The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-04
A Newsy Letter from Frank Cook
Racine, Wis, Oct. l, 1900.

Racine, Wis, Oct. l, 1900.
EDITOR REroRrER, Leon, Iowa:
Dear Sir:-I sometimes feel like writ
ing quite lengthy letter to my friends
in Decatur county. Sometimes feel
like addressing the Journal and some
times the REPORTER, but n part OF what
| might write and perhaps much of it,
would not interest your readers, there
fore never write; but seeing by The
REPORTER that my friend, v. r. Nc
Ginnis, is a candidate for the Office Of
congressman from your district l can.
not refrain from saying that l heartily
wish him success, and it would afford
me pleasure to help elect him. All OF
us who have known him the many
years that he has lived such useful
and honorable life in Decatur county,
also know that neither party in Decatur
county nor the entire district could
have selected better man to represent
the people of the district, and should he
be elected want q. w. Hoffman to
send me nice little red feather from
one Of his red game roosters and will
wear it on my hat all over this state
and Illinois this fall, and if / get oyer
into Iowa the feather will be there, too.
Five years ago bought in Leon, Ia,
between nineteen and twenty thousand
bushels of corn at an average Of eighteen
cents per bushel. Four years ago many
republicans in Leon and Decatur county
told me that if Mckinley was elected
that next summer would get fifty cents
per bushel for that corn and that the
money would be worth 100 cents on
the dollar and that if Bryan was elected
l would get about thirty cents per
busliel for it and that the money would
be worth only fifty cents on the dollar,
and cheerfu!ly can feel that one part
of their prediction correct, for you
all know that did get thirty cents per
bushel for that corn. However, l sold
e few thousand bushels at % cents per
bushel and few hundred bushels at 35
cents per bushel, but suppose that DIR.
r. d. Gardner and Mr.. John G. Early
and all the other corn kings have sold
their corn at SO cents or more and are
now rejoicing over Mckinley prosper
ity.
Both before and after the election /
was told by some Of the leading repub-
licans that before Mckinley's first term
Of office expired that the trusts and
combines would largely be wiped out Of
existence, and universally replied that
if their predictions proved correct
would vote the republican ticket in 1900
and forever afterward. Nineteen hun
dred has come and election day is con-.
ing and l heartily wish that l were
bound by that promise to voc the ,e
publican ticket this fall, but instead q
the trusts and combines being wiped
; out of existence, Gin which case would
have been honor-bound to vote the re
publican ticket this fall and hereafter
they have grown rapidly in number'
and wealth. lido not wish you to un
derstand me that l am condemnine
these trusts, combines and monopolies
| know that men who operate them are
simply doing as any and all greedy, ay
aricious and heartIess men wonld do il
they had the money and the rover
Furtherm ore now hear many republi-
cans arguing that it is much better for
the poor for the wealth Of our nation to
be in tho hands of few who know how
to handle it and run the business in.
terest Of the country SO that the poor
laboring men may be constantly en-
ployed. hear some Of them put up a
pretty strong and plausible argument
Of this kind, and they may be right,
hut itappears like the most Of the poor
men do not see 1t that way.
| know that there are men in this and
many other towns who work for one
dollar day and, pay ten dollars n
month for house rent, which leaves
them sixteen. dollars month 10 feed
and clothe quite large families and to
buy books tn send them to school, and
coal TO keep them from freezing and
coal ~ per ton and wool So per cord.
How these men can support their fam,
lies comfortably is a question that APP
pears 10 me would puzzle the Gods
| yes even the trusts, the republican
party and President Hanna.
And now Il word more for v. Il. Nc
Ginnis and am done. 1t will he re.
membered that two or three days be-
fore election day four years, ago that
the democrats and the populists and
free silver republicans secured his ser
vices to speak to us in the public square
in Leon, Iowa, and that we were so vel
pleased with that Grafton that We i'm
mediately appealed to him to address
us again that night IN the opera house
1t will also be remembered that Ed
K. Pitman made few preliminary re
marks at that time and asked us wha
we would do to reward MIR. McGinni
for his services. 1t will also be remem
bered that Immediately sprang to m,
feet and said that we would elect hin
and send MIN to congress in 1900 ant
that we then gave three rousing cheer