New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-01
"DE4R OLD JOE"
self away


The announcement is made in our only Bryan
city contemporary, THE Evening Journal in
uncommonly large type, that Senator Joe
Blackburn-the dear old bOy-"can't understand
why any one should think Kentucky doubtful"
The circumstance is by no means so starving OF
alarming as to call for scare heads or extraor-
binary type. There are so many things that
dear old Joe cant understand! Finance
for instance! He has an idea that II Working
men are in distress through lack of employment
on account of the shutting down OF factories
closing of shops and universal depression of
business the workingmen can be made happy
by being paid in ifty-cent dollars, and business
will revive if every man engaged in business
enterprise is permitted to pay off his debts at
fifty cents on the dollar and mark up the goods
he has on hand 80 per cent to compensate him
for the loss incurred in the cheapenlng OF the
currency in which he is paid for them. And
dear old Joe" cant understand why it isn't
a good scheme and why. if it should be carried
out, it wouldn't set all the factories and work
shops humming and make the workingmen hi
larious over the privilege which they would nave
of paying an immediate advance Of 100 per cent
on the necessares Of lfe in the expectation that
some time or other, by gradual stages. their
them to meet the changed currency conditions.
And yet dear old "Joe" sitting in with con-
vivial party at the favOrite game of Kentucky.
knows very well that if. when the game tagged
and the deal kept passing. any card sharp sitting
in hard luck should propose, in order To enliven
I'D the game and increase the interest Of the
PLAYERS. that the white chips should be painted
blue and so accepted by the "banker"-why. no
hiatt fban ha IN
ton were insisted Oh there would be pretty
general setting back of chairs and a movement
toward hip pockets that would portend mischief
for the card sharp who had the shameless at-
dacity TO suggest to a party of Kentucky gentle
men any violation of the high principle of per-
sona honor, which, though only tradition, Is
the only reputable feature Of the game. Dear
old "Joe" would understand In the thousandth
part Of a second that no game could be conduct
| ed on thst plan even among the best of friends.
| It would destroy confidence ard bring the game
| itself into dsrepute, even in Kentucky. And
| vet he cant understand" why there should be
any objection, under similar circumstances OF
tagging game in business enterprises. 10 calling
fifty cents worth Of silver n dollar just to In
, crease the interest in the game, promote enter
| prise and make all the players happy. When
| good fellow like dear old Joe cant under
| stand finance any better than that, why, what
| does It signify how many other things he can t
understand? Why make them conspicuous and
nut scare heads over them? Better give promi-
| nence and make sensational some things which
| he really does understand.
When he says he cant understand why any
| one should think Kentucky doubtful he simply
| adds another to the many things which he cant
understand" some Of which he thinks he does.
| As a matter Of fact, thoroughly well known to
| all close observers of both parties, Kentucky
cannot be counted on as certain by either party.
Many Republicans familiar with the political
| situation in the State feel very confident that
| Kentucky will go for Mckinley, and are able
TO give satisfactory for their confidence.
| Bat being reasonable and reasoning men. they
| are not able to understand why persons who
| have not their grounds for confidence should
feel some doubt about it. Poor, dear old Joe
| He can't understand it at all. Well, he will In
| November and great many other things he IS
| inst now bewildered about. Ard one Of the
things ne will understand pretty clearly will be
| the fact that the entire American People play
! the game Of business and finance with just as
high a sense of personal honor as kentucky
| gentlemen play the game Of poker. There's no
monkeying with the chips after they have
| been issued by the banker.