The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-10-30
VERY EARNEST, HOMElY TALK
Tells in Simple Language
Why He Wants TO Be
Our President.
NO SELF-SEEKING AMBITION

TO stat very slmpl! anu uHeNi'
why | am seeking to be elected
President of the United States.
feel very deeply that this is not an
ambition a man should entertain
for his own sake. He must seek 10
serve a cause, and must know very
clearly what cause il is he is seek
ing 10 serve.
The cause | am enlisted in lies
very plain to my own view: The
Government OF the United States,
as now bound by the policies which
have become Characteristic of Re-
publican administration in recent
wears. is not free 10 serve the whole
people impartially, and il ought to
be set free. 1t has been tied up,
whether deliberately or merely by
unintentional development, with
particular interests, which have
used THAR power, both TO control
the Government and to control the
industrial development Of the coun-
try. Il must be freed from such
entanglements and alliances. Until
II is freed. II cannot serve the peo-
pie as a whole. Until it is freed, it
cannot undert. Ike any programme
OF social and economic betterment,
but must be checked and thwarted
al every turn by its patrons and
masters.
In practically every speech that |
make. put a. the front OF what
have 70 say the question OF the tar
if and the question OF the trusts, I
but not because Of any thought OF
party strategy, because l believe
the solution Of these questions to /
lie az the very heart Of the bigger /
question, whether the Government I
shall be free or not. The Govern !
ment is not free because it has /
granted special favors to particular
classes by means of the tariff. The |
men to whom these special favors /
have been granted have formed /
great combinations by which 10 /
control enterprise and determine |
the prices OF commodities. They /
could not have done this had it not .
been for the tariff. No party, there
fore, which does not propose 70
take away these special fayors and
prevent monopoly absolutely in the
markets of the country, sees even so
much as the most elementary part
of the method by which the Gov
eminent Is to be set free.
The control to which tariff legis-
lation has led, both in the field OF
politics and in the field of business,
is what has produced the most Cd
ious feature of our present politi-
cal situation, namely, the absolute
domination of powerful bosses.
Bosses cannot exist without bust
ness alliances. With them politics
is hardly distinguishable from bus
mess. Bosses maintain their con-
troll because they are allied with
men who wish their assistance in
order TO get contracts, in order to
obtain special legislative advan-
tages, in order to prevent reforms
which will interfere with monopoly
or with their enjoyment of special
exemptions. Merely as political
leaders not backed by money, not
supported by securely intrenched
special interests, bosses would be
entirely manageable and compare
lively powerless. BY freeing the
government, therefore, We at the
same time break the power of the
boss. He trades, he does not gov
ern. He arranges, he does not lead.
He sets the stage for what the peo-
pie are to do; he does not act as
their agent or servant, but as their
director. For him the real bust
ness of politics is done under cover.
The same means that will set the
Government free from the infiu-
ences which now constantly control
II. would set industry free. The en-
terprise and initiative of all Amer
leans would be substituted for the
enterprise and initiative OF small
group OF them. Economic democ-
racy would take the place of mo-
nopoly and selfish management.
American industry would have a
new buoyancy of hope, new ener-
gy, a new variety. With the restor-
alton of freedom would come the
of opportunity.
Moreover, an administration
would at last be set up in Washing
ton. and a legislative regime, under
which real programmes of social
could be undertaken as
hey cannot now. The Government u