, 1896-07-10
BOOMERANG HUMOR|ST.
MR.. PEABODY GETS BACK AT THE
WOULD-BE SHADE OF THE
IMMORTAL BILL.
The Situation Shown in Such a Logical
Way That the Dullest Mind May
Comprehend and Grasp 1t as 1t is
In Time OF Peace Men Prepare for
War.
Editor Republican.

Editor Republican.
must be indeed destitute of the
sense of humor, as the Boomerang
charges. when l fail TO see the hidden
humor of the existing depression Of the
times; in fact l am rather glad of it.
The humorous Boomerang admits
that the country was enjoying prospect
ty in 1898, under the full operation Of
the Mckinley tariff law" otherwise a
financial and industrial depression
cannot fall If he is already down.
Here's where the joke starts he
says.
Centuries ago, when the world was
overrun with jokers of the Boomerang
type, Noah was told to build an ark.
Times were then good, everything pros
porous. dry climate and all that; yet
there was Noah at work for many years
building an ark a long distance from
deep water. Why the people thought it
| the joke of the age. 1t was to them
| llltl any IL SldluIu5 JohS. - was
built in anticipation OF the flood then
imminent, and the wisdom Of prepara-
ton was soon proved.
In piping times of peace and prosperi-
ty every civilized nation builds forts,
warships. equipments. Perhaps they
go to that expense for the sake of a
Joke. When the lower Mississippi is
low and still falling. a multitude OF men
are throwing up great dykes or levees
| along the banks. How absurd. or fun
ny it appears. When a big fire bursts
out on the windward side of a big city
people for blocks in advance Of the
fire begin to rush their furniture to an
other location. They see no end OF fun
in 1t. Yellow fever breaks out in New
Orleans. the steamers and trains bound
north are crowded with healthy passen-
gers. all haw-hawing over the Joke Of
it. Smallpox happens to be raging in
their northern city of refuge and all OF
them. the pictures of robust health.
mind you, rush for the doctors and get
va%ccinated. cracking jokes at the looks
OF the dead and dying all around them.
When the United States was the most
prosperous country on the face of the
earth, in 1888" a new administration
took positive, active. steps to improve
the industrial interests Of the nation.
The men and firms who had money,
factories and the like foreseen impend-
ing storm and disaster and, perhaps for
the joke of it, made the best prepara-
ton they could: hid their money. closed
their factories. everybody became
frightened and a terrible panic fol-
lowed. The Boomerang says the joke
started there because mot a syllable Of
the tariff law had been changed. The
Wilson law had not even been drafted"
The second joke began with the nom
nation Of Mckinley. The Boomerang
says the only boom" his nomination
brought was the booming sound of
closing factories. We Of course see and
appreciate the humor Of the thousand
democratic guns, and poRg}i%1 m hoom
capo. booming
."eo, me election of Mckinley.
against tariff re-enactment, against the
financial wool and warp Of the country.
1t is no wonder the industries of the
country are kept PROSTATE. How can
times improve under all the threats
and uncertainties that hang, and must
hang, over us until at least November.
1t Is the uncertainty. the vague sense
of impending danger that is causing the
difficulty in 1896.
Somewhere along here The Boomer
ang detects the cream of humor." oh,
but it is a great thing to be the success
sor Of Bill Nye and veal his mantle.
Speaking of guns, the republican
band wagon is going to play Johnny get
your gun. The men who for three years
have been enduring this Boomerangian
joke of hard times are planning for a
great shooting match, and they mean
to carry one gun too many for the