People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1895 — Page 4

Origina'e Prop >sed Law Thiough the Initiative.

The People’s Pilot. BY F. D. CRAIG. (Lesset-V) PILOT PUBLISHING CO, (limited,) Proprietors. David H. Ysomax. President. Wsi. Washbcrn. Vice President. Lee E. Glazbbkook. Sec’y. J. A. McFakliind. Tresis. Tbe People's Pilot, s the official organ of the Jasper and Newton County Alliances, and U published every Saturday at ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUM. Entered as second class matter sit the post office In Rensselaer. Ind Rensttelacr, Saturday, Jan. JO.

People’s Party Platform.

FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES. Flli st. —That the union of the lsibor forces <• iue United Stsites tins day consumiiistted shall lie permanent and pci pvt mil; may its spirit enter into all hearts for the ssilvsition of the republic stud the uplifting of man-. kind. sjEOD.Ni>.— Wealth belongs to himwhocreates it. and every dollar tsiken from industry without sill equivalent is robbery. "If any will not work, neither shall lie eat.” The interests of civic and i ural labor are the same; their interests are identical. Third —We believe tlisit the time lists come when tlie railroad corporations will either own the people or the people must own tlie railroads, and should the government enter upon ttie work of owning and managing any or ail railroads, we should favor sm amendment to the eoiistitusion by which all persons engaged in the government service shall be placed under a civil service regulation ot tin* most rigid character, so as to proven i an increase of the power of the nsitimal administration by the use of such additional govern :uen' employes. FINANCE. F hist— We demand a national currency. s«fe. sound and tiexihle, issued by the general government only, si lull lega 1 tender for all debts public and private, smll that without ilies u- ■of hanking corporations, a just, equitable and efficient means of distribution direct to the people at a tax not to exceed ‘J percent, per annum to lie provided ns set forth in t lie sub-1 resisury plan of the Farmers’ Alliance or a better system; also by payments in discharge of its obligations for public improvements. We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver at the present legal ratio of It; to I. We demaiul that 1 lie ami unit of circulating medium lie speedily increased to not less man J6O per capita. We demand a graduated income tax. We believe t hat the money of the country should lie kept sis much ns possible In the hands of the people, and lienee we d-nnand that all state and national revenues shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government, economically and honestly administered. We demand that postal ssivings bunk be established by the government for the safe deposit of the earnings of tlie people and to facilitate exchange. TRANSPORTATION. Second—Transportation being si means of exchange and a public necessity, the government should own and operate the raiirosids in the interests of the people. The telegraph and telephone, like the postoffice system, lining si necessity for the transmission of news, should In' owned and operated by Hie Government in the interest of the pcop.e. LANDS Third—The land, including sill the natural sources of wealth, is the heritage of the people. smd should not lie monopolized for speculative purposes, mid alien ownership of land should he prohibited. All lands now held by railroads and oilier corporations in excess of tbeir aitual n m Is Hud all lauds now owned by aliens should he reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only. SUPPLEMENTARY RESOLUTIONS. WHF.rsEAS. Other questions have been presented for our consideration, we hereby submit the following. not as a part of the platform of the People's Party, but as resolutions expressive of t lie convent ion. Resolved. That we demand a free hallo stud si fair count in sill elect ions and pledge ourselves to secure it to every legal voter without federal intervention through the adoption by the States of tlie unperverted Australian or secret ballot system. Resolved. That the revenue derived from si graduated income tax should be applied to the reduction of thy burden of taxation, now levied upon the domestic industries of this count ry. Resolved. That we pledge our support to fair and liberal pensions to ex- Union soldiers and ssiilors. Resolved. That we condemn the fallacy of protecting A niericiin lsibor under 1 he present system. which opens our ports to the pauper and criminal classes of the world and crowds out our wage earners; and we denounce the present incit ed ive laws against contract Isilior and-demand tlie further restriction of undesirsilile immigration. Resolved. That we cordially sympathize with the efforts of organized workmen to short! n the hours.of labor and demand a rigid enforcement of t lie existing eight hour law on government work smd ask that'll penalty clause be added to the said law. Resolved. Tle.it we regard the maintenance of a luge s anding army of mercenaries, known sis the Pinkerton system, as a menmvi to our liberties, and we demand its abolition and wo condemn the recent invasion of tlie Territory of Wyoming by the hired assassins of plutocracy, assisted by federal officers. Resolved, flint wo commend to the thoughtful consideration of the people andthe reform press the legislative system known as the initiative and referendum. Resolved. That we favor si Constitutional provision limiting the office of President and Vice President to one term and providing for the election of senators of the United States by a direct vote of the people. Resolved. That we oppose any subsidy or national slid to any private corporation for any puroose.

