The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-06-26

forces which these men present within
the Republican party as at present con
stituted.
/ If there should be breaking up OF
party lines it will show itself first in
the senate. which is always unrespon.
sive to popular clamor In the house OF
representatives the same elements OK.
| list as are in the senate, but they are
less conspicuous. 1t is always possible
in this body TO pass an administration
measure even though many of the men
voting for it oppose II at heart. Men
who are compelled to 20 before the
voters once in two years are a good
deal more careful how they act in con
gress than men who once in six years
go before the legislature.
The condition of the public mind has
never been so favorable for this polite
al adjustment as now The public con-
science has not been so thoroughly
aroused since the antislavery agitation
which gave birth to the Republican
party A number of factors have
brought this about. The prosperity
which began in 1897 gave the great cor
porations more opportunities than they
had enjoyed heretofore They improved
these opportunities to the limit. For
several years newspapers and the mag
azines have been ringing the changes
on the greed Of corporate wealth in its
various avenues Of activity. Commune
ties and towns have been pauperized.
individuals have been ground under the
heel Of special privilege. and in numer-
GUS instances the machinery of the
courts and of the legislatures has been
used to these ends. Political parties in
many states have been debauched, the
creatures of the trusts have been given
the highest places within the peoples
gift, and an era of shameless disregard
for the law and the rights of others has
been inaugurated.
The prosperity which began in 1897
had been under way several years be-
fore the plain people began TO realize
the situation. Then began protest.
Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tarbell, Ray STAN
nard Baker and many others, in maya.
zines and newspapers, began TO be
heard from. A president had mean
while arisen who was in sympathy
with no debasing influences, but who
Indicated Enthusiastically a desire to de-
stroy them. With his policy in this re-
spect from the time of the coal arbi-
tration and the first prosecution Of GER
tain trusts down to the late decision Of
the supreme court against the beef
trust, the public Is familiar.
In the election of last year the awak-
ening of the public conscience was
strikingly Illustrated in the election Of
Douglas as governor of Massachusetts.
johnson as governor of Minnesota, La
Toilette as governor Of Wisconsin. Folk
as governor of Missouri and Deneen as
governor Of Illinois. Ii is d mistake TO
assume that these men are unrelated to
the tide of public sentiment which IS
sweeping over the country and support
ing the president in his determination
to compel the surrender of congress to
the just demands of the people.
1T may be that the trusts will voIun-
tarily withdraw from the contests after
few sharp preliminary skirmishes,
and If they do the president will get
what he wants at the hands of con
gress in special session either this
spring or next fall If they do MOI
withdraw the country will witness
battle royal between congress and the
president. in which the president will
ultimately win the victory.
It will not be tame struggle. such as
between Cleveland and the senate when |
the questions in dispute had no normal |
significance, but it will attract the at.
tention of the civilized world
The president believes that the Unit |
ed States has the moral stamina to |
lead the way Of all the nations in the |
matters here outlined, and, while he
wants to accomplish the desired results |
quietly and peacefully if possible. he is
not the man to avoid the struggle |
should there be no other way The |
president knows that as long as the |
people support him he cannot fail. and |
1t will be his constant endeavor to |
keep that support. He Is now stronger |
in the public confidence than ever be- |
fore, and, strange as 1t may seem, this
Is precisely the thing which those who
are preparing TO oppose him seem I'M
able TO comprehend.
Whether the president wins by CO.
ercing the senate or by breaking with
1t matters nothing so far as his repu-
tation is concerned. He will emerge
from the contest the greatest. of bis
day and worthily entitled to share with
and Lincoln the honor of
occupying the highest place in the
thought of grateful people.