Decatur Democrat, Volume 38, Number 33, Decatur, Adams County, 2 November 1894 — Page 2

rnmii-, » y l, ■ ■ 1 IN OLD SOLDIER WRITES 1 A VETERAN ARR Alb NS MAJOR GEO. W. STEELE. fcecord or the two Candidates for Conflress —Hen. A. N. Murtln the John A. Logan of the 68id Congress. Tb tho ex-soldiers of the 11th Dist, and their friends: The writer of this letter served more than four years in the war ot the rebellion, a republican after the “straightest sed,” who never scratched a ticket nor voted tor either a democratic road supervisor -or a school director. I am, however, going to support A. N. Martin for Congress instead of Maj. G. W. Steele. My reasons for so doing may not be, as the Medieaval Wright said of bis wounds: “So wide as a gate nor so deep as a well, but they will suffice.” _• A. N. Martin comes to us with clean hands and an unsmirched record. During his two terms in Congress, e\erv act of his has been patriotic, nor has he uttered a single Sentence which he or his friends coaid wish to be expunged from the congressional records. Can his opponent say as much? I trow not. How manfully Mr. Martin has battled lor the soldiers of the nation goes without saying. He has been the John A. Logan of the 53d Congress. If any doubt then read the Congressional Record of May 19, 1894, and for simplicity, pathos and cogent reasoning arraignment of the pension department stands almost unrivaled, noticeably so in his defense of the widows and an Ohio veteran whose pension had been suspended.* And comrades do not forget that the resolution declaring a pension to be a vested right, which restored 12,000 men to the rolls in two weeks was the utterance of A. N. Martin. Now bad any republican congressman, I care not whom he be, no matter wbat’bis. ability or sincerity, if he had riisen in hie seat and voiced the sarqfe sentiment. I ask yon what weight it'would have carried with it? Hence it is really a selfish matter with many of us, (and I for one plead guilty to the “softimpeachmeut”)for A.JN.Martin will be ot more advadtage to us, gt a democrat, in his capacity of chairman of the pension committee than would a republican from this district. The promptness es this gentleman in responding to the thousands of letters from soldiers, not only from soldiers, not only from his own district, but from all over the country is well known and contrasts strangely with many of his colleagues both democratic and republican, and 1 am safe in saying that tl»ere is not a congressman in the state or out of it, with any such record. And let me say to you that in every instance where your interests were involved his voice rang out like .Napoleon and has fallen like the ponderous blows ol Richard and the keen cutting cimeter of Saladm. I wish to say nothing disrespectful of his competitor, Major Steele, as this is not a campaign ot mud slinging. Bat certainly when you wish to contrast these gentlemen as they pose before you as friends of the soldier, you will be forced tq opinions which will crystalized into unmistakable convictions, that regardless of party lines or affiliation, any comparison between them must result immeasurably to the disparagement of the Major. At the hearing before the subcommittee onappropriationsJan.il, .o><4, is an admission on the part of Msjor Steele that he favored taking away all pensions of members of National Military homes, in excess of a lew dollars. George W. Steele stands committed to the measure and can get neither out of it, over it, around or under it. As this point has been much in controversy, I call your attention to this fact: The proposition to confiscate the licsn’s share ot your pension money bought by tour years ol the hardest service the world ever saw, can be found on file in Congressional 3*.'ff-v- A' i . -. r':