No delegated power is safe. Give the people the postal express. The greenback, it must be preserved. Greenbacks always—wild cat money, never. Over production is caused by under consumption. ——————— All men need is an equal opportunity with each other to the natural resources of the earth. Some one please tell us what would be the value of 25f grains of gold nine-tenths fine if it could not be coined into a dollar. Congressman Byran is announced to have an article on finance in the February Arena. It will be worth watching for. The Australian system was a favorite from the moment it first asked consideration; so is the Initiative and Referendum. Massachusetts was the first to adopt the Australian ballot and now she is again leading for Initiative and Referendum, all her political parties having declared for it in their last platform, *

Charity only for the starving, and not then until hunger and cold threaten to demolish the cob house of tyraht King Favoritism. By the adoption of the Initiative and Referendum every great public question would be submitted direct to the people for their verdict. lowa’s 35,000 populist voters are to raise a fund of #IO,OOO for education and organization. Reform literature is to be the basis of campaign. At last the magazines have recognized the money question as the living issue with the people and are presenting papers by eminent authorities galore. The year 1806 will find every state west of the Mississppi and every southern state a solid column for the free coinage of silver under the Poumlist banner. 8500,000,000of3percent, bonds as an interest bearing basis for national bank notes, greenbacks retired, silver destroyed, a gold basis with the gold in Europe,— that is the fusion reform plan of republican and democratic parties. Thousands upon tens of thousands of democrats and republicans are but waiting the inevitable action of this congress upon the silver question to pay their last party dues and join the Populists. There could be no poverty and consequent suffering if a few favorites of society were not given special privilege to levy tolls upon the natural resources of the earth, which are God’s gift and dowery to all mankind. John M. Thurston, the Union Pacific attorney-in-chief was given the senatorial plumb by the Nebraska republicans Wednesday. This election makes the Chicago TimesTemark thoroughly applicable, that “the roll of trust attorneys could be called in the United States senate without discovering any absentees.”

If the United States builds the Nicaragua canal it is liable to be accused of paternalism and socialism, at least that is the ar gument used against the oft repeated request to build irrigation ditches that would reclaim the arid west and prevent the need of benevolent people in Jasper county sending relief to starving Nebraska. If any amendment be made to the Indiana ballot law it should be relieved of the possibility of confusion by making it obligatory on the voter to stamp a cross for each candidate voted for. it might also stimulate “party voters” to discover the names of their nominees if all names of candidates were printed in a single column without party designation.

Where and what is the power that wields such a mighty influence for evil; that induces the great press of the country to support and defend a monetary system that has had a trial of centuries in every civilized (God save the mark!) nation of the globe and has failed in every instance; that in every case where great danger menaced a people, as domestic turmoil or foreign war, has had to be abandoned, while recourse to its opposite has been had as the only means of salvation for the national life, and a return to which has in every case resulted in untold suffering to all classes except the very rich. The Denver Republican which used its editorial columns with the utmost brutality and malignity in its opposition to the candiacy of Gov. Waite, now repudiates its own utterances in giving the following tardy acknowledgement of his sterling character in its issue of Jan. 9th: “No taint of dishonesty or corruption ever attached itself to his (Waite’s) record as governor,”he“could neither be bought nor bullozed, and we have no doubt that he always endeavored to do what he believed was best for the people of Colorado.” The Republican asks that justice be accorded his good qualities, though it was only by misrepresentation and venal newspaper abuse that he was defeated. The editor of the Pilot is proud of the fact that he assisted in the nomination of Waite for governor in 1892 and cast one of the votes that gave him 17,000 majority. Colorado is the loser by his defeat not Gov, Waite.

