Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-09-21

pie OF America were so dissatisfied with
the conditions and the tendencies
which prevail. There is unrest, dis
trust, grave. apprehension everywhere.
In vain do the subsidized organs of
monopoly preach good times, universal
prosperity, general content. Deep
down in their hearts the masses of the
people feel that the reins of power
are slipping out OF their hands; that
those who fill the high places are not
SO anXiously concerned about the well
fare of the common people as they pre-
tend to be. In spite of all that can be
done by partisan press, the fact can
not be concealed from the eyes of the
average citizen that the vast pre-
ponderance of all the wealth produced
in this land is transferred by legalized
robbery into the hands of few; that
the courts are run in the interest of
the few: that the law-making power
is manipulated by the few; and that
while both the old political parties
pretend to devote themselves to the
interests of the common people. they
are both financed by Wall street, both
dominated by Wall street. both
willing and the servile tools of Wall
street.
Tell me that the people of this
country are resting easy under condi-
tons like these? Tell me that the
confidence game being played upon
them by the willy leaders OF both the
old political parties creates no angry
discomfort:
The man who comforts himself with
that belief has no conception what
ever Of the true feelings of the Amer
lean people. Do you need proof that
the masses are ready to rush to the
support of any leader who is brave
enough to challenge the right of the
corporations to rule this land?
Praises Hearst.
See how they rallied to w. r. Hearst.
Because he had taken sides with the
masses. because he was denOuncing
oppression and pleading for the rights
of the common man there was from
ocean TO ocean an upheaval in his ia
vor which astounded the professional
politicians and strained all of the re-
sources of political strategy to defeat
that noble-hearted champion of the
Jeffersonian democracy.
The Ali-lmportant Question.
To every American citizen a ques-
ton of supreme Importance is this:
Does the government still represent
the ideals of those who framed it? Is
it the government which the statesman
planned, for which the orator pleaded,
and to establish which the soldier shed
his blood? Is it still a government of
the people? Does it respond to the will
of the people? Is its chief aim the
welfare of the people? Is it run in the
interests of the great mass Of it's citi-
zens? In other words, is it truly a
democratic republic?
From the depths of my heart I be-
lieve that such a government is what
the American people want and mean
to have. believe that seventy-five per
cent of our citizens are firmly welded
to the old doctrines of popular self
government as they were in the days
OF. Samuel Adams, Patrick. Henry and
Thomas Jefferson.
Two Antaqonistic Principles.
Since human society was organized
there has been a constant struggle be-
tween two principles of government;
one of which seeks to concentrate
power, wealth and privilege in the
hands of a class; the other which
strives to have the benefits of the state
shared by all alike.
At the very beginning of our his
tory the two antagonistic principles
clashed. The one was represented by
Alexander Hamilton, who had no con-
fidence in the people, no love for the
people, no sympathy with the people,
but who believed that wealth should
be taken into co-partnership with the
government, given control of it's laws,
given command Of it's policies. and
thus the favored few, becoming identi-
fled with the government, would give
it that kind of strength which, accord
ing to his theory, it needed. Devoted
as he was to the English model ut
terly scouting the idea that the people
were capable of self-gOvernment, he
brought all the powers of his mag
nifcent intellect. and of his indOmita-
bic energy, to the introduction of
measures to evolve the moneyed aris-
tocracy, which. according to his ideal,
had the right to govern.
.. Jefferson's Ideal
On the other hand. came Thomas
Jefferson proclaiming the principles OF
democracy. With the idea of human
brotherhood, with a perfect faith in
the great body of the people. and with
a constitutional love of right and JUS
tice which made class legislation. alb
horent to him, he challenged the doc
trtnes> Of Hamilton, and struggled to
hold the government true to the prin-
ciple OF equal and exact justice to all
men" 5ss2 e = T. r 81
Tonight fellow citizens, ask YOU to
take this simple question home to your
hearts and your consciences. Which
IS the party, and who is the candidate.
that proclaims the principles of
Thomas Jefferson, and goes forth to
fight for the great mass Of the Amer
lean people !? IS It. the republican
party How can any sane man an
swer, Yes, In form and In spirit it is
Hamil tonian. =.$ :: u I .. 81