Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-23
ADDRESS TO DEMOCRATS
An Urgent Appeal for Strong and
United Action.
state Committee Chairman Parks M
Martin, of Indiana, ROasts Re-
pubIicans and EncOur-
ages DemOcrata.

interesting and inspiring reading for
democrats all over The country.
"a little more than year ago the most
remarkable presidential campaign in the
history Of the United States terminated in
the success Of the republican candidates
This was the first presidential campaign
in a great many years in which the issues
were sCuarely Joined between the CONSOLE
dated money power OF the country. and
the people. On the one hand were the enor-
nous and practically inexhaustibIe re-
sources Of the moneyed interests of the
United States and Europe, embracing the
national banks. whose power had been built
up by federal legislation, the great manu-
facturers, who had become strong and rich
under more than three decades of extreme
protection, the railway and other corpora
TONS the varied uonopolies. trusts and
combines Of capital which had been built
up by long course Of governmental favor
ftism and class legislation, the bondholders
and money-lenders Of two continents, the
great army Of spectators. jobbers and
schemers of high and low degree
who are interested in restoring q
policy Of lavish appropriations and reck-
less expenditure and all those who had
reaped profits or hoped to do SO through the
prostitution of the functions of government
to their service. From these sources a cor
ruption fund was gathered Of such magni-
tude that, although a golden stream was
poured into every debatable state and con-
gressional district in the United States dur
ing the campaign. al enormous unexpected
balance remained in the hands of the re-
publican national committee after the cleo
ton.
This gigantic combination OF wealth and
power was able to enlist in its service every
venal newspaper in the United States,
whatever its past political professions;
every orator who was willing to sell his
eloQuence TO monopoly for price: every
huckstering politician; every expert in cleo
ton fraud; every trained manipulation Of
Doodle throughout the republic. Against
this sinister mbination the historic DEM
ocratic party went to the country with
candidate for the presidency whose purity
of chSra cter, breadth OF patriotism, power
Of eloQuence and devotion to the interests
of the people marked him as their natural
leader in q contest with the hosts of mo-
nopoly, and with a declaration of principles
which stirred the public conscience it
had not been stirred for generations. The
democratic party relied solely upon the
merit of its standard-bearer and the justice
of its cause 1t fought the campaign
through with an empty treasury and q
crippled press and with many Of its state
and local organizations honeycombed with
treachery. a more heroic political battle
against overwhelming odds has never been
waged in this or any other country
and the six million and half Of the popular
votes and the I76 electoral votes expressed a
great moral victory the magnitude of which
is becoming more apparent every day
THE principles Tor which the democratic
y
enough TO have carried the country over
whelmingly if the agencies of coercion and
corruption could have been eliminated from
the contest These principles have been
growing stronger day by day and there is
no question that they are accepted now by
a great majority of the American people.
The republican party returned to power
last March under pledges to reestablish the
equilibrium between national revenue ana
expenditure, to devise a safe and stable
monetary system, and to restore prosperity
to the masses of the people Neither CT
these pledges has been kept.
The Tarin Measure.
1.-The first important official act OF Presi-
dent Mckinley was to convene congress in
extraordinary session for the purpose Of
enacting a tariff law. the ostensible OBJ
jects Of which were to produce revival
of business throughout the country and to
provide sufficient revenue to carry on the
government, but whose real purpose was
to enable the trusts to reimburse them
selves for their contributions to the cor
ruption fund Of 1896 by legalized spoliation
of the people. This Ubiquitous law is &C
comprising its real purpose The sugar
trust, the beef trust. and all the other great
combinations which were allowed to die
tate its terms are already realizing enor-
nous profits from its operation. In order
TO swell the ill-gotten gains of these preda-
tory combinations, the public revenues have
been sacrificed and the cost Of living has
been increased to the people. The public
debt statement issued December l shows
that the excess Of expenditures over re-
ceipts during the first five months OF the
present fiscal year was $46,1o1,4 49,, an aver
age OF over S, 100000 per month or at the
rate of about $40. 900. 900 per year.
This appalling deficit measures the COM
plete failure Of the Dingley law as revenue
producer and will compel congress at an
early day either to authorize another bond
issue or to levy additional taxes or to re-
duce expenditures. Republican admins
trations never reduce expenditures So
that after nine months of republican rule
the country finds itself face TO face with
new taxes or another issue Of bonds or
both There has been no marked increase
in the number of workingmen employed
and no general advance of wages to COM
pensate for the augmented cost Of living,
and the Dingley bill already stands con-
demned before the country as the most
fragrant and oppressive abuse of the TAX
ing power of the government which has
ever been perpetrated-
COmmiHsion's Failure.
THE failure Of the commission sent to
Europe by President Mckinley to secure
al agreement with England, France and
Germany for international bfmetallism
the greatest problem which has ever con-
fronted it One of three policies must be
adopted: % The single gold standard
must be definitely established, or 20 BIZ
metallism al the old ratio must be restored
by Independent national action, or go the
present Illogical, chaotic, dangerous and
be perpetuated- The adoption of the first
alternative involving the change Of all the
outstanding interest-bearing securities Of
the government from coin TO gold obliga-
tions, the virtual retirement of the green
backs and treasury notes and the conces-
sion of practically absolute control of the
circulating medium to the national banks
is urged upon congress by the administra-
ton The execution Of this programme
would be colossa! crime against the peo-
pie, and while it would rivet the chains Of
financial slavery upon them and enormous
~ swell the tribute they are now compelled
TO pay TO the money power, IL would cause
such wave Of popular Indignation as
would sweep the republican organization
out Of existence The second policy to
which the democratic party stands pledged.
ana which presents the only practical soiu-
ton OF the currency question, viii not, Of
course, be considered by the party in power.
The only alternative. therefore to the
adoption of the administration programme
Is the do-nothing policy, which would in
volve z confession OF utter impotence on
the part OF the republican party and would
render its overthrow at the next general
election as certain If not as complete. as
If the policy just proclaimed by President
Mckinley were to be carried out
=aspiratiOn for Democrats.
The political situation is full Of inspira-
ton and encoura cement TO Democrats
everywhere. and at the same time 1t sug-
Eests to them unceasing vigilance The re-
publican party has not only failed to solve
the currency question; It has not only failed
to restore prosperity to the people; # has
not only failed 10 negotiate an agreement
for internations, bimetaliisrn but II has
in other ways violated its pledges to the
country. Its attitude with relation to Cuba
Is contrary to the explicit promise Of the
st. Louis platform and is in the last de-
gree undemocratic. unrepublican, unpatri-