Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-24

For years they have led the people to
believe that under Republican rule and
a high protective tariff the country
would always enjoy prosperity. Last
fall, under the highest protective tariff
that was ever known, with enormous
republican majorities in House and SEN
ate, and a strenuous republican execu-
tive in the White House, the country
was compelled to face a severe financial
depression. The ~stringency of 1892 was
worldwide in its scope, and the panic
swept over many foreign lands before
it visited America, proving conclusively
that the conditions which brought it
on were not of local origin. This year
no country was visited by panic except
the United States, proving conclusively
it was local and not worldwide con-
ditions that caused the trouble. For
twelve years the Republican party has
controlled every branch of the govern
ment. They have made the laws and
administered them. What excuse have
they to offer for the conditions that
they brought about? If, as a portion
of that party contends, this panic was
deliberately brought upon the country
by a few great fnanciers, what excuse
can the party give for a governmental
policy under which a few great fnan-
ciers can at will wreck the business in
terest of 100000 freemen? If, as
another portion of the party contends,
this panic was brought upon the coun-
try by the ove~r-zealousness Of the chief
executive along certain lines, it is only
an assertion that the business men of
the country have lost confidence in Re-
publican policies, administered by a Re-
publican President.
We of the middle west suffered prob
ably less than any other section of the
country. Abundant crops from our fer
tile fields and the prosperity of our
agricultural communities was the cause
of our security. Already our Repub-
lican friends are proclaiming that pros
perity has returned. We trust that this
is true, but we cannot refrain from OBJ
serving here and there a discordant
note.
REPUBLICANS ATTEST THE SEVERITY
oFlBUsINEss DEPRESSION.
A recent Republican Secretary of the
Treasury has said: "The stringency of
1907 is generally conceded to- have been
the severest the world has ever wit
messed" And on August goth last, at
Centerville, Iowa, Mr.. Shonts, president
of a great railroad system, the man Sc
lected by Mr.. Roosevelt as the one best
fitted to perform the greatest task of
the century, the building of the 18TH
milan Canal, made the following state
ment:
we have before us an i~llustra-
ton of what even a temporary ces-
sation of the transportation devel-
opment of the country means. A
year ago there were I,675,ooo rail-
road employees in active service,
and they received nearly $I,1oo,-
100000 in wages during the year,
according to statistics collected by
the government. Fully o~ne-quar-
ter of these men are now idle at a
loss in wages ap%proximating, ST.
100000 for every working day. A
year ago the railroads were spend
ing $1,25o,ooo,ooo for supplies; now
they are spending not more than
$5oo,ooo,ooo. This means a falling
off in railroad expenditures of So
100000 a day, and it is impossible
to accurately state the number of
men in forests, mines and facto-
ries who have been thrown out of
employment by the shrinkage of,
the demand for equipment and sup
plies, but they are numbered by the
tents of thousands"
If this be true as to a single in
dustry, we may we'll imagine that
were the facts known as to the en-
tire country, the nation would be
shocked at the disclosures.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers estimates
that 100000 men today are seeking
jobs. The closed shop and the open
soup house are this year threatening
Republican supremacy, instead of fur
nishing the climax for Republican ora
tory.
STRONG woRDs-FoR FELLOW tNoMI-
NEEs.
Hastily and imperfectly I have at
tempted to trace the issues of this
campaign. In conclusion, | wish to
say for my associates upon this ticket,
that democracy has never presented
better men to the voters Of the State.
They are each and all gentlemen of
the highest character, able to worthi-
ly fill the positions for which they
have been chosen.
Supported by such a ticket, rely
ing upon the business of our cause
and the intelligence of the constitu-
ency to which we appeal, we go forth
to meet the enemy confident of vic
tory.
BRILLIANT TRIBUTE TO W. J. BRYAN.
We 60 with all the greater conf
dence because we follow the leader
ship of one whose like has rarely
been seen in this or any other land.
Twice defeated for the high office of
President, relegated by his enemies
to obscurity, with the boast that
never again would he be able to at
tract passing comment in a news col
umn, he stands today the foremost
citizen of the greatest nation on
earth. Without the power of patron
age or wealth, by the mere force of
his genius and the dynamic power of
being right, he has shaped the. poll
cies Of the country. He forced his
victorious adversaries to abandon the
platform on which they had been
successful and adopt the principles