The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-10-22
READ AT DEMOCRATIC MEETING
IN NEW YORK LAST NIGHT
OPINION ON POLITICAL ISSUE
This Venerable Man, Wto Was
Personal Friend Of Martin Van
Buren,. and Abraham Lincoln,
Urges Support Of Ticket

New York. y. Y. oct 2l.-At the
democratic meeting in Carnegie hall
last night letter from Hon. John
Bigclow was read
The venerable John Bisclow who
was personal friend OF Martin Van
Buren, and Abraham Lincoln. aud uu-
der the lattcr's administration served
as American minister TO France had
accepted an invitation to preside at
this meeting, but his physician. iu
view OF MIR. Bigelows advanced age.
t92 years. forbade. and instead he
sent to National Chairman Norman L.
Mack. a letter which was read 10 the
meeting by Mayor George -. Me
Clellan. Mr. Bigelow Was an intimate
friend of Samuel J. Tudcn. and
wrote the latter's biography. Follow.
ing is his letter
The Squirrels, Highland Falls on
Hudson. y. Y, oct 10, 1908.
l'fdI WI Mach
My age is sufficient excuse for de-
clining your invitation to preside at
the democratic meeting proposed to
be held at Carnegie Hall during the
last week in October ! cannot urge
that however. as an excuse for de.
clining your invitation to send a
message in writing to the assembly
that will be gathered on that occasion
II there is any who still cares for my
opinion about impending political is.
sues. here it is:
In my opinion there are two issues
to be tried at the approaching presi-
dental election which in my mind
take precedence of all others.
The first is the paramount import
, ance of organizing without farther
delay an opposition party. The sec.
ond is to secure the speediest posi-.
BILE deliverance of our country from a
! demoralizing tariff upon imports.
No man has been born who ever
became fit to be treated with abso-
| lutte power. Neither can any party
or body of men be trusted long If at
all with absolute power, without abus.
ing it. The republican party has now
been practically the controlling poll
tical party in this country for fifty
| years less one. | need not say how
much it has abused that power, be-
I cause with the absence of an Opposi
ton party It was impossible not to
| abuse II; and there are few If any
republicans not beneficiarics of its
patronage, who will pretend that they
would have not been much better
satisfied with its achievements had II
| always enjoyed thrc advantages OF
such adverse criticism as could have
been expected from a well-organized
opposition party
The most disastrous fruit of the
/ prolonged power of the republican
| dynasty unquestionably is its de
liberate and persistent war upon our
foreign commerce; its constant in
crease Of tariff restrictions upon i'm
/ ports.
Foreign commerce has dwindled
until our exports exceed our imports
/ by many millions. and they largely
consist of moIey or merchandise
shipped to pay the interest on ouI
! foreign debt.
Why is this? We have the largest
continuous coast line Of any nation il
the world with the most abundant
supply in the world of iron, coal, cop
per, zinc wood. articles which con
stitute the principal and most costly
elements OF ship building and hav,
thus been designated by Proyidenc,
as the natural Mistress OF the Seas
vet. ii any one Of our ninety millions
of people wishes to visit any of tn,
other continents of the world or {,
ship a package of merchandise. h
must hire a foreign ship owner 10 b,