The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-30
why He Abandons Democracy.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
/ was born rocked and bred in the cradle
of Democracy 4 / cast my first presidential
vote for Horace Greeley and my last for
Grover Cleveland. In all these years | was
an ardent. earnest and loyal Democrat.
But this year / shall vote for Mckinley,
for were | to vote for that Popocratic
nominee, Bryan. / would not only be dis
loyal to Democratic principles, but l would,
by so voting, invite a continuance of OPP
preston. misery and starvation. have al
ways been for a low tariff. because 1 be-
lieved it would be the best for the labor
ing man, but the last four years have con-
WINGED me that it is not the best for the
country.
/ am laboring man and depend upon
my daily toll for livelihood. In 1892 the
Democratic party promised us higher
wages and cheaper living. We have had
decidedly cheaper living, but wages. For
the past eight years l have been an en-
ploye of the Chesterfield Brick Company.
Up to the winter of 1892 / had steady
employment and was able to support my
family and keep cut of debt, but since this
time [ have not been able to do either, be-
cause of my inability to obtain employ
ment We have tried free trade, so-called,
and have almost starved and / do not pro-
pose to add insult to injury by voting for
the free and unlimited coinage of silver at
the ratio of Is to /. The Popocratic aggre-
cation, this campaign, by giving them suf
ticient rope, will certainly hang themselves.
They say the tariff question is settled and
there are no proposed changes to be made
in it and yet the present tariff schedules
do not produce sufficient revenue TO meet
the expenses of the government which Is
running behind at the rate of $4,000 per
hour, yet the Popocrats are willing to con-
tinue to increase the public debt at this
rate for four more years by proposing no
change in the tariff. Any man who would
vote for such a policy should be tapped
for the sinples;' this decaratio (the con-
tinuance of the present tariff policy alone
should be sufficient to bury the Popocratic
party so deep in November that the blow.
ing of GabrieFS trumpet on the day or
resurrection will not resurrect them.
Now. word as to their fallacies on the
money question. To the ignorant the prom
Use of plenty of money has a wonderful in
fiuence, but to those who have given the
money question any study with reference,
to it's past and present history. to such 1t
appears only as delusion and fraud
and. like their revenue tariff, it is a theory
that if enforced. will only add to the mis-
cry of mankind If prosperity is to be
measured by the volume of money in circu-
lation, if work and wages are to increase
friends claim it will. then why is it that
in 1873 there was only $1S19 per capita, and
in 1896 $22. 1927 Wheat in 1872 was worth Sl.04
in 1896. so cents. 1t does not seem. that the
volume of money in circulation increased
the price of wheat, nor created greater
demand for labor, nor Increased wages. An
other of their pet theories is that the price
of silver and wheat fuctuate in the same
ratio yet in the past two weeks wheat sd-
vanced cents per bushel and silver fell
almost cents per ounce.
Again. they cite us to Mexico as being
an ideal country that is upon a silver
basis, and upon the same level they would
place the United States. God forbid any
such a calamity; to exchange a life OF free
dom for that of serfdom. Did you ever
hear of an American going to Mexico to
better his condition?
Now in conclusion, / believe this coun-
try is too great and it's citizens too intel
ligent to be voted into the grasp of million
aire mine owners. I do not think the
United States is under any obligation to
coin all the silver bullion of America free
of charge much less the bullion of the
world A vote for Bryan and "A Democratic
Congress means to do all of this. 1t not
only means this, but 1T means to antago-
nize and oppose the courts of our country
in the exercise Of their duty: in short 1t
means anarchism and reputation. section
aIism and the arrayal of capital against
labor No, indeed, / cannot and Will not vote
for Bryan and Sewall or Watson: not only
will | not vote for them. but | will use
all Just and honorable means to defeat
them. | am willing TO cast my lot with
party that has been tried and take my
chances of starving my Popocrattc
friends have predicted will be the result
of the election of Mckinley and Hobart
G. ]. DILTS.
Chesterfield Ind. Sept. 90.