Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-10-22
Highest of all in Leavening u Report
RoH!a!!a!l! g! Rskassl RRskiaRs
ABSOLUTELY PURE
Old Soldiers For Bryan.
Prom the SO. 1oe 0asette.

A Bryan and Sewall club has been
among the Grand Army
veterans of st. Joseph, and though
the rolls have been open but two days
q hundred names appear thereon.
These are men who risked their lives
for their country, and who would not
hesitate to do SO ,sgain. There are
upon the list merchants, brokers,
and laborers. They live in
st. Joseph and thei. interests, great or
small, are here. A large majority OF
them have hitherto been unwayering
Republicans, and have swallowed
many heavy doses of that party's bad
medicine. But they cannot follow the
old leaders in this campaign-they
believe In the re monitization OF silver
because that has been one of the card
inal doctrines of Republicanism up to
the present year. They now see at the
helm of their beloved party men who
have sacrificed principle for Doodle
and patriotism for pelf and political
preferment. They feel that the old
ship is upon the rocks and that she is
sinking OF her waywardness. Therefore
they feel ii their duty to desert and
like true patriots take up the work
again Of saving the country. Old and
honored leaders have come into their
midst and called them fools and ras-
calls for this, but such language has
only made them more determined to
stand firm In the battle OF the rank
and file against the generals. Some
days ago q communication appeared
in the Post Dispatch, which is payticu-
larly pertinent to the case. A veter-
ans Mckinley club was being organ
lied at st. Louis and one James L.
Flynn was asked by the organizer to
join. Mr.. Flynn 10 one OF the i've
Medal of Honor men In st. Louis,
having received his medal for distin-
guished gallantry ut vicksburg, Miss,
May %, 1868. His letter to A. q. Pet
erson, the organizer, is well worth
reading. 1t is as follows:
Dear Sir and Comrade: Your favor.
Of the 2sth inst, asking me rs an old
soldier to join the Mckinley club, re-
ceived, and as you offer me some reas-
ons why / should join your ranks, I
will be explicit as to why must re-
fuse. My sympathies are in the cause
of s'honest government 'shonest
dollars" !" and above all, 'shonest men, y
and think that my record as a sol
der will prove that did my level
best to uphold the constitution. lam
not only Union soldier, but my faith
or fought at Buena Vista and my
grandfather at the battle of New
Orleans, and where he stood with
"Old Hickory" Iss~ssd for the masses
against the classes, the people against
the plutocrats, the plain Ameris.n
citizen against the bondholder and the
English money lender.
| Yes, sir, I've worn the paper shoe
and the shoddy coat; ate the moldy
hard-tack and wormy sow belly; was
paid In deprecated paper and saw the
corporations, bankers and money
| sharks fatten on the woesot the coun-
try. ! cast my hrst vote for Abraham
Lincoln and helped TO free the slaves,
and now see the lash Of coercion laid
J on the backs OF free-born white men.
! / see, after 80 years OF profound peace
: and abundant narvests, the honest
} workman walk the streets and his
, children want for bread.
Ilthink I am man OF fair intelli-
: gence and education and have given
, this question careful consideration,
and am not caught with any clap
trap of "over-production," "honest
dollars or anationai integrity" This
issue is not the Republican or the
Democra., Bryan or Mckinley. II IL,
shall the people or the syndicates rule
!. | American Sir, have the honor to be,
Yours respectfully,
JAMES +. FLYNN,
Formerly First Sergeant Go. q, 6ss
Missouri Infnatry.