Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-03-11
PINGREE AND PARTY.
ANOTHER BLAST FROM THE
GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN.
The Republican Party OF Today Sternly
Arraigned by the Most Distinguished
and Respected of the Republican Gov

Following are few extracts from a
speech delivered by Governor Pingree,
of Michigan, before the Independent
club. His subject was, What Consti-
tutes Party Loyaity?" and his remarks
have made commOtion among the
Republican politicians of Michigan.
Among much other good matter Gov
ernor Pingree said:
I'm late years in our own country
the influence of wealth in debating
| Legislative measures and government
policies Is becoming more and more ap-
parent. In my own state the railroads,
which have never paid their just and
equal share of the taxes, have been
| faithful ally of the Republican party.
They put up the money which helps
elect their kind of people to the legis
| lature, and in return expect favorable
measures and exemptions from paying
| their due share of taxes. We have no
grudge against railroads. We only ask
what Is right and fair and no more.
But they have been undisturbed so
long and they have in the past so well
succeeded in evading their rightful
| share Of taxes that an attempt in the
last legislature to ask them to pay
more is denounced by them, their hired
| newspapers and paid politicians as rev.
olutionary and unrepublican. King
Doodle cries, L am the party and there
is none beside me- The monopolist, the
| franchise grabber. the lobbyist, the po-
| litical apostles of Doodle, are all ex-
treme partisans, and when any one
exposes their schemes or obstructs
their ambitions they wrap themselves
in the flag and cry you are attacking
the party. When they elect themselves
to office by main force of money they
ascribe it to divine intervention of
providence in behalf of the nation and
It's honor. A party which does not rid
itself Of men who make themselves
prominent in it with the sole purpose
of exploiting the people and perpetu
ating the reign of the dollar will lose
its influence with the masses and, like
a church which accepts robbers 1.-THE
from wealthy and influential pewhold-
ers who wish to ease their conscience,
1t will soon be all such and none others.
| have at times seriously thought that
the enactment of law forbidding any
church or institution to accept be-
quests or gifts from men of great
wealth and making them keep all they
have would tend to make men less
greedy. Many of lis lifelong Republic
cans who do not train with the money
power are heartily sick of being oblig
ed to condone and defend the trusts
which have come to board with us in
definitely. The question is to-day, do
half fares on railroads and contribu-
tions to churches and institutions in
fiuence the clergy to deal gently with
great wrongs? Franchises, grants and
special privileges are obtained by main
force of money, and the money wrong
fully obtained in legally swindling peo-
pie out of their own is then used to
bride their servants Money is taken
each year out of the pockets of the
producers and goes to swell the corrup-
tior of the privileged few; more than
enough to keep in comfort and happi-
ness every struggling poor family in
the land.
"No party can afford to call man
traitor because he does not say amen
to abuses which exist in his party. 1t
is the duty Of every one to criticise the
leader in the party who is open to crti-
cism. A few politicians do not consti-
tute a party"