Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1898 — Knots From Mr. Knotts. [ARTICLE]

Knots From Mr. Knotts.

That The Denis Can’t Well Crack- * ■ 1 The following extract froiq A. F. Knotts’ speeches is a masterly presentation, in brief form, of the comparative results of Republican and Democratic success. We commend h especially to all honestly doubting Democrats, ns well as to all careless and indifferent Republicans. “At the close of President Harrison’s administJation, March 4, 1893, our nation stood on the very crest of the tide of prosperity, with its face to the dawn. Our foreign trade was then $1,400,000,000 per year with a balance of trade in our favor of $202,000,000. The people became indifferent and the demo crats won. Then came depression, wreck, ruin and revolution. Foreign trade went down to $900,000,000 per year and the balance of trade was against us during the four years from $19,000,000 to $68,000.000 per year. Cleveland and a Democratic Congress had to issue in time of peace $262,000,000 of 5 per cent. U. S. Bonds and gave a syndicate $11,000,000 to buy them. Senator Daniels, chairman of the Chicago Democratic convention said in his speech then that the country was in a condition that it would take years to recover from, and the platform declared that no prosperity could come without the free coinage of silver. But McKinley was elected, The Dingley bill was passed. Prosperity and hope returned to the people. People quit talking about money and went to work to earning it. Foreign trade increased to more than sl,800,000,000 per year and the balance of trade to more than $515,000,000 in our favor. The people, not a syndicate, bid more than $1,300,000,000 for the $200,000,000, 3 per cent- war bonds. The war was fought and won in 113 days with less than 3 per cent, loss from all causes. History furnishse no such war record, either in the per cent, of loss, brilliancy of the contest or result of the victory. The question is are we going to avail ourselves of the results. Our soldiers have won fame and glory for themselves and territory for Uncle Sam. But some of our boys are now sleeping beneath mounds of sod in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. They are never to return, never to awake until the last day, but over their graves floats the flag of oui country. The flag beneath the folds of which and for which they offered up their lives. Now is there a man in this coupty, in this state, in this nation that is willing to say to Dewey: Take down the flag from over those graves, fold it up, take your fleet and leave Manila Bay to the enemy aqd those graves to be disecrated by that cruel and revengeful race—ls there is, let him stand up. I would like to see what he looks like. If he is not present but can be found in this great country of ours, I now offer a premium for bis photograph. No there is not one that dare confess his identity by having his photograph taken, and yet I am told that there are those who intend to go into dark a booth on election day and secretly vote that way, and vote for the return of the conditions of the last administration. But thank God that there will not be many. I shall watch the results of this election with more than usual interest. Then but not until then can we know how many there are who will secretly vote for what they dare not for shame advocate or confoss.