Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-07-12


are so dear to our hearts. And while
we are threatened with the growing
danger of imperialism, militarism and
foreign entanglements, we can with
pride say to the American people that
this great danger can be overcome;
yes, overthrow only through the
great and glorious old democratic
party.
This country is now entering into a
great political campaign, the two great
national political parties have just held
their conventions, set forth their plat
form and principles and nominated
their candidates and the great con test
is now on. Neither convention, plat
form or its candidates surprised us be-
cause the people generally anticipated
the results.
The republican platform is full of in
sincere promises, and clouded with
evasions from beginning to its close.
Their plank against trusts is not an
open, clear statement, and any declar-
alton against trusts by them comes
with great Inslncerity. Trusts are
largely the outgrowth of republican
tariff.
They declare for an Isthmian canal !;
also statehood for the territories OF
New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma.
They say that it is now time that the
war taxes were repealed. This shows
one of two things; that the republican
party is the boldest of hypocrites or is
The most brazen of towards; this all in
the face of the fact that the republican
party has had full control of the gov
eminent for the last four years, the
president and both bodies of congress.
At each session there has been a bill
for the building of the Nicaragua canal
before congress, while representatives
of these people of the territories have
thronged the capital of this country for
che same length of time begging the
republican party to give them their
much needed state rights.
A bill was before congress asking the
repeal Of the infamous war tax, backed
by the statement from the secretary OF
the treasury telling the president and
congress that the excess for revenue
was growing rapidly and had accumu-
lated TO the extent of some eighty
million dollars within the last twelve
months.
Now the ffty-ffth and fifty sixth
congress have had every opportunity
and full power to give the country this
needful legislation when they have
been besieged to do so, and yet in the
face of all these opportunities they go
before the country and promise these
things for political gain.
Can they be sincere about trusts
when nine-tenths of them have sprung
up within the last three or four years
under President McKinley's admins
tration, when the republican party is
not only the parents of the trusts, but
are the offspring as well, inheriting it's
political fortunes and it's power from
these identical trusts. JUST before the
adjournment of congress and some two
weeks before their national convention
the republican party in the lower house
did pass trust bill, but it was sham.
This bill only passed the house meet
ing its death in the senate just as the
republicans had intended 1t. 1t was
only done for political bait thrown out
to the people, while on the other hand
the owners of the trusts smiled and
planned for still stronger combinations
and more power in the future.
The republican party will largely go
before the country proclaIm1ng Mchln-
ley and prosperity. We are ali delig hit
ed to see prosperity, but what right
has Mckinley to claim credit for 1t?
They point to two acts of legislation
that produced this prosperity, the
Dingley protective tariff and a law
making gold standard of value. Let
US see how these gave us prosperity:
Now prosperity came several years
ago, when the law making gold the
standard money was only enacted this
year; in other words we had prosperity
before this act was passed. consequent
ly their claim is not justifiable They
claim that the Dingley tariff made the
country prosperous; that is not Justlt1a-
BILE for it is not the imports or increase
of imports that has come with
prosperity, for imports have not
increased, but it is the great in
crease of our foreign exports that has
been largely the cause of our prosperl-
ty, Our exports for this country has
grown immensely; we have shipped
more manufactured merchandise than
ever known in the history of this coun-
try. Then we owe our prosperity
largely to our foreign customers and
not protection to the American manu-
facturer.
Did the single gold standard or the
protective tariff bring prosperity to the
cotton grower in 1898 when they sold
their cotton for Al and 81 cents per
pound? Did it cause the southern
farmer to get good price IN 1899?
They sold their early cotton for i've
cents per pound. Then it was thought
that crop of from eleven to twelve
million bales would be made, but later
on when it was ascertRined that the
crop was a poor one and only from nine
to nine and a quarter million would
be made then it began to advance until
today it is worth 81 cents per pound.
Now If it had not been for the short
crop last year would Mckinley and the
republican party have raised the price
I tell you no, Did Mckinley cause the
western farmers wheat to advance ~
cents per bushel within the last thirty
DAYS? No. it was the great drought
and great heat in the Dakota's, Minnie
sofa and the northwest. Did Mckln-
lev cause wheat TO advance IN 1897
when it ran from so cents to 81. 90 per
bushel? No, it was the great drought
and failure of large portion OF the
Europaon wheat country. Then what
has Mckinley done for the southern
cotton grower and the western wheat
grower? The answer is nothing.
Did Mckinley give us this great for
elgn trade for our manufactured cotton
goods and other manufactured goods
Certainly not, but it cornes from the
enterprise of our manufacturers who
are more progressive ana are now fight
ing the way meeting all foreign compe-
tition and finding market for our
goods in all parts of the civilized world