Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-17

defeated four years ago only by the nal
| rowest of margins, patty thousand in q
single state. Even this was the result Sf
false pretense and fraud and a political
accident against which no human fore
sight could provide. Having been long
in power the democrats charged upon Us
all forms of occupation, brazenly declar-
ed that the books and records we're
fraudulently kept and that the money
claimed was not in the treasury. They
promised that with their accession 90
power times would be easier, money more
plentiful, wages higher ano taxes lower.
Now the people see that every change has
been disproved, and every pledge been
broken. The light has been turned on
the books have been examined and found
correct-the money has been counted, and
it was all there. Times are no better, the
products of the farmer and the wages of
the la5Orer are no higher, and taxation
has gone on introduced. Mr.. Cleveland
promised, if elected, an improved civil
service, that public Office should ne made a
public trust, and that fitness and efficiency,
rather than political belief and activity,
shOu be the tests for retention in and
appointment to Office. These were the
promises. Now look at the fulilments
IN the early days Of the administration
every disreputable scheme was resorted
to gain pretense for removing republic
cans. Wisconsin's dissingu ished civil
service representative in the cabinet-Re-
former Villas invented the cunning term
offensive partisan" that trivial charges
might be trumped up against republicans
! TO make a pretsnse for their dismissal
from Office. In these later days no
apologies have been made, all pretense
of CIVIL service has been abandoned, aud
the president pbrsues the policy of the
spokesman without palliation or excuse.
Mr.. Cleveland with grave, and what now
is shown to have been hypocritical
solemnity, descanted upon the evils of a
second presidential term, and virtually
promised the people that he would never
seek re election Yet now we see him
employing all the vast patronage of his
great office, and invoking all the aids of
the party machinery to continue IL
power.
Gentleman, the people are not blind,
and they will not long let such treachery
and hypocris- go unrebuked.
/ Rave not time to discuss, | can only
mention the issues that are presented.
| that surround our prosperity TO be
broken down? Is labor here, III this free
| land of unlimited richness and resources,
toward which the eyes of the struggling
poor IN all the world are tarned, is labor
here to be degraded ard impoverished?
[ answer no. Our industries must be pro-
tected and our people paid. Americans
must take care of America. Taxation
| nst h IN rs ct i'm tbe
burdens of government must be mainly
imposed upon those best able to bear
! them capital must have fair protection
and labor ample pay-trusts, monopo-
lies and combinations of every kind to
extort illegltimate profits must be crush
ed. patriotic and intelligent revision
of the tariff laws must be made. Then
will thrift wait upon effort and prospc rity
follow enter prise and toll. Then will we
build up great and independent and
prosperous nstiOn that will furnish good
wages to the labOrer, a sure market to
the farmer and honest profits to capital.
The republican party was born in the
struggle for equal rights, and it is pledg-
ed to the protection OF every man, no
matter wheat his position or calling. 1t
was born to give men liberty and make
labor free, and it will not die until the
peoples rights are thoroughly intrenched
in the policy of the nation.
Tho democratic party holds to-day
within its fraudulent grasp several states.
Their verdict is already made up. It
makes no difference what platforms are
adopted or what candidates ara placed in
nomination, their returns will show demo
cratic majorities. You all know, every
intelligent man in the nation knows, that
to bring about this state of affairs, that
fraud and intimidation have been prac-
ticed, that murders have been committed
ard the ballot debauched. And yet we
are told we must not talk about this, that
it is reviving unpleasant questions, and
will postpone the day of reconciliation
and fraternity. I do not understand that
political philosophy that requires that
upon the questions growing out of the
war the djsloyal sections must be KEPT
solid and the loyal states divided. I be
lieve that until the laws are enforced and
all men given equal protection in the
exercise of their legal rights, that solid
north should face solid south. I have
only contempt for that political coward
ice that dare not tell the truth for fear
of criticism or rid1cue.
Only the other day l sat in the senate