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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1904)
-specified requirement of incapacity is in effect set aside by Order"Xo. 7S as to all persons over sixty-two. Tlie war closed nearly forty years ago.In the meantime many of our soldiers and sailors long survived the age of sixty-two , and passed away without receiving any pension. Skill ful pension attorneys hunting through the statute failed to find there a pro vision giving a pension to all who had reached sixty-two. Many prominent veterans urged the justice of congres sional action giving a service pension to all veterans. Bills to that effect Avere introduced in Congress. And not until March of this year did any one ever claim to have made the discov erythat the President had power to treat the statute as if it read that when a claimant had passed the age of sixty- two years he is necessarily disabled one-half in ability to perform manual labor and therefore entitled to a pen sion. sion.Tlie Tlie President of the Civil Service Commission , General John C. Black , formerly Commissioner of Pensions , and Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic , indicated his A'iew of the order when in a recent ad dress he thanked the President for what he had done , and advised his hearers to vse their influence that a law might be passed to the same effect. Full confidence after all seems not to have been placed on the defense of justification , for it is pleaded in miti gation that a former Democratic Pres ident did something looking in that direction. Even if that were so which is not admitted our present du ty Avould be none the less plain and imperative. Our. people must never tolerate the citation of one act of usurpation of power as an excuse for another. The first may possibly be due to mistake ; the second , being based on the first , cannot be. In explanation , however , it should be said that the or der relied on simply provided that the age of seventy-five years should be re garded as evidence of inability to per form manual labor. Few men are able to perform manual labor at that age , " but nearly all men are at sixty-two. The first order isbased on a fact that experience teaches , the other is based on the assertion of that which is not true "as a general rule. ROOSEA'ELT'S CHALLENGE. The old inquiry , "AAliat are you go- Ing to do about it ? " is now stated in a new form. It is said by the adminis tration , in reply to the public criticism of this order , that "It is easy to test our opponents' sincerity in this matter. The order in question is reAocable at the pleasure of the Executive. If our opponents come into power they can revoke this order and announce that they will treat the veterans of sixry- two and seventy as presumably in full bodily A-igor and not entitled to pension. Will they authoritatively state that they intend to do this ? If so , we accept the issue. " This suggests the suspicion , at least , that the order was made to create an issue that it was supposed to present a strong strategic position in the battle of the ballots. On the assumption that the order , as stated by the Admin istration , is revocable at the pleasure of the Executive , it haA'ing been an at tempted , though perhaps unwitting en croachment upon the legislative power , and therefore unwarranted by tho Con stitution , I except the challenge and declare that if elected I will revoke that order. But I go further and say that that being done , I AA'ill contribute my effort toward the enactment of a law to be passed by both houses of Congress and approved by the Execu tive that will give an age. pension with out reference to disability to the sur AA viving heroes of the Civil ATar ; and C under the provisions of which a pen 1C sion may be accepted with dignity be cause of the consciousness that it j conies as a just due from the people ' through their chosen representatives , th and not as a largess distributed by the nc Chief Executive. AV UNDER BONDS FOR PEACE. rli The foreign relations of the govern gr ment have in late years assumed special importance. ' Prior to the ac in quisition of the Philippines , we were in practically invulnerable against at th tacks by foreign States. Those tropical in possessions , however , seven thousand it. miles from our shores , have change'd lit all this and have in effect put us under Pl bonds to keep the peace. The new an conditions call for a management of fu foreign affairs the more circumspect cri in that the recent American imasion of foreign markets in all parts of the lie world has excited the serious appre tic