Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-05-18
TAX TO REPUBLICANS.
David BUR- c asa Suggests Little Un
trammslled y e OF Thsr Thinkboxes.

u NUMBERS One and Two, while Tor you
1 have genuine respect that leaves
no wish to ''call names"
That you intend to vote the Repub-
lican 'ticSet in June, however. is
positive proof that you have not been
doing 50 much readiCg and thinking
as you really ought. 1t is true that
you haven't 80 much time and oppOr-
tunity for that sort OF thing as some
have. You are a workingman or a
farmer or a merchant 10 a small way,
and IL takes about all OF your time
and study to keep your own affairs in
satisfactory shape, and then ycu often
fall short. Still, you would ind that
IL would pay you to make sn extra ef-
fort and study the political situation
thoroughly. 1t is true that politics
has been an awful mess to NEEDLE
with for good many years now, but,
my friend, one great reason for that
hae been the Indifference on the part
Of the people that has allowed inter
ested parties to get in and run things
TO suit themselves, Another great
reason for the political corruption, or
rather the main thing that has made
50 much corruption possible, has been
the spirit Of prejudice and PARTISAN
ship, or legacy from the civil war.
Time was when the the Republican
party saved the lUnion, and when a
Democrat might be suspected, until be
dIsproVed It, Of belLg little less loyal
and patriotic than some OF the rest uf
US. But that time is long past. We
are all Americans now and have the
good Of our country at heart-that is,
the honest men Of all parties. The
Republican party has glorious rec.
ord behind it; but it is 50 very far be.
mind! That record was made by Lin
coin and Grant and Blaine and Gar
field and others, who are now under
the sod. Their memories belong, not
to the Republican party, but to the
nation.
AS the man says In the story. "I'd
rather have horse without any ped
igree than a pedigree without any
horse" 1t is not question OF what
the Republican party has been, but o
what IL is now, aud you can hardly
help seeing that 1t has degenerated
10 this state at least, into some
thing quite unworthy the adherence
OF honest men. Why do you allow
yourself to be bamboozled? Why dC
you take your stand on the side Of
rotten politics, Of Doodle, OF bribery
of wirepullng. Of defalcation, of higt
taxes, high salaries and general rob
berry OF the people? You are one o.
"the people" You have nothing Il
hope for from "the gang" You are {
fine fellow, just before election, anc
they think lots Of you then. You carry
torch in very imposing manner
and you are capable of being worked
up into tinc frenzy Of enthusiasm
for the grand old party. You are one
Of the wheel horses; and after electiol
you have TO get into the traces anC
tug and sweat at the extra load which
you have encouraged the gang to pile
onto you. II you want to see the
Republican party Of Oregon purified
and regenerated into semblance OF
respectability, why don't you help Il
beat little honesty into 1t by al
least temporarily withdrawing your
support? Let the party be well showed
under once or twice and it win be rio
of some Of the rats that infest it now
But don't you know that just as long
as the people will stand it and kceI
voting them continued power, Just so
long will they consider themselves
authorized to continue ia the same
course?
Do not excuse yourself on the
ground that any set of men in power
will soon become corrupt. When we
become wise enough to try direct leg.
islation we will find in that a very
effective cure for bossism and boodl-
ing. You will recognize this fact II
you will devote a little serious
thougt to the matter.
Add do not let yourself be deceived
by the cry that the administration
must be supported In this war crisis
by a Republican victory in this state
That is all claptrap-bait for suckers,
like the international agreement
plank in the ST. Louis platform. The
administration is being supported
loyalty In this war by all parties In
fact, but for the opposition parties,
Mr.. Mckinley would probably have