Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-02-14
Republicanism, Past and Present.
Lake Elizabeth. Tan. 2!

- The republican papers of today in
their political discussions always re-
mind their readers that the republican
party is the party of Lincoln, thereby
trying to convey the impression that
the party of today is the same as it
was in the days of Lincoln-the same
in patriotism, the same in loyalty, the
same in sentiment, the same in honor,
the same in their definition of the Dec
laration of Independence, Yet how
utterly false is that assumptions! Had
Lincoln lived in these days, when the
trusts and combines and banking sys-
TENS are holding down the people with
iron hands, backed by a republican
administration, we venture to say that
Lincoln, the greatest man of his kind
the world has ever known, would not
be recognized in the republican party
of today. but would be thrust aside
as ruthlessly as that party has thrust
the Declaration of independence aside.
Does any one suppose for a moment
that Lincoln, that honest, rugged, big
hearted and sympathetic man, would
have tolerated the dictates of Mark
Hanna or the sleight- hand perform
ances of Gage? Would he have
stood silently by and seen congress bond
this country in an endless chain of
bonds so that we and our children and
our children's children may pay trib-
ute to money power without mercy?
Would Lincoln have tolerated the
greedy corporations composed of the
wealthy classes that are rapidly COM
ing to occupy the same relations to
our government that the aristocracy
OF Great Britain bear to theirs? Yet
such is the fact today. Do you not
realize your extremely helpless con-
dition, my brother farmer and fellow
labOrer? AS far as the laws enacted
under the Hanna regency are con-
cerned, you are entirely forgotten.
Work and pay taxes, that is your
duty. Do not grumble, but quietly
sanction everything done by the ad-
ministration.. 1t may prove your ru-
in, but that is nothing compared with
the disgrace Of breaking party lines.
You were Lincoln republican in the
days gone by, and you think you are
still serving the same old party. But
you are the most mistaken being on
the face of the globe. A name signi-
fies nothing so far as political parties
are concerned. Compare the princi-
Piles of that party then and now; CON-
pare the speeches of those grand old
patriots in Lincoln's days with those
of the present day and note the vast
difference between the whole-souled
sentiment, the lofty patriotism of the
former and the sordid commercialism,
the dollars-and-cents arguments of the
latter. Compare Lincoln with McKin-
ley. How Lincoln looms up, towers
to the very heavens! See his rugged
countenance, his honest and benevo-
lent expression, his sad look going
out over the multitude whom he de-
sires to free from bondage. His heart
beats for the welfare of all his people
alike; no one is forgotten, because all
men are created equal. Freedom is
the. essence of life. That's Lincoln,
Where is Mckinley? How insignifi-
cant, standing in the shadow of Mark
Hanna, listening to the dictates of
others, not daring to protest against
the evils that threaten the nation be-
cause his masters want it thus. Con-
quest of foreign people, destruction
of life and home, because all men are
not created equal and freedom is not
the essence of life. That's Mckinley.
The old republican garment is torn
and battered, soiled and useless. It
can no longer be worn by a free ma
tion. Throw it aside.
Now, brother farmer, admit tina
you have been fooled time and again.
You were taught to scorn the argu-
ments of the bimetallists; yet today
the incontestable logic of facts proves
their arguments true. With a def
cheney in the worlds supply of wheat
the price is still at the lowest notch.
Reduce the worlds supply of money
and you reduce the money value OF
in tho
too, you cheered yourself hoarse over
the beauties of the protective tariff
Yet today we see even republicans OF
the more independent class acknowl-
ledge that the tariff is one of the main
bulwarks of the trusts that are forcing
up prices of everything you buy, with
out raising the value of your products.
Now in conclusion I wish to make
this proposition to you, brother farm.
ers: be independent; let no one dictate
TO you; weigh we'll arguments on both
sides and draw your own conclusions;
stand up and fight for your own in
terests, because we as class seem to
be forgotten by the lawmakers.
Stand by the principles of Lincoln
even if you have to break away from
Mckinley. A. :.
Now we wish to express our graft
tude to the TRIBUNE for the noble
stand it has taken in behalf of the
farmers and laboring classes. May it
ever continue as the champion Of the
masses. And we can 10 no better way