Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-24
From the Honorable William F.
Villas.
ON THE SINS OF REPUBLICANS
Mr.. Villas Thinks Everything Is Going
to the Rowwows and Only Democrat
ic Harmony Can Save the Universe
His Views on Party Harmony.

MllWduhGe, July l.-NDS AoooSio.Su
Press)-The Hon. VIM. f. Villas, who
was secretary of the interior in Presi-
dent Cleveland's cabinet, was recently
asked by A. F. Warden, chairman OF
the democratic state central committee
to give his opinion respecting political
conditions, the possibilities of demo-
cratic harmony "and the assurances of
the party's restoration to power and
the relief of the people from republic
an administration Mr.. Villas re-
piled today in part as follows:
Nothing can be more evident to one
who takes broad view Of the nature
OF public affairs, or of our political his
tory, than that achievement of good is
only to be won by leaving TO the past
the burial of it's own dead, and push
ing on undisturbed to the great ends
open in the future. 1t needs but a
thought upon the immensely OF the
concerns of SO numerous people, up
on the happiness that belongs of right
to the millions of home circles which
are the treasures and reward of the
free men OF America, both to show the
futility and sin of trying to block pro-
gress with the half-burned fagots of
eXtinguished controversy and to inn
press on every high-minded man, the
sense of duty to SO discharge his part
toward the hopes of the future that he
need never cringe before his self-re-
spect
Whatever the allignments on past
issues the democratic party remains
today the hope of the people OF this
land. On no other can be placed any
just expectation OF rescue from the
menacing conditions that beset us.
Anyone can see. who will see the
truth, that all the combinations of
greed, all the plotters who work upon
the government to win special gain at
the cost of the people at large, are to
be found supporting the party now in
power; for the democratic party they
have, as always. only hostility. 1t
must, OF course, be so; because, who
ever will sacrifice the public good for
private or class advantage can expect
no countenance from party which
stands devotedly for the common well
fare of all. Many there are, indeed,
who know that their prosperity will be
sufficient if it consists with justice to
all; who prefer that justice without
any personal reckoning; and who, if
so allied as to share gains derived at
the cost of their fellow men, would
rather yield than hold them on such
terms. The truth remains that, ii
ever deliverance is to come from the
rapacious combinations now in real
control of the country's affairs, if the
abuses Of power which have put to
shame our national principles and ira
ditions are to find redress, the relief
must spring from a party which will
unite the people in defense OF common
welfare, in unfiinching hostility to it's
insidious and powerful enemies.
THE overruling need is of concen-
tration of opinion and in cooperation
In political action by the people.
Under the false and deceitful name
of protection to industry, there has
arisen such system of combining de-
vices of legislation with the vices of
BUSINESS management to obtain mas
terry of the people as was never before
iquity of which it would be hard to
find any parallel for, unless in oriental
countries.
AT the pace the movement has at
tanned, it can be but few years, if it
go unchecked, before substantially the
entire range of manufacture. mining,
trade and transportation will stand
composed OF few masters and mil
lions of employees, the latter constrain-
ed to trade only at what may be called
practically 'company's stores and all
agriculture will be helplessly ensnar-
er, as it already is to no small extent.
Liberty in the pursuit of livelihood
will well nigh have disappeared, for,
with the devices of our modern inven-
ton, it is unnecessary longer to man
acle the condemned with ball and
chains.
"The people must aim their stroke
at the root of the poisonous tree 1t is
idle to complain of mere incidents, to
merely attack particular evils, to be-
gin lawsuits against some special con-
spiracy. The policy of the illustrious
Grant, whose objective was not the
capture of towns or the subjugation of
districts, but the destruction of the ar
mics of secession, must be ours in the
intending conflict. The victory to be
won, which alone is worth winning, is
the overthrow of the grand central
governing conspiracy of protection.