The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-12

the time being the Keifers and the crum-
packers. the ancient South-hating crowd.
vote against this most vicious measure
LabOr's Plea Ignored.
THE world of labor presented its request
to Congress for an antiinjunction bill and
for employers liability bill that would
restore to them the rights which they hal
lost under recent decision OF the United
bread and received not even a stone. Such
Is the pitiful record of insincerity and in
capacity.
"A tenderfoot travelling in a Western State
heard that there had been lynching In
the neiGhborhood, His curiosity took him
to the place and there he found man
breast. This placard bore the following IN
scription; This was a very bad man In
some respects, and q. damn sight worse In
others The eptah may be written on the
tombstone of the dear departed In Wash
ington. for It was very bad Congress in
some respects. and a damn sight worse III
others.
Fourteen years ago a severe Industrial
depression which began under Harrison AMI
Republican administration. eliminated an
der his successor, who happened to be n
Democrat. The Republicans We're, not SLOW
t., avail themselves of this fortuitious con-
scuIrence. With one accord they denounced
tariff lewiston and the Cleveland panic. We
we're not allowed to plead either in bar nr
IN, confession and avoidance. We We're not
allowed to trace this panic to It's authentic
source, or to ascertain its antecedent cause.
1t occurred under Democratic admin,s-
tration and therefore It was Democratic
panic. Such was the contention OF our op-
ponents. A pI,iful aggregation of battered
humanity. called CoNeys Army. mere
handful OF unhappy wights. paraded IN
Washington to emphasize by their appear
ance the asperity OF their lot, and to prs
test against the failure of the government
to relieve existing conditions by appropriate
legislation.
of many like professions. certain to be Wit
messed under Democratic administration.
.coxey's Army was favorite theme of Re-
publican spelbinders in every succeeding
campaign. This panic had a paralyzlng
effect on the public mind and for years has
hndered any Intelligent discussion OF poll
teal issues. Il
Brought on Panic
The most cogent arguments and the most
convincing array of facts offered on the part of
Democrats, either In support Of their con-
cics have been lightly brushed aside in
popular discussion with an airy reference to
the Cleveland panic or a flippant mention
OF Coxey's Army Time, however. has
brought It's revenge, and at last our oppo-
rents are caught In the net of their own
logic. In 1907 after ten years OF uninter-
rupted party administration and Republican
nscendency, the bottom dropped out OF bust
ness for the time being. In moment, in
the twinkling of an eye. like a thief In the
night. u panic was on us, Prosperity seem
Ell to be ut full tide. The railroads could
not haul the freight that'rwas offered. the
Industrial plants could not fiji their orders;
were full The country seemed drunk with
riches. The Republicans announced With
clamorous insistence that everything was
We'll in the industrial and financial world
and with their usual modesty claimed
all the credit Tor existing conditions. We
were solemnly assured with constant itera-
ton that prosperity and q protective tariff
We're necessary companions, and that thc
protective tariff was the favorite child of
Ihe Republican party, the agency Will, which
they established and maintained prosperity.
We We're further told that hard times ana
panics We're things of the past, melancholy
Incidents OF a Democratic administration.
MANY years OF peace and plenty, of ex-
panding and Increasing prosperity We're
apparently in sight. TO tho popular eye
Industrial norison. And then in moment
the bubble burst. A Specializing bank in
New York went into the hands Of a receipey
and a tremor ran through the financial
world. In a little while the banks North
south and West refused to pay cash and ~
sued scrip, The Secretary Of the Treasury
ceased 10 Nomit their smoke, the wheels II
the factories stopped Long lines OF emuty
cars on the sldinss OF the railroads bore
mute evidence TO the paralysis that had
oNertaken the business world The shops
closed their doors and operations ceased
on the public works. The men out OF u job
Washington to san Francisco AS winter
approached conditions grew worse, Ralef
associations We're formed in all the larger
cities, and free bread aud free soup We're
distributed to starving men and women. Am
considered to eSagerate the severity, OF
this panic for political and PARTISAN pur-
poses? Then Will adopt the language III
the most distinguished Republican in CON
gress, Mr.. Burton, of ohioj who recently de-
scribed this panic as follows: Last autumn
there WAS a frightfui panic. The ,n!ghtiast
financial institutions tottered as IL they
would fall. the wheels of commerce ana OF
industry We're clogsed. hundreds of thous-
lands Mere thrown out OF employment. Men
Who had walked with head erect and proul
We're compelled TO beg In the streets for
bread, and much of the cause of this dis
tressful condition was due to the usuffi-
cheney and Etgidity OF our currency
''AIanY explanations have been offered for
this panic, but at least " was not u Demo-
cratic panic, whatever II WAS The country
WAS in gfull possession Ola protective tnriff
and IN the full enjoylnent of the blessings Of
Republican rule nnder Republican Prcsi-
dent, y Republican Senate aud q Republican,