THE PEOPLE’S PILOT, RENSSELAER, IND., WEEKLY, ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR.

Initiative and Referendum.

The above heading is suggestive of one of the great reforms, we believe the very greatest reform, the country needs and which the people are ready to receive, namely, a system by which the body of the people by direct act shall suggest and ratify the laws of the land. The Initiative and Referendum system would place all the power of legislation in the hands of the people Where it of right belongs. It would forever triumph over the corrupting influence of wealth and king power, as at present asserted in state and national legislative bodies, the dis gracer of our boasted civilization. Its introduction into the political arena for discussion at this time is from the general recognition that our legislative bodies are absolutely dishonest and incompetent; that the members who compose these bodies are at best but the equal of those who have delegated them with power, and consequently not more competent to make laws and decide upon the various affairs of government than the average of their constituents. It is patent to all that the ideal legislature of honest, honorable, intelligent self-sacrificing delegates is but a fleeting dream. Instead we all know that corrupt influences are at work in every stage of this representative system from primary to senate chamber. It is needless to prove that such government is misrepresentative instead of representative.

And because of these facts thousands of our best intellects and most profound economists are studying the ways of Switz erland, our progressive little sister republic of the glacial Alps, and pronouncing them practical ana immediately desirable for each of our several states, and for the whole .vast cation of 70,000,000 people. It is feasable. It will come. But you ask an explanation of this profound inovation upon our American customs. It is but the elaboration ■of our New England town meeting. It is the most American of all our American institutions, only we have allowed Switzerland to carry it out in its practical completeness, while we have recognized it only as an infant slumbering in the cradle. It is the infant now of our proudest expectations, and full of the promise of deliverrnce from partisan strife and professional politics.

The Initiative is simply the proposing of laws by the people. The Referendum is the submitting of laws to direct vote of the people. Impossible you say. Let us see. You already vote upon amendments to the constitutions of both state and nation, and that is considered proper. In fact a constitutional amendment is considered of too great importance to trust with representatives* in a final vote. Public men and measures are now discussed in the numei’ous press, from the rostrum and in private debate; it would be doubly sounder the new system, measures more than men receiving the purifying scrutiny of the citizen. To our present press could be added an official gazette through which the people could be informed of the affairs of state and proposed legislation, upon the plan of the Congressional Globe.

The fact that laws would be submitted to the voters for their approval or rejection would stimulate interest in public affairs and at once develop a high intelligence upon economic questions, and that is more than can be said of the present elected representatives. The comparative competence of elector and elected is at least favorable to the former so that the proposed system cannot be successfully opposed upon the ground of ignorance. It remains then only to devise the method of execution which must be as inexpensive and simple as possible. And here is where the Australian ballot can be used in all its glory, the voter being able to decide separately upon a list of proposed laws as easily as is now done upon a list of proposed officers, and upon a day set apart for that especial purpose. It is impossible in a short newspaper article to enter into the details of so important and radical a proposition as the Initiative and Referendum, for to fully comprehend its beauties one should give the matter careful thought, and study the practical working of the system in Switzerland. Elaborate on our New England town meeting, where nearly 1,000 voters assemble in a body and transact business in the usual legislative way

aggregating #50.000 and forty or more counts in a single day. Consider that a country where the people originate or propose the laws, and then vote upon their adoption, would be a pure democracy; the officeis would in truth be but the servants of the masses, their clerks so to speak.

The Average Argument.

The following excerpts from a leading democratic journal of Indiana is amusingly forceful when properly analyzed: -Jf the leaders want to keep the Democratic party intact, they should keep It clear of entangling alliances with tlie Populists." It is too late now to talk about the “infract” busines and of the “entangling alliances” the populists have had enough; it is advice wasted on that score. "Most democrats are democrats from principles and not for spoils, and such men can never be led far away from the landmarks of the party as laid down by the Jeffersons and Jacksons of tlie organizations. That is a secret of the growth of the populist party and of the decadence of the democratic or ganization. They refused to be led away from the precepts of those sterling defenders of the people. • “Nearly every idea the populists have is socialistic or paternalistic in its conception and intent, and democratic leaders ougiit to know better than to suppose the intelligent believers In the democratic theory of government will ever follow a course directly opposite to tlie one of all their traditions and beliefs.” Pardon please, but if it is not sacriligeous, pray what is the democratic theory of government, and in what respect does the socialistic financial ideas of the populists differ from the ideas of Old Hickory and Jefferson? Where is the proof that they were not paternalists and socialists? "They are instinctively opposed to the tendency to absorb the Individual citizen into u mass swayed by a centralized power.”. That is why they “instinctive ly” oppose the centralization of vvpalth into monopolies of money, of production, of transportation, of land and of aright practically to exist, and it is the reason why the democratic party has been deserted by nine hundred thousand voters in two years.

