Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1900 — “DEAR BOY” LETTERS, No. 10 [ARTICLE]

“DEAR BOY” LETTERS, No. 10

M.v Dear Boy; _i I want you to do a little work in politics before election.' 1’ want you not only to vote right, but to get two or three others to vote right. I know that your friend Morgan says that politicians are all corrupt and that, If a man wants to turn out a grand rascal, all he has to do is to mix into politics. But, my boy, there are two kinds of political workers. A little true story will show you what I mean: In 1848, Martin Van Buren failed to get the Democratic nomination for thy presidency. He and his friends bolted the ticket and he accepted the nomination of the Free Soil party. His brilliant son. John Van Buren, went up into Massachusetts to make some Free Soil speeches for his father. Now- with Prince John, .as he was familiarly called, politics was a game. He had no real, fixed, political principles. And it was a revelation to Ipm when he got-into Massachusetts and found men like Garrison, Higginson, John Brown and others, of pure character and lofty ideals, whose very lives were laid on the altar in the cause of freedom. When he came back from his trip, he met a friend in New York and the following 4 conversation took place: “Hello, John; where have you been?" “Up in Massachusetts, mating Free Soil speeches for father/’ “Did you find many Free Sobers up there?” “Yes. and, d —n it, they believe it, too.” , My boy, this nation's safety depends largely upon the political work of men who work because in their very heart of hearts they believe that their political principles are founded in truth and righteousness. That is the kind of worker I want you to be. Don’t get down to anything mean or tricky, but work because you believe that the Republican position is right, and that the election of McKinley and Roosevelt will be sos, the good of the nation and the good of the world. Now I will tell you what I want you to do. I want you first to go down and see Barney Grogan. They have been stuffing him with the statement that the Republican party is the rieh man's party, and that the Democratic party is the poor man’s party. He sees the rich men and great corporations growing richer and they have told him that whenever a rich man grows richer it is at some poor man’s expense. They have,told him that the Republican policy makes “the rich richer and the poor poorer.’’ 1 want .you to go down and tell him that when-a farmer raises a thousand bushels of corn, the farmer is richer and no man is the poorer, but some poor man will get the job of cutting that corn and be the better off. Tell him that when a man digs a thousand dollars' worth of gold out of the ground he is richer, but nobody is the poorer. Show him that there is such a thing as a natural increase of the world’s wealth which benefits all. Tell him that in this country, whenever the rich are doing the best the poor are doing the best; that when coal operators make money miners have more work and better pay; that when railroads and manufacturers are making money labor is most abundant and receives its highest reward. Tell him that the Republican party is the party for the whole people, rich and poor alike. Tell him that we do not believe in arraying one class against another, but that all classes should work together for the common weal. And then point him to the results of McKinley's administration as proof of what you say. And keep poking the truth at him until he sees it and promises to vote for McKinley. Then go and see Will Barton. A Democratic neighbor is trying to get him to trade on a part of the ticket. Tell Will that this is not the year for a Republican to monkey with his ticket. He will got it tangled up and twisted till his ballot will not be counted if he is not careful. There is too much at stake this year. Tell him to let his Democratic friend vote as he will, but that this is the year for straight Republican votes. Do this, my boy, and then vote right yourself, and when the new& of victory comes you can cheer with a vim and rejoice that you have a share in the glory.