hension of all the great industrial peo in ples. It is essential , therefore , more ini than ever , to adhere strictly to thy nn traditional policy of the country as 00 formulated by its first president and an never , in my judgment , wisely de on parted from to invite friendly rela im tions with all nations while avoiding her entangling alliances with any. Such a policy means the cultivation of peace VO instead of the glorification of Avar , and in the minding of our own business in of lieu of spectacular intermeddling with sa the affairs of other nations. It means CO strict observance of the principles of the international law and condemns the of doctrine that a great state , by reason in' of its strengtu , may rightfully appro tic priate the sovereignty or territory of A a small state on account of its Aveak- bn ness. It means for other American states that AVC claim no rights and Avill in assume no functions save those of a tal friend and of an ally and defender as ex against European aggressions. It ba means that we repudiate the role of bami the American continental policeman ; ta that we refuse to act as debt collector for foreign statesor their citizens ; H , ; that we respect the independent sov to ereignty of each American state and life its right to preserve order and other can wise regulate its internal own affairs tion in its own jwaj * : and that any inter vention in its affairs by us is limited to the single office of enabling its peo ge be ple to work out their own political and and national destiny for themselves and an free from the coercion of any Euro as pean state. NO EXCUSE FOR EXTRAVAGANCE sor somi Twenty-eight years have passed since mi the Democratic party of the State of miC New York , in convention assembled , de recommended to the National Democ en racy the nomination of Samuel J. Til- enC 'den ' as its candidate for the Presidency , bay " and declared it to be "their settled up conviction that a return to the consti upS tutional principles , frugal expenses op and administrative purity of the foun ders of the Republic is the first and or most imperious duty of the times the org commanding issue now before the peo Plf ple of the Union. " This strong exprea- dei sion was called forth by the national sie expenditures : for Ihe year 1875 , which amounted to $274.000,000 a situation which , in the opinion of a majority of our people , justified an imperative de mand for reform in the administration of public affairs. As the expenditures' of the last fiscal year amounted to the enormous ; total of $582,000,000. it is evi dent that a thorough investigation of dtl the public service and the immediate tla abandonment of useless and extrava gant expenditures are more necessary now than they were then. This as tounding ( increase is out of all propor tion to the increase of our population , tia tiP finds no excuse from whatever as pect we view the situation. The Na tional Democratic platform declares tltl that "large reductions can easily be made in the annual expenditures of the Government without impairing the efficiency of any branch of the public service ? " Can there be any doubt of the accuracy of this statement ? Be tlt tween the expenditures of the year 18SG ! , amounting to $242,000.000 , and those of the last fiscal year the sev tlb tle after Grover Cleveland ceased to be President aggregating $382,000- 000 , there is a difference so great as to excite : alarm in the breasts of all thoughtful men. Even excluding the sum ' of $50,000,000 paid for the Pan ama Canal rights and to the State of Panama , the expenditures of the last fiscal year exceeded the sum of $532.- 000,000 , being more than double tho expenditures : of the Government for all purposes during the first year of Mr. Cleveland's administration. The expenses of the first four years succeeding the last Democratic Ad ministration amounted to the enormous average of $511,000,000 per year. This large expenditure was due to a consid erable : extent to the cost of the Span ish-American War , which occurred during that period , but the termination of that war brought no relief to the Treasury , for the average annual ex penses of the Government during the three subsequent years ending June 30 , 1904 ! , were about $519,000,000 , which is .the largest sum hitherto reached , dur "itC a like period , since the close of tho Civil War. CONCEALMENT OF CONDITIONS , t This draft upon the revenues of the country < has had the effect which might have been anticipated , and now we have : presented the reverse of the situ ation , which led to the famous obser vation , "It is a condition , and not a