We have just received a copy of “The Autobiography of a #101) National Bank Note,” by Frank E. Richey, the editor, of the St. Louis illustrated Populist paper, Vox Populi.- The story is told, of course, as though the 8100 bill had written it. In it the early history of the banks and of the Greenbacks, and the secret inside workings of the present banking system is charming ly told. The work contains some 30,000 words and is profusely illustrated with more than twen ty cuts, making it the best literary bargain that was ever offered at 10 cents. Bristling with facts, figures and illustrations and con taining a stirring story concerning the latter day White Slavery of the National Banking system, touching deeply the national life, this story will sell by the million and profoundly impress the political thought of the time on one of the most vital subjects before the People, It can be had at the Pilot office.

It gives us that “tired feeling” so explicitly described in patent medicine advertisements, when we hear some babbling idiot say “paternalism,” and lift his dingy digets in horror at the possibility of having such a world quaking calamity upon us. Paternalism, and he patronizing and praising our paternal postoffice, tramping on paternal sidewalks and pavements with a paternal poor house waiting for him and a paternal potters’ field in reserve for him.

Enforced idleness and its consequent miseries is the cause pf most crime and immorality, and it is also the cause of more inebriety than all other causes combined. The establishment of a socialdemocratic republic based upon the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity is coming. Depression in trade is caused by inequality in distribution and the power of capitalism to fleece and monopolize. The theory assuming wages and the maintainance of labor to be drawn from capital is fallacious. Plutocratic “laws are spider webs which catch the little flies but cannot hold the big ones.” There is not as much difference between one man and another as superstitious people imagine. Sociological truths are as fixed as mathematical principles. t ,—i The universal federation pf all labor approaches.

FOR SILVVER COINAGE.

It Must be Unlimited but the Government Muy Gain Seigniorage by BUYING BULLION AT THE MET PRICE. There Can be no Financial Legialation Without Silver in Conoidered• Alt Ertru Scanlon of the Sete Cong ream Probable. THERE WILL BE NO LABOR BILL. From Our liojrular Correspondent. Washington, Jan. 11.—This has been a fateful week in con* gress. The House gave its czars —the committee on Rules—a black eye, by voting uown the order reported from that committee, fixing a time to vote on the currency bill, by a vote of 129 to 122. There is talk of a new currency bill that will get the support of the silver men by providing for an extended use of silver money, but the general impression is that no financial legislation will be had at this session and that an extra session of the next Congress must be called. There is little regret in or out of Congress over the defeat of the currency bill,which had very few earnest.supporters, even among those who were its professed friends. The trouble was that few believed the bill would afford any real relief either to the Treasury or to the country; and the belief is general that the currency bill would have been defeated by a larger majority than was the order, if it had reached a direct vote. No bill that is not satisfactory to the silver Senators can pass the Senate. In fact, a conference of silver Senators this week decided that no bill should be allowed to reach a vote which does not provide for the unlimitsd coinage of silver. Speaking of this decision Senator Teller said: “We shall not yield an inch so far as unlimited coinage is concerned, Ido not say that we shall have to have free coinage. On the contrary, I think that the government might charge, as is proposed, the dis ference between the market and coined value of the bullion as seigniorage for coining. What we insist upon is that coinage shall not be limited to £50,000,000 or to any other sum.” Senator Jones of Ark., says of the proposition for the unlimited coinage of silver: “There is no reason to fear any disturbance of the financial world if coinage under this plau should be authorized. If the owners of silver bullion get from the government only the same price they get in the market they will not rush to the mints, but the fact that they can do so will give silver a better standing.” Coxey was in Washington this week. He expected to have talked to a Congressional committee about his non-interest bearing bond scheme, but was compelled to be satisfied with talking to a sub-committee of four members of the House Ways and Means Committee and to such individuals as he got a chance at. He also expected to have explained the scheme to President Cleveland, but when he called at the White House private secretary Thurber met him with the old story about arranging a time for an interview’ with the President and sending a note to inform him of the time he should come to the White House. That note was never sent, and Coxey left Washington without seeing the President. He says he will come again, and announced his willingness to run for President. Neither the National Arbitration bill prepared by Labor Commissiofier Wright nor any other bill dealing with the subject will be reported to the House, unless those interested in such a law shall declare in favor of some measure with more unanimity than they have done up to this time. The opinions received from labor leaders by the House committee on Labor are so wide apart that the committee cannot make use of them in preparing a new bill, and the ‘result will' probably be no labor legislation. Just why the House should keep up the farce of pretending to hold evening sessions to consider special matters your correspondent is unable to see. At a special evening session this week at which a very important bill, providing for the codification of the pension laws, was supposed to be the subject under consideration there were just fifteen members, including the Speaker pro tem, present. The District of Qolujnbia Qourt