Record of the 47th Cjfcgress, 2d session, 1 pages 3070 Xm 3079 and the damming evidence of Steele’s vote oh page 3247. / Now, boys, in the face of this will you meekly take your medioinr, walk up to the polls, and cast a vote tor Steele thereby endorsing the measure? I cannot believe it of the men“who stood at Gettysburg, “Marched to the Sea,” or stood in their bloody tracks at Shiloh and Chickamauga. Steele subsequently admitted before the sub-committee on appropriations of 53d Congress that when John A. Logan got after him, he retreated like a frightened duck, and no wonder, Major, John A. Logan was a friend of the soldier. Now let me call attention to crowning infamy. In same date as above Steele puts himself on record as saying that “a large per cent of the members.of the National homes are cranks.” This article is not put forth to champion the maimed and crippeled veterans whom Steele has so contemptuously maligned, bat would Buggest as a “Roland tor his Olive,” that there are hundreds of men in the various homes who are Major Steel’s equal, morally and socially, and many who are immeasurably his superior intellectually. I am pot personally acquainted with the gentleman, but I fancy that he was not thinking of running for congress when he made that remark. At any rate whether his statement be true or not he would better have left it unsaid, as it will not add to his popularity, and the halo around his head at this moment iB not particularly lustrous or effulgent. It is a suggestive fact that a\great many of Martin’s warmest supporters in the Marion branch are life long republicans, and it the major fancies that he carries the soldiers vote in his pocket,- there is a large, able bodied surprise In store for him at the “ides of November.” Let us As soldiers, without regard to party linek, show that we are not ungrateful', that we appreciate the tireless efforts of A. N. Martin in our behalf and show it in away so pronounced that it will relegate Major G. VV. Steele back to the obscurity which he is so fitted to adorn. I am aware that party ties aie strong as iron bands, yet I am of the opinion that A. N. Martin will be the congressman to succeed himself, but should it happen that his opponent shall succeed in obtaining the suffrages of these men whom he has aspersed by rating them as “cranks”, then I will admit that Geo. W. “builded wiser than he knew” and that the results sustain him in that aspersion. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, and on election day, rain or shine, go to the polls and cast a vote for the modest, honest and courteous Martin, the soldiers friend and the “noblest Roman of them all.” A man, every inch of him, able, honest and zealous. A man in whom every Hoosier should feel an honest pride. Veteran. Wabash; Ind., Sept. 20, 1894. Proof for the Wool Grower. The McKinley duty on washed wools of 22 cents per pounds in the last year of its operation was greater than the price paid to growers. Messrs. C. C. Peck & Sons, of Tiffin, Ohio, furnish for publication the prices paid to farmers for 18 years. In 1880 they paid 40 cents for wool. In the McKinley tariff years the prices they paid were as follows: 1880. !..32 cents per pound 1891 30 cents per pound 1892 28 cents per pound 803 24 cents per pound 1894 18 cents per pound Was there ever a more conelusivs proof of the failure of protection to protect than the course of wool prices under McKinleyism? But a short time ago the Republicans were carrying the state by 50,900 to 75,000 majority. Now they are begging votes and will buy them if they can. They are on the run and will not stop short of the head waters of “salt river.”

: DjHnW I ' ' :Hl ft» Suit* !»»•: WHAT A VARIETY OP . BARGAINS WE ARE OFFERING IN OUR H-SiM Clearance Sale! Goods are so Cheap and the- Special Low Price we are giving now almost gives them away. But we must do some business whether we make any profit or not Goods must some Price ’■x YOU SAY : — “Sprang & True are most always busy.” Very true. We believe in pushing trade by giving Low Prices. Come in with the Cash and we will surprise you how many goods you can buv with a DON’T FORGET THE PLACE, SPRANG & TRUE. ' . 11 i L'VBIJGGIES.V/ at--I*<KING>»" 9 • m. J X 36 £ « / ; RAILING. % SS • Bui / WAGONS. \ < —" ' 11,1 ■ e'' i•' L v-Lt V,& J 1 V Jf - ■■J’'-. ■ ■

