Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-09-15
DESIRE A CHANGE.
Voters Are Tired of Fraud and Graft
ing in All the Departments
of the Government.

The democrats are united as they have
not been before for ten years, and Par
ker and Davis will receive the normal
cruits from their opponents. The re-
publicans are split into factions on sew
eral issues. Nearly all the old Hanna
machine men are ~disgruntled, as they
see a young element of their party in
the saddle and they will not pull hard
on the traces unless they are paid for
their work either in money or promises.
In West Virginia, Delaware, New York.
New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Wis
consin the rival republican factions are
or the other faction have no faith in or
love for Candidate Roosevelt, though
most of them declare they will vote
for him. In these and other states there
are minor factions and important re-
publicans who, while keeping within
party lines, are opposed to their candi-
date for president and do not mind say
ing so in private conversation. The
glamour of the Rough Rider has worn
off and the business interests of the
country have more weight in politics
than the imperialistic element.
That is the great danger to the Rough
Rider. The farmers have discovered
that the trusts are bleeding them and
that the high price of wheat is more than
offset by the increased cost of what
chey buy. The workingmen are organ
!zing politically for their protection,
FOR the republican majority in congress
refused to listen to their prayer
for legislation for the eight-hour bill,
The anti-injunction bill and other lesser
laws labor thinks necessary for its sal
walton. All the republican leaders favor
the open shop and most of them are
openly in sympathy with the Parry or
ganization OF protected trusts and
manufacturers.
Wages are being reduced and strikes
are numerous and the cost of living is
still advancing, which does not inspire
confidence in the economic policies of
the republican party Of those who are
suffering from loss of wages and in
creased cost of food.
The trusts have decreased the profits
OF the small storekeepers, while rents
and household expenses are higher
than ever before and the opportunities
for increased business are m%onopoliIed
by the great department stores which
can purchase from the trusts at much
less than the small storekeeper has to
pay.
People with limited incomes find
their expenses have increased while
their revenues are stationary. All these
people are inquiring why the trusts
should be protected by the tariff in SELL
ing their products at the highest pos
sible price here and a much lower price
in foreign countries. Many of the vot-
ers have discovered that the tariff pre-
vents competition and fosters mo-
nopoly and the increased cost for
their products which the monopolists
charge is a much greater tax than the
government receives.
The of the United States are
declining and the expenses are greater
than ever before in time of peace. Not
only have the expenses of the govern
ment increased much faster in propor-
ton than the population, but neither
President Roosevelt, nor his cabinet,
nor the republican majority in con-
gress have offered any solution of the
problem. They are all intent on 'let-
ting well enough alone" and have par
alyzed the industries of the country
with a do-nothing policy by fighting all
proposals for reform.
The government departments are ex-
travagant and filed with grafters which
the republican party has refused to in
vestigate, although evidence was plen-
tiful that but a beginning had been made
in exposing the frauds through a parti-
san investigation of but two bureaus Of
the post office department.
knowledge Of all these sins of the re-
publican party is finding lodgment in
the hearts of many voters and they have
determined on a change. Upon the sur
face Of the political field all is still and
serene, but there are mutterings in the
homes Of the farmers, the cottages Of
the artisans and the tenements Of the
laboring men that bode Ill for the re-
publican candidates. The still small
voice OF reason is working more changes
Of sentiment than the hired and blatant
notes of the trust a~pologist can over
come, blare he never so loudly, and thare
is a quiet determination to turn the
raScals nntn