The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-26
FARMERS URGED
 ID SUPPORT BRYAN
Obadiah Gardner of Maine
 Gives Views on Candidates
TOO MUCH OF "BIG STICK"
Republican Rule for Twelve Years Has Been Marked by Domination of Legislation by the corpor-
 ate Interests of Country.

Chicago October 25.-(Special.)-For 20 years MT Obadiah Gardner has been a leader in the Grange in both the state and nation. For eight years he was chairman of the executive committee of the Maine State grange. Then for 10 years he was state master. He has a large following. especially among the delegates of the far west, who at pre- vious national grange elections have put him forward as their choice for national master. The following statement was ob- tained from MT. Gardner in response to a demand that he express his opinion on the issues of the campaign. It will be re- membered that as the farmer, who, as the democratic nominee for governor of Maine, this year, he came within TOGO votes of carrying this rock-ribbed repub- , lican state.
 q urge all farmers to support MT. Bryan. In no other way can we secure a square deal and protection from the spoliation of trusts and combines. As farmers we want the largest measure of prosperity possible, and we want to see monopoly and special privilege, with their debauchery, bribes and corruption, and ruthless robbery of the people, absolute ly destroyed.
 Means Monopoly Rule.
 '"The past 12 years of complete repub- lican rule have been characterized by the domination of certain big and unscrupu- lous business interests. Aldrich, the chief government agent of Standard oil, rules in the Senate; and Cannon. with his steel trust ring, rules the House. Represen- tative government has practically disap- peared from the United States. Monopoly has grown as never before. and the most gigantic trusts and combines ever seen irs the worlds history now control almost every necessity of life The producer is on the other, while the multi millionaire monopolists gorge and fatten between. No legislation of real interest to farmers or to the people has been obtained except by going after the republican Senate and House rings with club
 hOOSeNeltS futIle EnOftS.
 We have looked to Roosevelt for the last seven years to curb the power of the trusts and break up ring rule in Con- gress. It is agreed on every side that he has been the most forceful and aggressive chief executive the republicans have had for a generation. We have had many spectacular yielding of the big stick and our hopes have arisen with many a gilt tering promise, but the Aldrich ring still dominates the Senate, the Cannon ring still rules supreme in the House, and both have treated the Presidents reform measures with contempt, and shown to be for the trusts and combines and not for the people; certainly not for the farmer. ''The President has failed to secure the passage of any of his reform measures, but this cannot be charged to the demo- crats Both in the Senate and in the House they gave him every support; and from Mir Bryan down prominent demo- crats everywhere give the President praise and support for every progressive move. "He has had the support of farmers, of organized labor and of free and inde- pendent manufacturers without stint, and yet with all this help the most aggres- sive and forceful of all republican Pres idents has failed. and failed completely. Is Taft Stronger Than Roosevelt? 'If Roosevelt with all his force and vigor in seven years of power and great popularity, could not break down the ring rule of the republican party, what can we hope for from the good-natured and easy going Taft, who, as pointed out by MT. Monnett, formerly republican attorney general of Ohio, has never shown any in- itiative or alertness in safeguarding pop ular interests He does not trust the people, He states that 1t will not do to let the people know, before they vote who are contributing to the republican cam paign fund, for fear that people will draw a wrong conclusion from the information and misjudge certain worthy contributors. Roosevelt first made this statement and Taft echoes 1t. But farmers and other men of common sense know that ring rule has been built up by the Corrupt interests buying the republican party through cam- paign contributions and otherwise. Hence the complete publication of all campaign contributions before election Is urgently necessary
 Tn every point Taft appears only as faint and weak echo of Roosevelt. Roose- welt himself makes this quite clear He knows Taft intimately, and as Bryan hits hard at the republican position in the campaign, Roosevelt does not let Taft re- ply. but replies for him. The self-reliance of the American farmer cannot respect a candidate who Is not his own man and able to stand on his own feet and fight his own battles. Such man as Taft Is an ideal candidate for the trusts. The real republican bosses-Aldrich. Cannon, Dal- zell, Sherman, ct al., and the big force- fui men with whom they would surround him, would have little difficulty in making him see things from their point of view.r Storm In Nicaragua.