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Newspaper
Freeport Daily Journal
Location
Freeport, Illinois, United States of America
Date
Jan 18, 1908
Page
2
A note announces printing in a separate column of the law restricting saloon activities within designated territory. Readers are urged to preserve the law for future reference and to consult the local column for full text details and implications.
In a broad show of party unity, nearly all leading Illinois political figures including two U.S. senators, the governor, state officers, Republican congressmen, legislators, the state committeeman, and most county committeemen back Speaker Cannon for president with few exceptions.
A California Court of Appeals has ruled grafting is not illegal in the state and Mayor Schmitz of San Francisco is released from prison after his graft conviction. The text also recalls Chief Justice Seth B Farwell’s earlier view that marriage is a civil contract alterable by mutual consent.
The speech argues against the Aldrich-Alli bill allowing all bonds as circulation security and urges that only U S government bonds be accepted. It defends the current strong paper money standard claiming every dollar is as good as gold and equal in value.
J Ham Lewis of Chicago claims women tell no truth under oath and all Illinois women oppose JJ Ham for Governor. He is knocked out like Fairbanks by dinner cocktails. Douglas Pattison gains favor as Democratic candidate for Illinois Governor, with ladies supporting him and a large vote expected in Stevenson County.
The speaker argues the solid South will not vote Republican, notes the lack of Republicans there, and questions why South Carolina has as much influence as Illinois in selecting Republican nominees. The critique centers on unfair delegation strength and representation in the national convention.
The speaker argues that insisting labor prices must never fall is ridiculous. He compares this to food clothing or land and asks how prices can stay up if demand is weak. He predicts Ward facts will prevail over labor or capital theories and urges perseverance and cheerfulness.
Under a newly adopted law cities in Illinois may levy a wheel tax to raise funds for road improvements. Chicago would collect about 726 000 if the plan passes. The proposal lists rates by vehicle type from one horse rigs to multi horse teams and autos, with totals illustrating the levy’s scale. The aim is to tax street users to keep streets in repair and provide three ports to raise money for improvements.
A columnist argues temperance boosts employment prospects, noting most firms prefer abstainers and that widespread total abstinence would force liquor sellers from business. The piece cites the Northwestern railroad laying off workers who occasionally drink as evidence of rising temperance influence.
The text notes that twenty five thousand employees of the railroad company have pledged never to drink liquor. It argues this reflects practical temperance reform and a strong public sentiment pushing the country toward prohibition as elections proceed.
The text notes three key differences from the 1893 panic: no doubt about the money standard, a large treasury surplus, and an agriculturally prosperous, debt-free farming class earning strong returns from its work.
Stephenson County gathers taxes from all railroads except the Illinois Central. The Illinois Central pays seven percent of gross income to the State Treasury and is relieved of other local taxes. Chicago Great Western owes $7,167.87, Chicago and Milwaukee $5,724.88, and Chicago and North Western $3,370.05 in Stephenson County. Total taxes from other railroads amount to $23,926.54, with none from the Illinois Central.
Col Thomas Snell of Clinton Illinois famed for a fortune built on government land at $1.25 an acre and later worth $100 an acre. A longtime Freeport contractor on Illinois Central and Racine and Mississippi railroads, he faced a contested will amid claims of insanity. He served briefly as 107th Illinois Colonel in 1862 and clashed with Lincoln, dying recently.
A brief history of the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul Railway describes its 1851 Milwaukee to Waukesha start, rapid 6,896 miles of main track, and service to Chicago Milwaukee St Paul Duluth Omaha and Kansas City. The article projects population growth and Pacific expansion over the next 66 years.
Governor Yates reports in Washington that a large portion of Illinois counties favor Speaker Cannon for the nomination. Lee’s Illinois delegation is pledged to unanimous support and will actively campaign for Cannon’s nomination and platform.
A Chicago broadcast recounts confidence in Joseph Cannon as the Republican candidate, noting support from party factions in Illinois and among Washington observers. It emphasizes Cannon's long record, strong public esteem, and the belief that party delegates will back him at the national convention. Roosevelt predicts Taft on the first ballot. fate hinges on the convention's adjournment.
