Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-02
WON'T TALK POLITICS.
People Generally Are Too Busy to Dis
cuss the Issue.

From Thursdays Daily.
Four years ago, at this time of the
year, the country was in the throes of
one of the hottest campaigns the
country ever saw. Everybody, even
the boys and girls and women, were
talking politics and seriously asking
their brothers, fathers and husbands
whether the free silver measure pro-
posed by democracy was a good thing
or not Today it is the hardest kind
of work to get an argument from d
democrat or republican. Seemingly,
they take no interest in the matter
one way or the other. and take it for
ed, and that a double measure of
prosperity will be theirs, as has been
the case during the past four years.
Four years ago the campaign began
almost as soon as Bryan delivered his
Grown of Thorns and Cross of Gold"
speech at Chicago. His meteoric
campaign followed Republican
speakers of note trailed him across
the continent and educated the people
on the money question. Everybody
was willing, at the drop of the hat"
to take issue with a political oppon-
ent and fight the matter to finish.
Men would drop their business af-
fairs to talk politics, and politicians
did nothing else for months. Families
were divided on the money question,
and the democratic party rent asun-
der. Things were in a chaotic state,
and everybody was in fever of I'M
rest. Today, just forty-two days be-
fore the general election, which takes
place November 6, the local political
stage is enlivened once in while
with an address by speaker, and
people resume their ordinary avoca-
lions, thinking, perhaps, that they will
let well enough alone. and that Nc
Kinley prosperity will take care of
them. They seem to forget that it
takes votes to insure a continuation
OF good government, or if they re-
member it they are saying but little.
The death-like stiffness OF this
campaign betokens that it is either
thinking one, or that the people are
trusting to luck and providence. Dem
ocrats have received an inspiration,
and are making noise about the
situation in the nation. Locally, they
are not saying much. They find but
little to encourage them, and it is
said that their canvass, which they
are just beginning to take, gives them
a feeling of sadness. On the other
hand, republicans say that the result
of their canvass is almost too good
to be true. Still, they are saving but
little about it, and are making no
claims, but are watching every turn
o. the political road.
Old politicians are amazed at the
state of affairs that exists in the two
parties that have battled for suprem-
acy. None but "spellbinders" are
talking politics, and that Just forty
two days before general election
when everything, ordinarily, would be
| "red hot" One sizes up the situa
ton by saying that anti-imperialism is
no issue. Another says that free sill
yer was buried in the grave of obliv
ion under an avalanche of votes, foul
years ago. Still others say that dem
ocracy was compelled to hunt for ar
issue, and are still making an effort
/ to find ammunition; but the last mar
! who says he knows states that people
are satisfied, and know that the gooG
ship of state has pilot who is &C
quainted with the channel. and is {
past master in his profession.