ME FIGHTING FOR. mmmm The Meaning of Another Democratic Victory This Year. Everything Democracy Has Fought For In a Generation. ASBUi - It Mean* the Contluunnce of the Reform* So Well Begun—DcmoeiM)'* Reeord the Beat Ever Made by Any Political Party In Any Land—To Permit a Re* publican Vlotory Now le to Abandon a Field Already Won. Before next Tuesday every Democfat in Indiana should give careful consideration to what Democratic victory or Democratic defeat on that day moans. If he does so he will go to the polls and vote the straight Democratic ticket. Not only that, but he will use his utmost endeavors that every Democratic vote shall be oast. « And such a victory is well worth fighting for. Not because it would be gratifying to party pride, but because it would redound to the glory of the republic and to the good of the people. For 30 years, until 1893, the Democrats had had no opportunity to fulfill their oft repeated pledges to redeem the nation from the infamous rule to which it had been subjected by the Republican party, ever holding enough power in the government to prevent the overthrow of its nefarious legislation. But in 1893 there came a change and the Democrats secured control of every branch of the government. They found it honeycombed with Republican corruption, bankrupted by Republican extravagance and bound hand aiul foot by the bonds of vicious legislation to the chariot wheels of the favored classes—the bondholders, tho trusts, the monopolies add the protected manufacturers. The conditions were appalling, and such as would have made the hearts of men less brave than those Democracy had chosen to carry out the work of reform shrink from their alloted task. But those brave men never faltered, never hesitated, never knew weariness, and impartial history will bear out the statement that, in the same length of time, no party ever carried out so many reforms or abolished so many abuses as has the Democratic party in the last 14 months. Wrongs which had been en- ' trenched behind 30 years of Republican legislation have been righted. False principles of finance and taxation, under which the country ha£ boon steadily drifting toward the commercial disaster which finally came in 1893, were set aside and the nation once more started on the high road to genuine and permanent prosperity. The departments at Washington liave been cleared of hundreds of useless clerks and hangers on. The federal oleetimrtn-w.. designed to suppress popular government, has been vfiped off the statute Books. The Sherman law, which rn'ade of silver a mere commodity of trade, has been repealed. Greenbacks have been made taxable, thus cutting off one of the most . unrighteous means of tax dodging ever employed by the wealth of the land to evade its share of the expenses of the government. Appropriations have been reduced more than $00,000,000 per year, and the public revenues have once more been brought up to the requirements of the government. And last, but not least, the first great step has been taken in the reform of the tariff, a step which has vastly reduced ! the cost of living to every man, woman and child in the United States; has dealt, a death blow to the trusts, monopolies and combines, and*started the wheels, so long idle tinder the malign effect of • Republican legislation, in every factory in the land. . ‘ , , Was there ever before such a grand redemption of party pledges ? Did any party in any land ever meet more adverse conditions? And did ever any party more grandly and more nobly proceed to the work laid out for it? But the great work is only just regun. Much yet remains unaccomplished. Beside, the interests that formerly fattened off the people, but have now been driven from their feast, desire a return. The work ahead is not only that of carrying on the reforms so auspiciously begun, but also that of holding the ground already- gained. The advance made is worth fighting to hold, for patriotic reasons. The safety of the land is still menaced by the same enemies that had brought it to the verge of ruin. It is a time when each man should put the general welfare above his personal inclinations; when he should forget his personal disappointments, should sink his private resentments and battle for the good of all. To permit a Republican victory now is to abandon a field already won after a seige of 80 years; is to command the sun of permanent prosperty, now just risen, to stand still, as did Joshua of old before the walls of Jericho. Can any Democrat afford, as a patriotic citizen, to take any chances of such result ? Can he afford to contribute to such a result by failing to vote or •scratching his ticket? Can he afford to give over the joys of a victory for which he has beeif fighting for 30 years ?

HE IS A PREVARICATOR. General Harrison Caught In a Falsehood. If General Harrison has any doubt as to the fact that he made a glaring misstatement at Evansville when speaking of the Uhls at Logansport, the following letter will show him that he owes his hearers an humble apology: Logansport, Ind., Oct. 10.—To the Editor of the Sentinel, Indianapolis, Ind.: Dear Sir— We see that Hon. Benjamin Harrison is repeating the story sent out from this city to the effect that our export trade with Cuba had been ruined by the repeal of the reciprocity clause of the Mc^ Kinley tariff law. We have looked upon Mr. Harrison as an honorable American citizen who would not wilfully and purposely misrepresent facts. We wish to say that the story with which our names are connected is a base fabrication. The repeal of the reciprocity clause of the McKinley law has in no way injured our export trade with the West *, , ... .■ v

