Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1905-12-22


than he that ne was not engaging in
a pillow fight.
Nobody knew better than he, that
he was tackling the stubborn hosts of
special privilege in their last political
stronghold, when he went up against
the industrial and financial bosses in
the United States Senate and in the
name Of the people demanded govern
mental regulation of railroad rates to
the end that rebates and other forms of
graft might be abolished.
If the Senate were made up of honest
representatives of the great mass of the
people there would be no fight at all
for then that body would be respon-
sive to the will ofthe people and would
cooperate with the lower house and
enact legislation protecting the peo-
pie in their rights.
But it is quite generally understood
now that for years the great combi-
nation of wealth have been sneaking
/ their subservient tools into the Senate,
bringing about the5election of men who
represent class interests rather than all
the people.
And when Prefident Roosevelt faces
the United States Senate he finds that
body made up largely of men evident
ly hostile to this popular demand
and determined to continue rum
hing the government in the interest
OF the privileged few rather than for
the benefit of the whole people.
That's where you come in-you, the
the average man. It's your fight.
President Roosevelt is your representa-
tives, your servant. He is making this
fight for you and your children and
your children's children, though it
may be a timid half hearted one and
one in which he will before long re,
cede and surrender but so long as he is
putting up fight he should have the
support of every man, woman and
child, old and young, white, black,
yellow or red in the United States. If
he is only playing the demagogue he
will soon be showing his true intents
and the greater will then be his con-
demnation.
Have you never wondered how it
came about that in our industrial COM
mercial, political, financial and social
system there grew a few multi-mil-
lionaires who reveled in luxury while
their millions of brothers found it
mighty 'n~ . raise and edu-
cate families and make both ends
meet?
And haven't your eyes been opened
lately when you learned how the Nc
Curdeys McCalls, Hydes and Alexan-
ders grew rich handling the savings of
the workers, the horde laid aside to
protect widows and Orphaus from grim
want?
Didn't it open your eyes when you
learned how the CoXes, Durhams and
Murphys became millionaires while
controlling the machinery of munich
pal government as political bosses?
Van Ou SIC tlidl IL was tic IIltD
on the inside, the men in control, who
got rich out of politics and insurance?
| Doesn't it begin to dawn on you that
II is the men on the inside, the men in
control of our great transportation sys-
TENS, and their confederates, the big
shippers, who are getting the railroad
graft and enriching themselves at the
expense of the people who work for a
living and have no pull?
This fight which President Roose-
Welt is putting up is at least ostensiDly
for a square deal for you and for every
body.
That's the central idea in this fight
for government regulation of railroad
rates-a square deal for everything, a
square deal for everybody, square
deal for the big shipper and square
! deal for you.
And every honest American citizen
without regard to creed, color or poll
tics, who believes in square deal for
all and special privileges to none should
= get back of President Roosevelt in
this fight for representative governmeLt
and give his demand on the Senate all
the force of demand of the whole
= people of this republic.
Our candid belief is that there is little
= sincerity in the man, that in the end
ne will be apt to surrender to the pow
ers opposing him in some clowdy COM
promise devised by 50 me of the
pastmasters in chincanery with
rfaich the Senate abounds and
{ We you AMI the people in a
worse cond.t OF then you are now Keep
WON'T ewes ON 1 LIE 81 anp