The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-05
THE PARTY RECORD AND HOPES.

The PAKII RECORD AND HOPES.
The announcement comes from Wash
lngton that the rate bill has reached
the point where an agreement between
the chief executive and congress is
possible and that a bill entirely salts
factory to all parties concerned will
be the result.
That there will be cries of treachery
from the hysterical partisan press is
certain. 1t will be charged in all prob
ability that the railroads finally dictat-
ed the terms upon which the bill
might become a law. The same charge
would have been made had congress
passed law placing them under
governmental ownership. But with
this we are not now concerned.
The fact that the legislation will be
another page in the history of the
republican party is an indisputable
evidence of the ability of that party
to administer the affairs of the nation
with calmness and deliberation. and to
help the entire people.
Already the minority party has laid
claim to the honor This is nothing
new for it. 1t has claimed all the i'm
portant legislation enacted in the last
quarter of century except the tariff
law known as the Wilson German tariff
bill. which was enacted during the only
time since 1860 when they had the
power to place law upon the statute
books.
One thing for which the republican
party may we'll feel proud is the fact
that when passions and prejudices
have ragged highest it has stood calm
and unflinching. over looking to the
best interests of the people as they
should be determined by the modify
ing influences of time.
The republican party has never
placed law upon the statute books
of the nation that it had cause to re-
greet. 1t has enacted laws which
changed conditions. have made neces-
sary to repeal, but never one which it
was necessary to apologize for
COntrasted with this record that Of
oh tD1,
absurd is the claim set forth by 1t at
the present time.
When it came into power at the
second election Of Mr. Cleveland there
had become manifest a desire with
many people to have change. Many of
them did not assign a reason for the
desire more than that the proposition
was new, and they desired to see a
change. The party offered them a
panacea in the form of free trade. 1t
looked desirable because only one side
was presented. The party was swept
into power, and an attempt was made
to put the platform into law.
William L. Wilson, who had been
elected for twelve years in republican
congressional district because of his
high character and personal integrity,
was made chairman of the committee
on ways and means, and he at once
tNAu ha <>r r1p liza; =.
measure which afterward bore his
name
But with all its loud professions of
fidelity to principle, the party had
those in high places whose pocket book
would be affected by the law. Henry
G. Davis, who was the late democratic
candidate for vice president, was a
large owner of coal mines. Coal was
put on the free list and Mr. Davis knew
that his business would be ruined. He
demanded protection on this article
and he got it. Two years later he
bottled the democratic party and Sc
cured the defeat of Mr. Wilson for con-
gress.
The bill which was finally passed
was pronounced by democratic presi-
dent az an act of perfidy, and the
democratic party has been trying to
deny the responsibility ever since.
The party now hopes, however, that
It may secure the credit of the rate
legislation and on the strength of the
same may ride into power in the next
presidential election.
It has in the late campaigns set up
issues of its own making which it
claimed must be accepted else. the
nation must fall In ruins. They have
proven false prophets. however. and
Il Il now incumbent on the party to
And new and better one than has
bsen done in the past
II the people can be made to believe
lat the rate bill d the work Of its ]