Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-07-24


rather yield than hold them on such
terms The truth remains that if
ever uellVerance is to come from the
rapaclous 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
dltions, are to find redress, the relief
must spring from a party which will
unite the people in defense of the
common welfare, in unflinChing hos.
tll1ty to its insidi0us and powerful
enemies.
Awaken the People.
The oyerruling need is of conceu-
tration of opinion and cooperation in
! political action by the people. And
| now, as it ever was, it is the most diff
! ficult of accomplishments Self-seek-
ers confederate against the public
with ease. They are comparatively
few, their object combines them, their
vast resulting gains keep them to-
| gether and afford the means of lavish
unscrupulousness in prosecution of
! their ends. But the many evils crying
! for redress; their varying injury; nat
ural differences Of mental constitution;
want of clearness in perception or I'M
derstanding in some; the lack of ardor
in many who do see; the ingenious
distractions thrown into popular Coun-
sells by the enemy; these, and other
I such causes, always threaten co-opera-
ton, confuse opinions, and impair the
ConstanCy requisite to great results.
| The last is peculiar peril. Too often
the public feeling, greatly aroused is
violent in movement and short-lived;
its convulsive action sometimes far
from beneficial, though righteous in
purpose. In our system of constitu-
tional liberty, Intentionally guarded
against such perils, useful revolution
must be slow. Not in one election.
but by successive victories only, and
through years of persistence, can the
government be so changed as to re-
lieve evils imbedded in every part
Only great party, animated by high
principle and resOlute purpose, instant
in season and out of season to press
education of the public mind, firmly
patient to proceed by constitutional
steps, capable of bearing defeat and
furnishing intidelity without discour-
agement, can lead the people with the
necessary constancy to such achieve
ment as the condition Of this countly's
affairs now requires.
Cannot the Democratic Party do this
great thing? Cannot we gain frCm it's
thorough understanding of the rights
of man clear vision of the true
source and handspring of those mighty
evils which have become so harmful,
so menacing to our countrymen, and
enkindle the noble love of fierce, UNI
compromising fight for noble ends
which marks it's history of usefulness
and glory? There stands before us,
in arrogant defiance, its natural, dear
est enemy; unmistakable, never so
boldly uncovered, never more fragrant
ly violating the common right.
An Unparalleled Iniquity.
Under the false and deceitful name
of Protection to industry, there has
arisen such a system of combining de-
vices of legislation with devices Of
business management to obtain mas
terry of the people as was never be-
fore seen In this or any other land
the iniquity of which it would be hard
to find any parallel for, unless in ORR
entail despotisms. Their fabulous gains
have won to the management of these
combinations some of the ablest minds
and the best trained skill in the Amer
lean business and legal world; men
capable to draft laws that will most
cunningly extinguish competition and
pass dominion to their hands; or, Gf
need be to hoodwink legislators) laws
that shall seem to enact one thing and
really enact another" and then to so
apply them to the agencies of proGuc-
ton and the markets that every la
bOrer and producer of whatever class
of goods or necessaries they choose
thus to appropriate to their monopoly.
is forced to work within their lines
and on their allowances. while every
consumer must pay an unconscionable
excess above all cost and fair profit
whenever necessity compels him to
buy. Experience has so refined their
skill, both in adapting legislation and,
with its aid, in shaping affairs of 5usl
ness, that a diabolical perfection in its
use of congress was reached by the
Dingley tariff enactment; but the limit
of ingenuity in creating forms of mo-
nopoly enabled by it for public plum
der, seems yet far from being found.
Their effectiveness, already, is
astounding. The ruthless conquerors
of India found in the fabulous treas
ures of the Nabobs they plundered no
such riches as have been thus unjustly
taken from the producers of this coun-
try untr piles Of wealth are seen held
in single hands. won within but few
years, such as in other lands are to be
found only by accumulated inheritance
and growth through many generations.
The craft Of these masters has been
only outstripped by their audacity: yet
even they must wonder at the enormi-
ties their countrymen will endure and
, their patience in the seryitude. Moth