Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-12-17
The Battle That Is Ahead.

"Into the Valley of the Shadow
of Death yet often leads the path
of duty; through the streets of
Vanity Fair walk Christian and
Faithful, and on Greatheart's ar
NOR ring the changing blows. Or
muzed still fights with Ahriman
the Prince of Light, with the
Powers of Darkness. He who will
hear, to him the clarions of the
battle call.
elbow they call, and call, and
call, till the heart swells that hears
them! Strong soul and high en-
deavor, the world needs them now.
Beauty still lies imprisoned, and
iron wheels go over the good and
true and beautiful that might
spring from human lives.
"And they who fight with Or
muzed, though they may not
know each other-somewhere,
sometime, will the muster roll be
called"
This newspaper did not enlist,
many years ago, under the ban
ner of democracy held aloft by
William j. Bryan, thinking the
enlistment would result in pas
time or holiday. 1t visioned
what was before. 1t knew the way
would prove long and hard, the
fighting severe, and the defeats
more numerous than the victories.
But it had, and still has, an abid-
ing faith in the ultimate victory,
because it has faith in both God
and man. And it enlisted because
it's heart was in the cause that
banner symbolized and its trust
was in the man who bore it.
Bryan, the unsullied champion
of the democratic legions, for the
third time in twelve eventful years
has gone down in defeat. The
triumph of the cause to which he
has sanctified his life, the cause
of the plain people, is again post
poned, and democratic hearts are
heavy. Some few, perhaps, have
given away to despondency and
encouragement. Peering into the
gloom that encompasses them,
many loyal democrats will find it
h ard to discover the sun of demo-
cratic promise still shining, and
they will be moved by misgivings
for the future of their party.
But the democratic party was
not born to die till it's purpose is
accomplished, and that accom-
plishment is not yet. 1t has still
a great work to do, and however
dark the clouds today, the way
will be opened to it. The war has
but just begun!
1t is not surprising that the
democratic party was defeated
Tuesday though it had the incom-
parable Bryan for leader and
though its principles and policies,
as embodied in its platform,
appealed forcibly to the conscience
and intelligence of the country.
For it had opposing it the most
perfect fighting machine the world
has ever seen-the republican
party. The republican organiza-
ton is as thorough, as scientific
ally accurate, as deadly effective, as
brain and money and hard work
can make it. 1t has merely dem
onstrated anew its wonderful ca
pacity, and impressed more vivid
ly on the country realization of
what a vast power will be required
to overthrow it.
That organization includes the
entire machinery Of the national
government, and of most of the
state governments. 1t includes
ninety-five per cent. of the large
newspapers, which, day after day,
and year after year, keep hammer
ing their lessons into the minds of
ten millions of readers. 1t in
cludes the large part of the busi-
ness and business men Of the
country. It's influence works day
and night, in thousand ways,
some open and bold, some secret
and subtle, all of them sagacious.
1t knows how to promise, to whee-
die, to allure, to threaten, to terri
fy, to intimidate.
But with all this it is not all
powerful. There is a power great
er than that of this organi zation,
and the newspapers, trusts, mo-
nopolies, railroads banks, public