The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-09-24
THE REPUBLICAN BARGAIN COLN-
TER.

recalled a Lincoln story, which he said
that republican managers of today
have heard. Farmer Jones owned a
breechy mule. One day he started with
his son John to look for the mule along
the creek bottom. Jones, being a saga
cious individual, gave this advice:
John, you take the right side, while |
will take the left, for from what know
from the habits of that mule he is liable
to be on both sides of ne creek at the
same time
The story aptly fits the habits of the
republican party OF today and Mr..
Reeds points on this line were so strik-
ing that they deserve wide publication.
Mr.. Reed said:
1.-The republican party may once have
been an organization of fixed principles
and settled policies. Today it is com
passless, rudderless, chartless craft
drifting before expediencies' shifting
breeze. The crew were statesmen who
sought to steer their course by patriot
ism's shining star, while now CONNER
cial pirates man her yards and weight
her to the very waters edge. The
spectacularistic swashbuckler now
struts her decks, crashes his teeth and
waves his cleaning sword and swears
that he will sweep freebooters from the
commercial seas; the while he know
were one to heave in sight, his crew
would mutiny and welcome them as
fri ends. What wonder then that the
old republican party has become an
organized paradox; a collection of con-
traries; an intermingling of opposites;
a concentration of imbossibles; a sort of
intellectual bargain counter where
every opinion, creed, profession, policy
or promise is gladly snapped for votes.
(You will observe l began my smile as
a vessel and ended with a bargain coun-
ter. The metaphor own is mixed 1t
has to be to properly describe the re-
publican party0
Let US examine this republican bar
gain counter. Side by side on the same
table, each in the original package,
lie wrapped in the American flag
and marked down to the same common
price we find the statements:
az "The tariff built up our great
manufacturing and commercial indus
tries
(2) "The tariff has absolutely nothing
to do with the creation OF trusts
~ All monopolies are destructive
Of liberty and must be destroyed
~ "There are good trusts and bad
trusts and we must be very careful not
to injure any good trust
az "The creators of monopoly are
public enemies
~ "The captains of industry have
done much for our beloved country
| Q) eve will destroy all these com
mercial conspiracies."
| (2) ''The present industrial system
has come to stay"
| Q) "We now have an absolutely
sound and abundant currency"
~ Eve must at once pass remedial
financial legislation.
az "a silver dollar bearing the
stamp of the United States government
is an abonination to the lord.
~ "But rag money BASED upon the
tiuctuating and uncertain assets Of 8
bank is the delight of Wall street.
(rhis may not be q contradiction TO
it is entirely possible that a thing
which would not find favor in the eye.
of the Lord might be extremely popular
in the homes Of bulls and the bears.')
4 1} A war of conquest is not to b,
thought of, for that would be crimina.
aggression
(2) A war of conquest is holy cru
SADIE. anyhow the Lord got us into th'
scrape.'
az I'VE will free Cuba which lies a
our door and is the fortress Of the gulf.
!, (2) We will conotuor and FORTH,
lclSnU uIlOt@oitHtl lHllco oIWttS " vi
Ell our coast defenses.
i a. We believe in TIE doctrine of re
Ligious liberty
/ (2) The sword and the Bible g
i together.
4 ~ "Where the flag once goes up j
can never he hauled down."
i, (2) "'Ih5s does not,apply in Cuba 0
China"
! az I'VE must extend our commerce.
l (2) 1--WE will maintain tariff Ell
) barge against commerce.
!, Q) "Trade with the mongrel races {
Cuba is very desirable"
Y (2) "Trade with the English-spcakin
| white people of Canada is not to b
$ thought Of
ph On this point Mr.. Reed concludes
e E'These positions may seem slightly col
n Etradictory, but they are, however, vel