Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-08-12
record of the Republican party and
With its management of public affairs

record Of the Republican party ana
With its management of public affairs
we can not reasonably ask for a
change in administration: if. however.
the voters feel that the people. as
whole, have too little influence in shap-
Ing the policies Of the government; If
they feel that great combinations of
capital have encroached upon the
rights of the masses, and employed the
linstrumentalities of government to Sc
cure an unfair share of the total wealth
produced. then we have a right to ex-
pect verdict against the Republican
party and in favor Of the Democratic
party; for our party has risked defeat
aye, suffered defeat-in its effort to
arouse the conscience of the public and
to bring about that very awakening to
which Mr. Taft has referred.
Only those are worthy to be entrust-
ed with leadership in great cause
who are willing to die for it, and the
Democratic party has proven its worthi-
ness by it's refusal to purchase victory
by delivering the people into the hands
of those who have despoiled them In
this contest between Democracy on the
one side and plutOcracy on the other,
the Democratic party has taken it's po-
sition on the side of equal rights, and
invites the opposition Of those who use
politics to secure special privileges and
governmental favoritism. Gauging the
progress of the nation, not by the hap
piness or wealth or refinement of a
few, but "by the prosperity and adj
Vancement Of the average man." the
Democratic party charges the Repub-
lican party with being the promoter Of
present abuses, the opponent of neces-
sary remedies and the only bulwars Of
| private monopoly. The Democratic par.
ty a1iirms that in this campaign it is
the only party, having q prospect of
success, which stands for justice in
government and for equity in the divi-
| sion of the fruits Of industry.
Democratic, Party Defender of Honest
Wealth.
We may expect those who have COM
| mitted larceny by law and purchased
immunity with their political influence,
| to attempt to raise false issues, and to
| employ ''the livery OF Heaven to con-
ceal their evil purposes. but they can
no longer deceive. The Democratic
| party is not the enemy OF any legiti-
| mate industry or OF honest accumula-
tons. 1t is, on the contrary, a friend
| Of industry and the stcadfast protector
| Of that wealth which represents serv-
| ice to society. The Democratic party
does not seek to annihilate all corpora
| tons: it simply asserts that as the GOV
| eminent creates corporations, it must
retain the power to regulate and to
control them, and that it should not
permit any corporation to convert itself
| into a monopoly. Surely We should
have the cooperation Of all legitimate
| corporations in our effort to protect
business and industry from the odium
which lawless combinations of capital
| will, if unchecked, cast upon them.
Only by the separation Of the good
| from the bad can the good be made
| secure.
Net Revolution, but Reformation.
The Democratic party seeks not revo-
luton but reformation. and l need
| hardly remind the student of history
that cures are miIdest when applied at
once: that remedies increase in severity
| as their application is postponed. Blood
poisoning may be stopped by the loss
| of a finger today; it may cost an arm
| tomorrow or life the next day. So
| poison in the body polite can not be
removed too soon, for the evils pro-
! duced by it increase with the lapse of
time. That there are abuses which
need to be remedied even the Repub-
| lican candidate admits; that his party
is unable to remedy them, has been
fully demonstrated during the last ten
years. I have such confidence in the
| intelligence rs we'll as the patriotism
| Of the people. that can not doubt their
| readiness to accept the reasonable re-
| forms which our party proposes, rather
than permit the continued growth Of
existing abuses to hurry the country on
| to remedies more radical and more
| drastic.
Our Party's Ideal.
The platform Of our party closes with
brief statement Of the party's ideal.
| It favors "such an administration Of
| the government as will insure, as far
as human wisdom can, that each cit.
zen shall draw from society a reward
| commensurate with his. contribution to
| the welfare of society,""
Governments are good in proportion
as they assure to each member of So
ciety, so far as governments can, re-
! turn commensurate with individual
| merit.
The Divine Law of Rewards.
There is a Divine law Of rewards.
When the Creator gave us the earth,
with its fruitful soil, the sunshine with
it's warmth, and the rains with their
moisture, He proclaimed, as clearly as
If His voice had Numbered from the
clouds, go work, and according to
your industry and your intelligence, so
shall be your reward" Only where
might has overthroWn, cunning under
mined Or government suspended this
law, has a different law prevailed. To
conform the government to this law
ought to be the ambition Of the states
man; and no party can have a higher
mission than to make it a reality Wher-
ever governments can legitimately OPP
crate !;
| Justice to All.
|