The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-12-12
BY w. o. SAUNDERS


of both old line political parties in
+ae United States has faily broken
down. Politicians know only how
to deal with an apathetie, care
iree, thoughtless, Indifferent and
esllible public. An enlightened
public conscience in America, a
restless public recognizing the
existing evils an aroused public
demanding intelligent leadership,
has completely disorderer the pro
fessiona1 politicians. The old tim
ers don't know which way to turn
or what moves to make and they
are deceiving only themselves by
trying to label progressive
thought Bo1shevism and damn
everything upon which it can fas-
ten a Bolshevik label thru it's who
rish press, moving picture synd1-
Gates and fawning pulpiteers.
Both the Democratic and Re-
publican parties are without
leaders and are frantically en-
deavoring to find presidential
timber. Both have lost sight Of
the fact that the American pub
lis has lost it's faith in it's pro-
fessiona1 leaders and will demand
issues as well as personalities in
the next election.
Left to their own devices, the
politicians would stif1e all discus
sion and limit the choice of the
American people, in the next
presidential election, to a choice
of a pair of speetacles or a set OF
vhiskers. Whether the White
House should be occupied another
four years byla set Of pink.Whis-
kers OF a pair Of eye glasses would
be about all the issue for the A
nerican people to decide in the
next election, if the professional
politicians Of both-parties could
have their way about it this time
as in former times.
But there will be issues in the
next campaign. The American
people will see to that. for the
:irst time in a century. A thou
sand liberal minded citizens re
presenting about 80 of the 4s
states in the union are holding
4 conference in St. Louis this
week. This conference will pre-
sent the people for their cons1de
ration program containing thu
demands Of thousands of Amer
cans who are thinking for them
selves. This program will be sub
1nitted to the American people 10
discussion not as a final thing
but as a tentative platform which
NAV be revised and improved up
on until it represents the Demo
cratic ideals Of democracy wh1cl
would be democratic in fact a
we'll as in name. It was my priv
ilege to see a copy Of this tenta
tive draft before it was submit
ed to the St. Louis Conterenc
this week and I am passing it o
to the readers of this newspaper
If 7 am not mistaken, this pro
gram is going to make the poll
ticians sit up an take not1c'
What do you think about it! Her
it is: =
TO THE~AMERIcAN PEOPLE:
We submit for the Consideration OF rl
American people the following progra
which we believe is adapted to the co
structye solution of the problems OF o.
common life. This program is not pr
$ented as a fixed political document.
is mt before the American people I
the time has come for all citizens to a
sumo the initiative and responsibility
restoring our government to popui
control.
The sbuse of our institutions and t
discomfort with our common lot q
reached a point which threatens the L
of our nation The succession OF strlk
the extent of unemployment, the power
in our large cities, and the increase
farm tenantry, go hand in hand with
control of our vast resources by rev
and fewer men. The political democrs
which our fathers planned is being
stroyed by an economic autocracy'
which the lives and conditions OF
many are subjected to the will OF the II
The right to life liberty. and the p
suit of happiness which is the herit'
of all American citizens, is subjected
the control of small group who do
nate our industrial life. And they