The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-09-12
MIR. YOAKUM ON THE SITUATION

Not very long since B. F. Yoakum
save to q reporter of the New York
Times an interview that was full of
intelligence and which was worth
reading.
In a recent issue of leading pa
per there appeared criticism Of the
interview, which more careful
reading of the latter gives the APP
pearance of being unfair and not
justified. The idea sought to be con-
veyed by the criticism referred to
was that, under the guise of an in
terview of business man, Mr.. Yoa-
kun covertly sought to furnish cam
paign facts and figures for the re-
publicans, but the text of the inter-
view does not sustain this charge.
Mr. Yoakum is, first of all things
and essentially, business man, and
railroad man; but it is understood
that In national politics he claims to
be a republican. If this is true, his
reveal any party bias. Among other
things he says:
Il have been asked how the rail-
road men will vote in November.
Frankly, / do not Know, but l be-
lieve / know of what they are think
ing. They are thinking of the next
winters fuel, clothing oi!ls, and
keeping their children in school
They are wondering what will be
done to remedy the present indus
trial conditions and stop the appal
ling loss from enforced idleness
Railroad workers are thrifty. and
they help one another. Their savings
and mutual bearing Of the burdens
of adversely have prevented much
suffering up to this time, but they
have greatly reduced their surplus
bank accounts, and wnen winter
Cones .he, story wN, be a:~crent We
less business conditions materially
improve.
The mere than a million and a
half OF former railroad w~rkers have
in mind that one1fourth of their
number are out of jobs or on short
pay. They are thinking of their lost
jobs, not worrying over foreign poll
cies or tariffs on imports, or how
this government shall deal with the
Philippines, and such questions
and congress must deal with.
The campaign orators of Septem-
Der and October must face the coun-
try full of men out of employment.
The stump speakers will be seeking
votes and the idle will be seeking
work.
If this language indicates any
purpose to make republican votes,
the Chronicle can not perceive it.
II certainly seems that, on the
contrary, the reading and considera-
ton of such testimony from such a
source would tend to make demo-
cratic votes. Certainly in so far as
financial conditions are the result of
legislation and political control all
the responsibility for the situation
which Mr.. Yoakum paints must be
conceded to be ON the republicans
1hey are In power in every depart
ment of the government, and have
been for years.
If the democrats had been in pow
er in 1907 when the panic came on,
the republicans would have howled
over all the land that democracy and
disaster went hand in hand, for in
1898. when the democrats had been
in power only a few months, they
were charged with the whole blame
for conditions for which they were
not in any sense responsible.
If the railroad men out of work
do not vote for Mr.. Bryan, the ar
gument that the party in power will
be held by the voters responsible
for financial conditions will have
lost much of its force-Houston
4 h