theory , which confronts us. ' ' for , al though the present incumbent found at the close of the first fisjcal year , dur tlk tlai which he assumed control of the administration , a surplus of receipts over expenditures of more than $91- 000,000 ( , there was an excess of expen ditures over receipts at the close of the last fiscal year of $41,000,000 , and the laoi official monthly reports made by the oiT Treasury Department show that the expenditures are continuously and rapidly increasing , while the receipts are diminishing. In this connection it is interesting to note the recent Administrative or tod ders < forbidding Government officers from making public any statement of estimates on which future appropria tions < are to be based. tiat If a man of ordinary intelligence and prudence should find in the operat ing expenses of his business such a tremendous percentage of increase , trw would he not promptly set on foot an inquiry for the cause of the waste , and take immediate steps to stop it , espe cially when trusted employes have cibe been found dishonest and convicted , and a widespread impression exists that a thorough investigation may dis cover other cases of malfeasance ? AVhen ; the Chief Executive reports to Congress that , "through fraud , forger ies ; and perjuries , and by shameless briberies the law relating to the proper conduct of the public service in gen eral , and to the due administration of the Postofflce Department have been notoriously violated . . . , " there was a general popular demand for a rigid , sweeping investigation by Con- gress , in addition to that undertaken bj the Executive himself. Such an investigation the Republican majority Congress would not permit , al though the minority insisted that the . interest of good government demanded ' . And the minority was right. The liberality , patriotism and National pride of the people should not be made excuse for waste of the public funds. Official extravagance is official crime. There i is not a sentence in the Repub lican platform recommending a reduc tion in the expenditure of the Govern " ment ; not a line suggesting that the increase in the cost of the AVar Depart ment from $34,000,000 in 1SSO to $115- 000,000 in 1904 , should be inquired into ; and not a paragraph calling for a thor ough investigation of those depart ments of the Government in which dis honesty has been recently disclosed. The people , however , can by their votes , if they desire it , ofder such an investigation and inaugurate a policy economy and retrenchment. It is safe to say that this will not be ac complished by endorsing at the polls Republican majority of the House Representatives which refused tub as investigation and made the appropria tions , nor bj' continuing in power the Administration which made the dis er bursements. Reform ] in expenditures must be had the Civil , Military and Naval es tablishments in order that the National expenditures may be brought to a basis of peace and the Government maintained without recourse to the taxes : of war. to war.CONCLUSION. CONCLUSION. I have put aside a congenial work , which I had expected to devote my , in order to assume , as best I is , the responsibilities your conven put upon me. I solicit the cordial co-operation and to generous assistance of every man who we believes that a change of measures of men at this time would be wise , urge harmony of endeavor as well vigorous action on the part of all minded. The issues are joined and the people must render the verdict. Shall economy of administration be demanded or shall extravagance be ter encouraged ? Shall the wrongdoer be brought to by the people , or must justice wait upon political oligarchy ? Shall our Government stand for equal opportunity ; or for special privilege ? Shall it remain a Government of law become one of individual caprice ? like Shall we cling to the rule of the peo , or shall we embrace beneficent iespotlsm ? With calmness 'and confidence , TTO await the people's verdict. If called to the office of President. , I shall consider myself the Chief Magis trate of ai ! the peonle and not oi ! any faction , and shall ever be mindful of that fact that on many questions of National policy there aro honest diffpr- ences of opinion. I believe in the pa triotism , good sense and absolute sin cerity of all the peonle. I shall strive to remember that he may sprve hi. party best who serves his country best If it be the wish of the ppoplp tha4 I undertake the dutio5 ? of the Presi dency. I pledge myself , with God's help , to devote all my nowors and en ergy to the duties of this exalted office. Very truly yours. yours.ALTON ALTON B. PARKER. RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE Presentation of Figure * ; Mlfely fo Startle the Most Ardent Apclo- alst of tlie Party of Waste. The Magnitude of Recent Republican Extravagance in the Administration of the Government which are given here with are conied from the official rec ords of the Secretary of the Treasury , and are. therefore , beyond dispute. President Roosevelt assumed office September 14. 