Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-06-09
THEN AND NOW.

IL
posed our war with Mexico mainly on tn
ground that it was war of aggression. TIL
men who afterwards opposed that war afterwar
became Republicans. Lincoln's opposition
led to his defeat for congress. 1t will b
noted that that opposition sprang from the be
lief that great principles were being violated
No one dreamed that the acquisition of Texa
and California was not good thing, from tn
dollar standpoint. The early founders of tn
Republican party thought more of principle
than of grandeur or wealth.
What contrast between the Republican par
ty in Its formation and the Republican party O
to day. Lincoln bowed to principle and sacri
feed self on it's altar, Mckinley bows te
wealth, and sacrifices lives, honor and the
wealth of nation that Lincoln heroically help
ed to build. Lincoln struck the shackles from
tour million black slaves. Mckinley used the
American army to kill or subjugate twelve mil
lion free people, who are shade whittier than
Iincoln's black men.
rs Seward, another father of the Republican
party, declared that there was an irrepressble
conflict between freedom and slavery. McKin-
lev declares that there is an irrepressible con-
Hict between the American army and freedom,
and, if he dared, would imprison men for diff
fering from him.
The Democratic party was considered intoler-
ant in the days of Polk and Buchanan. 1t was
angelic beside modern Republicanism in the
matter of liberation 1t Lincoln had been as
intolerant in the civil war as is Mckinley, it
would have taken ten thousand men to guard
the copperhead prisoners
Lincoln believed that torcible possession was
criminal aggression. Mckinley said that was
his belief but the war on the Filipinos is dead
give-away.
In the ffties and sixties, the Republican
press was fearless and outspoked. The Repub-
lcan press of to-day is muzzled with money.
The Republican press OF the ffties was truth
full. The Republican press of to-day abounds
in lies. Early Republicans had profound
sympathy for the toiling millions of all nations
Republicanism OF to-day rides rough-shod over
the rights interests and happiness of the mass
es at home, and wages war on free people
abroad.
Such it was. Such it is. The wolf in sheep
skin has become the shepherd of Lincoln's
flock, and feeds on the latest lambs. Its lead
ers are politicians without craftsmanship; men
without principle, governors without humanity.
The early Republicans believed, with all their
hearts, that all men were created free and equal.
Imperalist Republicans are gradually edging
up to open advocacy of the doctrine that self
Government is failure, and that the few should
rule the many. We do not make this last
charge unadvisedly, or from motives of provok-
ing undue excitement. We find it openly adj
vocated by few, limited at in the newspapers
of the plutocratic brand, and zealously adhered
to in private.
Imperialism is edging up to government by
the few, for the few, as it edged up to great
trusts. Step by step, Republicansm of to-day
moves steadily on in an opposite direction from
that pursued by its founders. Early Republic
anism is dead in the party OF that name.