The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-04-10
WATTERs0N's GREAT SPEECH
The Eloquent Editor Scores the
Rough Rider President.

'We are democrats. We love our
country. Our hearts beat true to its in.
stitutions. We would rescue the gov.
ernment from the hands of those who
are converting it into a government
of trusts, for the trusts and by the
trusts, and restore it to the hands of
those who will have some regard for the
rights of the people. The republican
party is syndicated party. Arbitrary
power is Its motor, the almighty dollar
tits trade mark. If it be not checked in
the gait it is going it will in the end
surely Mexicanize the republic.
"Once again in the White House we
have the man on horseback. Affecting
the simplicity of the cowboy, lie con-
cesls beneath the self. .confid enaes and
Isqu,er rdatihers Of the broncho tuster
the sentiments and ambitions, if not
the talents, Of Diaz. To him, q little
thing like treating an animal Of the
navy, wearing the laurel leaves Of i'm.
perishable renown, as if he were baby
in arms, now to be dangled and now to
be spanked, is merely an undress affair
begun and ended during off moments
between breakfast and luncheon. To
him, the reprimanding of the lieutenant
general of the army ,.grown gray in the
| fighting of the battles of his country,
becomes an amusing horseplay, meant
to relax his muscles and illustrate his
high mlghtiness, while warning lesser
officers of the army to obey orders and
say nothing. AS these things go for.
ward, partaking somewhat of the feats
to divert and blinds to hoodwink public
opinion, bill for army reorganization
is proposed and urged upon congress
which, if it becomes law, will make
the power of the president absolute, and
which it is not too much to say ought to
be entitled IAN act'to make the president
of the United States military dictator.
Because the lieutenant general, answer
ing the summons of committee of con
gress-as was his duty-expresses ar
opinion adverse to this bill, it is pro
posed to retire him from service. Taken
in connection with some other natter
Of more or less sinister suggestion, thes,
are menaces of most ominous import.
"But, turn from the White House tc
|the capitol and look at the republican,
lin congress. The trail of the trade mari
lis over them all. Old high tariff dances
the can-can in the house, whilst ole
snip subsidy does the regular cake wall
in the senate. Everything for the syn
dicates. Nothing for the people. And
! not content with their arbitrary powe
in the White House and their mercenar
power in congress, the leaders of thi
7 party of federalism and false pretensio
W 1uld rip open Pandora's box to file
!, thence the black, piratical flag of negr
I domination-the equally disreputabl
: and bloody shirt of sectional agitation
and, in order to make sure Of the mex
! house, they are proposing to bring fol
, ward another bill to smite the south, t
! blight the north and to convert a Ian
: teeming with love and peace into Ian
: reeking with hate and strife. Such
? the banquet to which the exit of Nj
! Kinley, the statesman, and the adyen
: Of Roosevelt, the rough rider, has il
! vited US.
!. 81 am something of jingo myself.
I believe in the expanding greatness an
: glory Of my country. / never see ii
: flag floating above the domes on yonds
y, capital that my heart does not thro
with the proud, glad thought-thatl m
. Ieyes do not fill with happy, exulta,