Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-10-24
TO FIRST VOTERS:


together by common ideas, desires
and tendencies.
The Republican party largely con-
sists of the followers Of Abraham
Lincoln and their descendants.
Among those followers, who after
ward became leaders were, Grant,
Garfield, Harrison. Mckinley, Sher-
man, Edmonds, Morton, Hoar and
a great host OF others; men Of stall
wart intelligence, integrity and de-
termination, who established indus
try on a new basis. recreated the
South, colonized the west, paid the
national debt with honest money, ex-
tended the national domain, sent
our manufactures into all parts Of
the world, multiplied our agricui-
tural output tenfold, cherished and
stimulated education, invention and
research to a degree unparalleled
in history and, In word, produced
an era which cannot be properly de-
scribed except as Miracle Of so-
cial, Intellectual and Industrial
Progress.
In 1880, when Theodore Roose-
welt cast his first vote for Republic
can candidates, We were paying an
nually to our public school teachers
$55, OOO, 900 and we we're publishing
5000 newspapers. In 1910. when
Roosevelt was campaigning the
country in behalf Of the Republican
party, we paid school teachers $2S7,-
900 900 and were publishing $4,000
newspapers. In 1880 our wealth
was forty-two billions. In 1910 1t
was nearly three times that amount.
In 1880 our public debt was $38
per capita; in 1910, 81 per capita.
I'm 1880 our farm produce was OF
the value of two billion dollars; in
ll910 it was of the value of nearly
nine billion. In 1880 when Roose-
welt cast his first vote for president
our annual manufactures were OF
the value OF five billion dollars; in
l191O when Roosevelt cast his last
Republican vote, our manufactures
we're of the value Of nearly fifteen
billion dollars.
These figures but family hint at
the progress achieved by this country
lin all branches of human endeavor
since Theodore Roosevelt cast his
first vote for president.
In 1880 Roosevelt esteemed the
Republican party to be the party
Iof intelligence, Virtue and Progress.
I'm 1884, 1888, 1892 and In 1895
The was Of the same opinion still,
I'm 1893 when he was elected Re-
slpubiican governor Of New York he
Il was emphaticaliy Of that opinion.
i His views were not different in
119OO and 1904 when he was elected
1vice president and president. For
seven years he personally controlled
two branches Of the federal gov
eminent, and of course the party
which gave him that control was
without flaw, according to him. In
I1S1O it was still the party OF In
; telligence, Integrity and Progress
the constructive party-the party oil
: improvement.
In 1912 the Republican party was
) the same party that It was in 1910
J and 1908 and 1904. 1t consisted
Of the same men or new men of tbs
E same class. It was the same party
, and il was a good party. 1t mus
r have been q good party or ROose
, Welt would not have sought to b
: its leader and its mouthpiece. Sure
: liz Mr.. Roosevelt would not have al
s lowed Dan Hanna to spend $177,O0l
b in Ohio and Finn to spend $4,000
2 in Pennsylvania and Perkins I
e spend s71 600 in New York City I
/ win him the headship Of a ba
party. 1t must have been a goo
party during the first six month
is Of 1912.
le First voters who would NATURAL
v be Republicans should consider a
"a these thinss carefully. Are the
(. Justified IN deserving their naturi
70 admission, are they Justified
Is ahnndoninF the Republican part
to Win it. splendid memories and b
sesy. merely tsp Theedol