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PAGE TWO
Public Opinion Throughout the Union
READ THIS LETTER.
New Boston, Mich., Nov. 15, 1907.
Dear Sir: The developments in the matter
of “the panic” since my letter of the 9th
inst., are more or less serious, and I think
of some interest to you. It was known early
last May that the inner circle of the “In
terests” had passed the word along among
their close followers, to sell all exposed
property or 11 get it into shape by December. ’ ’
They, the “Interests,” did not mean to pre
cipitate a panic until about the assembling
of Congress, and not then unless the Presi
dent was still obdurate.
But there was a relentless fight on between
two thieves, viz.: Amalgamated Copper (Rog
ers) and United Copper (Heinze), which cul
minated in October. After Heinze’s fall runs
were caused on all banks or trust companies
with Heinze affiliations, for the purpose of
eliminating Heinze completely and wiping out
the score of many years’ standing, transferred
from Montana to New York.
Meantime the President had reaffirmed his
determination to persist in his pursuit of
“rich malefactors.” In order to “disciplin l
him they made the Heinze incident earlier
than they expected, an excuse for a panic,
when there was not the slightest financial
outside of Wall Street.
The banks and trust companies in Detroit
are most of them dominated by the 26 Broad
way crowd, as I am reliably informed, and
presumably under orders, passed resolutions
and published them, that in the face of the
financial emergency they would not pay
checks for ninety days, and then only on no
tice, for the purpose, as 'they stated, of pre
venting hoarding. It was not believed when
I wrote you on the 9th inst., that they could
make the panic work. There was no one
scared. Not one depositor in a thousand ask
ed for money beyond daily needs, and would
not scare. It is beginning to transpire that
all products shipped to market are paid for in
checks which the banks will not pay, as they
already have substantially all the money lock
ed up, and are gradually absorbing everything
in the country. While they cannot create a
scare, they may cause much distress, with the
end not yet in sight.
I do not write this for publication, but as
far as it may have value for your informa
tion. Yours truly, S. W. J.
A MOST INTERESTING LETTER.
Jefferson, Ohio, Nov. 11, 1907.
Dear Sir: I was born in Ashtabula, 0., in
1866. Eighteen months alter this, father,
who had served three years under Sherman
in the 3rd Ohio Battery, was killed by the
Lake Shore Railroad Company while coupling
cars. Mother was left penniless with myself
and a brother two months old. I was handed
over to an uncle at the age of five, *who taught
me the simple life and sent me to the district
school. At the age of fifteen I began walking
four miles to the Jefferson High School. Dur
ing the winter, when the horses were not busy,
THE JEFFERSONIAN.
I rode one of them. The next year after this,
my uncle, having moved further away, I se
cured the position of janitor for the school
building, which paid my board and tuition.
This job I held until I graduated in 1885,
working on my uncle’s farm Saturdays and
vacations.
In the fall of 1885, having inherited SIOO
from my grandmother, I entered the Michigan
Agricultural College. I graduated from there
in 1888 with the degree of Bachelor of
Science, having paid my way by teaching in
vacations and working out of school hours.
The fall of 1888 was the high-water mark
of the prohibition party, and I voted for
Clinton B. Fiske for president. The fall of
1892 found me married and farming a rented
farm in Lawrence, Mich. I had joined the
Populist movement, and voted for James B.
Weaver, and I believe the Fourth District
of Michigan, in which Lawrence is situated,
gave her electoral vote to Weaver, Michigan
at that time voting by congressional districts.
The fall of 1896 found me renting a 240-
acre farm in Keeler, Mich., the father of
four children and shouting for Bryan and
Watson. Wheat was then 48 cents per bush
el, corn, 20 cents, hogs $2.40 per cwt., and
bran 40 cents per bushel.
Bryan again received my vote in 1900. In
the fall of 1904 I was the comfortable owner
of a 35-acre farm, just the size of Bryan’s.
I was a farmer, however, and not an agricul
turist. That fall I was for Hearst, and was
a delegate to the state convention. Everybody
at our county convention was for Hearst, so
much so that it was thought unnecessary to
instruct the delegates. Imagine my surprise,
when two-thirds of the delegates from our
county (Vanburen), following the lead of a
county seat lawyer (Tom Cavanaugh), who
had his tip from Dan Campaugh, swung our
county for the Parker organization at our
district caucus. Our county ruled the dis
trict. The Fourth district turned the state
for Parker. I saw money and whisky both
used to influence our delegates.
That fall I swore never again to have any
thing to do with the rotten democracy, and
voted for Tom Watson for president.
Now I have sold my little farm in Michi
gan and bought one in Jefferson, Ohio, not
over 150 rods from the court house and the
home of Ben Wade, vffiich is now occupied
by his brother, General Wade. I want to
help teach the doctrine of populism in a coun
ty where there can be no demi-pops, because
there are no democrats.
I want your magazine sent to my address,
including all the back numbers. Also your
Weekly Jeffersonian. Enclosed please mid
three dollars. If that is not enough send
for more. Advise me as to the best way to
serve the cause. Respectfully,
J. C. STAFFORD.
If you are looking for a wife, consider the
good girl who is not ashamed to wear last
year’s hat.
THE UNEMPLOYED.
The effect of the financial stringency on
business has been seriously felt in many
quarters and commented upon in various
ways, but it has been gratifying to note that
the failures in business have so far been so
much fewer than would naturally have been
expected. A great many factories and other
business concerns, realizing the necessity of
retrenchment and special precautions, began
to better prepare themselves to meet the ad
vance conditions by reducing their working
forces. This action seemed to lessen the de
mands upon their treasures and helped in the
adjustment to the new conditions, but it en
tailed a hardship upon many thousands of
men and women who were thus thrown out of
employment at a time when enforced idleness
was most inopportune. In every industrial
center this privation has been extended to i
degree that has caused much suffering, which,
although silently borne and not brought to
public attention, is none the less severe and
more extensive th’an is generally supposed.
But in some of the cities the condition and
needs of the unemployed have become so
pressing the benevolent and charity organi
zations have been unable to meet the demands
for relief.
In New York City the army of the home
less and unemployed has grown so great, a
conference of men representing all of the
charity organizations in the city has been
held to consider ways and means for relieving
distress. The New York Times, in its report
of the conference, says that it is estimated
that there are 30,000 homeless men in New
York City and of these only a comparatively
few are of the professional vagrant class, the
far greater number being men who are eager
to get work but who are unable to find em
ployment. One of the first steps taken by the
charity conference was to decide to give out
to the press a statement of the industrial con
ditions in the city and to advise young men
and others in the owns within striking distance
of New York to stay at home and not come
to the city with the hope of bettering their
condition. —Nashville Banner.
WILL CORTELYOU RESIGN?
The New York World’s Washington corre
spondent says: “The administration’s view
of the Cortelyou statement is that Cortelyou
was caught with the goods and has confessed.
This correspondent also says that Cortelyou
“is expected to leave the cabinet soon —some
time this winter—perhaps soon after the holi
days.”
Whether or not the Cortelvou statement
was credited at the White House, where the
inside facts should be known, it did not read
nKe a confession. If the charges wrought
against the Secretary of the Treasury are true
his resignation would seem to be in order,
but he has been a faithful servitor of the
President, and did efficient work for him as
chair-man of the republican committee in the
1904 campaign.—Nashville Bapner,