1001. and as soon as IIP became firmly established in power and control , it will be observed , in- creased expenditures began. Thp total expenditures , actual and estimated , for j the four years of his incumbency ag- grporated $2.041.728.019.18 , which is $211.407.028.89 greater than the four years of McKinley. though he conduct ed the Spanish AVar , and $883.024J 802.75 greater than the four years of Cleveland. In the first full fiscal year of Roosevelt flflOS ) expenditures ex- ceeded those of the first full fiscal year of McKinley (1898) ( ) by $107,942,248.83. and in the last full fiscal year of Roosevelt (1905) ) expenditures , as esti mated by the Secretary of the Treas- ury , Avill exceed those of the last full fiscal year of McKinley (1901) ( ) by $105- 875.060.25. The last year of McKinley exceeded his first by $75.392.052.57. while tlie last year of Rooseveltvill exceed his firstyearby $134.435,301.89. Of the total increase of $883,024,802.75 for the four years of RooseA'elt as compared with the four years of Cleveland , the nota ble increase , exclusive of the postal service , is , in round numbers. $100.000j 000 in the civil establishment. $231- 000.000 in the naval establishment , and $284.000,000 in the military establish- ment. The total cost of the military establishment , exclusiAe of pensions , during the four years of Roosevelt , ex- ceeds that of Cleveland by $515,000 000. SLIGHT CHANGE NECESSARY. Small Percentage of Shifting of Voters Needed to Wipe Out Odell's Plurality. Those supporters of Judge Parker Avho are discouraged by the odds against them as shown by the figures of recent elections will do Avell to re- fleet upon the fact that there are a great many Aoters in this country , and that a very silght change in sentiment is enough to produce tremendous ef- fects in the election returns. At least 15,000,000 votes will be cast - for President this year. The States of New York , New Jersey , Connecticut , j ' Delaware , West Virginia and Colorado , added to those carried by the DemoJ crats in the last State elections , Avould be enough to elect Judge Parker. A change of S3,904 votes , or a little over one-fifth of one per cent , of the total vote of the Union , would carry these six States. A change of less than onei third of one per cent , of the vote of this State alone would wipe out Odell's last plurality in New York. If Judge Parker's strength does not represent more than these minute marjj gins of Aotes , the influence of a just cause and a good candidacy on elec- tions has been greatly exaggerated. DANIEL NOT DOUBTING. Virginia's Senior Senator Entirely Hopeful of the Prospect. Eloquent Senator Daniel , of Virginia , was one of the numerous statesmen who called at Democratic Headquar- ters this week. The Senator , like all i the other callers , takes a very hopeful view of the situation. He said : "At no time , " said Senator Daniel , "have I ever doubted the election of Parker and Davis. To-day the chances are better than ever. Reports that I have received from every part of the ( country , especially the doubtful States , show that Democratic prospects are brightening. I feel confident that New York , New Jersey and Connecticut will ( go Democratic and * that we will get enough votes in the Middle West to insure Parker's election. " , HOPE FOR WEST VIRGINIA. , " W. E. Chilton , ex-Secretary of the State of West Virginia , and who served Chairman of the Democratic organi zation in his State when it gave its electoral vote to Cleveland , was a call at National Democratic Committee headquarters last week. "AVhile AVest Virginia must be con sidered a debatable State , " said Mr. Chilton , "there are many good reasons for believing we shall carry it in No ! vember. The platform and the candi I dates of our party are very acceptable our people , and ex-Senator Davis for many years has been one of the most popular men in the State. The principal thins : we shall have to fight the tendency of the Republicans to poll illegal votes , especially among the negroes , but I believe we shall be able overcome thisvith the precautions are taking for vigilance. " , cJ WHERE 100,000 1V03IEN