The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-19


It's subordination 10 the welfare o
the people We hear IL often question
ed as TO Nhether the democratic par
~ should be radical or conservative
It seems to me that these two words
from their use In British politics. haV'
acquired a meaning that is not appli
cable here Every reformsr who
would go to the root of an evil is &
radical. Every man who is devoted tc
established institutions and principles
OF COVE rnment Is a conservative. The
democratic party is radical in that II
would cut to the root OF every econom-
lc and political wrong. The demo
cratic party Is conservative In that 1t
stands for all the limitations of the
constitution and for the venerable
principles and traditions woven iAto
the life and history OF the republic.
True conservatism recognizes the
monstrous growth of monopoly a. .
menace to freeinstitution and demands
q remedy that will go to the root of
the evil-in other words, 1t demands
a radical means for a conservative
cad.
One of the greatest sources of mo-
nopoly has been our high protective
tariff, which by shutting out compe-
tition from abroad enables great COM
binations to strangle competition at
home The democratic party must
show no half-heartedness upon this
question. The policy of protection ia !
enable one man to eat his bread in
the sweat of another mans brow. 1t |
is a legislative jimmy with which bur-
glArious monopolists break into the
private treasury of the American peo-
pie. The rigid rule that taxation shall
be only for revenue is the only rule
that can protect the people against
that abuse of the taxing power that
has been the source Of nearly all the
disagreement that has cursed man.
kind since governments were institut.
ed among men.
But there are monOpoliSs which
do not have their origin in . protec-
tive tariff. The conditions of rail- I
road transportation have been q pro- |
life source OF monopoly and oppres- 8
sion. t
No Railroad Composition. t
Every man who reflects that there v
Is practically no competition between 8
and that the price Of every 8
Is afectedby the cost ofrail- t
Dad transportation, whether 1t Ia act Il
RALLY transported or not. must recog- Il
lize the necessity for effective govern. a
nent control. There is not upon the X
'arth a government that would dare C
o WELD the taxing power for the pub H
Ic treasury that is welded by the S
reat railroad corporations for pri- G
ate profit, when not rigidly regulat- ST
d and restrained by law. til
ITO those who imagine that Mr.. al
Roosevelt has taken this question out R
I politics, let me say that we are'just fe
t the beginning of the conflict, The be
reat railroad magnates are marshal a
lg their forces to control the next -
publican convention, and they will r.
,ntrol it, The campaign fund con- ~
ibuted by Hartman and his asso-
ates to elect Roosevelt will be con-
e nomination of a candidate who
III be trusted TO give hem their Pr
oney's worth of misgovernment. be-
Hartman Made the Issue. ses
What then will be the issue? 1t ter
II be that presented by Hartman at
len he said can buy all the leg col
alton want. can buy state leg ser
atures; / can buy congress; can tiri
y the judiciary So says the great On
. railroad magnate in this country Dirt
In the world. You may vote, but pre-
AN buy! You may elect, but can the
Dauch! This brazen boast pro- DIRE
inns the purpose Of the railroad Cla
wer. and proclaims the dominant teri
ne of the next campaign; for If w
rriman told the truth, If he can etc.
lutte the ermine of the bench, IL he
sway legislatures and congresses ArT
power of corruption, we have moth lS1
left but the rotten body of a dead
ublic. Was there ever a more i'm
tant issue offered to the honest
mood of this country?
The time has come when the rail- III
ls-here In Tennessee, as in every see
of theland-should be given TO ant
erstand that they must conduct a The
innate business in legitimate MeaC
with a just regard for the rights John
- A.. hat |