Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-05-27
The War is On

when John Adams and Alex
ander Hamilton became enemie
they did not preach at each Othel
on texts of brOtherly love, nor di
Clay and Randolph, nor jackson
and Calhoun, nor Douglas and Bl
chanan, nor Blaine and Conkling
nor Cleveland and German. Whel
democrats split into free sOilers
and hunkers, wings into silver
grays and conscience men. and re
publlcanS into Stalwarts and half.
breeds, the time for reasonable re
mOnStrance had passed. They
met at Philippi. In the existing
party quarrel at>WaShington botl
factions claim to want the same
thing, and the president and his
cabinet declare that they want il
more than either, and yet they
cannot get together and give the
country much of anything. II
there is to be a pitched battle be.
tween the insurgents and the reg
ulars a good many people would
like to have a diagram, a bill of
fare, a book of the opera, a score
card, or whatever it may be call
ed, for instruction and guidance.
If "the existing quarrel" at
Washington were merely a person
al quarrel, it would be unworthy
Of serious attention, although il
might be very interesting.
If it means anything at all, ii
means that the dominant forces
in the dominant party have deliv.
cred the machinery of the party
into the keeping of the special
interests. 1t means that the pol,
icieS of the administration and the
Legislation sought to be enacted
are shaped to suit special inter.
estS, rather than public interests
Now if the cause of the inSurg.
ents is worthy of respect then
these men stand for the public
policy against which the admins
tratiOn is waging war. If it were
true that "both factions" were
striving for the same end, ther
there would be no serious quarrel
They might have differences but
the differences could be readily
adjusted if all of them had the pu1
lie interests exclusively at heart
If Aldrich intended to be the
representative Of the people, such
for instance, as LaFOllette is, in
stead of the representative of the
Standard Oil and the great rail
roads then there would be no ser
iouS quarrel between Aldrich anC
LaFollette.
If Cannon intended to serve tn
people as some of the republican
insurgents in the house do, ther
there would be no serious differ
enceS between Cannon and thOSO
insurgents.
The truth is the differences be
tween the regular republicans an
the insurgnet republican can no
be compromised. All too long re
publican insurgents have insisted
that they do not mean to critics,
the presidents policies and tina
they are devoted to Mr.. Taft
plans. But the people are rapid
iy learning that Mr.. Taft's plan
are the plans of MeSSrS. Aldricl
and Cannon. If the republican i
surgentS would serve their cOun
try effectually they must cease t
declare their devotion to the Tai
policies. They must make wa
, against AldrichiSm and Cannon
{ ism in the White House, even a
> they make war against Aldricf
ism and CannOnism in the cap
tOl building.
/ The people have the diagral
E and it shows that in the confliC
q now going on in America the1
| are but two sideS;One represen
ed by the special interests; tn
b other by the public interest
: Plainly the Taft administrati
.e is committed to the special int
e estS; plainly there is now no hoI
e for redemption on that line. Sc
e ator LaFOllette sounded the ke.
note In his admirable speech
the senate the other day. The WI
g is on and the battle is betwee
Ie the people and the interestS.-Tl