The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-08-23
H6Fary chairman
olt6 convention spoke as fol-
TAX

D0l1H6rary chairman
0llt6 Convention spoke as fol
rows:
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen OF the
convention: Four years ago the re-
publican promise maker was abroad in
the land. One-half his vocabulary was
abuse and villihcation; the other half
was promise and prosperity. In one
sentence he condemned the monetary
policy that had served his country for
eighty-one years and in another he
painted in radiant hues the advent of
labor for all and luxury for many. He
told the electorate with q furious fer.
vor that the day of McKinley's cleo
ton would open the mills, employ la
Dor. push up the price Of the products
Of the farm. He told the people that
the smoke Of factories would ascend
to the skies until the heavens were
hung in black, that the, hum Of the
busy wheels OF industry would drown
the cry OF discomfort and silence the
voice OF complaint. He said that for
every laborer there would be sixteen
jobs and for every bushel of grain a
high price. All this would come as a
smile Of beneficient Providence upon
the election of the great, the good, the
godlike Mckinley.
Some men We're frightened by his
denunciations, some were terrified by
his threats, and some were deceived
by his promises.
The present chief executive was chos-
en-at least he was duly declared elect
ed. and the people waited for the rise
OF smoke. the whirr of wheels. the song
OF contented labor, and the pastoral
chant OF plenty from the farm. A
subservient party press. unmindful Of
the truth, proclaimed in free plate
matter Prosperity has come" Blu,
the factory doors remained closed, la
Dor stood idle and grains held low.
The day after election was one of the
blacklist in all the panic days. The
people waited for prosperity-and 1t did
not come.
Again the promise maker came upon
the stage. His tale was the same but
his time was changed. The six months
following the election Of Mckinley had
produced more bank and business fail
nres than any previous six months il.
bur country's history. Wait, said the
promise maker. until Mckinley is in
augurated, and then prosperity will
come indeed. Again the people waited.
the man Of Mark was duly invested
with power and patronage, but in spite
OF this the promised prosperity did not
come.
More Promises.
maker came forth. Like Pharaoh of
Did he heard the peoples murmurs.
And now again he changed the time of
his tune. Wait, he said, until McKin-
ley can call congress together and
change the tariff and then prosperity
will come in deed and in truth. Con-.
gress met in extraordinary session, ac-
cepted the advice of the man of des-
tiny that the people could be taxed
tich. and brought forth the tariff of
trusts" They christened their new la
Dor "Dingley" and again and sagain
they shouted in unison, Prosperity is
come" But there arose no songs of
Labor, no hum GA Las heard.
"Confidance" did not make ~ Mess
tor did promises produce plenty.
Washington was in sack cloth and
ashes. The promise makers We're dumb
with despair. When, 10! out Of the
orient arose a wall of suffering and
want. India held forth her f1eshless
hands and pleaded for bread. From
our ports went ships grain-laeen that
the starving charges of British imper-
ailism might be fed. And in return
Tor our grain and provisions a stream
f,f rail n ;,.@o H.
lean farmer was helped i'll demand and
price for his product, he paid the in
terest on his mortgage and had some
thing left to spend with the retailer,
the retailer gave an order to the job
Der and the jobber drew upon the man
ufacturer. And then. and not until
then, did the factory wheels begin To
turn and labor find employment.
The conspiracy of confidence" fail
ed; an increase of taxes awaited not;
che prayers of the reverent Hanna were
unanswered-bu the gods of want, the
sinister deities that parch the wheat
fields of India and bring crop failure
to the lower Volga, affected what the
election, the Inauguration and the tar
f6 tax failed to accomplish. And yet,
IL spite of claim and boast. of blatant
shout and scream, the records show
that the year 1S97-the first of William
Ut Canton-gave us 1881 business fail
ures with liabilities aggregating the
enormous total of $154, 332,O71 This was
the first year Of the so-called prosper
tty. And this despite the fact that the
International money interests Were
leagued to bring gold to this country
that they were boIstering up the gold
reserve instead Of looting the treasury
that multitude Of public claquers
ware shouting Prosperity" by night
and by day. Had the country waited
for the republican party to bring a
change in business conditions it would
be waiting STILL rich in confidence
but poor in purse. Our harps would
be hanging on the willows still and
our songs but Jeremiads.
The Indian Famine.
Following the Indian famine and the
strenuous efforts to bring gold to this
country in order that the money fam
inc might be relieved, the discovery of
gold in Alaska occurred. Thence large
quantities of bullion came to our minis
Following this came the Spanish war.
Nearly two hundred thousand men
were withdrawn from the producing oc-
equations and made consumers alone.
The labor market was reviewed and
consumption was increased. But this
was not all. Three hundred millions of
dollars were borrowed and spent. An
tiquated tramp steamers" We're pur-
chased at thrice their. value. Useless
yacht4 of broken. down million airas
We're bought at fabulous prices. Enor-
nous quantities of clothing We're pur,
chased for the soldiers use. Out OF