Secretary Taft argued that labor needs capital to boost production and that capital requires labor to produce goods. He warned that destroying property guarantees harms workers, stressed interdependence in modern society, and noted hard times hit labor hardest as capitalists endure better. He closed with the maxim we are all in the same boat.
Senator Knox quotes Alexis de Tocqueville noting the U S Constitution as a novel theory that acts directly on individuals rather than states. He contrasts 1789 federal practice with earlier confederations and cites the United States as a complete government with its own laws courts and enforcement across all states and territories.
The piece argues the written Constitution is the supreme law across federal subjects and that states retain sovereignty in all areas not granted to Congress. It credits Franklin on the independence idea but asserts the Constitution as the essential, unchanging framework. It urges no change to the current balance between federal and state powers.
The town will decide by legal voters whether Freeport becomes anti license territory. Petitions secured enough signatures to place the issue on the spring ballot. Backers urge local option with either high license and strict regulation or prohibition if the majority desires. The paper invites both sides to argue within bounds and predicts a heated campaign.
The account recalls Pontiac’s grand war council on Missionary Ridge and a tremor when he stomped his foot. It then shifts to May 1860 when Doctor Peters shot Confederate Cavalry General Van Dorn at Spring Hill Tennessee. Peters fled to Franklin, then a flag of truce moved toward the Confederate lines.
An ambulance laden with imported goods entered Confederate lines to dine at a farmhouse near Spring Hill. A Confederate Colonel and officers joined the meal as the group boasted of knowing camp secrets, learning Van Dorn’s death that morning from Doctor Peters, and predicting Vicksburg’s surrender on the Fourth of July, which then occurred as anticipated.
A Delaware man died at age 106. He smoked five plugs of tobacco weekly and drank for fifty years. The obituary suggests total abstinence might have extended his life, noting his long indulgences.
Postmaster General George V. L. Meyer advocates standing work to protect health. He uses a high desk, the speaker's desk from the old Massachusetts House chamber, as his workstation.
The electrical manufacturers of the country for 1907 total 315,920,000 dollars. Business shows strong performance with forces and unseen phenomena playing a growing role, left as a source of global wonder.
Minnesota Governor Johnson unsettles Bryanite supporters as a potential contender. He represents Conservative Democracy while Bryan retains strong influence over rank and file, making nomination and defeat seem likely.
Citizens anticipate the Republican national convention in Chicago next June where the party will nominate the next President. Uncertainty remains over the winner, though betting favors a clear result. Democrats may disagree but are accustomed to disappointments.
The passage urges young men to spend slightly less than their salary, pay as you go, and keep money in the bank to avoid poverty. It advises against speculation and recommends investing spare funds locally where they can be monitored.
A playful musing on a man who can surpass various professionals in their crafts. The speaker imagines the thrill of a single sermon from the rival preacher, a day’s teaching from the beating teacher, and finally the unlikely feat of beating an editor in producing a newspaper.
The Vaccine Journal notes Secretary Taft defending the President against blame for financial troubles. It cites abuse of securities issuance and dishonesty in high finance as cause of unrest, praising Roosevelt for exposing dishonest methods and unfair practices.
Prominent farmer Frank Carson near Lodomia claims the oldest team of horses in the state. The full siblings, a 34 and 38 year old Morgan pair, remain lively and in good condition with strong teeth. Carson raised them from colts and they have pulled many a good looking milam back and forth to her school.
Local rail receipts contradict the two cents a mile passenger law with Lanark reporting an $1800 shortfall from the July to December period compared with 1906. Despite similar ticket sales, total travel remained steady while revenue declined due to the shift from three to two cent rates.
The Lanark Gazette argues that people seek quick gains and will travel when they choose, regardless of small fare miles. It contends that even two cent fares fail to spur travel for those with no purpose or incentive.
A short reflection warns that unkindness to family breeds a harsh disposition that spreads to business. A man ruling his household with a rod of iron will seek control in all dealings, and kindness begins at home. Those who lack affection for kin should not expect friendship from others.
