to have q home of their own
and work for themselves instead of
working for others. This would make
our families much more stable and re-
sourceful; modify our labor troubles
and give solidity and dignity to our
government. There should also be
tax on all incomes, and a graduation
tax after the income exceeds $4,000
q year. The object would be to con-
troll great wealth; for great wealth in
the hands of few is dangerous to
the welfare Of any government and
has been from all time. 1t seems to
me that such a tax would be emil
nently just and have tendency to
bring all of our people UP onto
common level, enhance the stability
of our government and be beneficial
to all.
The money question is next in i'm
portance, and we might say it is the
life blood of our country; puts the
wheels of our manufactures and rail-
ways to work, regulates our commerce
and has very much to do with the
prosperity of any country and should
be carefully guarded by the govern
ment. In fact, 1 believe the govern
ment should absolutely control, or
run the banking business; that there
should be at least $50 per capita of
"non-redemption" money in circula-
ton; that corporate and individual
interest upon money should be ami
hilated If there is to be interest let
the government get it in the way of
tax and the rate should not exceed
one per cent
In tbs way the volume could always
be kept right, and we would avoid
these "climaxes" in our finances that
we have always been having period
ically. Our present banking system
Is very bad; 1t is governed by Wall
street and they are so systematized
and connected that they can, If they
wish, withhold the money from circu-
lation and cause great want and dire
distress amongst our people in a short
time. This must be remedied and
the government must control our
finances, or we will soon be a nation
OF landlords and tenants, and have
the inevitable peasant class and land
ed aristocracy We now see in most
European countries. Now a word in
regard to the railways They are a
very important factor in our indus