Indie*. Leug b — McKinley la*v we • tab • ;*'• with the West Indies •*..«! h> v ' K '• ” 11 yearn. Only two ►"* ‘"V W «'W ,MI 8,000 hurre's <>f flour t) t!i.-s* 1-mm obtained |3 per b i-r.-\ « h i ■ the I* ;; P* l ®** we could gw; in tin* Uojiii market was * | J * per barrel. We are of the opinion that If reciprocity has any merits itsloiiU be ext*. Ued to the great food consuming nut ions of the world instead of be lag restricted to the sparsely populated nations of the new yrorld. Please mnke pnblio denial of the statement that we have lost a penny In our export. trade or that It has in any way been injured by the repeal of the reciprocity clause of the McKinley law. Respectfully yours, D. & C. H. Ulib, Proprietors Empire Mills. A REPUBLICAN - SCHEME. Flan* Laid to DUfrauelilM Democratlo Voters. Another triok in politics has come to light in Allen county. Some of the Republican candidates are peddling oldfashioned pasters with their political cards. These pasters are out into slips with the candidates’ names and muoilaged backs ready to be pasted on the ballot. One ease in point is that of J. B. White, Jr., the Republican candidate for senator. Perhaps young Mr. White doesn’t know that every ballot on which his paster would be used would be thrown oqt by the election board, and the voter who was foolish enough to use it would lose his entire vote, and then, perhaps, Mr. White is willing to induce some Democrats, out of personal friendship to him or bin family, to use one of these pastors, knowing that such Democrat would thereby be disfranchised at the coming election. Let every Democrat be warned that any such paster or any other distinguishing mark on the ballot will make it invalid. But Allen county is not the only ono in which the Republicans will try this scheme. Arrangements are being made to try it in every Democratic conuty. The Republican candidate who stands no possible chance of election will ask his Democratic friend ,to give him a “complimentary vote just to make it appear that he is. the most popular man on the ticket.” This sounds all right. Bui; the little paster which he asks his Democratic friend to attach to the ticket is the “little joker” that takes the trick. The miuute that is placed ou the ticket the whole vote is thrown out. The Repuclieans in this way hope to have many Democratic votes thrown out at the coming election and are counting on it as one of the schemes by which they are to cany the state. Democrats must be on their guard. The only absolutely safe thing to do is to STAMP WITHIN THE SQUARE THAT CONTAINS THE ROOSTER AT THE HEAD OF THE TICKET AND STOP THERE. Ino HOPE LEF?." Democracy’s Tax Law Must bo Obeyed by the ltuilroads. The railroads no longer have any chance of evading the new Indiana tax law.. The United States supreme court has refused -a rehearing of the Indiana '** railroad tax cases decided at the last term of the court in favor of the law. The cases involved the legality of the Indiana tax law. The railroad corporations, the Pullman and Wagner sleepiingoar companies and telephone companies nuitod in opposing the law, and in carrying tne case to test its validity to the United States supreme court. This law increased the assessment of the railroads $95,000,000. The Republicans opposed this law in the legislature and a Republican governor refused to sign it. The Republican platform calls this “an infamous law; the Republican party is pledgod to repeal it. That is why Count George M. Pullman has given $60,000 to the Republican * campaign fund in Indiana. WATCH ’EM. Republican* Preparing to Use AU Known Means of Corruption. There is ample evidence that the Republicans intend to resort to all manner of corrupt and unlawful means to canynext Tuesday's election. It should be the pleasure as it is the patriotic duty of every good citizen to prevent these schemes being carried out. Penal offenses under the election laws of Indiana are: Giving unlawful custody of ballots. Taking unlawful custody of ballots. Failure of messenger to Appear. Making false affidavit. Refusing employes time to vote. Making false declaration. Deceiving elector in marking ballot , Depositing marked ballot in box. Mutilation of ballot by custodian. 1 Removing ballot or stamp from election room. i Having ballot or stamp in possession, i Forging indorsements on ballot Counterfeiting ballot. Conspiring to violate election law. Opening or destroying ballot packages. Unlawful entry of election room, t Inducing voter to mark ballot urilawi fully. J Revealing how an elector voted. | Inducing election board to violate law. Removing or destroying election furni- . ture. l Electioneering within 50 feet limit ) Non-resident applying for ballot . Showing a marked ballot, j Receiving ballot unlawfully. r Putting distinguishing mark on ballot j Bribery.

Breaking open ballot boxes. Altering tally sheets. ■ Voting more than Once, Refusing lawful vote. Destroying or removing ballot. Intimidating voter. < It is probable that the Republican* who have now reached a stage of gennine desperation will attempt each and every one of these crimes before nightfall on the Bth of November. Democrats should be everywhere on the alert to prevent the perpetration of election frauds of any kind whatsoever. The Democratic party enacted the laws against election corruption and Democrats should see that those laws are enforced. ' McKinley on Wheat. Statistics show that both wool and wheat sold at a better average price under a low tariff than under a high tariff. The lowest prioe for wheat ever known was under the McKinley law, and the Republicans are anxious to restore this law with all its infamies.—Columbua Herald. , l- -t ’ '.. - ’ V.V W /'WSSf: