Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-10-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Editor Press:
Unmistakable indications of Re-
publican success seem to have de-
prived the Democratic campaign of
most of it's energy. An effort is,
of course, being made in some
directions but from the first there
has never been disposition to pull
together for the election of Parker
and Davis and disintegration is
now going on rapidly within the
Democratic machine. Apparently
ignoring the possibilities of the
telegraph and the news facilities of
the press, the Democratic mana
gers have arranged to have Bryan
wrestle with the voters of Indiana
and ex-President Cleveland adj
dress the conservative Demo-
Gratis of New York State. But the
wiser ones appreciate that little is
to be gained for Parker from this
form of campaigning. Each day
the newspapers print in New York
statements made by Bryan which
are obnoxious to the conservative
Democrats, while Mr. Cleveland is
almost certain to say some things
in his speech for Parker that will
antagonize the wild Democracy of
Bryan.
Vice presidential candidate II.
G. Davis is traversing West Nir-
ginia making from seven to ten
little rear platform talks a day but
he wisely confines himself to local
issues with the result that his opin-
ions make uninteresting reading
outside of his own State. David
B. Hill sponsor-in-chief to the
presidential candidate of the Demo
cracy, has undertaken to tell the
West Nirginians some peculiar
things about the tariff, but it is
unlikely that they will accept Mr..
Hills assertions, especially as they
are so easily disproved. For in
stance, Mr.. Hill told an audience
that purely revenue tariff would
prove ample to offset the difference
between American and foreign
wages. Hardly had he uttered
the statement than the State De-
partment received a report from
Consul General Evans at London,
showing that, according to the
British Board of Trade, British
workmen had suffered q loss of
wages during the first half of this
year amounting to S63, 45O a week
and that, during the same period
of last year, they had suffered q
loss by reduction of wages, of So
620, 900, nearly $500, 900 a month.
With such official figures before
them the American workmen are
to shrewd to accept Mr.. Hills Wis
ionary theories.
The promises of economy made
by both Parker and Davis excite
only derision in those who have
carefully analysed the Democratic
platform. That platform pledges
the party to the continuous i'm
provement of the Mississippi River,
worked out on a definite plan and
continued until a permanent i'm
provement is affected. Now this
is u gigantic undertaking. A
Commission was appointed by Con-
gress a few years ago to examine
into the feasibility of such an i'm
prOvement. General, Gillespie
former Chief of Engineers, was it's
chairman and a very careful ex-
animation and survey was made.
1t was finally reported to Congress
that the improvement would cost
about $50, 100000 and would re-
quire 10 per cent of the initial cost
for maintenance; more than the
Panama canal, more than the
cost Of either the army or navy last
year In fact, the scheme proved |
so expensive that Congress aban-
doned the idea. Advocacy of such
tremendous expenditure sounds
strange when it comes from party |
l. II