Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-11-04
John c. Snoonar

come and gone, and we still survive.
His friends ere rot much elated nor are
his enemies cast down There is bit,
ter taste in the mouths of many. He
made no converts and healed few
wounds. Vituperation and buster do
not make concerts. 1t is an old saving
that molasses will catch more flies than
vinegar.
The Senator is disappointment as
campaigner. He never compliments an
audience by erediting it with intelli-
gence and appealing nobly to that intel
ligence. On the contrary, he invariably
undertakes the intelligence of his audi
ors and insults them with sophistry,
demagoguery and clap-trap. He not
infrequently ventures upon misstate-
ments of facts OF common knowledge
or perversions of history. Often he is
abusive, low-down, dirty. 1t is doubt
full if any other Senator in the United
States so shameIessly drags the senator
ial toga in the mire as does Senator
Spooner. He insults, vilifies and heaps
contempt upon his political opponents,
and arrogantly, imperiously, fiippantly
commands or advises his followers. 1t
was exceedingly difficult for his most
ardent admirers on the stage to keep up
a show of enthusiasm to the end of the
speech.
His falling lies in his utter lack of
sympathy with common humanity His
life has been given to the service of
great corporate and monetary interests
and he is out of touch with the common
people. 1t was he who advised the
method of punishment in anticipation
of an offence, and condemnation with
out trial by jury. Government by in
junction is tribute to his acumen and
monument to his contempt for the
rights of man
Like the old Bourbons of France he
forgets nothing and learns nothing
III is a half-century behind the times in
economic thought and industrial devel-
opment. His mouthings about trusts
and the benefits of protection are an
insult to the intelligence of digger
Indian. 1t is the height of insolence as
well as absurdity to tell the laboring-
men and farmers that they are bene-
fitted by the sale of American manufac-
lures in foreign countries cheaper than
at home. In commenting the trusts
and the tariff he would have his coun-
trymen accept one of the blessings of
Jlcob: ''Issacher is strong ass,
bowed down between two burdens.
And he saw that rest was good, and the
land that it was pleasant, and bowed
his shoulders to bear, and became .
servant unto tribute
Mr.. Spooner has lost faith in popular
government. In his speech at Lancas-
ter he called our elections a demo
gogic tear-up," and said it would be
better for the country if we might not
have another election for twenty years,
his party, of course, being in power
He declared that he had found more of
''demagogic imbecility" in the state in
one weeks campaigning than he ever
dreamed existed in the country That
Il
statement perfectly reveals the real
sentiment of the mana profound dis
gust with common humanity. The peo-
pie seemed unwilling to accept rot for
argument, and he tainted them with
''imbecility."
He is the embodiment of the spirit of
the old Federalists. Hamilton said that
Democracy is q great beast. John
Adams declared that the rich, the we'll
born, and the able ought to rule and
accounted for his falling of reelection
by saying that "a group of foreign
liars, encouraged by few ambitious
native gentlemen, have discounted the
education, the talents, the virtues, and
the property of the country" A Fed
eralist newspaper said the rise of De-
mocracy was putting those into power
who ought to be in servitude Similar
ly Spooner calls popular intelligence
'imbecility," and would dispense with
elections for twenty years. If that
could come to pass, there never would
be another election in the United States
and the people would be in servitude.
Senator Spooner is Landed as a great
speaker. But great speaker must be-
lieve in humanity, Justice and right
eousness, else he cannot argue and per-
suade; he can only pettifog, rant and
abuse. That is what ails Spooner. His
alliance with selfish and overreaching
corporations makes it necessary for him
to hoodwink and befool the people As
a eampaigner, LaFollette is immeasura-
bly, his superior. He is more argument
alive, plausible and persuasive. If he
is lnslncere, as is charged, he at least
has the semblance of sincerity, and
makes a good profession of devotion to
the interests of the people. If he would
make good his professions in this re-
spect and vindicate his sincerity, he
will take Spooners scalp at the first
opportunity. Senator Spooner is not