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Show What The Dictograph Would Tell IT would be interesting could a dictograph bo placed under the table when the Democratic managers meet to plan next summer's campaign, and have1 just what is said given to the public. Some crusty old "Democrat would be sure to have a copy of the 1912 Democratic platform In his pocket, and would draw it upon the company. com-pany. Then he would be apt to say: "We promised a curtailment of expenses, because of the extravagant extrav-agant disbursements of the Republicans. "We have exceeded the Republicans by $125,-000,000 $125,-000,000 that we cannot cover up. "We promise here tariff reform and explaining explain-ing what "was intended our now president declared de-clared that no legitimate business need be alarmed, alarm-ed, that all that was intended was to place the tariff on a fair basis. Have any of you gentlemen gentle-men the courage to go into the great manufacturing manufac-turing states and explain how that pledge has been kept? We promised a great reduction in the cost of living. Does not that seem pretty much of a joke now? "We in this platform insisted that our coast shipping, which is not in competition with the business of any foreign power, should be free to pass the Panama canal. How have we kept that pledge? "Fifteen months ago, when the great European Euro-pean war burst upon the world, It was clear that the first thing essential was to rush work that our ocean commerce, upon which our progress on land greatly depends, must be given the needed ships to carry it on. In response to that demand, de-mand, has one ship been, built? "Is there one man in this company who would dare1 to go upon the rostrum and explain the statesmanship that has governed the management manage-ment of our policy toward Mexico, from the fiasco of sending our Atlantic fleet to Vera Oruz to date? "The men who have supplied the country with metallic money and enabled the republic to become be-come really great, live in the west and the most of the money they have sent in has been drawn from the breast of the desert. Have we not, ever since the day of President Wilson's inaugur ation, kept that desert filled with spies trying to mm find coal and oil and timber lands and water pow- ers to steal them from those frontiersmen under the specious term of reservations? H "With what grace can we ask them for en- dorsement for another four years? mm "I notice that there is a program being pre- vM pared to expend some hundreds of millions on Mm rivers and harbors and to prepare the country fl against possible attack. How many of those mil- ffl lions are really intended to swell next year's )Mm campaign fund? ,wM "We were able to elect a minority candidate MM In 1912, through the treachery of Colonel Roose- velt, and we have not even been able to retain his Mm friendship. On what basis do you propose to make a showing that will capture the offices for another term? J I would not willingly be either cowardly or pessimistic, but I really need aid and comfort to H hold me up to make" another old-time fight." JH |
