The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-09-20

sions. influences and traditions are eff
faced. Especially, and happily, is this
true Of prejudices and outworn grudges.
A man of 40 has no personal recollec-
ton of the Civil War, the greatest po-
litical chapter in the history OF the
country during the last century. Few
first voters can be swayed Dy any
transmitted bitterness of that struggle.
They are confronted by live Questions
that enter into their present and future
Interests and activities. The dominant
party has been in national control
nearly all the time for forty-ive years.
1t is in charge of all branches of the
government az this time. For the
young voter the main issue is: Shall
the Republican party be deprived of its
present legislative power? Shall its
policies be condemned and reversed
Shall its record Of performance be con-
demned. and the reins of authority be
handed to some other party. or the
wheels be blocked? There will be a
legislative deadlock il the house elected
this fall has an opposition majority.
A protective tariff is sharply de-
fined question in the campaign Of 1906.
First voters must necessarily divide
upon il. Do they wish to protect
American wages and industries from
foreign competition. or open wide the
ports to the products of cheap foreign
labor. admitting it free from any duty
Of a home protective nature? DO first
voters prefer to make the next house
Democratic. and so cut off the present
administration from legislative sup
port during It's last two years? These
are practical business questions for
1.5OOOOO first voters who are them
selves, for the most part, just engaging
ers in Missouri are entitled to take part
In their first State and congressional
election. Yet there are Bourbons who
Insist that this State is necessarily
Democratic. and that an old party
label Is of more consequence even TO It's
Young men than a living issue. 1t Is
a false view, and fresh surprises are in
store for such hidebound beiittlemen1
Of political duty and opportunities
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Five Wonderful Years.
census bulletin just issued shows
that the value of American manlfac
lures increased from $11. All ,121,122 in
1877 10 sl4,SO2, 147,0S7 in 1905, or near
u 81 .,er cent
wages increased from $2,0i1,3 1903,
024 to s2.611 ,54O.522. or over 81 pei
cent, while invested capital increased
from about 100000 to nearly $13,
100000, or over Al per cent.
These figures are, however, only
few of the many signs of the amazsTs
prosperity of this nation.
Others are the practical doubling o.
bank deposits. which now are nearly
$1,000. 100000, or over $50 for every
man. woman and child. in addition Il
savings of over $600.000.000 a yeal
through life insurance the increase ID
two-thirds in railway earnings, ami IN
doubling of immigration in the last fir
years.
But the most striking sign of all Il
the increased value Of farm produces
For the last five years of the nineteenth
century the total value of our five lead
ing crops-corn. hay, cotton, wheat aDt
oats-was S9,0OOOO0.000. For the frs
five years of the twentieth, with NJ
notable increase of acreage, nor IL
number of laborers, nor in capital EN-
ployed, their value was $4,000. 900, 900
a sheer rise Of % per cent.
From these five crops alone comes
about half the gross yield Of our farms
Doubling the above figures we see tina