The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-07-10
hands Of tie few tor leyying tribute

clared, substantially, that certain
wealthy men who have become enorm-
ously rich by expressing the wage
Garner, defrauding the public and prac-
ticing all forms OF iniquity, have band
ed together, and by the unlimited use
LOT money. endeavored to secure free
dom from restraint and to overthrow
and discredit all who honestly admin
lister the law.
That the methods by which these
men have acquired their great for
tunes can only be Justified by q sys-
tenn OF morality, that would permit
every form Of criminality, every form
of violence, corruption and fraud.
For many years, and especially dur
ing the last twelve years. these very
men have been in control OF the re-
publican party; they have financed
every campaign of that party for q
quarter Of q century. These exploi-
tiers Of the people, whom the President
has so s%cathingly denounced, have
given their enthusiastic support to the
republican candidates and policies.
They laid their hands upon the trust
funds insurance companies lad other
corporations and turned the plumber
over to the republican committee. The
money thus hlched from the innocent
and helpless, to purchase republican
victory, has not been repaid.
And where do we find these men
today? Where are the Swollen for
tunes" OF which we have heard so
much? Just where we would expect
to find them-supporting the republi.
can ticket and furnishing the, sinews
Of war for the republican committee
as usual.
The platform adopted by the late
convention shows what the Republic
can party in truth represents. In
framing the platform, every genuine
reform which the President has advo-
Gated was scorned and repudiated.
The Wisconsin delegation asked that
one or two reform planks be placed
In the platform, and for Its pains was
denounced as Democratic The con
vention by a vote Of eight to one re-
fused to approve those policies which
the President for four years has been
urging upon his party. The mask OF
hypocrisy has been torn from the
face Of those who pretend5to favor the
reforms advocated by the President,
and It Is now apparent why the 'sys-
tenn" admires Taft and hates the
senator from wisconsin. When com
PEELED to choose between an appeal
to the conscience Of the nation In
defense Of its platform and candidate,
on the one hand, and the millions
that the special interests may be de-
pendant upon to contribute on the
other, that convention rejected the
people and continued its alliance with
EMammon. h.
Il the charges made by the Prest
dent are true-and they are rrue-we
are indeed face to face with q situa'
ton as grave as any in u history,
How shall It be met? The good sense
patriotism and united action OF the
people alone can remedy present
evils. L
70 wage a successful fight we must
have q leader. The republican party
dominated by the seekers Of specia
privileges, cannot furninsh him. Re
publicans who really beside reform
are powerless: the efforts Of the pre-
sident have been futile.
The democratic party must furnish
the leader which present condition.
demand, and he, must be a man know
to be free from the Influences tina
control the republican party. He mus
be a man Of superior intellect. soa1na
Judgment. positive convictions AM
moral courage-one who will NEE
the forces Of plutocracy with the nah
ed sword Of truth-one who knows n
surrender. He must have q geniu
for s~tate.craft; he must be q man Q
wide experience in public AFFAIRS; q
must have ability to formulate policie
and courage to defend them.
!, But above all, he must have, fat
in the people. He must not. only b.
; lieve in the right Of the people t
govern, but In their capacity to do &
And he must be q man whom the PEI
t pie know and trust.
. The democratic party has many dt
tinguished men who might be chose
I as our standard berer; but It has on
j man who above all others possesse
: the necessary qualifications and
eminently fitted for this leadership.
a He is a man whose nomination WI
q leave no doubt as to where u part
: stands on every public question. Il
. genius for state-craft' is shown by Il
. constructive work he has done in pr
posing reforms, and by the abili1
: with which he has fortified his poi
ton. But we may go farther.
. 1 $3.50 49, A> ~~4A&&AN ~