Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-22
Truth and Logic of Speech Three
Years Ago Applies to Repub-
Gcans Today.
What Will Progressive Republicans
Do This Fall?-If Bryan's Adj
vice Was Good in 1908,
It's Good Now.

OCTauc tnunQer stolen by hepuDucanS
in 1905 when he addressed the Wiscon-
sin legislature and urged the Demo
cratic members to support the reforms
advocated by Republican, governor.
Wisconsin's famous railway commits
sion bill was in process of preparation
at that time. 1t had many enemies
among the corporation Republicans in
| the senate and assembly. 1t was APP
parent to LaFollette and to others
that if this bill was to pass at all it
would be by the aid of Democratic
votes.
1t was when this crisis made it's
first appearance that Bryan came to
| Madison and made an appeal to the
| patriotism of Democrats and urged
them to support the rate bill, even
| though a Republican administration
was to receive the credit for 1t.
In that brief but eloquent address
there were many sound truths which
apply with renewed force to the pres
ent crisis in Wisconsin. These truths
are just as pat in their application to
Republicans today as they were in
their application to Democrats in 1905.
| Bryan at that time said in part:
The People Together in Any Crisis.
ut has always been true in any
great crisis that you could count upon
coming together of the people to
rescue the government from any dan
| 6n
lieve that | see today a coming to-
gether of those in all parties who are
anxious to assert the fundamental
American doctrine that the people
| have a right to have what they
want in government. For years
the corporations have had more
influence in politics in this cOun-
try than they ought to have had. |
am not saying this in criticism of any
particular party. They have had too
much influence in all of the great par
ties, and they have too often dictated
| platforms, nominations and policies
and the result has been that the
masses of the people have endured
! corporate domination until there is a
growing protest that is soon going to
make itself effective.
Foremost of Republican Reformers.
II am glad to come here, because in
| this state the Republicans have elect
ed as their governor the man whom |
believe has been first and foremost
among the Republican reformers Of
the United States. l am not afraid of
any Republican stealing Democratic
thunder. Whenever the corporations
want to scare the Democrats into OPP
posing something that a Republican
| reformer proposes, they express fear
that the Republicans will steal the
Democratic thunder. l believe in leav-
ing our thunder on the porch, where
It can easily be obtained by anybody
who wants it, and | am SO in earnest
In these things that | want to leave
the lightning with the thunder. The
lightning IS more effective. / have not
advocated anything which | have not
believed was for the good of my coun-
try, and | shall not cease to advocate
anything l believe that is good for the
country merely because the Republi-
cans commence to advocate these same
things.
Best Thing for Each to Do.
II believe that the best thing for
every Democrat to do is to advocate
what he believes to be right whether
he advocates it alone or in company
with those of another political party.
And, believe it is good for the Repub-
licans to act upon the same principle.
] have no patience whatever with the
short-sighted partisan policy that il
you can't get a thing through your
party, you must keep the country from
getting it until your party gives It
The best evidence a man can give of
his sincerity is to help secure thing
when somebody else will get the bene-
fit or the credit for it instead Of him
self or his party, and | don't believe
that any man can hurt his party per-
manently by putting the good OF his
country above the good OF his party as
1t may appear from time to time"