Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-10-23

/ aEIS0LlOL I'd MARX adubaI Inc uedO anu
shoulders of the republican party,
sho wing his meteoric rise in few
months to a position in politics that
other men had spent their lives in
vain effort to aequire-the absolute
domination of one of the great politi-
cal organizations. IL was shown how
Hanna raised the enormous campaign
fund in 1896 by assessing the national
banks, the railroads, the protected in
dustries and monopolies, all of which
have been repaid two-fold by the en-
actment of favorable lsws by the re-
publican admins tratioh; for in
stance, last March bill having been
passed that gives to the national banks
absolute control of the money msrket
of the United States 1t is in their
power to create prosperity or Precipi-
tate panic.
Mr.. Williams said the trusts were
operating in defiance of the criminal
laws of the government, yet when the
attention of Attorney General Griggs
was called To the fact he answered he
had no time to bother with the trusts.
Mr.. Williams said congress could z
on legislating forever against the
trusts and it would not remedy the
evil unless the attorney general did
his duty in the premises. If a hobo
steals z cents from a citizens pocket,
the criminal law operates pretty
quickly, but nothing is said when the
sugar trust and the Standard oil trust
put their hands in the pocket of the
citizen and take out from 5 to cents
on every pound and gallon il excess
- laA a
liance Of law. The outraged people
must submit. a deaf is turned to
their complaints.
Foreign POLICY Most Important.
But the most important of all ques-
lions at issue is our foreign policy,
MIR. Williams held. Imperialism is
method of empire. Ia 1877 Queen
Victoria became al empress, England
having taken over the government of
people OF Asia. England had sent
over officers to make laws for them,
but did not make the people citizens
of England.
And so the passage of the Porto
Rican bill converted our republic into
an empire The people had nothing
to say about it. india is ruled in
identically the same manner The
government of Porto Rico by tie
United States is rs royal and despotic
Is IS the government IF India by Eng
land. Mr.. Williams produced copy
of the Porto Rican bill to substantiate
his statements as to the appointment
by the president of the officers to rule
the people of the island, who are de-
privod absolutely of any voice in the
orphuot Of THAR 1yOuorppraDf elfbnnnh
they pay all the expenses of the same.
1t is the old story over of taxation
without representation, an idea that
originated in England. 1t is an idea
that caused the revolt of the colonies
and gave US our independence. Mr..
Williams asked if any one in the au
dience had seen copy of the Porto
Rican bill. They had not. Nor they
would not, he said, IL the administra
ton could prevent, although it is
customary for the congressman to
send into the homes of his district a
copy of each bill passed by congress
that they might understand it. He
asked his hearers to write to their |
congressman for a copy. He ventured
to say they would not be accommo-
dated.
There is not an honest republican |
in this city today that does not know |
his party is wrong" declared the
speaker. This apathy business is |
not apathy-it is disgust. 1t is a |
credit to the republican constituency |
that it is apathetic-it is a struggle |
between old associations and duty"
Mr.. Williams said he organized a |
regiment to fight in the Spanish
American war because it was war
for tao relief of the oppressed in Cuba.
But he would resist draft for service |
in the Philippines.
A voice in the audience asked: |
How about South Africa"
when we are in the same bust
ness" replied Mr.. Williams, 1--WE had |
not better criticise Great Britain.
have not the time to teach the Eng
lish to be decent when my own coun-
try needs the lesson. l cannot con-
denim that act as long as blood is on
the forehead of my own nation"
Slavery and PoIygamy.
Mr.. Williams pointed cut the fact |
that slavery and polygamy existed in
the island OF Sulu. over WHICH the
stars and stripes iloated. He said, al
though the administration asks who |
will haul it down." if he happened in
the island Of Sulu it would not bother
his American conscience much to do
the act. He showed that the trouble
in China was precipitated by the pow
ers, of which America was one. for
purely commercial purposes, and the
results would come in the return to
power of Mckinley in the dismember-
ment OF the empire, and the opening
up to competition of the American and
Chinese labor markets.
Mr.. Williams concluded by reiterat-
ing the promises of the democratic
platform, and asked his hearers to
vote as Americans, not as partisaas.