Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-08-23
READY FOR BATTLE.
Wisconsin Republicans Are IN Line
for the Fray.
Speech of Temporary Chairman II. c.
Adams ut the Milwaukee Com
vention-Prmine for Mckin-
ley's Administrations.


In his opening address before the |
Wisconsin republican state convention
at Milwaukee, Wednesday, August s,
Temporary Chairman II. c. Adams |
said:
"'rhe republican party of Wisconsin is |
ready for political battle. 1t has cleared |
for action. 1t will go into the contest of
1900 in solid column. There will be no fire |
in the rear and nothing very dangerous in
front Our friends the democratic enemy |
will as usual be busy and noisy They |
are busy now trying to hide from public
view the one plank in their platform nailed
there by the imperious hand OF William
J. Bryan. They claim to have concealed
no assassin of the public credit in their
house. for the reason that he is not eNhib-
tied upon their front porch. They are rails
ing frightful din over what they call inn
perialism. and their leaders with an as
surance almost sublime are calmly Inform
ing the public that it will be the para mount
issue of this campaign. Where do these
gentlemen get their authority to determine
what shall be the paramount issue? The
American people have not spoken. Inc
Tammany tiger is not recognized as an
authority at the bar of public judgment.
Mr.. Bryan may consent. But the repub-
lcan party OF the nation must be consulted.
There is a fight on hand Shall the demo-
cratic party choose weapons and place?
Gen. Grant said: Never permit the enemy
to select Your positions We never will.
The republican party has controlled the
administration of national affairs for four
years. The paramount issue of this cam
paign will be, Has that administration been
wise or unwise? The party has made a
record. We must stand or fail by that
record
Served the People Well.
1.-THE republicans of Wisconsin have
right to congratulate themselves upon the
administration of affairs. both state and
national. Gov. Scofield has served the
state we'll. He has been loyal to party
pledges and loyal to the public interest.
He has been watchful, painstaking and
conscientious executive. He has insisted
upon good business methods i'll handling
public funds and in keeping state accounts.
He has been fearless in demanding that
state appropriations should not exceed
money available in the general fund. He
has watched the conduct of the great char
table and penal Institutions of the state
as ii they We're a personal charge. His
administration Of affairs has been such
that even a partisan press has not Ven-
tured to attack 1t. Every department of
the state has been handled in the public
interest The last legislature disposed of
the pass question for all time. 1t increased
the taxes of some corporations and then
did the best thing 1t has done in a genera
tiOn-eStablshed a tax commission for the
purpose of thorough investigation of the
complicated question of taxation. These
questions are not easy of settlement. They
may not puzzle those gentlemen who chatter
wisely upon the streets or the demagogues
who chatter upon the stump. But since
governments were organized they have
puzzled statesmen and scholars and the
honest patriotic judgment Of every country
in every age. The republican party of this
fot iS ri r:liG
porate interests. Neither has it formed an
alliance with them. In the matter of tax
alton it will know neither corporations nor
individuals. 1t has friends to protect
and enemies to punish. 1t will hunt
for property, and find it il it can. for record
upon the assessment rolls, the hidden prop
erty of the state which, while receiving
the protection of the law, permits visible
property to bear the burden and cost of
sustaining that law. Every form of wealth
except that devoted to religious.
benevolent and charitable purposes
should help support the state 1t
is idle to claim that the ultimate
burden of taxation must rest upon the
back of labor. If that is true why not levy
per capita tax and burn our assessment
laws upon the affairs OF common sense?
1t is not true. 1t never has been and it
never will be. 1t is to the everlasting credit
of the republican party that it has met
squarely and boldly the new questions
which have arisen in the constantly chang
ing conditions of modern life. 1t has blaZed
the path of advancing political thought for
half century. 1t has been the gO-ahead
party of the nation. The democratic party.
as John NJ. Olin once said, has been the
hold-back party Of the nation. In the ad-
justment of this matter OF taxation. which
is fundamental and affects every citizen, 1t
will simply be just. 1t will endeavor to
tax the home of the laborer and the palace
of the millionaire in exact proportion. 1t
would tax all the stock of the farmer and
all the stock of the capitalist. 1t will say
to men who hold franchises given by munic-
qualities or by the state: We have given
you something Of value. Your franchise
is property. You must help support the
state in proportion to the value Of that
property. The republican party of the
state may not do it in one year, and it may
not do it in five years. but as sure hon
est, conscientious work will bring it about
it will make living thing OF the rule OF
the constitution that all taxation must be
uniform.
Stand by Mckinley.
"In national affairs we stand by the ad
ministration of President Mckinley. We
are proud of it. Proud OF it not simply
as republicans but as citizens Of thi:
American commonwealth. who are glaC
that his administration has brought new
honors to the American name, new glory
to American arms and new prosperity tt
the American people. say this not merely
for the purpose of using the perfunctory
terms of conventional eulogy. but becaus.
you and and every fair-mnded American
citizen knows that it is true. The repub
lican party has done all that it promised t,
do and more. The democracy said in 1879
that republican tariff would be a Chimes
wall about the United States. shutting gu
foreign trade. We passed the Dingley bill
amidst furious uproar of democratic pro
test. Instead of a wall it has proved
way. In a single year, for the first TIM
in the history of this republic, the trad
balance with other countries in our favo
has exceeded $500. 900. 900. In three years i
has exceeded $500. 900. 900. and in the yea
which closes to-day we have made recor,
of foreign trade greater in amount thai
in any year Of our history
A Butchered Theory.
"Some one has said that there Is n
tragedy in nature more horrible than tn
murder of beautiful theory by homel
fact. The democratic theory of free trade
approved by some college professors. sa nc
toned by John c. Calhoun Jefferson Davis
John p. Altgeld. Richard Croker, William
j. Bryan and other misguided patriots
has been horribly butchered by the ruth
less facts of the prosperous commercia