Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-08-11

oAAEl Il 81 QSSlS III W DlEA l11S AeNPAO7
lican party attempted to greatly re-
duce the tariff and the manufacturers
profits, the manufacturers won out,
and from that day to this they have
had control of the Republican party,
and have, by virtue of their contribu-
tons to its campaign funds, dictated
its legislative measures. President
Lincoln saw the attempt of the manu-
facturers, who had grown wealthy
from war tariff profits, to gain control
of the party and to perpetuate their
protection and profits, and he did his
best to save his party and his coun-
try from such an unholy alliance with
greedy corporations 1t was then that
he said
Eyes, we may all congratulate our
selves that this cruel war is nearing
Its close. 1t has cost a vast amount
of treasure and blood 1t has indeed
been a trying hour for the republic.
But l see a crisis approaching which
unnerves me and causes me to trem-
BILE for the safety of my country. AS
a result of the war, corporations have
been enthroned an era of corruption
will follow in nigh places, and the
money power will seek to prolong Its
reign by working on the prejudices OF
the people until all wealth is aggre-
gated in the hands of a few and the
republic is destroyed. I feel at this
moment more anxiety for the safety
Of my country than ever before, even
In the midst of war;
All that Lincoln foresaw, and mere
too, is now a reality Numerous Re-
publicans, after Lincoln's death, at
tempted to reduce tariff duties and to
break the close connection between
the government and corporations, with
the Republican party as the connect
ing link Grant, Garfield, Lodge, Sher-
man, Allison, Arthur and other lead.
ing Republicans advocated lower
duties, but could not stem the tide of
corporation greed. At last they gave
up hope, forgot their free trade ideas,
and bowed to the protected corpora
ton powers that be. All are now
stand patters," even to our President
who began his political life as free
trader
So completely is the Republican par
ty now dominated by the protected
corporations that, during the last ten
years, no leading Republican has
dared to challenge their power, though
numerous outbreaks have occurred on
the part of minor or irresponsible Re-
publicans. 1t is rank heresy for any
Republican to entertain any old-fash-
common people, IL such rights conflict
in any way with the welfare of cor.
porations. To-day any Republican
like Governor Cummins, who ex-
presses opinions that the tariff system
is not just right, is either read our OF
the party or suppressed. The common
people have no place or standing in
the Republican party between election
days Any Republican who rises to
champion their interests is immediate
ly SET upon by leading Republicans
and denounced as a Democrat, a so
claIlSJ ana an anarchist.
Just now the Governor of Wiscon-
sin, Robert NJ. LaFollette, is making
trouble for himself and for his party
by doing some plain speaking about
the rule of trusts and railroads. In
his speech at Chautauqua, on July is,
he said:
To-day great aggreSations OF cor
porate wealth buy immunity from
taxation in our legislatures and throw
the burden which they should bear
upon the individual taxpayer of every
municipality and State Betrayed by
his representative. the individual tax
payer is overtaxed for the benefit Of
the corporation.
Taxation without representation is
as much a crime against just ard
equal government in 1903 as il was in
1776 Government by corporation is
as destructive of the liberties of the
people of this country as the exercise
of the same power by foreign mon
arch.
Let US see if the time be not ripe
for a new declaration of American in
dependence. We are building up colos-
sal fortunes. granting unlimited power
to corporate organizations, and con-
solidating and massing together busi-
ness interests as never before in the
commercial history of the world, but
the people are losing control Of their
own government. It's foundations are
being sapped and its integrity destroy
ed. The gravest danger menacing re
publican institutions today is the over
balancing control of city, State and
national legislatures by the wealth
and power OF public service corpora
tons.
4 would not be misunderstood as
charging genets1 individual corrr.e-
ten. There ar thousands % hohest.
.arless men IN pul &c lie throughout
I tais country. Every executive wans-
h,s 81 honesty or courage, every legis-
Ies6T wac is weak or corrupt, is sure
TO De controlled by the lobby agents
Of the great corporations. Occasionally
by straight. simple bribe-more often
By insidious indiyect means-they are
ensnared and captured by alluring
deals and promises Of political prefer
ment or frightened and intimidated BY
threats 10 ruin them in business and
bring about political aEnihilafion. II
is the close association Of political and
corporate power tEat defrauds the
public OF its rights. defeats legislation
for the general good and passes laws
10 promote private interests
The railroad prefers 10 deal with
large shippers and II squezes out the