Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-09-08
4 FIRST VOTERS OPPORTUNITY.

eligable to cast their tlrst presidential
votes. When we remember tina
President McKinley's plurality 9TH,
second largest ever given to presi
dent) was 901, 1854, and when we alst
consider that the young men are no
bound by party ties,we see how large
an influence the "frst voter" exert or
the outcome.
j Let the young man, therefore,thlnL
we'll of the political questions de
handing solution. Four years ago
the present coterie of politicians OBJ,
tanned control of the Democratic par.
ty, thrust aside the great conservative
leaders, and promulgated platform
filled with seductive appeals to class
prejudice and demanding the dishon
orable course of debasing the nation
al currency. Their doctrine was re-
pudiated by the people. and their
dire prophesies proved false by four
years of prosperity. Without sban-
doning their false doctrines, they now
seek to obscure them with other s'is-
sues" even more false but more sub
tie than those of 1896.
All parties united in the decIara-
ton of the war against Spain. Dur
ing the prosecution of that war, the
Philippines came under our flag.
When the instruction broke out Mr..
Bryan himself (be il said to his cred
it, hastened to Washington and used
his influence With recalcitrant Demo
cratic senators to secure immediate
ratification of the treaty with Spain.
The establishment of good govern
ment in the islands has been prac-
teal and honest course that any par
ty in power would be mpelled to
take. Nevertheless the Democratic
leaders assume that we have entered
upon series of ruthless foreign con-
quests and by brooding over it have
Matched the hobgoblin of imperial
ISM"
The army has been increased nee
essarily.. But when we think of the
magnificent manner in which mill
ion men were re-absorbed by the peo-
pie in '65, our faith in the American
soldier must be punY indeed if we
see in a paltry 100000 men any thing
more than an adequate police force
for service on the frontier and
abroad. So much for "militarism."
The Democratic leaders are max
ing great deal of noise about
trusts" and claim that they are the
outgrowth of the Republican admin
istra'ion As matter of fact, that
economic development which is
known as "trust" has been shaping
itself for years; and is bound to be-
come permanent institution in some
more or less modified form. Like
every industrial improvement it is
capable of being either used or alb
used. The Republican party takes
the sensible view ana declares in its
platform for the proper regulation OF
trusts
But the Democratic politicians
are trying to obscure the real issue
of prosperity and plenty with all this
noise about trusts. Wages and OPP
portunities for employment have
steadily increased during the last
four years, and this condition is the
vital one in judging of the welfare Of
the country.
The young men Of the country are
the ones who should weigh all thess
matters most carefully, for if this
country is to adopt any unwis,
course of reaction and Reputation i
is they who will suffer. The Repub
lican has noble record of forty year.
of achievement and in its presen
attitude on public questions reflect.
i crodit ~, oil fhooo NH, Iotoo. ;AL I;