Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-02
DEMONSTRATION
WAS A BIG ONE
Coal Valley Scene of Fine Rally
of Democrats of That Sec.
ton of the County.
ROCKISLANDERs PARTICIPATE
Town Illuminated for the Occasion
Speeches by Party Nominees
and Others.

One of the most successful rallies
which has been held in the country
districts during the present campaign
was that of last evening by the demo-
Gratis at Coal Valley The residents
for miles around gathered to make the
occasion notable one, and the Rock
Island Flambeau club. which. with
Bleuer's band and a number of local
democrats were in attendance, were
greeted by a crowd of hundreds
when the train arrived at the
village. The streets of the town
were Illuminated in great style,
and the town hall. where the meeting
was held, was tastefully decorated for
the occasion by the ladies of the town
The club paraded the streets of the
village. and entertained a big crowd
for half an hour, giving an exhibition
Iof drills and countermarching
The audience that greeted the
speakers at the hall was composed of
several hundred residents of the vi
entity, and the speakers were received
with great applause
The meeting was presided over by
Supervisor T. r. Lees, who introduced
as the first speaker of the evening Hon.
E w. Hurst, of Rock Island. Mr. Hurst
recalled the days when he was a youth,
and the pleasant remembrances he
had of Coal Valley in those times He
declared that Coal Valley had reason
to be very proud of her citizens. and
mentioned among the early residents
of the town, Frederick Weyerhaeuser
and R. R. Gable.
Mr.. Hurst presented to his audience
arguments that conclusively showed
THAT the contention of the republican
campaign speakers, that the present
era of prosperity is due to republican
administration, is false. This prosper
ity, said Mr.. Hurst, is due to the work
ing class of the country, rather than a
result of republican administration. 1t
is in spite of such administration He
said:
'The republican speakers take all
the credit for the prosperity, and the
blame for all the faults of our present
systems is laid to democratic princi-
piles.
Are Not Consistent.
THE republicans say we are not
consistent on the money question"
Mr.. Hurst continued. Certainly. in
the light of facts the charge of incon-
sistency can not properly be brought
by so inconsistent a party as the re-
publican" He quoted Parker's state
ment that the gold standard is irrevo-
lcably established" and then quoted
from the resolutions of the republican
convention. when William Mckinley
was chairman of the committee on res
olutions. The resolutions denounced
the democratic party for attempting to
demonetize silver" The reason that
the currency question is not agitated
at present is due to no acts of the re-
publican administration, but instead to
the fact that the output of gold has
been multiplied four times since the
time when the money question was
paramount issue.
The statement that the prosperity
of the country was brought about by
republican administrations is an insult
to you, and to every American work
ing man." declared the speaker NO
party policies could produce the pros
Iperity we now enjoy"
Mr.. Hurst pointed out that the pro-
tective tariff would not under any cir
cumstances produce prosperity, but
that during the prosperity the people
have not noticed the taxation of so per
cent due to the tariff. Five or six big
crops in succession produced the pros
Iperity of the country. said Mr. Hurst |
! and when the republicans take the
Icredit for this era they insult the
American people
He called attention to the fallacies !
/ of the charge that democratic admins |
itration caused the depression of 1898. |
land showed that the Wilson bill, which |
is blamed for the panic, was not passed |
/ until is months after the financial de- |
preston.
other Nations Prosper.
Mr.. Hurst pointed out that the pros !
lperity in Canada and Mexico is abreast |
Of tfat of the United States. and this |
fact shows ConClusively that protective |
tariff had nothing to do with the bet !
tor!ng of conditions.
Our tariff systems. he said have |
caused a taxation higher than any ever |
known in any civilized country before |
He asked if the system which allows /
captains of industry TO amass fortunes |
which pay incomes of $4,000 a day, /
while the employees of these captains |
are denied living wages. could be call |
ed just. The time is near at hand |
when thoughtful republicans must /
either desert their party and its pr.n-
'ciples, or vote against their honest
convictions"
Mr. Hurst pointed out that the revis-
ion of the tariff should not be left to
its friends-they tried it and the repub-
lican machinery has crushed every eff
fort 10 revise the tariff in a sensible
manner The IS reciprocity treaties
drawn up in accordance with the
wishes expressed by President McKin-
ley at Buffalo. were all killed in con-
gress. because their passage would in
jure the interests of the enormously
wealthy and the big trusts and corpor-