Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 229, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1912 — VOICE OF EXPERIENCE [ARTICLE]

VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

CRIES OUT AGAINST DANGER r OF DEMOCRATIC VICTORY. Hamilton County Man Declares he Sold His Corn in 1897 for 18 Cents and Paid $47.50 for Fine Four-Year-Old Horse. It Is not many years for Indiana Burners to harken back to the period of Democratic national administration when low prices for farm products were reached. So many industrious farmers who are doing well today can vividly recall those fearful days on the farm when it was hard to find a market for their products. Joe Stafford, of Nobles ville, recently wrote a letter to the Indianapolis Star reviewing his experience, in which he says: “I am not a candidate for any office, •or will I ever be again. I helped*to organize the Republican party and in 1856, in the city of Indianapolis, I was one of 75,000 who marched in a grand Republican parade, 1,000 of whom were from Hamilton county. The was formed and founded upon eternal prifaciples, which never change and are in'accordance with the Declaration of Independence. It is the same party today that it was then and is founded upon the same bed rock principles, viz.: Equality of all men before the law, obedience to the constitution of the United States and of the several states, as well as all acts of Congress, and of the several Legislatures. ; 1 r~ “I am one who does not condemn any one for his party affiliations. I believe that the masses of the people are honest in their political views and Intend to vote for their own and their country’s best interest. There is no good reason why they should be dishonest. They differ only as to the policy to be pursued in administering the affairs of this illustrious republican government. It is from this standpoint that I wish to submit a few facts for the candid consideration of the voters. “Four times since 1820 the tariff has been reduced to a revenue basis, and each time it has brought on a panic. Then, after the people had a dose of this disastrous policy, they were glad to return to the policy of a, protective tariff, which in each instance brought commercial activity and abundant prosperity. “I am a Republican and I believe In a protective tariff. I have lived through free trade disaster and do not care to try It again. In 1897 I sold my corn for 18 cents a bushel and the same year I bought a fine 4-year eld horse for $47.50. Such a horse would now bring $175. I also bought good land within a mile of Cicero for $45 per acre. In short, the Cleveland panic cost the people of the United States more than the late civil war. It brought want, suffering and desolation to millions of American homes. I have seen more judgments on notes and foreclosures of mortgages in this county in one term of court during the Cleveland panic than has been rendered in the last three years. The weekly papers were full from one year’s end to another of the sheriff’s notices of sale of property. “You who have notes and mortgages coming due in the next two or three years might do well to consider these facts. With the low prices which prevailed fifteen years ago could you meet your obligations? If the prices of commodities should de crease 100 per cent, it would practically double your indebtedness, including you- "axes. Fifteen years ago there was widespread dissatisfaction prevailing because of low prices, and a good many people did not "have the money to buy at any price; today a good many people -are complaining because of high prices, notwithstanding they have money with which to buy. Prices are not unnecessarily high, excepting foods, and why are they so? Because the Republican party has pursued a policy that has kept the mills open and the great army of laboring men employed at good wages, and thus created a home market that consumed all and more than the farmer could produce—hence the high price of foods. “There has been much said about the people ruling and doing the voting. I have been of the opinion that the people do rule and do the voting. Who elects your county officers, the people or somebody else? Who does the voting when the Legislature is elected? Who was it a few years ago that elected thirteen Republican representatives from this state? Who was it two years ago that elected twelve Democratic representatives and one Republican, the people or somebody else? “As our own Ben Harrison said some years ago, we are no longer confronted with theories, but a condition. 'the condition is four years at least of Democratic rule with ‘its disastrous free-trade policy and in all human probability a panic the like of which none of us has ever yet seen; or the Republican party, with a policy which has brought to the people during the last fifteen years great and unparalleled prosperity. ---. “William McKinley said: ‘Open the mills and the factories and prosperity will speedily follow.’ The Republican part/ did open the mills and factories and great prosperity did follow and has up to this date. Therefore It seems to me that It would be wisdom on the part of the voters of the United States to so vote that the mills will be kept open and the factories running at full timw*