Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-31

than the Republican party, said at that
time, that three million men were out
of employment. You had occasion to
see the Kelley navy on its way to
Washington and know that Coxey's
and Hogans armies known as the com.
monweal of the country were in tur-
MOL because they were without en-
ployment. The Democratic news
papers Of the day tried to brand them
as hoboes, tramps and idlers, who did
not want 10 work and while there may
have been an occasional one, the great
majority of them were out of employ
ment, and at the point of desperation,
for the reason that there was no en-
ployment for Them
Here the speaker quoted from the
Courier editorials of October 20, and
related his experience with the unem-
ployed during the winter of 10000.
Have you stopped to consider why
they were out of employment" Mr..
Reece continued. eff you have not,
then you should calmly reflect over
that period. Remember that in 1892,
the same cry of tariff for revenue only
was ringing throughout the length and
breath of this land. Democratic speak
ers worked upon the prejudices of the
working men and it was they very
largely, who were responsible for the
Democratic victory of 1892. Josh Bill
ings once said that success don't
consist of not maxim mistakes. but
it does consist of not maxim the same
mistake twiste.' 1t is to be sincerely
hoped that you will not make the mis-
take of giving that same party the op
portunity of revising the tariff,
mean of ripping it, that you gave them
in 1892
''In 1886 the Democratic party was
in the slough of despond. There seem
ed to be no Moses in the bullrushes
for them, especially on that question
Of tariff reform. although it was gen
orally conceded that the tariff needed
reforming at that time more than it
had needed it since the first tariff
law was written in the United States.
1t was not a revenue tariff, 1t was
not protective tariff. 1t did not fur
nish sufficient revenue to meet the
running expenses of the government
and the Democratic administration
had to borrow s262,00o,O00 with which
to meet current expenses. 1t did not
protect the industries of the country,
for importations were flooding our
markets, but owing to the unemployed
| condition of our laboring classes, did
not find a ready market. Unemployed
men are poor customers.
New Hope Was in Silver.
"a new issue was the only hope of
the Respondent Democrats of that
time William Jennings Bryan, who
has been since that time the greatest
incubator OF political issues that the
country ever produced, came forward
demanding that the people of this
country should not be crucitied upon
cross of gold, and declaring that the
only remedy for the hard times that
his party had brought upon the coun-
try, was the free and unlimited coin
age of silver at ratio Of 16 toll, with
out the aid or consent of any nation
on earth. Then a voice was heard
from tho -vina-cnvared porch in--Gan-
ton, Ohio. that appealed strongly to
! the good sober sense of the mechan-
les, laborers, farmers and business
men Of this country. That voice con-
tanned the words of wisdom And this
was what it said, L believe that it
would be better to open the mills
and factories of this country to the
unemployed labor, than it would be
to open the minis Of the country to