VOTE. The Republican National Committee has sent Mrs. J. Ellen Foster to do mis sionary work among the 100,000 women who are eligible to vote in Colorado , AA'yoming , Utah and Idaho. Mrs. Fos will find that the women of'these States are able to take care of them- ! selves. There are one or two local is sues there which appeal strongly to lovers of freedom and fair play , both males and females , and Mrs. Foster , a professional "spellbinder , " of New of York , will discover that they are un any issues thrft she has been ac customed to harp upon under the di rection of "Tom" Platt and "Ben" of Odell. are i CAMPAIGN LIE NAILED. Effort to Injure Parker , in Ulster County , Completely Destroyed. The campaign liar is abroad He be gan his work in Judge Parker's home district by circulating a lie through Ulster County. It purported to be a statement made by Judge Parker as to the wage an unskilled laborer was en- titled for a day's work. But the false- hood was soon dissipated. The lie was ruined by elaborate details. The em broidery to make it circumstantial proved too much. It brought out a sworn denial by those whose names had been dragged in. The affidavit rends as follows : Emery Freer , Samuel E. Mott and Louis Booth being severally duly sworn say , and each for himself says , that he has read the article published in the Globe and Commercial Adver tiser , of New York , of date of Septem ber 9. 1904. wherein it is stated that on Saturday morning in the year 1902. at the store of Emery Freer in Esopus. while several residents of that place were discussing the rate of wages that should be paid for unskilled labor. Judge Parker said : "I think a dollar a . day is enough for any man. provided ! that his work is steady. Any man can i live on that , and that is all unskilled J labor is worth. I am sorry that I have to pay more than that , and wouldn't if we ; had better supply of labor there abouts. " We note particularly that the article so published states "on the day i * > question J a crowd of men were there. There were Emery Freer , Sam E. Mott , who ; runs the butcher shop and livery stable ; New Booth , the barber ; Carl Wismer. . who is now a baggage handler J in the West Shore station in Kingston , and several farmers from the vicinity , who were in the village for their Satur day's ( trading. " We and each of us , the said Emery Freer , being a Democrat , and the said Samuel E. Mott and Louis Booth , Re publicans ' , depose and say as to the statements 5 in said article : First That we are the identical per sons named in the article , and in whose presence j Judge Parker was alleged to have made said statement. Second That no such conversation pver l took place , either at the store of Emery j Freer or any other place , and that j Judge Parker never made the statements attributed to him at Freer's store or any other place to the knowl edge ' of either of us. Third That the statement is false in substance and in fact. , Fourth That to our knowledge1' Judge Parker , since he has resided in Esopus. has paid the usual and going rate of I wages to all the men employed by him on his place. In addition the said Emery Freer for himself ' says that he has frequently , during the absence of Judge Parker , paid tho Judge's employes ; has time , and again cashed checks given to said ' employes for wages , and on his know- ! , edge says that Judge Parker has al- ' ways \ paid the going rate of wages to nil men employed as day farm laborers on his farm , to-wit , from $1.50 to $1.75 a day , and that the statement to the contrary published as aforesaid is tin- true t and absolutory without foundation. | CHEAP CHARSE. Judge Parker Beyond and Above Control l y Special Interests. Ex-Senator James K. Jones , of Ar kansas , late Chairman of the Demo cratic National Committee , joins Mr. Bryan in unqualified prr.ise of Judge Parker. Mr. Jones recently said of the candidate : "Judge Parker is recognized every where as an able , incorruptible states man , and if he should be elected Presi dent there would be no fear at any time of the business interests or pros perity of the Nation being disturbed. "The cheap and contemptible charge , intended i to injure Judge Parker , that he is dominated or controlled by cor rupt ATall Street elements is , beyond all doubt , absolutely false. If he is elected , he will resolutely enforce the laws | , against all illegal combinations and under his administration no preda tory < Government favorite0 will be shel tered. ' THE STRENUOUS EXAMPLE. President Roosevelt has succeeded , perhaps beyond his expectations , in arousing the fighting blood in the Oys