Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-02-23
PATRONAGE CANNOT sQUELCH
ISSUES.

When the Issues are made up, Is
they wall b n The next political cam
gslu, more clearly than al any time
since the war, fl VIII BE- demonstrated
That mems records, not tzEir control
Of political appointments, vii de-
termine the result
50 Senator LaFollette, leader u
tae progressive element Of the West
er1 Republicans. declares in the cur
rent issue Of his weekly paper
Il IS the reply Of the elements Of
the party represented By La Toilette ~
the endeavors Of Postmaster General
HitcJoock and othe administration
leaders to use t1s power Of patron
age a. club to force compliance with
the party program.
LaFollete writes sharply and to
the point. There are no signs Of
watering no indication that the desire
To secure patronage, as a lever 20 re-
tai nsenatorial office. is stronger with
him and rs colleagues than the de-
sire 10 secure the much needed re-
forms for which they are contendlng.
Continuing in his defiant answer t.
the Hitchcock methods, LaFollette
well Says ''The progressiyes win
neither be coerced into support Of
bills irritated into opposing anything
IN TIE public interest, or slIenced in
the free expression Of their opinions
II the measures, the policies or the
acts Of the administration by any
course which The president may pur-
sue regarding patronage"
Further On in his comment, the
Wisconsin senator expresses his views
On tLs existing situation az follows:
Abuse Of power may retard, but IT
cannot suppress q movement based
On vital principles. Weak men may be
frightened By the party lash; new
men may be alarmed at the idea Of
party conflict but IN the end men Of
conviction are fortified Public opfn-
ION IS educated, and the issue IS
strengthened and carried forward with
increased momentum,
IF the president continues to place
compromise legislation and party SOL
idarity above all else, he will fail in
results as 70 other measures. inst az
he failed in the tariff. TIE system is
too deeply entrenched TO allow To mass
Just for the asking any railroad legig-
latiOn Of real value TO the people. any
conservation law that will give the
public control Of the great coal fields
water power sites and phosphate
lands; any law for postal savings
banks so framed that the deposits viii
be secured to local banks, state or
notional, or indeed any other legis1a-
ton which affects a limitation on the
increasing power Of Wall street.
10 the interests party solidarity
today signifies an organization which
they control-practically the joint sol :
idarlfy Of leadership I'm both parties.
The great unorganized American peo-
pie are pitted against this centralized
power. In their unequal struggle they
need the help Of the president to lead
them in their fight against solfdar-
ity
And the president ca insecure pro-
gressive legislation that is worth
while This he can do without com
promising with the interests or their
Representatives. If he will take with
strong hand the leadership of the oy-
erwhelming progressive sentiment of
The country nothing can resist him.
Public opinion is aroused. It is a con-
Viction. 1t is all-powerful. Even
though it be not reflected in a count
Of the votes in the senate and house.
it Is strong enough in the nation 20
compel hostile leadership and re-
luctant majority in congress to yield,
II the president marks out and follows
unsweryingly the direct pathway TO
sound legislation In the public inter-
est. This end can never be obtained
through a co-partnership with the rep
resentatiVes Of interests, whose very
existence depends upon resisting ey-
cry advance of the progressive move
ment.