The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1910-09-13
The Onward -iarch of Insurgency

Slowly, but with absolute certain
ty, the Republican party is today
undergoing in a general way the
transformation that was accomplish
ed in the Democratic party fifteen
years ago. With the nomination Of
BRYAN in 1896 the control OF the
Democratic party passed into the
hands Of the radical, the progressive,
the reform, or the insurgent element
which ever name you choose to call
il. That internal reformation cost
the Democratic party the control Of
the government that year and insur-
ed an unlimited lease of power to the
standpat Republican party. That
power has been so grossly betrayed
that, behold, today only the influence
of Theodore Roosevelt, standing prae-
tically upon a Bryan platform, can
save the party defeat at the polls,
That party, in the throes of a conflict
between its standpat Mark Hanna
element and its reform or insurgent
element, is being as completely rev.
olutionized today as the Democratic
party was when the old Cleveland
German type was put out Of bust
ness. This reform in the old Repub-
lican party began right where the
one in its rival began-the great
Middle West. At first ridiculed and
laughed out of court, it has gown
till the very East itself has become
honeycombed, and the astute Roose-
welt, with a political scent Of canine
accuracy, has taken a short cut on
the whole movement and placed him
self on a platform in no essential
different from the Bryan doctrines,
In 1896 Bryan summed up his at
titude in these words, Il am for the
man above the dollar" In 1910
Roosevelt declares, | am for the man
and not for property. Mr. Bryan's
criticism of the Supreme court was
few years ago branded as the most
dangerous radicalism ever known.
Today Mr.. Roosevelt finds it neces-
sary to make similar criticisms in
order to persuade the country that
his insurgency is genuine-can any
one doubt that the country is at last
insurgent? In 1908 Bryan, returned
from tour of the world, said that it
looked as if the government owner
ship of railroads might have to be an
ultimate solution of the question of
transportation. In 1910 Roosevelt,
returned from a world wide trip,
says;
81 do not wish to see the nation
forced into ownership Of the railways
if it can possibly be avoided, and the
only alternative is thorough going
and effective regulation, which shall
be based on full knowledge of all
the facts, including physical valu-
alton of the property.
Physical valuation" has hereto
fore been a Democratic heresy that
called for the most severe condem-
nation. Insurgency is marching on.
For one The Journal can but admire
the way that Mr.. Roosevelt sums up
the doctrine
"Our government, national and
State, must be freed from the SIMS
ter influence or control of special
interests.
1.-THE citizens of the United States
must effectively control the mighty
commercial forces which they have
themselves called into being"
In every election, as well as in ev-
cry party convention and primary so
far held this year, the effect Of insur-
gency has been felt. When the coun-
try found that Mr.. Taft's administra-
ton, instead Of freeing the country
from the sinister influence Of special
interests" more firmly connected it
to that influence, the storm burst.
Its first effect was 10 hurl Cannon
from his place Of power, and its last
effect is to send the mighty Roose-
welt over the country in frantic at
tempt to save his party. And he
sees that it can only be saved by the