THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 355 



Mr. Smith then touched upon the salary grab, which 

 he roundly denounced. Of President Grant he said : 

 " The President who signed that bill which put $100,000 

 in his pocket is not one bit better in my estimation 

 than the men who voted for it and took the steal. You 

 will pardon me for using such harsh expressions as that, 

 when I tell you I have been a Republican ever since 

 the party started, and went right straight along with 

 it. But, thank God, I did not vote for General Grant 

 the last time. I have not that sin to answer for, at any 

 rate. But let me say, I do not feel a bit better about 

 it, and I do not think I degraded myself a bit more 

 voting for him the first time than any Democrat who 

 voted for James Buchanan. I should think there is 

 but very little to choose between them." In pursuing 

 this political topic, Mr. Smith spoke of the Democratic 

 party, which, he said, died twelve years ago. Still he 

 wanted to fix it as the boy did the dog : " ' I know he is 

 dead, but I want to make him deader.' The people 

 have spewed it out of their mouths because of its cor- 

 ruption, and they will spew the Republican party out 

 of their mouths for the same reason. 



" No reform is possible within the existing parties. 

 History has proven that no reform was ever yet worked 

 inside the party or sect in which originated the corrup- 

 tions complained of. From Martin Luther down all 

 the great social, political and religious reforms that 

 have ever been accomplished began clear down among 

 the common people and worked upwards, while all 

 oppressions, wrongs and corruptions began up yonder 

 and worked downward. When I began this movement 

 I said I would seek to accomplish these reforms inside 

 of the Republican party if I can, outside of it if I must. 



