Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-22

ton was, ''Shall the people rule?" That
this is question that is vital to our
country all will concede. That the peo-
pie are not ruling, some will question.
AS for me, can seeeit in no other light
than that the vested wealth Of our
land Is influencing and shaping our
public affairs as never before, and that
it's hold is increasing and not decreas-
ing.
Wealth VS.. People.
Within the next few years the people
of our country must determine this
great question. The people of Iowa
will pass upon it, in a measure, this
year. On the one side is concentrated
wealth: on the other, is the people.
There can be from now on. until every
great corporation is driven out OF our
politics. no middle ground. Every man
in public life. and every man in private
life, must of very necessity be on tho
one side or the other.
Lest l might be termed demagog1c,
and accused of arraying class against
class, I want to quote from authority
that I am sure is eminently respect
able
We are constantly reminded that WI
can not altogether rely upon the pub
lie press for our information, as the
news and editorial columns are likely
to be censored by the views OF the
owners of the papers. But surely we
can rely upon the testimony of men
who are high in public station and
eye witnesses of what they relate.
Mr.. Pinchot, late chief Of the for
estry division o. the department of
agriculture, a man who has devoted
time and money to the cause in which
he is among the leaders, in a speech
last June at st. Paul, said: The al
lance between business and politics
is the most dangerous thing in our
political life. 1t is the snake that we
must kill. The special interests must
get out Of politics, or the American
people will put them out of business.
There is no third course, and because
the special interests are in politics, we
as a nation have lost confidence in con-
gress.'' And also said: The people OF
the United States believe as whole
the senate and house no longer rep
resent the voters by whom they were
elected, but the special interests by
whom they are controlled. They be-
lieve so because they have SO often
seen congress reject what the people
desire. and do instead what the inter-
ests demand"
There are many people who believe
that the man who thus spoke was sum
marily dismissed from his important
Office because Of his persistent opposi-
ton to the wishes Of some Of these
great interests. In fact. within the pres
ent month a portion Of the committee
appointed by congress to investigate
the official conduct of the secretary Of
the interior has SO officially reported.
Pinchot and Dolliver.
For fear that some might think
that though Mr.. Pinchot was in Office
at Washington he was unjust in his
reference to congress, let us see what
member OF that body has to say.
The senior senator Of our own state
was the permanent chairman of the
last republican state convention, and
in a brief speech took occasion to re-
mark, that he expected to keep on
the, firing line in. defense of public
rights against the sordid private i'm
terests which are seeking to ,usurp the
government of the United States
On this important matter, we are
not compelled to rely entirely upon
the words of even United States
senator but important testimony on
this subject has been very recently
furnished by our only living ex-presi-
dent. He, speaking on the historic
battlefield where John Brown more
than half century ago fought for
the cause of human libery, vehemently
declared: "That our government ma
tional or state, must be freed from
the sinister influence or control of
special interests. Exactly as the
special interests Of cotton and slavery
threatened our political integrity be-
fore the civil war. so now the great
special business interests too often
control and corrupt men and methods
Of government for their own profit.
We must drive the special interests
out of politics. That Is one of our
tasks today" This from the lips OF
one who for seven years occupied the
exalted position of head Of our ma
ton.
If any further proof were needed
to this abundance of republican testi-
mony, an entire evening could be
spent in listening to the republicans
who have thus turned states evidence.
should not, however, omit so Inn
portant a witness on this subject as
President Taft. In his address at
Winona, in his attempt to convince
the American public that the Payne
Aldrich bill was the best tariff bill
ever passed, as he termed 1t, was
forced to admit that there was one
schedule he could not successfully de-
fend, and admitted that 1t was not