The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-08-28

faith in the old party, do not desert
! it in it's time CT need. 1t has done
we'll by you and by the country. There
was some excuse for those who were
carried away by Organism in 1896. The
times We're hard, work kas scarce,
prices were low and the people were
ready, like any other sick man, to
turn to any nostrum which offered
relief. But today the people are sui
fering only from the growing pains
of prosperity and from the govt
Times are good, prices of farm pro
duce were never better. In the name
of heaven, what is the use of taking
chances when you have sure thing
Some of the reforms advocated long
ago by the poulists, some of the best
ideas of socialism, are bound to come
about in time. But they will only
come, for our good, when enacted with
wisdom and caution and elaboration
They will not be for our good if en-
acted with the hair-brained radical
ism, either of Bryan, of Roosevelt OF
of Debs Strychnine is an excellent
tonic. it steadies the pulse, clears the
brain and improves the system, but
strychnine in overdoses is fatal. For
the patient to take it with benefit, he
should consult skilled physician.
There are many necessary reforms to
be enacted in this country, but these
reforms to be beneficial must be en-
acted with wisdom, with deliberation
and with such constructive statesman
ship that existing conditions will not
be turned topsy turvy in a day.
Our readers have long since learned
that there is much in socialism which
meets with our approval. We have
often stated that we believed compe-
tition to be the death of honest trade,
and that the lessons of combination
and common interests taught US by the
great industrial combinations could
well be extended to the people as a
whole. Nevertheless, we would no
more entrust the carrying out of these
reforms to the socialist party as it is
constituted today than we would place
the discharging of a dynamite blast in
the hands of our little baby.
Do you catch the point? Reforms
may of themselves be good, but the
reformers may be bad or incompetent.
Great reforms can only come about
when the brain of the people is be-
hind them They are a. growth, not
revolution. Extravagant radicalism
retards reform. What OF good theory
may be in socialism would have
found reader acceptance had it not
been associated with Herr" Most and
anarchy and wild-eyed enthusiasm.
Neither Wilson nor Roosevelt can
carry out their program if elected.
If thew did carry out one-tenth or
them in the way they propose they
would plunge the country into panic.
Under Taft there will be reform along
many lines. The reform will keep up
with the people, not get ahead OF
them. The reform will be we'll
thought out, business conditions WILL
not be disturbed to the verge OF de-
struction. Do not get it into your
head that government has nothing to
do with good times. We have lived
long enough to know better, and you
have too.
But we have allowed politics to car
nv us far adrift. What we started to
say was that we leave the office OF
postmaster of Denison with smile in
our heart as we'll as on our lips, that
we congratulate our successor with
sincerity, and that we congratulate
the republicans of Denison that this
question which is apt to cause so
much disruption and i'll feeling, has
been settled without a dissenting voice
and in way which should make for
greater harmony throughout the party
as a whole. We congratulate the
presid,.4r also upon the broadminded-
ness which made him demonstrate
that republicans may differ and still
be recognized as republicans If they
are loyal to the main principles OF the
party.
). = !.
And now, by the memory OF all the
dear friends we have met in the school
houses in every precinct of Crawford
county, by the memory of all the
struggles we have made together, by
the memory of our great men, the liv'
ing and the dead, by the memory OF
Lincoln and Grant, and Blaine and
| NJ ~ IF