West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-09-03
La FOLLETTE'S FOLLY.
His Attempt to Reform the Re.
publican Party.
UNDERTAKING A HOPELESS TASK.

The Party, Good az First, Il Now
Dominated by Protected Trusts.
LincoIn'r Prophecy OF 'sEnthroned
Corporations" and an ezra OF Cor
ruption In HfRh Places"
Where ignorance IL bliss 'twere folly
TO be wise. In party which exists to
nopolies there Is no place for man
who desires 60 serve the Lord-the peo-
pie. In It's early history the Repub-
iican was reform party and contained
many excellent men. Unfortunately
for the country and for itself Il levied
high tarlff duties OH imported goods as
a war measure 60 raise revenue. with
out intending it-for the county was
then prosperous, under low duties, as
never before or since. and was as
strongly In favor OF free trade as was
England-many manufacturing indus
tries were protected and enabled to OBJ
tnin high. very high. prices for their
products Manufacturers made exorbi-
tant profits. They said Il would be
harsh and cruel 10 take OFF these pro-
tectiye duties all at once after the wnr.
They claimed that It would ruin their
industries IL they were suddenly left
without government aid.
The upshot of the matter was that
after struggle IN which the Repub-
lcan pnrty attempted TO greatly reduce
the tariff and the manufacturers'
profits the manufacturers won out aud
a.. l.
control OF the Republican party ana
have. by virtue OF their contributions
to its campaign funds, dictated It's leg
islatiye measures. President Lincoln
saw the attempt OF the manufacturers
who had grown wealthy from war
tariff profits to gain control of the
party and to perpetuate their protec-
tion and profits and he did his best To
save his party and his country from
such an unholy alliance with greedy
corporations. II was then that he said:
Yes, we may all congratulate our
selves that this cruel war Is nearing its
close. Ii has cost a vast amount OF
treasure and blood. II has indeed been
a trying hour for the republic. But
see n crisis approaching which un-
for the safety OF my country. As a
result OF the war, corporations have
been enthroned, an era OF corruption
Will follow in high places, and the
money power will seek to prolong It's
reign by working on the prejudice OF
the people until all wealth IS aggre-
gated in the hands Of a few and the
repiblic IS destroyed feel at this
moment more anxiety for the safety
OF my country than ever before, even
IN the midst OF war"
Al that Lincoln forcsaw. and more,
too, Is now n reality. humorous Re-
publicans after Lncoln's death at.
tempted TO reduce tariff duties and to
break the close connection between the
government ana corporations, with the
Republican party as the connecting
link. Graut. Garfield. Lodge. Sherman.
Allison. Arthur and other leading Re
publlcans advocated lower duties. but
could not stem the tide OF corporation
greed At last iiey gave up hope, for
got their free trade ideas and bowed
TO the protected corporation powers
that be. All arc now stand patters"
even TO our president, who began his
political life as free trader.
SO completely Is the Republican par
~ now dominated by the protected
corporations that during the last ten
years no leading Republican has
dared 70 challenge their power. though
humorous outbreaks have occurred on
the part Of minor OF irresponsible Ilo-
pubNcnns. II Is rank heresy for any
Republican TO entertain any old fash.
loncd ideas about the rights Of the com.
mon people. W sach rights conflict IN
any way with the welfare Of the cor
porations. To-day any Republican, like
Governor Cur.mlns who expresses
sncaking opinions that the tariff sys-
tom D. not Just right is either read out
Of tic parry or suppressed The COM
mcn people have no place or standing
IN TIC RrpuJiaaa PARTY between cleo
Zion days Any Republican who rises
TO cla.mi0n iheir interests IS lmmedi.
ntcly W rpon by loading Republicans
and denounced as Democrat. n so
cialist a,d a anarchist
Just now tie governor % Wisconsin,,
Robert NJ ~ Toilette is making un-
necessary Trouble for himself and for
his party rs doing some plain speaking
about the rnlo Of trusts and railroads,