Enact Law Through the Referendum.

of Appeals handed down two very 1 important decisions this week. The first, that the indictments against the witnesses who refused to answer questions asked by the Senate committee which investigated the sugar scandal are good and that the witnesses must stand trial for the offense charged in the aforesaid indictments; and the second, that the Secretary of the Treasury was right in refusing to pay out money for bounty on sugar after the repeal of the bounty law. There was, so to speak, a postscript attached to the last decision which was the most important part of it. That was the declaration of two of the three members of the Court that Congress has no Constitutional right to grant sugar or any other sort of bounties to private citizens. This has been a disputed question, and, notwithstanding this decision, it will continue to be until our highest judicial body—the U. S. Supreme Court—has expressed its opinion thereon.

THE CHICAGO TIMES.

Eatabliahed ISS4. THE PEOPLE’S PAPER. 8, la and 16 Page* Daily. 32 to 48 Page* Sunday. No great daily in the United States is so closely in touch with the people as The Chicago Times. Its policy is progressive, liberal, tolerant. The Times holds that existing social, political, and industrial conditions are not founded upon the principle of equal rights to all and Special privileges to none. That under existing conditions injustice necessarily done the mass of the people. The Times has its own convictions as to how these conditions may be amended. While urging its own beliefs strenuous ly and intelligently it does not dismiss with contempt or without a hearing the advocates of other economic reforms. The Times is fearless in its utterances and unswerving in its devotion to the great body of the people. The Times believes in free speech, the free coinage of silver, and radical tariff reform. The Times believes in government control of all natural monopolies. The Times believes in such a tax on land values as shall lighten the burden of the farmer and make the owner of valuable city property pay his just share. The Times believes in the wisdom and good faith of the people. The Times prints all the news from all the world in a manner interesting and instructive to all the people. Send for sample copies. Read the People’s Paper.

The Discovery Saved His Life.

Mr. G. Caillouette, Druggist, Beaverviile, 111., says: “To Dr. King’s New Discovery I owe my life. Was taken with LaGrippe and tried all the physicians for miles about, but of no avail and was given up and told I could not live. Having Dr. King’s New Discovery in my store I sent for a bottle and began its use and from the first dose began to get better, and after using three bottles was up and about again. It is worth its weight in gold. We won’t keep store or house without it.” Get a free trial at F. B. Meyer’s Drug Store

Cure For Headache.

As a remedy for all forms of headache electric bitters has proved to be the very best. It effects a permanent cure and the mosL dreaded habitual sick headaches yield to its influence, We urge all who are afflicted to procure a bottle, and give this remedy a fair trial. In cases of habitual constipation electric bitters cures by giving the needed tone to the bowels, and few cases long resist the use of this medicine. Try it once. Large bottles only fifty cents at F. B Meyers Drug Store. If you are going to set trees this fall, give me a call. I sell the best stock at very low prices. 5,000 2-year-old grape vines at 5 cents each, ready for delivery after October 10th. Nursery one-half mile northeast of Foresman, Ind. J. A, WWPJK,