Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-10-25
A REPUBLICAN PANIC.
DEMOCRATS EXPECT TO DRIVE
PARTY FROM POWER.

DEMOCRATS EXPECT TO DRIVE
PARTY FROM POWER.
Great Throng Hears W. ]. Bryan and
Cato sells at sigourney-Manage
for White Are Confident of Great
Victory Next Month.
If the outpouring of the Democrats of
keokuk and surrounding counties is in
dicative of party enthusiasm elsewhere in
Iowa it is not difficult to find reason for
Senator Allison's recent prayerful appeal
to President Mckinley to help save the
Republican party from the severest de-
feat with which it has ever been threat
ened. No fewer than 5000 farmers and
their wives and children assembled in the
big square that surrounds Sigourney's pic
turesque court house TO listen to William
Jennings Bryan and Cato Sells of Vim
ton.
1t is extraordinary to note how conf
dent the Democratic leaders are about
the outcome of this campaign in Iowa
and how faithfully the rank and file of
the party reflect the opticism. The con-
viction that the eloquent Keokuk farmer
will be returned winner by the ballots
of the people in November seems to have
fastened itself SO strongly upon nine out
of every ten Democrats in the State that
not even .timid suggestion that Iowa
will again justify her record as the BAN
ner Republican State of the Union is ac-
M, ,f.,I ,,,s@ t .l,,l~
The reason for this confidence is found
partly in the increased activity of the
State committee, partly in the knowledge
that there are fewer divisions in the
ranks than have existed since 1896 and
partly in the undeniable popularity of the
new issues-trusts and Imperialism
which have furnished the sole topics Of
discussion for all the party orators who
are stumping the State.
Then there are dissensions in the Re
publican ranks. In some quarters it IS
due to Indifference, in others to desire
to rid the Republican organization of
the domination of certain leaders who
have been in control so long that vast
army of younger and ambitious young
workers have grown gray waiting for
chance to reach even the exalted station
of lieutenant.
The bitter and aggravated contest be-
tween Senator Gear and A. B. Cummins
for control Of the Legislature is not in
juring the Democratic State ticket, for
the reason that the Cummins forces have
begun to despair of ever being successful
in their contest against the power of the
great railroad corporation that is popular
ly believed to exercise greater influence
In fixing Republican policies in Iowa than
any other and which is backing Gears
candidacy. Cummns himself is attached
to railroad, but it is a road that here
tofore has not interfered in politics sufll-
GENTLY to give the Dies Moines man us its
political representative the strong grip
on the party machine that other railroads
have obtained through their representa-
tives.
Mr.. White and small army of Dem
ocratic orators have been campaigning
in the State for several weeks and have
covered u great deal of ground.
Bryan Addresses Great ThronEs,
According to statement by Chairman
George Huffman, they have attracted
larger crowds than ever before were
known to turn out to Democratic meet
ings in Iowa. Their reception has not
only been cordial, but distinctly enthnsi-
astic. The party organization is stronger
in every county in the State than it has
been for years.
Cato Sells sounded the keynote of the
pending battle when he earnestly pro-
claimed that he believed that Democracy
Is going to score notable victory in
Iowa. Mr.. Sells, owing to the prominent
part he played in the State convention
and his associations with the party lead
ers, regardless of factions, is perhaps in a
better position to judge the situation than
any other man in Iowa. He told the cor
respondent that the Democratic party
was NEVER more united and harmonious,
that there was never so earnest deter
mination on the part of the rank and file
to secure victory at the polls and that
seemingly Republican farmers never be-
fore betrayed such interest in Democrat
ic politics as they are erincing this fall.
They appear to be fascinated by the
Democratic discussions of trusts and I'M
perialism.
The meeting at Sigourney was only one
of large number Of political meetings
that Were held in various parts of the
State. The meeting was spontaneous
outpouring that was all the more remark
able because it was not widely advertised
as most political mass meetings. The
double attraction of Mr.. Bryan and Cato
Sells proved magnet that few Demc-
Gratis who live within reasonable travel
ing distance of Sigourney could resist,
Col. Bryan had been expected to reach
Sigourney Mt 4 O'Clock, but owing to a
series of delays he did not arrive until
after 5 o'clock. In the meantime Mr..
Sells had made a enthusiastically strong
and aggressive speech, covering all the
issues Of the present campaign. which
served to hold the attention of the multi
tude for more than two hours. The
striking features of Mr. Sells speech was
his quotation from the Congressional
Globe containing the proceedings Of the
first session of the Thirtieth Congress. 1t
was printed in 1913, while the Mexican
war was In progress James Il. Polk
was President and Abraham Lincoln was
member of the House of Representa-
tives. President Polk was Democrat.
Lincoln belonged to the opposing party.
During the progress of debate on the
war one day Mr.. Lincoln INDUCED in
caustic criticism of the administration for
what he termed its failure to determine
how soon the war would end, what it
would cost and what returns it would
bring the United States.
Il want to stand on the same platform
with Abraham Lincoln" Mr.. Sells de-
clared: He was a patriot whose works
will live as long as the republic survives.
If he were alive to-day he would stand
on this platform with me and have no
doubt indorse the position which am
taking relative to the attitude of our
country toward the Filipinos.
When Lincoln deemed it necessary in
the discharge Of his duties as a repre-
sentative to criticise Democratic Presi-
dent who was prosecuting war that had
been declared by resolution Of Congress
have no doubt that the Republicans Of
the period said that he was patriot.
The Republicans of this generation would
echo that estimate of the martyred Pres
ident who gave up his life in holy
cause. But when Democrat stands up
and questions the right of the Republl-
can administration to carry on u war
l.. 4.