Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-05-09
Masterpiece of Sarcasm, Wit and Eloquent
Appeal to Patriotism

| publican rule out of office in anything
but blaze of glory. Mr.. Perkins
sincerely believes that the issue mere
is important nationally; that steps
taken now are going to be helpful
or harmful to the canvass of 1908, and
that 1t behooves republicans to study
republicanism and hew close to the
line on the fundamental tenets of the
party.
Concerning state issues Mr. Per-
kins shot out from the shoulder. He
showed that Gov. Cummins had said
at Winterset that he never at any
time. under any circumstances or at
any place said anything that could
even be construed as favoring free
trade with Canada, and then read the
telltale lines from the governors
message of 1904. He read an extract
from the governors free silver letter
in which the governor said he was
cock-sure on the silver issue and re-
marked that the governor always was
awful sure on some things, at which re-
mark the auditors laughed heartily.
| Mr.. Perkins sarcastically re-
ferred to the emergency which
arises to make it necessary for a can.
didate for governor to laugh at the
example of Washington as to third
term, and modestly said that Perkins
did not believe he was the only man
in Iowa who could handle the ship of
state the next two years. His idea
was that any of the ninety-nine coun-
ties could drum up man who would
make fair governor.
| Whenever Mr.. Perkins would strike
off in q sarcastic vein the great crowd
was kept in constant ripple Of mer-
riment and applause followed every
sentence.
Mr.. Perkins was introduced by Hon.
Frank d. Jackson, former governor
Of Iowa. Gov. Jackson said:
| Gov. jackson Speaks.
| A few weeks ago ! was talk.
ing with the manager Of one of the
| great lumber mills in southern
Mississippi, plant that employs be-
tween 600 and 500 men. and that had
100000 acres of timber; an immense
plant that covers in the neighborhood
Of twenty acres Of ground, and that
was consuming In saving more than
1000 logs a day. assure you that 1t
was q most interesting experience. The
best pieces of machinery were used.
More than dozen great iron AID steel
machines were used to mould the lum-
Der so as to meet the demands Of the
lumber trade. Every little while I
noticed that the mill would shut down
for q few minutes several times a
day. This mill was running twenty.
four hours, day and night, and asked
the manager: "Why is 1t that you
shut down two or three times day.
even for just few minutes?" He
said: "Come with me-" He then
showed me one of the great pieces OF
machinery. He said: "That old ma
chinery Is little out of order. and
every little while we have to shut
down for few minutes. to put cog
in place. and then it is all right again."
asked. isn't 1t expensiveT He
said: Eyes. these delays cost from $40
to $40 day" asked why he did not
put In q new machine. He said: This
mill Is rushed with orders, orders are
constantly coming In, and we can af-
ford to lose $40 or $50 day rather
tudu TAKE our CHduCcS QuTiuS tucSc
prosperous days of putting in a new
machine, and keeping the mill In idle
ness for two or three days while do
ing It. II we should put In new ma
chinery, possibly everything, would
go wrong. or possibly we would
not get the right kind of ma
chinery for two or three weeks.
We cannot afford to lose that time
while the lumber demand Is so great.
We will make $1,000 day and we
can afford to lose $40, $50 or $40 a
day with this old machine. rather than
wait for the new machinery just now.
We shall wait for dull times. or until
the rainy weather comes along, before
we revise our machinery"
! A Fine Parallel Drawn.
want to tell you the same situa-
ton today confronts the republican
party as the general manager Of the
business affairs Of the United States.
Shall we stop the wheels OF progress.
shut down the machinery of pros.
perity.-put out the fires of Industry,
and go to tinkering with the Tariff?
That's the issue. Railroads and cor
I A.