The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-03

they demand toward themselves, shall
also be exhibited toward their less
we'll informed. and their less influen-
tial fellow citizens.
May | be permitted also to suggest
that this promise of after election re-
form ought to be accepted by the peo-
pie with a grain of salt? 1t is one
thing for the republican convention in,
Indiana to call for it. and another,
thing for that convention to demand it
and to see its accomplishment.
No one can dispute that the present
speaker of the house and the mach
inery of the house of representatives,
are thoroughly in control of the spec
ial interests. l imagine that the tariff
declarations of the Indiana republican
convention We're looked upon as SIM
ply a platform on which TO get into
power again. If the president of the
United States. who is now republic
can, can accomplish nothing except by
constant force as against the inter
ests which have controlled legislation
for many years past, do you believe
that these men returned TO power
again will do the things you want
done? 1t is not perhaps thoroughly
elegant, it is certainly very ancient,
but the following is applicable:
The devil was sick
The devil a monk would be;
The devil got we'll,
Devil a monk was he"
When read this plank in the repub-
lican platform of Indiana. | was re-
minded of a scene which you have
often witnessed. Travelling upon the
trains of Indiana, passing some farm
house, you have seen splendid dog
rush out and take after the train.
There have been two things that have
always impressed you with reference
to this scene. One was, does the dog
want to catch the train, the other. il
he caught it. what would he do with
it? Upon the subject of tariff reform,
| leave IL to you to answer whether
the present republican congress wants
TO catch up with it, and secondly, II it
does, what would it do with IL? Re-
verting to the question of tariff re-
form, | respectfully submit that under
to levy tax. tariff tax. save for
revenue only; that If all other tax was
wiped out and trust articles are put
upon the free lists. that either the
trusts themselves will rapidly dissolve
by reason of their own disintegration
or they can be rapidly put out of bust
ness. We have been talking too much
for the last twelve years and not do
ing enough. We have been crying for
more legislation when / think what
we needed was better lawyers. A cor
poration is the ere ature of the state
1t has such functions and powers
as the state furnishes it. Ii has no
lawful authority to do any more than
the state authorizes ii to do. When
ever it exceeds these functions, does
some thing which its corporate fran
chise does not grant to ii. that mo-
ment it becomes an outlaw and with
out any act of the legislature. either
state or national. there is ar inherent
common law right to dissolve the cor
poration and forfeit its franchise. The
discussion which has gone on has been
essentially valuable in the molding of
public opinion, but the hour has come
in which talk must cease and action
must begin. If Roosevelt and Bona
parte have failed, let us put in Bryan
and some Duke of Wellington who will
succeed. The proposition is up TO you,
the eighty per cent of the people OF
this country. as to whether you want a
president to voice your views who is
constantly compelled, directly or indi-
rectly, TO take his big stick and at
tempt to hammer the legislature into
doing of your will. or whether upon
the other hand, you will choose an ex-
ecutive TO voice your will and send to
the legislature those who are anxious
to accomplish the purposes you have
in view. and 10 pass the legislation
, which you desire. The question is
| squarely up to you, my fellow citizens,
as TO whether you will risk accom-
plishing your purposes in violation Of
| the constitution by simply retaining
| your ancient political affiliations or
whether you will accomplish your pur-
| pose strictly in accordance with the
constitution by electing an executive
and legislative body who are in thor
ough accord.
The Republican Attitude.
Did the republican convention when
assembled at Indianapolis have some
| latent doubt about a genuine desire
upon the part of congress 10 revise
and lower the tariff schedule2 Was
it fearful that If il demanded that the
gentlemen who are receiving $500
per year for serving the people, should
continue in session and should imme-
diately take up this question. that not