Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-07-21


Republican extravaganza.
al. closed their doors and filled the minds
OF the millions of depositors with anxiety
and fear. The sentiment in favor of postal
savings banks which had been steadily
growing in this country. became almost uni
versal during the recent panic. So insistent
became the voice of the people that the
President sent a special message to Con-
gress urging the establishment OF postal
savings banks, where the earnings Of our
people might be safely deposited under the
direct control and responsibility of the Fed
eral government, and where no peculating
bank cashier or any member OF the board
of directors could eat up the savings of
years.
The United States Senate showed its
hearty sympathy with this popular demand
and its profound respect for the President
by adjourning the Senate while the mes
sage was being read. while over In the
House of Representatives they refused to
suspend the roll call of the House to re-
ceive the communication which had been
sent there from the White House.
The Chicago platform points with pride
to the passage of a child labor law for the
District of Columbia. Let the Republican
party go further than the enactment of
penal laws and In the name of humanity
use its vast energies for the removal of the
conditions that are forcing our children into
the labor market.
Monopoly to Blame.
1t Is the reign of monopoly that is empty
ing our school houses and filling the sweat
shops with child labor, and this same sys-
tenn of monopoly is fast limiting the oppor-
tunfties for independent livelihood among
those who are forced into the industrial
field, and thus it Is doubly blighting that
hope of youth which in former stages Of our
national growth opened an avenue of honor
and independence to every child reared upon
our soil.
The most palpable instance OF the insln-
certify of the Chicago platform is found in
its declaration respecting the issuance of in
functions. 1t would have been entitled to
more respect If 1t had omitted all mention
of 1t. At session after session OF Congress
labor has pleaded for relief from the abuses
Of injunctions, but its appeals have fallen
on deaf ears, and there has been no indication
that remedial legislation of any character
would be enacted. The olignrchy in House
and Senate has decided that nothing shall
be done to weaken any advantage that cor
porations have gained in labor disputes.
The fact Is that all our citizens, without
respect to station or occupation in life, have
a genuine respect for the courts and desire
to maintain their integrity. The charge
that the courts are being assaulted is simply
made for the purpose of diyerting attention
from the real issue. Heretofore 1t has not
been considered treason or an unwarrant-
able attack upon the honor of the courts to
define their jurisdiction, prescribe their pro-
cedure, restrict their processes and generally
to fix the bounds within which judicial func-
lions shall be exercised
To Safeguard Liberty.
It makes no difference whether the courts
are acting in excess of their jurisdiction or
strictly within their delegated powers In
either case the people have right to throw
additional safeguards around human liberty.
There can be no reflection upon the honesty
Of fho Oatrfu in ha TYaS Of mao 70
that will confne the equity powers of the
Federal judiciary within such bounds as the
people of the United States, through the
legislative branches of their government,
may determine. This Democratic convention
must formally and unequivocally pledge -
self to such legislation as will prevent the
writ ofSstniunction from being converted
into an instrument OF oppression.
We have something to do in this conven-
ton besides pointing out evils and taking
the Republican party to task for the part It
has played in creating and perpetuating
abuses. The triumph of the people can
come only through the Democratic party, for
the life of its chief political opponent Is so
absorbed into the artificial life of the mon
opolies and trusts that it excludes the hope
that the Republican party win ever be able
or willing to regain a separate existence
where it can honestly discharge its duty to
the people
Much Done by Party.
Nor has the constructive work of the
Democratic party been confined to the carr
Ter periods of our nations history. In re-
cent years our party has given signal proof
of Its ability TO grasp the opportunity OF
building up an internal policy, of develop
ing the natural resources Of America and
converting them to the use and benefit of
all that will share in their blessings. This
policy of domestic development which was
strongly urged In former Democratic nation
al platforms and SO earnestly advocated by
Democratic members in both houses of Con-
greSs, stands In brilliant contrast with the
imperial policy of the Republican party in
the exploitation of distant territory for the
benefit of a favored few. Witness the benef-
cent operation of national irrigation, which
had its origin in the Newland5 bill and
which owes its place upon our statute books
not to the opposition of Republican leaders
in Congress. but to Francis G. Newlands and
his Democratic colleagues who labored in
and out of season for the reclamation of our
arid lands under Federal aid and supervision
The preservation of our forests and the con-
servation of all our natural resources were
taken up by a Republican President only
after years Of agitation by the Democratic
party. Is it not the Democratic party to-
day that Is leading the fight for the i'm
provement of our inland water ways along
comprehensive and scientific lines? The last
Republican Congress turned deaf ear to
the appeals of the President and refused to
organize an inland waterways commission
The opposition of the Republican party TO
the policy OF preserving and developing our
natural wealth in the Interests of the whole
people has Its origin in that unholy ALI
ance between the Republican party and the
land transportation monopolles of the COIN
try.
Real Tariff Revision.
With the power and opportunity to carry
out Democratic principles, we will be calleI
upon to revise our tariff laws in the inter-
ests of the whole people. This issue cannot
be disposed Of by the assertion that the Re-
publican party also stands for tariff reform.
Republican revision and Democratic revision
are two different things.
The Democratic idea is that where the
tariff enables the trusts to maintain a sys-
TEN Of extortion the duty should be removed
from all trust-made goods. so that compe-
tition from abroad may compel reasonable
prices to our own people. There Is a vast
can industries AID the protection Of Grim
inal monopolies.
The expenses OF our government. even
when most economically administered, will
always require substantial tariff rates, for
the customs duties will always be our chief
source OF revenue.
The distribution Of tariff rates must al
ways be established with special reference
to the expenditures Of government, keeping
in view the greatest good TO the greatest
number, and particularly prohibiting the
conversion OF the tariff into an accomplish
OF monopoly IN the robbery Of the American
consumer. The Democratic idea Is that the
collection Of sufficient revenue to meet the
necessities Of government must be the basis
for tariff regulations and that the Kepub-
lean policy Of excluding competition by a
tax on the American consumer which re-
auires him 10 pay greater prices at home
tnan are demanded abroad Is a pernieious