Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-09-25
: DEAR BOY" LETTERS-NO. 5

My Dear Boy-You ask why the DEM
ocratS insist tiiat Imperialism and miii-
tarism are the paramount issues of this
campa ign.
The reason. my son. is very plain. Our
Democratic friends are pushing these
things to the front becailSe there isn't
anything else for Nom 10 talk about this
year All the resi- nf their powder has
been burnt once and won even hZZie this
year. Their platform denounces tine
Dingley tariff bill. bat they do not wish
to meet us before tie people on that
issne. The hard times under the Wilson
bill and the ltrestut prosperity GH,ter o,ir
protective tariff furnish an object lesson
which makes it uphill business TO argue
free trade this year.
Their platform also denounces the gold
standard legislation and demands free
coinage OF silver at the ratio of III to |.
But that powder waS burnt four years
ago and events have shown the faisi:y OF
their predictions.
They are like the boy who when beaten
playing marbles says. Lets play some
thing else Beaten on tariff and the
money question. they want t" play mil
itarism' awhile. Their lack of any other
issue is responsible for the conjuTing up
of the spectre of imperialism"
But while they are not talking about
free trade or free silver. the people are
not going TO forget that they are tie
free trade and free silver party. And,
as Mr.. Lincoln used to say. that reminds
me Of little story.
One of our excellent missionaries and
his good wife went to an island in Poly
nesia about fifty years ago. They stayed
fhf.rf s.iZ and hair. npk SsaV
wonderfully successful. They found a
tribe of savagcs. They left u tribe OF
civilized, Christian people, Industrious
and temperate, clothed and in their
right minds
The incident which illustrates my point
occurred during the first year of their
residence on the island. A chief clothed
in sunshine and nothing else called on the
missionaries. They treated him pali city.
but as he left the house the missionary
followed him and said: Chief. we are
glad to see you and want you to come
again. but in my country men wear
clothes and my wife is not accustomed
to see men without clothing. The next
time you come to see us, won't you please
put on little clothing, one or two gar
ments at least%'
The chief promised compliance. A few
DAYS after, he entered the missionaries
home with a satisfied smile on his face.
saying, Me all right now"
He had on a shirt collar and pair Of
socks.
Ny son, Mr. Bryan and his friends
are badly deceived if they think that
their '.imperialism'' collar and ''mi!itar-
ISM socks will hide the free trade and
free silver nakedness of the Democratic
party from the gaze Of the American
people.
BY the way, speaking of 'militarism."
I advise you always to watch with sus-
picion any man or any party that Is
afraid of the United States army. Our
army is volunteer army Of as gallant
men as the sun ever shone upon. They
are our defenders and the protectors Of
our persons and property. Hurd-work-
ing. accomplishing. brave and faithful.
they follow the flag through summers
sun and winters storms, through tropi-
cal jungles and the dangers of fever and
of battle for you and me and for their
country's sake. II a man is good, law
abiding citizen he has no reason 10 be
afraid of an American soldier.
I was one. my father was one. my
grandfather was one, and my great
grandfather was one, and feel like TAX
ing off my hat to every soldier meet.
And whenever / find a man who is
afraid of the tyranny" of our gallant
little army. feel like asking him what
he has been doing. 1t is small army
for so great nation. and the introduc-
ton Of "militarism" in this camnai:.n
shows that our Democrdatic friends are
hard up for an issue.
YOUR FATHER.