Amid Chicago and New York harmony meetings the Jeffersonian Democrats clash as Bryan supporters and Cleveland old-liners debate the 1904 nominating fight. Parker of the Cleveland wing briefly led in opposition before Bryan's return as favorite. The split underscores enduring Democratic tension.
A porch tale recalls Commodore Vanderbilt greeting an approaching acquaintance with courtesy. His wife and daughter, angered, question the woman’s past. The Commodore replies that he recalls when the daughter’s mother sold root beer and he peddled oysters in New Jersey.
The article portrays Thomas F. Ryan as the force behind Seaboard railway receivership through a holding company that inflated capital stock to 62 million and bonds to 58 million, yielding no dividends. It cites his Metropolitan Railway in New York following a similar receivership, labeling him a financier and a wrecking figure.
In Des Moines Secretary Shaw lauds his former chief, saying vigorous law enforcement will outlive this era. He credits Theodore Roosevelt with arousing public sentiment that no violator will go unpunished.
The piece asserts temperance or intemperance stirs widespread, fundamental public concern. It states the movement is not locally manufactured, but broad and principled, urging interested parties to heed current events and respect societal rights that may be enforced with vigor if pushed too far. It frames Americans as reasonable and just yet capable of heroic action if necessary.
The Benton Standard endorses C. Bliss, editor of the Montgomery News in Illinois, as a fit Democratic nominee for governor. It praises him as a capable, popular leader and predicts the party would rally behind him to secure the governorship.
The Milford Herald notes Win K. Mason focuses on attacking Senator Hopkins rather than presenting his own six year Senate record. It argues Mason should build his program from his own achievements and warns that constant critique may hinder his political prospects.
A historical report notes the expansion from 167 government deputies to over 400 as a so called watchdog force. It cites annual spending around 19 million dollars for salaries perquisites and expenses. The piece criticizes the inspectors for micromanaging private affairs from bung hole fittings to cigar box cleaning.
A line in a late 19th century column questions whether confiscating a boy’s marble box or forcing it into an alley is excessive, reflecting social norms about property and discipline and the boundaries of juvenile ownership.
Speaker Cannon met Representative Sherman on Pennsylvania Avenue. Sherman congratulated him on Roosevelt's exit from the race and a Cannon nomination. Cannon recalled a tale of Bill Devine facing a rattlesnake with calm resolve, saying he would not be better prepared.
The Bank of England reduced its discount rate from seven to six percent, boosting confidence in the monetary world. American and German trends have inspired trust in England, removing a seven week trading barrier. Normal conditions are returning, with gold reserves in the United States and renewed manufacturing signaling a new era of prosperity. The move is hailed as a major aid to ending panic conditions.
Senator Philander C. Knox of Pennsylvania holds 68 pledged delegates from the state after a unanimous Republican convention vote. His cabinet and Senate service strengthen his nationwide appeal, with several other delegations crediting him. Knox backers pursue voters and expect a formidable convention showing, while Knox supporters favor steady growth over flashy tactics.
A Hungarian coffee house on the Mast Side hosted discussion led by Rev Dr Lymann Abbott from the People's Institute. An elderly man quipped that the statement flatters Jews but is of little consequence. An Austrian nobleman toured Prag and Budapest, noting if not Wiener or Prager he would like to be the other place. An Irishman listener preferred the Irishman’s style, noting a Frenchman asked Pat what he would be if not French then Irish, and Pat replied he would be ashamed if not Irish.
A poetic fragment evokes Kathleen Mavourneen as dawn breaks and a lover laments parting. The verses call Kathleen to awaken from slumber and recall a spellbinding past, while the speaker recalls Brin and the starry night and asks why she remains silent.
Former President Theodore Roosevelt argues for stronger government control of vast interstate corporate wealth. He states that the constitution era lacked modern business, calls for new agencies, and asserts that earning wealth is fine only when gained honestly and fairly without special privilege.
The twenty first annual report shows rail way officials complying with the new law. It notes criticism of railway officials has often been misleading and urges wider publicity for the commission’s findings. The amended railroad law imposed many restrictions, yet testimony indicates broad acceptance by carriers in interstate commerce.
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