Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-02-03
MEAL BROWN AT MADISON
His Speech in Part, Delivered Last Wednesday Evening in
the Assembly Chamber Of the State Capitol

/ fe.t when | received your very kind
invitation to meet you here that we
should take counsel together quietly
and Informally, SO AS not to disturb the
Iellcltatlon that is so marked among all
OF our Republican brethren in this
building. They have made a holiday
OF the occasion and the gentle spirit of
an enforced peace broods over the cap
ital.
| think that we should view with
equal concern their company manners
ana their lighting, everyday manners.
ineir lights are not our fights, and /
think that experience should teach us
that it is always bad policy to mix up in
family rows-that is in the family rows
OF other people.
The fate OF the policeman who inter-
fered with husband and wife, while they
were stenuously engaged in an acrimo-
NOUS interchange of marital courtesies
should be a warning to u.s. He sue
ceeded in diyerting all their loving ar
dor to himself, and there was a cOnse-
quent vacancy on the force.
We can afford TO let the Republican
party bury its dead, whenever it has
any dead that it wants to bury. Any
such taking off is not likely to result in
legacieS for Democrats out of the estate,
and they need only follow the mourners
perfunctorily to the grave, without even
making inquiry as to just what the
victim died of or what name is en-
graved on the coffin or the tombstone.
In our battle for good government
we must not yield our cause to opportu-
nists, and allow them to fritter away
our strength on the mere ephemera of
political discussion. We of the demo
cratic faith must keep the faith, and go
forward with Exchanging cheer to that
ideal of good government that is con-
stantly before u.s. We cannot afford to
scatter our forces in the by-paths of our
changing political campaigns, that lead
nowhere.
ton and triumph for us, neither is it
time of sorrow and regret. Together,
we may build our hopes and plans for
the future without any sting of envy of
those who are rejoicing over victory
won.
l come before you so that / may APP
propriately thank you for the very great
honor and compliment that you have
paid me. | cannot feel that any such
expression of the confidence and good
will of my fellow citizens is empty or
futile. | may also say that / have no
claims or ambitions for party leader
ship.
With such inspiring approval as that
which you have given me | am more
than willing to serve in the ranks. |
have never looked kindly on the idea of
putting my personal independence in
any official straitjacket. / should have
been veil pleased if the honor you have
conferred on me had gone to either of
the eminent gentlemen hose names
were mentioned for it. They are surely
worthy of all the party can do for them.
If we would build up and strengthen
our party we must not war or cavil over
any question of leadership, but let that
question take care of itself.
Leaders spring up when they are
needed; they are not created by
announcement or proclamation
Political parties are often wrecked
by the claims of conflicting am
bition, by those who sacrifice their
party to their own selfish ends Against
evils of this kind we SHOULD guard with
all our strength and determination.
If a political party stands for any
thing, If its success means anything for
good government, righteousness and
truth, it has stronger claims upon US
than those of party leaders. Our battle
is against bad government, the particu
lar kind of bad government which the
republican party maintains as the car
dinal principle of its party creed.
We are not warning on any faction of
the party, because it is not necessary
for US to determine, even if we could,
which faction is the worst. We are
more than willing to let the two factions
in this state settle the question of their
relative dement's among themselves.
If our contentious are of enduring
worth and value we cannot afford to
waste our energies by urging as cardi-
nal parts of our party faith matters that
are only proper subjects of casual criti-
cism. These things spring up today
and disappear tomorrow. an furnish
ing minor subjects fit for criticism, both
parties have much to answer for, but
party faith should be based on broader
grounds. The real dividing line be-
tween the two great parties is not upon
such matters; if it were we might as
well disband both parties.
Nor should we denounce all that our
political opponents may do. We should
make their wise policies our own.
There is no patent on principle, and we
may inderse safely and generously any
policy that appeals to us. 1t must be
remembered, too, that political issues
that live and endure spring up and
grow with inherent force and vigor
They are not created by party plat
forms They cannot be galvanized into
permanent life by the main strength
and skill of so-called political leaders
They come from the ferment of vital
forces; the people make theirown issues
fret hafn 10
up.
The republican policy of excessive
protective tariffs, of subsidies and
bounties, of special privileges, is rooted
in the perennial greed and selfishness
of mans nature. 1t is supported by
those who are getting its direct benefits
by those who imagine they are getting
great indirect benefits from it, by those
who do not believe in it at all, but who
sanction it because it is ticketed and
labeled with the party stamp and sign,
and by the priests and augers of the
faith who grin satirically as they pass
each other over the success of their
scheme of taking their fellow men; by
! those of snug and timid soul who have
| succeeded in life and who insist that we
shall let well enough alone and not
| foolishly disturb the existing order of
things.
1t has the sanction of tradition and
custom which is more powerful than
truth over many minds. Whatever is
is right, with them. 1t is thus that the
divine right of kings has been main
tanned for so long; it is these forces that
maintained human slavery, and they
have protected every form of oppres-
sion and evil government in all genera
lions. Against these evils of special
privilege the democratic party is
strongly arrayed. 1t is on these policies
that the parties sharply divide. You
may stifle and ignore this great ques-
ton through one campaign, but it will
not remain quiescent until justice has
been done.
Our republican friends have often an
nounced with great exultation that it
was settled forever and that it would
never be heard of again, when suddenly
it bursts forth with new life and vigor,
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