The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-30
A REPUBLICAN PRAYER.

The following supposed suppllca-
ton to the Deity of staunch stand
patter was handed us by a good re-
publican of Leon, with the request
that we publish it:
Oh, Lord, we are yet wandering
around in the swamps of defeat. We
haven't had moments pleasure
since we got the everlasting stuffings
knocked out of us last fall. We con-
TESS that we haven't got courage
to lead a blind goose to water. We
have made ourselves wild asses IN
the desert of inconsistency and have
lied as no one ever lied before. We
are sick. We feel worse than we did
the time we felt so awful bad. No
ray of hope breaks through the
gloomy clouds of despair that over
hang us. We can hear the demo-
Gratis laugh over in the next town and
we don't have to ask them the cause
of their mirth. We have undone our
selves by our own doings.
We ask thee, Lord, to give us lots
of lung power and strengthen our
faith in whatever brand of republic
canism that gets on top in this ccun-
try. We don't want to be anything
else. We don't know how to be any
thing else. We'd rather carry a
torchlight in a republican parade
than to own mile square in heaven.
We would rather wear tin roos-
err in our hats than to own cattle on
a thousand hills. We don't know any
better. But Lord, if we don't get
some help and that pretty sudden, we
are going to dry up body and soul.
Oh, Lord, what is hurting us so
bad is that the democrats are expos
ing our ways on every hand. These
committees are doing
the dirt and the democrats seem to
know right where the sore spots are.
We will agree to be good and tell
the truth and tote fair and count
correctly and act the gentleman If we
can mend our broken fortunes by so
doing. But, oh Lord, thou knowest
that we have been so mean and told
so many lies and stolen SO many votes
and made so many false promises
and drank so much whiskey and rip
ped and ratified around SO much that
we wouldn't make greasy patch in
the pan if we were to tote fair with
the uellOCldlo.
Lord, thou knowest our hearts and
the innermost thoughts thereof. Thou
knowest we have an uncomfortable
itching for office. Thou knowest we
can't touch the good things with a
forty-rod pole any more within forty
years. Lord, we need more harmony
or something, we don't know what.
Lord, we see now that we can't
run another campaign on the old
worn out issues of the past. We are
in rare need of new issue for the
next campaign. Teddy is our saliva
ton. He can borry more planks
from Mr.. Bryan and make us fellows
believe they are brand-fire new ones
of his. Now it looks like the demo-
Gratis have us fellows by the tails
with down hill pull.
But, oh Lord, if we are not on
praying ground, if it is possible that
the gates of mercy are shut against
US, if the account is closed and the
books are sealed, if thou canst give
us no guiding star to lead us to vic
tory any more, if we have sinned
away our day of grace, if we are ev-
erlastingly beyond the pale OF thy
sheltering hand, and thou will not
lead us to victory, then Lord, give
us plenty of lung power and If We
have to go down to everlasting and
perpetual defeat we will go making
one of the almightiest rackets that
has ever been heard since the world
began. Amen.