The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-10-31


YOU will have exercised that great
American privilege and duty by vot-
ing for the men you think most near
ly represent your views on political
policies or you will have neglected
to perform a simple duty you owe
to your country and state. We
hope no man who is able to 60 to
the polls will neglect this important
obligation. Citizenship in free
republic brings with it obligations
that should be met.
You have no right to enjoy the
blessings of free government with
out contributing your part. II you
are farmer you must realize that
the prices for everything you have
had to sell, for the last four years
have been exceedingly good and
that you have prospered like you
never did before, Notwithstanding
the short crop of last year. You
surely are interested in maintaining
these prices and this commercial
prosperity and in receiving some
thing like adequate returns for your
labors.
Possibly you do not think Re
publican policies have anything to
do with these prices and these con-
ditions. But, since a majority OF
the people in this great country
think they do, you may be wrong.
MANY of the brightest men and pro-
foundest statesmen of the age claim
that these prices and this prosper
ity are due to the tariff and ether
policies of the Republican party,
and that change to Democratic
policies would again plunge us into
the low prices and stagnation con
dition we suffered during Cleveland's
last term.
Are you not we'll satisfied with
present conditions? Can you afford
to vote for change? Is it not too
big a risk? Your hogs, your cattle,
your grain, your butter, your eggs
and all other products you have to
sell are bringing you prices above
what they did six years ago. Can
YOU afford to hazard change just
to crafty some little political pre-
iudice you may have. Be on the
safe side and vote to maintain your
prices. When the prices of your
products tumble and hard times
stare you in the face. then a change
might be desirable, but not now.
The laboring man should think
deeply on this subject if he is
tempted to vote against present
conditions. We know the meat
bills are bigger than they used to be
and country produce costs you
more, but did you ever see a time
you met your bills as easy as nowf
You have work every day in the
year and at better average wages
than you ever got before for the
same kind of labor. At the end Of
the month or the year you are away
ahead of what you were during the
period of low prices. You can well
afford to stand the extra cost OF llv'
ing because of the increased wages
and continuous work.
During 'o5 and go teamsters In
this town received from $3.50 tc
S.. 90 per day for self and team and
were glad to get two or three days
work out of the week. The labor
ing man got from .75c to SI.oo pei
day and only an occasional days
work. Now the teamster gets So. sc
per day and works every day in the
week if he wishes. The laborer re-
ceives from SI.25 to SITS day ano
need not idle a minute. Carpen'
ters, masons and mechanics of all
kinds are receiving big wages and
need not be idle at all. In the face
of all these hattering conditions,
can you afford to hazard a vote fol
the party whose policies, when pu
in force, have always in the history
of this country, stagnated business
lowered prices, created panics, anc
thrown laboring men out of work
The conditions prevailing from g;
to 'o7 should be fresh in the mine
of every voter.
No one, be he Democrat, Popu
list or Republican would wish tc
have those conditions prevail again
Those conditions were not mere
chance, there was some grea
fundamental cause for them
We went from prosperous times
under Harrison to hard times undel
Cleveland and back at once to pros
porous conditions when Mckinley
took the reins. How then can WI
avoid the conclusion that Republi
can policies have something to d'
with it3 Better vote for a conrnu-