Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-11-14
IS 1T A TRUST PLAN?
SIGNIFICANT SPEECH MADE BY
SENATOR sPooNER.
Republican Leader Advocates Elec-
tion of "strong President" and Re-
publican Congress for Term OF
Twenty Years-Would Make Serfs
Of the People.

JOnn ". SpOOner Oh WlScoHsin, Soho'
tor of the United States, Is the great
leader of the Republicans in the SEN
ate. His aduacity has drawn to him
oil the imperialistic element and that
includes three-fourths Of the Republi'
can senator's. He Is the chosen coun-
selor of President Roosevelt and Is
always called in when knotty Ques-
tions require prompt settlement.
What he says must therefore be
taken to represent the purposes OF the
Republican party.
We no longer need surmise on the
extremes to which their imperial pol
icy aims, or to imagine how far they
would go in subverting the republic OF
the United States.
Senator Spooner has declared it.
In a speech delivered at Lancaster,
Wis, Oct. 81, he said:
IF we could elect a good, strong
Republican president like Theodore
Roosevelt, and strong Republican
senate and house, for term Of twen-
ty years it would be better for the
country. l believe this demagogic
tear up comes too often in this coun'
try. If this be revolutionary, my ex-
cuse is that feel earnestly the gray
ity of the situation. have been out
speaking but one week, the hardest
week Of my life, and have found
more of this demagogic imbecility in
the state than ever dreamed existed
In Wisconsin"
Mark we'll what he said
He would elect a good, strong Re-
publican president like Theodore
Roosevelt for twenty-year term, and
a strong Republican senate and house
for the same period.
That would be revolution.
It would turn the republic into an
empire. The people would no longer
rule. The strong Republican" dig
archy that Senator Spooner desires to
see enthroned would be perpetual In
fact, If not by law.
In twenty years those who dreamed
they would be permitted to again par
ticipate in another election would be
dead, or If not dead, and they still
openly expressed a desire to defeat
the strong President" they would be
banished, If no worse befell them.
A strong Presiden. backed by
strong perpetual Congress and a
strong army to back them, would
create despotism, and nothing but
bloody revolution would overthrow it.
Is President Roosevelt party to
this revolutionary program? 1t is to
be hoped not. And yet Senator Spoon.
er is one Of his most chosen advisers.
He links the Presidents name with
his program as the strong President
he would like to see inaugurated for
twenty years. Twenty years of
Roosevelt!
Can it be that this accidental Presi-
dent is nourishing such ambition?
It is known he enjoys fighting and
the glories of great achievements in
arms, diplomacy and politics. We
know he looks down on the common
people, for he has said so in the books
he has written.
Has coup d. etat been planned to
overthrow the republic and erect a
despotism upon its ruins?
II Senator Spooner were not the
most trusted Republican leader and
therefore entirely acquainted with all
the plans and intrigues Of the other
leaders, 1t would be incomprehensible
that such revolution was even
thought about, much less desired.
II the announcement had been made
by some other senator, 1t would be
well to laugh ana think of it only as
the idle vaporings of a Foraker, a
Beverage or the like.
But Senator Spooner, the great con-
stitutional lawyer, as we are con-
stantly told he is, with all the training
and experience that he has, is not like
ly to divulge secrets or make rash
statements. What he says publicly is
for purpose and to help to bring
about what he desires. Senator
Spooner's long connection with the
great railroad corporations of his
state, whose headquarters are in Wall
street, puts him in full communion
with the great trust magnates.
Is the twenty-year program the plan
and policy Of the trusts?
With a strong President and
strong Congress to back their plans
they could master labor and make
serfs of the balance of us.