The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-10-26
PARTY BATTLE
FOR PRESIDENT
LIVENINC UP
Republicans and Democrats Differ
Upon Methods Of Govern.
ment Policy

president of the United States will
end in IL days and the nation is be-
ing slowly awakened to a keen in
terest in the struggle. The present
campaign is unusual in some fea-
lures, and the result is more uncer-
tain. than many previous contests.
The strong party man is for his party
as usual, but the independent voter
has no end of trouble in separating
the wheat from the chaff, to arrive
at the real fundamental principles
which separate the two leading part
les.
AS to the two men representing
the parties, there need be little said.
They are both experienced and clean
men. The life work or mental in
clination of one might make him
somewhat better equipped for the
arduous duties of president than the
other, but it is both fair and sensible
10 assume that they are the hest re-
representatives. Of their parties. and
both are entitled to the respect of
American citizens, however they may
differ upon methods Of government.
The wit and sarcasm, the bunk and
bally hoo of a political campaign may
he more or less interesting, but they
are not essentials to influence SER
ious voters. The one particular thing
the American voter is interested in
is which party will conduct the af-
fairs of his government for the best
interests of the American people as
a whole.
TO briefly summarize the real
party issues and differences, they
appear thus:
Party Differences
II will be remembered that the
democrats gained control of the gov
eminent our years ago by a division
in the ranks of the republican party,
by a minority vote. Today that divi-
sion OF republicans has practically
disappeared. This is clearly demon
strated by about every vote that has
occurred in any locality in the coun-
try. Registrations of expressed
party voters give a like indication
When the democratic administra-
ton assumed control Of the govern
ment the promise var given to u
the government more economically
than republicans had; to reduce the
high cost of living; to pass a low
tariff law without protection to
American farmers, laborers, and
manufacturers.
Result Of Party Policy
After nearly: our years of demo-
cratic administration the following G.
results are apparent:
Republicans point to the fact that
the present democratic administrat
ton has been the most extravagant
in appropriations and the number
of paid officials of any administra-
ton in the country's history.
The high cost of living has been
increased instead of being reduced,
and almost everything used by man
kind is higher in price today than
ever before.
But the great fundamental issue
upon which the two parties have al
ways been divided is the question of
a tariff law with or without protec-
ton. Every time this question has
been tried out republicans have had
the best of it. In the past, demo-
cratic low tariff laws have been dis
sstrous, because the principal is
wrong for this country. All older
voters will readily recall the ad-
verse conditions which followed the
enactment of democratic tariff
laws.
AS soon as the democrats obtain
ed power they passed the present
Underwood tariff law, and the
try was headed the same way as be-
fore. In one year of its trial before
the Europeanwar broke out, this
tariff also proved itself inadequate.
Government funds were running low,
and the democratic administration
was forced to raise money by a
stamp tax-something never known
in time of peace. The law put farm
products on the free list, or greatly
reduced the tariff. 1t made free Of
all duty cattle, sheep, wool, beef.
mutton, corn, eggs, milk and cream.
II made wheat and potatoes condi-
tionally free. 1t reduced by about
sixty per CEN horses. poultry, oats,
cheese and butter. Foreign farm
products came in in large quantities,
the increase being for the fiscal year
Of 1914 ove 1912 a hundred and
forty million dollars worth. This
flood Of foreign products cut down