Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-07-02

every American citizen today could
know how true he was to duty, how
diligent to every detail of their inter-
est, how genuine in his character and
gentle in his disposition, how solicit
GUS for the public welfare this man
was at all times, the anniversary of
his birth would be universally observ-'
ed in paying tribute to his memory.
But he was not covetous of notoriety.
His lips, his voice, was not heard far.
Though the fruit of his toll follows in
rich abundance wherever industries
prevail, he left the richest legacy of
his industry and ability in the legisla-
ton of his country. Every citizen is
his legatee. The wheels were spinning,
the axles We're whirling on the day of
his demise. Labor has received in
creased reward. And the faces of its
children once haggard with the marks
OF hunger are now proclaiming with
joy the unconscious tributes to the
memory of him whose name, whose
memory, whose life, our country
mourns. I remember an evening a
decade ago, on the 25th of November,
was speaking from the same plat
form with Governor Mckinley and
Thomas B. Reed in Mechanics hall in
Boston, when the first shadow of de-
mocracy had fallen upon the blighted
interests of this country. heard
William Mckinley say to this assem-
bly,: What America wants. what
America needs, is days work for ev-
cry man who wants to labor" And
the cheers that greeted him that night
rolled on and across the continent un-
til they finally carried him into the
White House and engrossed upon the
statute books the Dingley law.
Results of Tariff Tinkering.
| remember seven year ago when l
went through the city hall building at
Chicago. | witnessed sight that eX-
emplifed the usual results OF demo-
cratic tariff tinkering. Men of re-
spectacle appearance were sleeping up
on hard stone floors of that vast and
cheerless building and elsewhere in
that great city, hundreds could not find
where to lay their heads, and on that
very day OF the same year nearly 5000
men were fed in that city by charity
and in every city in America where
industries We're idle and furnaces were
cold. Thousands begged for bread and
sought for hooks and corners out of
doors to rest the idle trampings of a
weary day. All, my fellow citizens, as
my Irish friend said: Thin were the
day of reform" In striking contrast
with all that, only few months ago
was in the same city OF Chicago and
a grand parade was in progress. More
than $4,000 well dressed, well fed men
with joyful faces and banners flying
marched through the richly decorated
streets and countless bands dispensed
sweet music and happy children filled
with melody cheered and cheered that
peerless pageantry Of prosperous toll
It was Labor day. And it was labors
vast restored and f1ourishing process
sion exemplifying to a happy country
the doctrine of a days work for every
man who wants to labor. Better con
tinue to march in thrift, our fellow cit
liens, than to sleep hungry on the
stone floor of reform.
| noticed by the papers the othel
day the storm tossed weatherbeate1
hulk of Iowa democracy was mooret
into the dry dock of convention for re
pairs. Leaking at both ends, badl.
sprung amidshipss,; they sealed her III
Ewith the tar of republican finance an,
solemnly vowed to put her back int
respectable commission again ant
start her on another course. Away sh
| starts on the political high seas witt
a quarreling crew worshiping the golt
they used to scorn and scorning th'
silver they used to worship. Markin,
the sea for at least half a centur.
ahead of them, there are lighthouse
of republican exploration and es
tablishments along the shore of tim
where CLEAN and flash the furnaces
where factories roar by day and nigh
and away beyond the sea and far OF
1 into the Orient there leads the ligh
of American trade in the commerce Q
the world. All, my fellow citizens
verify, verify, has the prediction of tha
great commoner, Edmund Burke, vi
j tered to his people century ago, a
last come true, through the aggressive
ness of republicanism. He said to then
America, even before you yet tast
4 death shall be equal to all of that com
merce which attracts the envy of tn
world