ter ( Bay populace. They had invited the Stamford ( Conn. ) baseball nine to play a friendly game with them , but it turned out that the Oyster Bayites Were too strenuous , and instead of bat ting the ball soon commenced to bat the Stamfordites. A pitched battle en sued , knives were used , blood flowed and the wounded covered the field. The safe and sane people of Oyster Bay and vicinity are debating whether the "strenuous life" ' should be preached so constantly to their young men as to stir them up to battle with their neigh bors and guests. DEMOCRATIC GAIN IN MAINE. While from Republican quarters the election held recently in ATermontwas given considerable prominence as indi- eating the way "the cat will jump" in November , the Democrats attached but little importance to it , nor did they figure xipon the election held in Maine last Monday as a weather vane , yet it r was with a feeling of some elation that 1 the Democratic hosts received the an nouncement that notwithstanding a full vote had been polled in Maine , the1 usual Republican majority in that State had been considerably reduced. tl This would at least tend to offset the claims being made by Republican pa- pers and party managers , if , it indicates else. nothing Jo f fit its SHRINE OF THE DEAR PEE-PUL. cr th The Los Angeles ( Gal. ) Times , which at devotes considerable space to lauda sn tions of President Roosevelt and de pe peY fends him from the charge of being Y friendly to the trusts , contains in its for editorial columns of recent date an edi "i torial severely arraigning the Standard Oil Company. It refers to the offices the company at No. 2G Broadway , the New York , as the shrine at which the dear pee-pul are permitted to lay their golden offerings , sometimes at the rate $36,000,000 a year , if recent accounts to be relied on. " a SOME SMALL BILLS. Few "Unconsldered and Trifling' * Items of Cost of Piaylna : Role of World Power. The following figures represent ap proximately tup cost of the Philippine experiment to date : Paid to Spain fer the islands , ? 20- 000,000. Paid to thp friars to abando their lands ' and rive title to the United States , $7.239.000. Cost of the Army above normal from 1899 to 1903 inclusive. $500.000,000. Cost of patrolling Philippine Avaters and miscellaneous expenses ofthe fleet , $25,000,000. Expenses of the Philippine Commis sion , two budgets , $429,000. . Cost of transport service , $50,000,000. The foregoing figures are from offi cial sources , and only one of them , that of the expense of the transports , is estimated. Here is a total outlay of $002,418,000. ami AVC have only just be gun to play the role of a "world power. " This colossal sum , moreover , repre sents only the actual and direct ex penditures of public money in and for the Philippines , and takes no account of the enormous increase in the cost of maintaining the Army and Navy , which has been rendered necessary by the Rooseveltian policy of being prepared to "lick all creation. " Reliable statistics" show that from 1893 to 1897 , both inclusive , the Navy cost $152,553,452 ; and from 1899 to 1903 , inclusive , the cost was $330,823- 412 , or almost double. Tlie average annual cost of the Army during Cleve land's second administration Avas $40- 000.000. Since 1899 , under McKinley and Roosevelt , the average annual cost has been $137,000,000. It costs money to maintain colonies and play the bully among the nations. * # SilEPARD'S EXPOSURES. Democratic Proportions of Prosper ity Far Exceed Republican I're- tensions , Republican "Prosperity" Talk.-Shall we take the increase in total maim- factures , Avhich is the glory of the pro- tectionists ? AVe have not the official figures before 1850 , which Avould , no doubt , show enormous proportional in- creases. Let us , as Ave must , begin with 1850. The Democratic increase for 1850f 1800 Avas from $1,019,000 to $1,885,000.J1 000. or at the decade rate of 84 per cent. But in 1890-1900 the Republican cj and "protected" increase allowing the abnormally high prices of 1900 was from $9,372,000,000 to $13,039,000,000 , or at the decade rate of only 39.2 per cent. Is it not significant that , Avhile the total manufacturing product in creased in 1890-1900 by 39 per cent. , the increase in Avages and salaries paid employes , Avas from only $2,283,000,000 i to $2,735,000,000 , or at the decade rate ' of 19.S per cent. , being onljonehalf the ratable increase in the nmmifac1 turing output ? So it is to be noticed that , Avhile population increased in 1850-1800 by 35 per cent. , the increase 1c manufacturing output Avas 84 per , cent. , or 2.5 times the rate of