Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-04
Secretary of Treasury Principal
Speaker at Big Republican
Rally There
THE TEXT OF HIS ADDRESS
Says If Iowa Expects to Remain in the
Front Rank in National Influence,
She Must Continue Her Annual EIec-
tions-RecaIIs Democratic Records of
PaHics-Busness Policies.
ecial to Times-Republlcan.

Dewitt Nov. 4. - A big republican
which Secretary of the Treasury Shaw
was the principal speaker. Shaw spoke
in part as follows:
TT is unreasonable to expect the
same amount of business each year. or
the same profits at the end OF every -
months. But if we are good business
people we will not vary our course
with every varying condition. We Will
not change the policy of the establish
given period are not all we desire. We
must first determine the general policy
TO be pursued, and then elect officers
TO carry out that policy. 1t follows
that an intelligent electorate is essen
tial to our national success, ana that
the electorate may be Intelligent and
competent to dictate national pollcleS,
public questions must be under con-
slant discussion.
There are some exceptions to the
rule, but 1 want to say in this pres
ence, that Massachusetts, Ohio and
Iowa, and other states that have an
nual elections lay much more stress
upon public policies than do the states
with fewer elections. l spoke in
town of ten thousand people where the
congressman told me 1t was the flrst
political meeting In that county for ten
years. In the same state l learned oil
a number of counties where they had
had no political meeting for years
When they do have political meetings
they advertise five or six speakers for
the evening, precede it with torch
light procession, begin the meeting a
bout 10 o'clock, and run regular Vau-
deville for an hour and a half. and
adjourn with great enthusiasm. They
call such a meeting a bowling success,
and they expect it to result in many
votes. 1t may result in many votes,
but it does not result in the imparta-
ton Of much instruction. Not SO in the
states with annual elections. These
states have more influence in national
affairs than states with biennial cleo
lions, and because the people hear the
principles of the two parties discussed.
They are advised not only of the can
didates but also of the policies of the
parties. They lay stress not so much
on the men as on the measures
IL vigorously. opposed the samend-
ment to the constitution providing for
biennial elections four years ago, and
the reasons then gave have been con-
firmed by my observations since. If
Iowa expects to remain in the front
rank in national influence, she must
continue her annual elections.
"I have been introduced a score of
times as from a state more influential
in the affairs of government than any
other commonwealth; but in acknow-
lodging the compliment to my state I
never fail to mention two facts: First,
Iowa has annual elections: second; she
keeps her men in congress until they
understand public questions and her
people exercise the same kind of
craftsmanship at the polls as they ex-
pect their representatives to exercise
on the floors of congress. They an
nually study public questions and act
Il was talking two years ago or more
with man who has built more than
one railroad in the United States, and
who is reported to be worth several
millions. He said to me very frankly:
L will never live thru another demo-
cratic administration. If the demo-
Gratis should ever succeed again in my
time. every dollar of property own
will be for sale. and will go to Eu-
rope That man was not a fanatic. He
was simply a sane business man. He
was old enough to remember the result
of democratic administration under
Martin Van Buren,. He remembered
the democratic administrations of
Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan.
He remembered the administration of
Grover Cleveland.
II have no quarrel with Grover
Cleveland There is much in the man
to admire. I believe him to be abso-
lutely sincere, and of sterling integri-
ty, but shall always believe that he
plunged us into an unnecessary panic.
The record is full of instances where
men have been talked into period of
severe sickness, and they have been
talked into recovery from severe sick
nesses. Grover Cleveland talked the
entire country into panic. Think Of
the many ways in which he depicted in
dolorous terms the doom impending.
He said that the purchase of silver
bullion was bad, that the greenback,
the endless chain, was worse, and that
Mckinley tariff was robbery, and that
either one of these three political ills,
# not Immediately relieved, would re-
suit in certain death. No wonder the
American people, believing in Grover
Cleveland as they did. not only shud-
lered, but turned pale, and business
went to the hospital.
Had Mr.. Cleveland, when he called
together in extraordinary ses-
sion, recited the facts that 1892 had
been the best year this country had
ever seen, for so it was, all would have
been we'll Measured by the scale of
wages, or the constant employment of
abor, or the price of farm products, or
he amount of business done, or the
of money on deposit in the
banks, 1892 was the best year this
country had ever seen. Had Mr.. Cleve-
and recited these facts, and assured
he people that there was nothing in
he way of yet greater prosperity in the
year, he would have car
led the country over the crisis"
within the last three years we have
zone thru a period that threatened the
everest panic this country has ever
een. Speculation had gone wild. |