The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-02
THE HICKORY ELM CLUB.
Roundup by Col. snort-Importance OF
the Campaign Lie.

Colonel Snort was the first man on the
floor when the club had been called TO
order. Said he: Gentlemen, as vice chan
eelIor of this club it is my duty to warn
every member here who is earnestly and
dishonesty advocating the election of Mr..
Bryan that the time for lying representa-
tons and political roorbaeks is growing
exceedingly short, and it therefore be-
comes the duty of every Bryan Democrat,
who expects to again place the country in
jeopardy by the success of the party at
the polls next Tuesday. to put in circula-
ton all the false, malicious and outrageous
reports, rumors and stories that 1t is posi-
bic to dig up invent or conceive against
the opposition that will in any way tend
to excite, infame or influence the ignor-
ant and vicious classes of society to sup
port the candidates of our party. Already
the Democratic bureau of information has
launched the report that Grover Cleveland
intends to vote for Bryan and that he has
said that there will be landslide to him
at the polls. This false and improbable
story should be spread In all the Demo-
cratic precincts of the towns and cities OF
the country, before Mr.. Cleveland can
have time TO head 1T of with one of his
Senator Fairbanks is saying in his
speeches that no man is fit to be President
who urged the ratification of the treaty
with Spain which gave US the Philippine
islands and then gave as a reason that he
believed that by ratifying it," we (mean-
ing the Bryan Democracy would be in a
better position 10 wage a successful con-
tent against imperialism than we would
have been had the treaty been rejected,
because. with the treaty ratified. clean
cut issue is presented between a govern
ment by consent and a government by
force 1t is said that Senator Fairbanks
takes the skin off Mr.. Bryan on this prop
osition. and shows him up in his true light
as trickster and an unconscionable dem
agogue, incapable of entertaining high
idea of patriotism, and unworthy to be
mentioned in connection with the Office of
President. This is a serious arraignment
of our candidate, and the charges must be
Colonel Garlic-That puts us on the de-
fensive Colonel Snort. We ought not to
waste time I'm that way. think ii would
be better to be aggressive by going after
the enemy with trumped-up charges of
fraud and corruption. We can't stop to
answer the charge that Bryan Is political
fraud and a self-admitted humbug: that
Croker is a political pirate; that Indiana
Democratic managers intend to buy up
election boards and hire men to stay away
from the polls or intimidate and prevent
them from voting by pulling receipt for a
dollar received in consideration of vote
for Bryan; that Altgeld is an Anarchist
that Tillman is a Niger killer, or that
Goebel stole the governorship of Kentucky.
In other words. we will have no time to
undertake TO make favorable showing for
Organism, Taggartism, Crokerism, Altgeld-
ism, Tillmanism and Goebeiisla against
Republicanism.
Colonel Snort-Who said anything about
making a defense or a favorable showing ?
/ merely said that we should deny the
charges that are being hurled against Bry-
and his political satellites in this cam
paign. 1t would be useless to undertake to
explain to intelligent people the necessity
for turning over the affairs of the Demo-
cratic party to Croker and his crowd, even
If we had time, and l am not prepared TO
say that We are not playing IN great luck
to be able 10 plead want of time. Gentle
men. the fight of Bryan Democracy is
against the allied forces of wealth and in
dustry I'm this country which is crushing
the very life out or the organization to
which we belong. The Republicans are
soaring and intimidating the old women
and the young orphans of the land by
showing them what the consequences will
be to their slender surplus in the savings
bank If Bryan is elected and begins to get
rid of the gold standard. Clerks, me-
chanics and day laborers are made to see.
and have become convinced that Bryan S
election would mean lower salaries for all
and no employment for many that are now
enjoying a degree of prosperity they never
enjoyed before. Employees are compelled
by the consent of their wives and little
ones 10 march in Republican parades and
hurrah for Mckinley and Roosevelt, en-
joying much needed exercise in the open
air away from the dust of the factory
and the foul smell of dyestuffs i'm the dry
goods store The dollar is put before the
man where he Is made to hustle for il. and
when he overtakes il finds that Ii takes
four of them to buy five bushels of wheat
of the proud and boastful Kansas farmer.
The price of money has got so low under
McKinley's administration that the retired
saloon keeper on SO, 600 is unable to live on
the interest. The Dingley tariff has dumped
into this country balance from foreign
trade that has astounded the world and
will sooner or later breed a spirit of envy
and jealousy in Europe and Aguinaldo that
will result in more bloody war. 1t is upon
these lines that we must attack the enemy.
And we must not forget Mark Hanna. the
great Republican bull's-eye for the shafts
and arrows of Bryanocracy In this cam
paign. Let every man do his full Demo
cratic duty from now until the polls close
Ii he can get fact that can be twisted and
distorted into a campaign lie let him send
il forth upon its proper mission, and If we
do not win we will have the proud satisfac-
ton of knowing that our reputation for po-
Iitical sagacity. rascality. chicanery and
smooth work has not been impaired by our
efforts. W. S. II.