popula tion increase ; but that the population increase from 1890-11)00 Aras 21.8 per cent. , Avhile the increase in Avealth Avas 39.2 per cent. , or only 1.81 times the population increase , ndced , in Avhat- ever just Avay the figures of even man ufacturing growth are treated , they tell for the period of Democratic rule and greater economic liberty. Edward M. Shepard , of New York. PROMISE OR THREAT ? Danger of Continuing the Republi can Program of Kxtrnvagance. President Roosevelt in his iotter of acceptance said among other things. "We believe that the progress we have made may be taken as a measure of the progress we shall continue to make if the people again intrust the government of the nation to our hands , i We do not stand still. * ' Considering this statement as sincere and believing that what has been done l is merely a measure of what will be done , Avhat will be the effect upon the United States Army ? If what has been done is the measure of what is to be done , then the army , which now costs three times as much as when the Republicans regained power , AVill cost three times as much in the ensuing eight years if the government of the nation is continued in Republican , fi hands. J e In other words , the army , which in I E 1897. cost $23,129,344 , cost $70,070.300 w this year , and if this "progress may be tli taken as a measure of the progress" A which will follow , eight years from gi now the army Avili cost $210,000,000 a tt year. The cost of the navy , which has also tripled , may , under Mr. Roosevelt's promise ( or threat ) , triple again. Eight Republican years have raised its an nual cost from $33,003.234 to $98,005- b 140. Eight more years of the same te sort of extravagance should naturally cc bring its cost up to about $300,000,000. in iw NEW YORK CAMPAIGN. is cr Democratic and Independent News ci papers United For Herrick. te Every Democratic and. independent fi newspaper in the city Oi. New York , Wi except the Evening Post , expresses sat in isfaction with the Democratic State. cr , ticket and Avill jive it earnest support. ° . The Post concedes Judge Herrick's the ; . great ability as Avell as his impartial-'tic ' ity as a Judge , but says it cannot ad vise its readers to vote for him because the ] Judge has ' dabbled" in politics while on the bench. Yet the Post Avill continue to denounce Odellism in its Ft usual A'igorous style and no one need Nc fear that any considerable number of tai ! constituents Avill A-ote fothe dis olcM credited Odell's ticketin preference to M the one headed by Judge Herrick. In DC addition to the practically unanimous us support of the Democratic and inde puW pendent press , the Republican New W York ( Sun is making a strong fight mr Herrick and Harrison Avithout any of "ifs" or "buts. " pr prDe "Sweep all of Odell's creatures , great De and small , into the Hudson River ! " is Sa Sun's clarion call to honest voters , pic irrespective of party affiliation. m ? "Speak softly and carry a big stick. " Was ever a more potent suggestion of ' sneaking brute ? TRUSTS AND TARIFF. * _ i Honest" Trca-fo Would - Expand Amer ican Commerce. Francis E. AVoodruft writes to tne- Evening PosLN. ( Y. ) , the following in teresting letter on "Protection : " Sir The Republicans * ilcciaration that "AA'e insist upon the maintenance of the principles of protection" is a challenge to make the question Avhether the principle of protection is right or Avrong a campaign issue. This leaves the clean-cut issue , is protection in principle right or Avrong ? The only argument that has been ad vanced for the foruier is that we see it accompanfed by prosperity ; and a similar argument would equally prove that the sun goes around the earth ! An argument against it Is that , simply because something cannot be made out of nothing , "protective' ' duties can do > no more than to divert production from its natural channels ; that is , from the lines of least resistance , and therefore of least expenditure of effort , and so of least cost of production. Converse ly , such diversion from natural chan nels must increase cost of production , , and , therefore , other things being L equal , lessen profit. n Tariff duty is only one of many fac tory but so far as it goes the argu ment is confirmed by the fact that under the AValker so-called free trade tariff , Avhen our manufactures came nearest to following the natural chan nels of production , their ratio of in crease , Avhich is largely dependent on relative profit , Avas greater than ever before or since. Under the crowning- iniquity , so far , of the Dingley tariff , while the ratio of increase , and