The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-10-30

ssacirt, \. l.. oct. -. 1919.
70 the Voters Of Aeeriea:
! am glad 60 have an opportunity to state very
simply and directly uhy an seeking to bs elect
Cd President Of the United States. I fesl very
deeply that this IL not an ambition man should
entertain for his own sake. He must seek to
serve cause. and must know very clearly what
cause II IS he Is seeking to serve.
Tho cause I am enlisted in lies very plain
TO my own view: The Government Of the United
States, as now bound by tho policies which have
become characteristic Of Republican adninistra-
lion in recent years., is not free to serve the
Shole people impart tally, and 1t ought to be set
free. 1t has been tied up. whether deliberate ly
or merely by unint ent ional development, with
particular interests. which have used their pow
er, both to control the government and to con-
troll the industrial development Of the country.
It must be freed from such entangl ements and al
1tances. Unit il 1T is freed, 1t cannot serve the
people whole. Until it is freed. 1t cannot
undertake any programme Of social and economic
betteruent. but must be checked and thwarted at
every turn BY its patrons and masters.
In pract tcally every speech that make,
put at tho front Of what have to say the ques-
tion Of the tariff and tho question Of the trusts
but not because Of any thought Of party STRAIT
because believe the solution Of these ques-
tions TO Lie at tho very heart Of tho bigger
question. whether tho government shall be free
or not. Tho government Is not free because II
has grant ed special favors to particular Glasses
BY means Of the tariff. The mon to whom these
special fAvors have been granite have formed
great comb mat Ions by which to control enter
Prise and dot ermins tho prices Of commodities.
They could not have done this had IT not been for
the tariff. No party, therefore. which does not
propose to take away these special favors and
prevent monopoly absolutely in the markets Of tie
country sees even 50 much as the most elementary
part Of the method by which the government is
to be set free:
The control to which tariff legislat ION has
led. both in the field Of politics aud in the
field Of business, IL what has produced the most
odious feature Of our present political situa-
ton, namely, the absolute domination Of power
full bosses. Bosses cannot exist without BUSH
ness alliances. with them politics is hardly
distingui shable from business. Bosses maintain
their control because they are allied with mon
who wish their assistance in order to get con-
tracts. in order to obtain special legislative
advantages, in order to prevent reforms which
Will interfere with monopoly or with their en-
joyment Of special exemptions. Merely as po1it-
teal leaders, not backed by money, not supported
by securely intrenched special interests, bosses
would be ent irely manageable and comparatively
powerless. By freeing the government, there
fore, We at the same time break the power Of the
boss. He trades, he does not govern. He
ranges, he does not lead. He sets the stage for
WHIT the people are to do: he does not act as
their agent or servant, but as their director.
For him the real business Of politics IS done
under cover.
The same means that Will set the government
free from the influences which nov conSt family