The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-30

posed law is in full harmony with our
principles Of government for the reason
that it gives to all interested parties the
righI 70 a Ialr ana impartial trial upon
all of the questions involved in each hear
ing. But not sO-they are redOubling their
eHOrtS at this time and are concentrating
their great influence upon congress to de-
feat the will of the people They cry out
in defense that the power the people
are asking the government to assume is
a dangerous one and may be abused. Let
me say, in reply, that a proper commits
sion viii not more abuse the power vest
cd In 1t than do the courts of this splen-
did nation abuse their power. When the
transportation companies challenge the
ablntY OF this government to inteligently
and lmpartally exercise such power
they charge the people with inability to
govern. Their opposition to the law ask
ed for is an affirmation that the traffic
men OF their respective companies alone
have been given sufficient intellect by the
~ seo-ol u equltdply az usl transportation
-ilaiEes am sorry 10 say that a rev
Republican United States senators and
congressmen apparently believe in this
tiLlralalioq. Inc position assumed by the
transportation companies is without Ques-
ton un-American, and, in a sense, is an
insult to the intelligence of this nation.
Crisis May Prove Disastrous.
This being true. the Republican party
has reached a crisis in its life which may
prove disastrous to it, Notwithstanding
the fact that it has written the marvel
Gus history Of this country for the past
IIty years. What our party has done
counts but little for it in this crisis; it is
what It IS or is not doing that will either
win or lose the fight.
The Republican party must get away
from corporate bOssism. or it is doomed.
II you doubt this, my Republican friends,
consider the lesson taught the party last
IAN by the people in Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania.
There are hundreds of thousands of in
dependent voters in the United States to-
day and majority of them belong to
slaves TO it in the old party sense-they
may refuse to be whipped into line if con
gress fails to give the relief demanded.
Republican Party Responsible.
hear some one say that the party
should not be held responsible for the de
rejection of a few of its servants in con-
gress. But hear another say. in reply.
mat principal is liable for the act Of
his agent, done within the scope of his
authority, and the derelict servant was
elected by the Republican party, and
when he took the oath of office he be-
came vested with the authority to act for
his party and his party is therefore bound
by his acts.
The Republican party has reached a
crisis in its life. What shall it say to its
servants who. through sel1shnesss, are
seeking to run it2 If the United States
senators who are blocking the passage of
a Just rate law will place their ears to
the ground for a moment. they will hear
a murmur of disapDrovaI coming from
the people. The Republican organiza ton
OF each state should call upon its repre-
sentatives in both houses of congress to
vote right on this question The request
would not be an unreasonable one for the
lGd1OlA That the l6SISAdlOE VINO is ODRDS-
ing the viii of the people is an obstacle
in the pathway of advancing civilization.
The viii of the party should prevail; the
right should triumph; and the splendid
reputation of our party should be pre-
served
My Republican friends, nothing ever
happens by chance. There is a great force
directing this universe and guiding our
civilization Alright. We can not go back
ward; we must go forward. With increas-
ing intelligence. the science of govern
ment is becoming more perfect 1t is
progressing to a plane of absolute equal
Ity between the citizen and the corpora
/ ton. Where the citizen is amenable to
the criminal law the corporation, though
an artificial person, and it's officers and
directors. should be Held to the same de-
gree of accountability.
The Republican party of this state must
not be silent upon this matter. It must
not be turned aside by taunts and jeers.
It must go forward into the future with
the same intellectual force and determi-
naticu that it has always shown in the
past. 1T must again demonstrate to the
people that it. is worthy of the command
which has been given to it. And if the
Republican citizenship of other states
moves forward with us along the same
line, the crisis viii he passed and another
victory for the right, for the advance
ment of civilization viii be added to the
splendid history of our party