Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-09-28
DEAR BOY" LETTERS

My Dear Boy-iou ask why the
ocratS insist that imperialism and
tariSm are the paramount iesues of
campaign"
The reason. my son. is very plain.
Democratic friends are pushing
things TO the front because there
anything else for them to talk about
year. All the rest nf their powder
been burnt once and went even hzzie
year Their PLATFORM tlenounces
Dingicy tariff bill. bat they do not q
to meet us before the people on
issue. The hard times under the vii
bill and the present prosperity under
protective tariff furnish an object les
which makes it uphill business 10 arl
free trade this year.
Their platform also denounces the g
standard legislation ana demands Il
coinage of silver at tie ratio OF l6 TO
But that powder was burnt four yes
ago and events have shown: the falsity
their predictions.
They arc like the boy who when beat
playing marbles says, LETS play son
thing else Beaten on tariff and {!
money question, they want to play mi
itarism' awhile Their lack of any oth(
issue is responsible for the conjuring d
of the spectre Of imperialism.
But while they are not talking abol
free trade or free silver. the people ar
not going to forget that they are C..
free trade and free silver party. Ant
as Mr.. Lincoln used to say. that remind
ME of a little story.
One of our excellent missionaries an
his good wife went TO an island in Pol.
nesia about fifty years ago They stage
there sixteen years and their work wa
wonderfully successful. They found
tribe of savases. They left tribe O
civilized, Christian people. industrDu
and temperate. clothed and in thei
right minds
The incident which illustrates my poin
occurred during the first year of thei
residence on the island. A chief c1aihe
in sunshine and nothing else called on tt:
missionaries. They treated him politely
but as he left the house the nsissionaf
followed him and said: "Chief. we ar
glad to see you and want you to COM
again, but in my country men wea
clothes and my wife is not accusfOme,
to see men without clothing. The mex
time you come to see us. won't you pleas,
pnt on little clothing, one or two gar
ments at least q
The chief promised compliance few
days after, he entered the missionaries
home with satisfied smile ON his face
saying, "aIe all right now"
He had on a shirt collar and pair o.
socks.
Ny son, Mr.. Bryan and his FRIEND;
are badly deceived if they think tha
hnsr ;ali
ism" socks will hide the free trade anc
party from the gaze of the American
people.
By the way, speaking of "militarism, =
advise you always to watch with sus
picion any man or any party that il
afraid of the United States army. Oui
army is a volunteer army OF as gallant
men as the sun ever shone upon. They
are our defenders and the protectors OF
our persons and property. Hard-work.
ing, uncomplaining, 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. IF man is good, law.
abiding citizen he has no reason 10 be
afraid of an American soldier.
| 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 I find a man who is
afraid of the tyranny" of our gallant
little army, l feel like asking him what
he has been doing. 1t is a small army
for SO great a nation, fRd the introdne-
tion of 'militarism" in this camr aign
shows that our Demoerdatic friends are
hard up for an issue.
YOUR FATHER.