The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-02-07
DEMOCRATIC PRAYER.
CONTRInUTED


sccch thee, In this our hour of po-
litical bewildcrmcnt, for we are
tangled up in the calf ropes of
democratic deception and are
about to break our own nccks.
We arc scattered worse than a
flock Of timid toads after hail
storm. We have an aching void
In the pit of our stomachs which
nothing but the fat of onicc can
satisfy. We are badly scared, po-
litically undonc and morally rot
ten. We have iloundcrcd around,
and split up, and busted apart and
run together and fuzzcd and fought
and foamcd and iizcd till we can't
tell whether we are stepping In the
footing Of Tom Jefferson or follow
ing the dictates OF the devil. We
don't know where we are at, where
we came from nor whittier we go-
eth. All Ii darkness aud gloom.
We arc cast down In the dark val
ley OF humiliation. On our right
are the towering SUBMITS of ma
tional progress. On our left are
the briny waters of democratic dis
solution. Before us, In plain view
are cncampcd the pcsly republic
ans in the full enjoyment of Official
bliss, aud just behind us loom up
our own records which bring
shame to our faces and gripping
In our bowels every time We lock
back. In this pitiablc and awful
condition, q Lord, We come to
Thee for succor, for no ono else
can help US put the hosts of re-
publicans to flight. We have at-
tempted to scare them away from
the Offices. but every time we try
! II we get hurt. We confess they
are too much for us. Their NUM-
bcrs are like the sands Of the sea.
In campaign years the editors
write stirring appeals to the boys
our candidates go tearing over the
country making democratic ora
tions and speeches, aud we all
fairly burst our gals urging the
people to stand by our party and
save the country, while all tn,
time the pcsky Grads" go on saw
ing wood and don't say anything
Every campaign we have oui
hopes lifted high. We rip and
snort and rare and charge and raw,
aud bawl, because our hosts seem
invincible, but o, Lord, ON elec'
/ tion day II just seems to rain re-
publicnns, aud we come out OF tn,
fight at the little end Of the horn
and feeling worse than shccp-kill
ing dogs. Lord, we confess w
have been very wicked. We nc
knowledge having said millions q
things that were not exactly true
aud having done thousands o
things that would shame the devil
But, Lord, IL was the best WI
could do under the circumstances
We know that Tom Jefferson
would not have worn red shirt
stuffed n ballot box, threw rottcl
eggs at republican speakers, no
voted dead Niger. But, o Lord
you know circumstances alte
cases Jefferson didn't have such
mighty host Of republicans to figh
az we have. He never dreamed q
the size OF the job we would hav
on our hands. Argument was al
that was needed In his day. But tn
republicans have multiplied on tn
face OF the earth till 1t requires al
the stealing, red shirts, siandel
, lies, intimidation and trickery tina
we can command, TO give us an,
chance, and then we get licked o
the face of the earth. Lord, whu
are we TO do2 We know that W
are unworthy to ask anything @
, Thee. We feel ashamed OF oul
selves.
, Only a few months ago we sal
President Mckinley was danger
, Gus man to be at the head OF tn
, government. We called him n
|, emperor, a panderer to the trust,
0 trampler upon the constitution
= n tool Of the plutocrats. To-da
We acknowledge we lied. W.
/. with all the world know he was
i. gentleman, patriot, and a chris
tian. We are sorry he Is deat
We are sorry we said 80 man,
IL u 4