The Delta independent., 1904-09-23
Election Of Parker 10 the Presi'
deney Would Unsettls ,
Business.
PEOPLE PREFER ROOSEVELT
OSsesvatioss OF . Travelling Salesman
IN the Middle West-Attitudeo Of
the Farmer and the First
Voter.

Following out the custom Of most large
business houses, one Of the big j"bbing
concerns in Chicago instructed its travel
ing men on their return from extensive
trips to present a report on the general
political conditions in the territory over
which they had gone.
I'VE do this" said one Of the members
Of the firm, mot because expect our
travelling men TO interest themselves in
political matters or because we expect
them to influence any votes Our motive
is entirely different. 1t concerns our own
business wholly. II is not a political
proposition to say that il the Democrats
win at the next election it means 4 drop
in prices That is a thing every busi-
ness man understands. As Judge Par
ker himself said, n RepuDucan Senate
will in any event stand In the way Of
Democratic attempts To break down the
protective tariff. Nevertheless. il they
elect Judge Parker. they viii! stand a
chance OF electing a House OF Represent
atives of the same KIND. That House
will certainly pass a new tariff bill. Even
il this was beaten in the Senate. the
effect would be to unsettle business TO
an extraordinary degree There would
always be the threat Of lower tariff du-
ties. and the same thing would happen
in 1906 which happened in 1888. Prices
would go down, production would be cur
tailed, laborers would be thrown out of
employment, the home market would be
at least partially destroyed. and local
business conditions would Immediately
suffer This was tue before the Wilson
tariff bill was passed ten years ago, and
it would be true next year il Parker were
elected in November. What we want Of
our travelling men. therefore. is to post
us As to political conditions. that we
may make our contracts and adjust our
prices to the conditions OF the business
world which are likely to obtain during
the next season."
This same far-sa-inc business man had
in his hand at that time. however. a re-
port from a travelling man just in, who
had covered a large territory in the mid.
die West.
The "Drummer's Letter.
II ind." said the drummer. in report
ing to his employer. that the conditions
in the middle West seem to favor an eI
traordinarily large vote for Roosevelt.
His popularity i growing rather than
diminishing. and the nomination Of Par
ker seems to arouse not only no enthu-
siasm, but actual suspicion. Mr.. Bryan
has oficially declared that he will sup
port Parker. bur everyone knows that
he is not sincere, and every time he
makes 4 speech for Parker he will keep
his fingers crossed. This attitude is not
peculiar to Mr.. Bryan. in any way. On
the contrary, it is common among the
Populistic element OF the Democratic
party. and thousands Of them are openly
declaring they will vote for Roosevelt in
/ November. The Presidents manly atti-
tude on the trust question has attracted
| the farmers. They are perfectly well
aware of the fact that Mr.. Roosevelt
would never attack any legitimate coz
poration. and they r-c"Snir. that he is
| not in any way opposed to the legitimate te
use of combined capital for any proper
commercial purpose. The farmers are all
capitalists in a small way. and they have
no sympathy with Populistic attacks on
| capital As such. They do believe. how
ever. that the President performed a
great service in settling the coal strike.
and they think he showed his bravery
and his honesty in directing the prosecu-
ton Of the suits against the combination
| of railroads in the Northwest On the
| other hand. the idea has gained ground
among the farming classes that Judge
Parker's nomination was largely brought
about and in fact was directly promoted
by certain INSCRIPTIONS corporate intu-
ences which were ants sonistic to Presi-
dent Roosevelt because he had honestly
| attempted to execute the laws as he
found them Added to these elements
are the hrst voters. and they are for
Roosevelt almost To a man His physical
prowees. his consistent msnGneSs. the
promptne>s with which he resigned an
| important civil otfice 10 endure the hard
ships of a military campaign. the hearth
ness and the frankn->> rf his manners,
| the honesty and the dirt--tne>s Of his pc-
litical methods, and the intense Ameri-
canism OF the man. have captured the
hearts aud affections Of the young men.
| These first voters will generally disre-
gard the atfiliatiou OF their fathers and
their older brothers, aud they will vote
for Roosevelt as q personal compliment
to the man. entirely outside OF party
| considerations"