so the profit to the Nation , is less , corrupt legislation has diverted the lion's share of the diministed profits into the pock ets of a tariff-privileged few to the building up of huge individual for tunes , that by their evil example and evil use in corrupting our legislators and A'oters are endangering our repub lic. It is true that , thanks to abund ant crops , and to other causes Avith which protection has nothing to do- except to do harm , there are crumbs of j the _ resulting prosperity for the rest of us ; but und nthe AValker tariff , . while individual fortunes would not have , been so dangerously overgrown , the people Avould have had full loaves' . Besides , despite the delaying of the end by "Trust" combinations , the arti ficial stimulant is manifestly losing its effect , and should the Republicans win it is an open secret that to bring about another "boom" it Aviil be neces sary to increase the dose , at our further expense ; as well as to add ship subsi dies . , and so on. If , on the other hand , the Democrats should vin , revision , properly managed as it would be by the friends of .our country ( in place of friends of the tariff beneficiaries , and the Republican corruption fund ) , and with honest reciprocity treaties , so far froj n checking prosperity would give it a 1 ifealthy impulse by throwing open . to us the field : of international trade ; in which , just as fast as our necks are . freed from the millstone of protection ism , with our natural resources , in cluding brains , we would lead the world. Tlie rich employers would be come richer. Steel rails , for example , at $28 Avould lose the $ S Ave are now robbed of , but th remaining profit of $8 on the added enormous output for the vast increase in the foreign trade Avould more than .nake up the loss. These employers , also , could ob viously afford to ( and so long as a good ratio of our land to our inhabitants continues would have to , give as good wages as now , or better * and instead of the present alternating feasts and famines there Avould be more steady employment. Best of all , perhaps , as tlie tariff robbery was lessened its artificially en hanced cost of living would be reduced , and ( say ) fifty cents Avould provide what now costs a dollar. It has been the Avriter's lot to spend most of his. grown life abroad , and although novr some years at home he still feels hu miliated Avhenever , as often , lie finds that in his own enlightened country , of Avliich he had been so proud , he now has to pay for inferior quality double Avhat he has been used to pay ing in the benighted worat outside. Besides the sense of humiliation , how ever , there is also a distinct inclination to kick somebody. AVliat justice is there in robbing us to make other men rich , or to swell the Republican cor ruption fund ? From their own selfish view point the Republicans do well to- fight ; tooth and nail against change , except to make the duties higher. Even ten years under a scientific tariff would make my countrymen amazed that they could have been so fooled. After fifty years , our historians would group the protection craze Avith the tulip ; mania and the South Sea bubble. A RATHER POOR COMPARISON. Alleged "statistics" being circulated : by tho Republican Campaign Commit tee assert that there has been no very considerable increase in the cost of liv ing as compared to the wages earned , and one of the comparisons made is with regard to building materials. It shown that Avhiie bricks have in creased 30.3 per cent , putty has de creased 20.5 per cent. This it is con tended is an offset , but a contractor figuring on the construction of a house would hardly be willing to offset the increase in the cost of bricks by the de crease . in the cost of putty. Many other such comparisons are made in schedules furnished from the Na tional Bureau of Labor. FRYE'S HOME DEMOCRATIC. Lewiston. Me. , the home of Senator Frye , and for many years the home of Nelson Dingley , author of the present tariff , is one of the bright spots in the "Pine Tree" State. At the recent. Maine election Lewiston gave a large Democratic majority , although it has usually giAen a larger one for the Re publican tickets. Biddeford , Saco and Watervilie. ; which , like Lewistou , are manufacturing cities , where thousands men and women are employed in protected < industries , all show heavy Democratic gains. In Biddeford and Saco more than 0000 persons are em ployed in cotton mills and 1200 in the- manufacture of cotton mill machinery. . Apropos of Roosevelt's letter : , 'Whoever does these boots displace Slust meet Bombastes face to