Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-08-23

1t is a very easy thing to play the
demagogue in this matter. TO confine
ones self merely TO denouncing the
evils Of wealth and to advocate, often
in vague language, measures so
sweeping that, while they would en-.
tirely fail to correct the evils aimed
at, would undoubtedly succeed In
bringing down the prosperity of the
nation with a crash. But it is not so
easy to do as the present congress
and its immediate predecessors have
done: that is, sternly with disregard
alike the self interest of those who
have profited by present evils and the
wild clamor of those who care less
to do away with them than to make
a reputation with the unthinking of
standing in extreme opposition 70
them. Instead of enacting antitrust
laws which were either so vague or
so sweeping as completely to def It
their own objects, it has given us an
interstate commerce law which will
enable us 10 exercise in a thorough
fashion a supervision over the com.
mon carriers of this country, so as,
while scrupulously safeguarding their
proper interests, to prevent them from
charging excessive rates; to prevent
their favoring one man at the expense
of another. The enactment of the
pure food bill and passage OF the bill
VIII a1 ~
the government over the meat pack
ing industries are really along the
same general line as the passage OF
the interstate commerce law, and are
second only to it in Importance.
Reactionares dissatisfied.
Perhaps the peculiar merit OF
these laws is best shown by the fact
that while they have aroused the deep
est anger of the reacLionaries, they
have not satisfied unwise extremists
and the present congress in achieving
this merit has acted in the exact spir-
it of Abraham Lincoln, who was new,
err to be frightened out of going for.
ward by the cries of those who feareO
progress, nor yet to be hurried into
precipitate assistance by the demands
of the crude thinking, though often
well meaning men, who are not acCus-
toned soberly to distinguish between
For Farmer and Wage Worker.
I'VE will do everything that can be
done to further the interests of the
farmer and wage worker; and this
declaration is subject only to one res.
ervation. winch is, that for no man,
and go body of men, will we do any.
thing that is wrong.
1--WE favor organization of labor and
organization of capital; but on the
condition that organized labor aud
organized capital alike act in a spirit
of justice and fair dealing, and with
due regard to both the letter and spir-
1t of the law. We heartily favor
trades unions and we recognize in
them, as in corporations, when prop.
erly conducted indispensable instru.
ments in the economic life Of the pres
ent day; but where either type of or.
ganization is guilty of abuse, we do
not propose TO weaken the remedial
powers of the government to deal
with such abuse The fact that we
heartily recognize organization of any
kind as useful will not prevent our
taking action to control it or to pre-
vent its committing abuses when it
uses in a wrong fashion the power
which organization confers.
UnequiVocalIy for Projection.
The enactment into law of a bill
removing the tax on alcohol used in
arts will ultimately be of marked ben.
eft to us in more ways than one. 1t
shows likewise the entire Willingness
of those responsible for the handling
revenue system, whether derived by
taxation on imports or internal taxa.
ton, whenever it is necessary so to
do.
I'VE stand unequivocally for a pro-
tective tariff, and we feel that tie
phenomenal industrial prosperity
which we are now enjoying is not
lightly to be jeopardized; for it would
be folly to the last degree to secure
here and there a small benefit at the
cost of general business depression.
But whenever a given rate or sched.
ule becomes evidently disadvan-
tageous to a nation, because OF
changes which go on from year 20
year in our conditions and country,
and it is feasible to change this rate
or schedule without too much disio,
eating of the system, itw Ill b. done;
while a general revision of the rates
and schedules will be undertaken