The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-10-01

wages of labor are high beyond all
parallel and where lands are cheap
and the means of living low, they
would teach the laborer that he is
but an oppressed slave Sir, what
can such men want? What do they
mean? They can want nothing, sir,
but to enjoy the fruits of other mems
labor. They can mean nothing but
disturbance and disorder. the diffu-
sion of corrupt principles and the de-
struction of the moral sentiments and
moral habits or society. A licentious-
ness of feeling and of action is some
times produced by prosperity ITSELF
Men can not always resist the temp
tation to which they are exposed by
the very abundance of the bounties
of Providence and the very happiness
of their own condition; as the steed
full of the pasture will sometimes
throw himsef against its Enclosures,
break away from its confinement. and
feeling now free from needless re-
straint, betake himself to the moors
and barrens where want, ere long,
brings him to his senses, and starva-
ton and death close his career
Did the orator have in mind in this
last illustration the fact that some
times hunger is the only thing that
will bring the wild-eyed agitator and
his followers to their senses? Can it
be possible that seventy-fiye years ago
they had In this country Calamity
howlers" of the same brand az those
of our day? These words OF the great
Webster would certainly lead us to
conclude that not all the demagogues
and preachers OF discomfort live in
our time. (Applause.)
In what have said, Mr. Chairman,
/ do not wish to be understood as con-
demning radicals in politics. much
less those who honestly strive for real
reforms. Radicals in politics, much
as In other lines of social and human
activity. have their uses, for they Of
ten attract the attention of people to
faults which otherwise would escape
public attention
Their very exaggeration of the evils
of their time may help to do this.
They are one extreme, and the non
progressive conservative, or as he has
come to be called in these days the
reactionary." is the other extreme
The truth is that political wisdom, as
rule, is not with either OF these
extremes. but somewhere between the
two. There are times when the advo-
cate of revolution may be a public
necessity, but as an ordinary PROPOSE
ton. nations. as individuals and ev-
lerything else in the universe, progress
by evolution and not by revolution,
Nearly all my life have fought for
the betterment of political conditions
In the struggle for this betterment l
have not hesitated, upon occasion, to
I fight the organization of my own par
! ty. have done the same on the
floor of this house and, should occa-
/! sion require, should not hesitate to do
lit again. But believe in government
| by parties. And having given my
/ adhesian to political party should
| hesitate long before opposing here or
elsewhere the principles that He at
the foundation of that party Certain
tly if found myself wholly out OF
touch with my fellows of what had
hitherto been my own political faith
should be honest with myself, honest
with my party, honest with the public,
and unhesitatingly take my place on
the other side of the political fence.
fractional strife carried to the point
of the destruction of the party within
which it RACES has never accomplish
ed anything in this country and In
my judgment never will And the talk
that we hear in some quarters about q
third party to be made up of the pro
gressiyes of both political parties car
never be productive of any substantial
benefit to the country, If we are to be
lieve the lessons of our past history
for no third party movement ever ac
complished much of value in the Unit
ed States. The Guilds" during the
Il time of John Randolph, who were &
sort of offshoot or faction of tbs
uelHOcIdlic party, prompted more W
pique or disappointed personal ambi
ton than by patriotism or any well
grounded purpose accomplished moth
ing of Importance but only made thei;
adherents ridiculous and odious.
Mr.. La Toilette. What was the re
publican party itself but a third par
ty, founded on the exigencies of thu
time?
Mr.. Hayes. The republican part.
was not a third party. have no
time to go into the history of tina
time, but the old Wing party hae
gone to pieces and the republican par
ty was reorganization of the Wits
party, also drawing to its fold man.
of the more progressive men of tn.
United States who had hitherto belong
ed to the democratic party. The re
publican party was no third party I
: was the second great political part.
in the United States, the democratic