Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-11-03
CHALLENGE HONESTY
REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN METH
obs SCORED BY PARKER.
Favors Bought by trusts That Plan
to Keep Roosevelt in Power
Buying Up Voters.

Favors Bought by trusts That Plan
to Keep Roosevelt in Power
Buying Up Voters.
In a vigorous speech at Esopus on
Monday, October "a, Alton B. Parker,
democratic candidate for the presidency,
applied the verbal lash to the trusts n
republican campaign methods in the
following words:
Approaching the responsibility put
upon me by the democratic party, and
the duty which acceptance imposed upon
me, l have carefully considered the ut
terance am about to make and am well
persuaded that had a situation calling
for its consideration been at the time
presented, it would have met the full ap-
proval Of the convention, as it will now
meet the approval of every thoughtful,
right-minded citizen of the United
States, without regard to party creed or
party prejudice.
MANY years have passed since my
active participation in politics. In the
meantime a startling change has taken
place in the method of conducting cam
paigns, a change not for the better, but
for the worse; a change that has intro
duced debasing and corrupt methods,
which threaten the integrity of our gov
eminent, leaving it perhaps a republic in
form, but not a republic in substance;
no longer a government of the people,
by the people, for the people, but a
government whose officers are practi-
cally chosen by a handful of corporate
managers, who levy upon the assets of
the stockholders whom they represent
such sums of money as they deem requi-
site to place the conduct of the gov
| eminent in such hands as they consider
best for their private interests.
Need of Money.
~ make no complaint, nor should
complaint be made of any individual
who contributes toward the many le-
| Ultimate expenses of a great campaign.
The capitalist, as an individual, has as
much right to contribute to such pur-
poses and in proportion to his means, as
has his less wealthy fellow citizen.
Whatever he may do, based on a patriot
ic desire to help elect the candidate of
that party which it seems to him will
serve the best interests of the country
should be encouraged.
Equally is it true that all right think
ing men favor the encouragement OF
thrift; the accumulation of property and
its due and just protection, and they are
equally opposed either to the saying oil
the doing of anything that will array
one class against another. All classes
are mutually dependent upon and mu-
tually helpful to each other, and nc
word or act of mine shall cause a gulf tc
be opened between them.
But there is a wide difference between
an individual employing his wealth ii
the manner authorized by law and in
dividuals or corporations who operate
in defiance of law. The first is indie
pendent of, the latter dependent upon
government favoritism.
Campaigns Of Past.
ut is but a little while since the bod!
of the people at large provided the lie
Ultimate expenses of a campaign. TIL
farmer and lawyer, doctor and mechanic
day laborer and banker each contribute
something toward the erection of ban
ners, the circulation of literature an
the expenses of public meetings, eacl
contributor was a better citizen for il
1t stimulated his patriotism, and tn
contributions were devoted to the legit
innate advancement of the cause, no
made for the deliberate corruption G
masses of electors.
Gradually, and, alas! effectively, bu
surely not permanently, has all this bee
changed. Some of the enterprises whic
have unduly thrived through favoritisn
and which have been permitted by stat
ute to indirectly levy tribute on tn
people, have in the course of time be
come so rich and strong that they ca
and do contribute vast sums when it
made clear that it will advantag
them, and they contribute upon tn
promise, direct or implied, that the
shall be permitted to continue to ia
the people for their own benefit. Upo
such promises contributions have bee
not ~infrequently made in such larg
measure as to induce and procure co
onization, repeating and bribery !
doubtful states.
"This has built up a class of voter
known to local leaders as 'ioaters,'
class so numerous that party canvassel
allot to them in their canvass books
separate column headed with that nam
This condition is recognized by pa.
ty workers, local, state and nationa
, They are no longer shocked by it.
, has become so prevalent that they al
becoming hardened to it. They SOM
times wonder where it is to end, but III
: der the stress of a campaign they pos
pone consideration until the next ele
ton.
II am persuaded the time to begin Il
fight against those who would contr
the results of election contests for the
private corporate interests as, distil
: guished from the public interest shou
begin now, and whatever the result
: the election may be 1t should be contil
) ued until the evil is checked.
, 1.-THE excessively protected interest
which formerly poured out their trea