Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-06-18
wANAMAKER.s WARNING.
The Ex-Postmaster-Gene Speaks
a Timely Word to His Party.


Timely Word to His Party.
That was a very notable speech
which John Wanamaker, the postmas-
ter-general in President Harrison's adj
Ininistration, made in Philadelphia re-
Gently.
Mr.. Wanamaker. in his speech, spoke
as a business man, not as n politician,
and he tells the party in power at Wash
ington and the republican politicians
and spell-binders throughout the coun-
try some pertinent and pungent truths.
He reminds them that their promised
prosperity" has not materialized, and
that "a patient and heart-tried people,
our own suffering, much-promised peo-
pie. who, betrayed and disheartened.
no longer have faith In their party.
will turn to any leaderships that offer
promise of better times. believing that
worse times can never come than those
now existing" The speech was deliv-
cred at n dinner of the business Mems
Republican league" Mr.. Wanamaker
said in part:
THE country is not prosperous. Since
the outset of the last presidential cam
paign the party. press and political lead
ers generally fixed the November election
OF 1896 as the date OF the beginning OF good
times. A full half year has expired since
the VIII OF the republican party was de-
clared. Thus far but one of the impor-
tant issues OF the campaign is nearing set
Element. and hardly any noticeable I'M
provement OF The -wretched times is mani
fest. The tide will soon set I'm strongly
against the republican party unless the
depression of business Is altered. Idle
ness and want breed a bitter discomfort
which will never be overcome until there
are ample employments.
The foes America has to fear are not
the sullen. savage Turks nor the insurrec-
tionists Of Cuba. nor the territory -grasping
British, but they are our own patient and
heart-tried people, our own suffering.
much-promised people, who, BETRAYED a nd
disheartened. no longer have faith In their
party. and will turn to any leaderships
that offer promise OF better times. believing
that worse times can never come than
those now existing.
1T Is a terrible thing to observe public
sentiment adrift and unexplained. and tho
people sweeping away from their affections
FOR the old party. The young men are
growing up Indifferent to republican prln-
ciples. with no respect for parties OF broken
platforms, who use national and state rat
ronage in payment of election contracts
The political religion OF the nation is fall
Ing lower and lower under Insults TO In
telligence. violation OF law reckless daring
OF the INSCRIPTIONS BOSSES
There are unreasonable depths OF mis-
fortune for this nation and state II the
continued use OF corporation and Dublic
moneys and the dispensation OF federal
and state patronage continues to be con-
trolled In the interests Of offlceholders to
hold office for themselves and to benefit
those who desire government contracts or
maintain particular projections through
the money given by which elections are de-
cded
There VIII most assuredly come a day
when there viii be a mighty revolt and re-
sistance. resulting in a revolution that
Will give birth to a new political party
Laws continually despised and disregard
ed. legislation conceived for Matchmaking
purposes. speculation by public officials in
trust and other stocks, while tariffs and
other financial bills are pending, must
surely and irrevocably ALLEVIATE the people
from their party and awaken n disnosi-
ton and determination to substitute almost
any wild and untried leadership with the
hope OF possible relief"
Mr.. Wanamaker's warning, comments
the Illinois State Register, is evidently
sincere and it certainly is timely. The
republican party has failed utterly to
fulfill the promises il made the people
last year. More than six months have
elapsed since the election of Mckinley.
and the confidence" which was to be
immediately restored" and the pros
perity which was to follow as a conse-
quence of restored confidence" are
not yet in sight. The failure Of the re-
publicans to make an effort to bring
about favorable conditions forms n
pitiable and discouraging spectacle and
fully justifies the late republican post
master-general in lifting his voice I'm
warning to his party.