The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-11

never will add to the commercial
wealth of the nation.
Champions of the People.
we are spending quarter of a
billion annually on the army and navy.
fiour-f1fths of this vast sum ought to
be used in some way that will be a
benefit to the people, instead of being
wasted on battleships that will go to
the scrap heap within a decade 1t
might be used in developing the vast
In the construction of public highways
or in the redeeming of either desert
or swamp lands and rendering them
mt for prosperous and happy homes.
II have been criticized for saying
that our Oriental possessions are
menace to the peace of this country,
an excuse for the building OF an
enormous navy and the equipment d
a standing army vastly greater tnan
we need for the preservation OF our
internal peace.
Now that the battle is over. | am
glad that l said it, and that l DID not
retract what l said under the stress
of the campaign. The Phlnpplhe
islands have cost us. directly and IN
directly. more than two billions OF dol
lars. They are, and will be, frultIul
source of graft and exploitation. They
will never furnish a home Tor an
American farmer. or a market Tor the
labor of American workmen- w ME
the patriotic people are being Iooleu
with the cry of Never pull down the
flag syndicates are looting the
islands and adding untold millions 20
their already swollen fortunes L
makes me hot to think that gang OF
financial pirates should successfully
appeal to the patriotic and reilglous
sentiment of the country and, under
cover of these noble sentiments, hlcn
millions from the islands in the OrlenS'
Secs Right in Insurgency.
insurgency is a start in the rlgnt
direction. 1t is not yet broad enough
in it's scope to right the wrongs COM
planned of, in my opinion. perhaps Il
will broaden until it will be sufflclent'
Twill the movement capture the he
publican party and make it the most
powerful organization in the world TOT
the uplifting of humanity, the restor-
ing of the rights of opportunity; the
more equitable distribution OF Wealth
do not know. If it fails, then, in my
! opinion the Republican party will die
and ought to die. Great as have been
it's achievements, and glowing as are
the pages it has written in the past in
the volumes of history no party either
can or ought to live on the record OF
the past.
"The Republiean-party was born OF
a great moral issue The force of that
issue has kept it alive and made it
the dominant force in American poll
ties for fifty years. Selfish interests
men whose God is wealth and who be-
lieve that the rights of property are
paramount to the rights of men have
gotten control of its councils. They
would desecrate the temple of human
Liberty and make 1t a den of thieves.
insurgency is a protest against thai
sort of leadership. The leaders of the
new movement. 1 think, are trying tc
restore the party to its original pur-
pose and make it what it was intended
to be, the champion of human rights;
the foe to special privileges and the
advocate of equal opportunities. In
my humble opinion they are only
working round the edges; they have
not yet struck the heart of the diff
Guilty.
1.-The railroad bill passed by the last
congress may help, but. in my opinion
will not stop the evils of discrimina-
ton. Our present method of dealing
with the transportation question is IL
logical and effective. 1t harnesses
the railroads without curing the
wrongs complained Of 1t is a patch
work without definite plan of unity
lie ~