Election Important to Manufacturers, group supports Taft, R.G. Hemingray on Committee

ELECTION IMPORTANT

TO MANUFACTURERS

Letter Sent to Members of Indiana

Bureau Urges Consideration

of Real Issue.

IN INTEREST OF PROSPERITY

W. T. Durbin, as President, Believes

Country's Welfare Would

Be Promoted by Taft.

Letters were mailed yesterday to the members of the Manufacturers' Bureau of Indiana, calling attention to the importance to manufacturers of the outcome of the election. The letters are signed by Winfield T. Durbin, president of the bureau, and were authorized by the executive committee.

The officers are:

W. T, Durbin, president. Anderson; D. M. Parry, first vice president, Indianapolis; C. M. Kimbrough, second vice president, Muncie; M. W. Mix, treasurer, Mishawaka. The vice presidents for congressional districts are: A. C. Rosencranz, Evansvllle, First District; Robert Reed, Bedford. Second District; A. P. Penn, Tell City, Third District; M. T. Reeves, Columbus, fourth district; Walter C. Ely. Terre Haute, Fifth District; C. H. Campbell, Shelbyville, Sixth Dlutrict; E. H. Dean, Indianapolis, Seventh District; R. G. Hemingray, Muncie, Eight District; Morris Ritchie. Lebanon, Ninth District; S. Powell, Michigan City, Tenth District; J. W. Parkhurst, Peru, Eleventh District; F. J, Theme, Ft, Wayne, Twelfth District; William B. Pratt, Elkhart, Thirteenth District.

The letter is as follows:

Gentlemen — We are in the midst of a national campaign. In less than four weeks the voters will have registered their will at the ballot box, and the result will be known. The future of our business affairs will be more or less affected by the decision rendered. Only two results are possible, one of which in the nature of things must be more unfavorable than the other in its influence upon commercial and industrial conditions. It is, therefore, the part of wisdom for us to give careful consideration to the relation of this campaign, so soon to be concluded, to the permanent welfare of the country.

Business Has Much at Stake.

While voters are not so much swayed by partisan bias as in former years, and the campaign is therefore lacking in excitement, the legitimate business interests of the country have as much at stake in this campaign as in others which have involved the industrial welfare of the country. There are no real political issues before the people in the present campaign—in fact, there has been none since the campaign of 1896.

The real issue is a business proposition which may be summed up as follows: What is best for you, what is best for me, what is best for all of us?

As manufacturers we are, or should be, vitally interested in the welfare of those who labor for us; likewise they should be interested In the success of policies which will bring about better conditions for both of us. It matters little to us whether the Government shall establish postal savings banks or whether the deposits in bank shall be guaranteed. It matters much that all of us shall have some earnings to deposit.

What we want is a condition that will keep our industries going, our men employed, and the endless chain of prosperity in motion.

The question then resolves itself into the problem: Which of the two men, Taft or Bryan, with the things they stand for, will tend most certainly and quickly to reestablish conditions as they were up to 1908 and assure their continuance?

Mr, Bryan was before the people In 1896 and 1900 and now again in 1908. We may safely judge the future by the past, we are well acquainted with Mr. Bryan's theories, his doctrine, his lack of steadfastness in adhering to his own teachings, the rapidity with which he has taken up new ideas and discarded the old. His lack of stability of purpose is one of his cardinal weaknesses.

Mr. Taft is known as a jurist, an executive and a diplomat. In the discharge of no responsibility has he been accused of lack of stability or ability. His public service has trained him in an exceptional war for the proper discharge of the duties of the great office of President, and his career justifies the belief that he would meet every expectation entertained in his behalf.

As manufacturers and business men we know the need of stability as well as ability in the conduct of our own affairs. Don't you think we should have the same trait in public officials? It is stability and not sentiment only we must have in the working out of great national policies affecting the prosperity of all the people. Don't you believe that it would be well for us to inject more business judgment into our politics? I o, and I firmly and conscientiously believe it is for our best interests, regardless of our political affiliations, to have Judge Taft in the presidential chair and a Republican House of Representatives, In order that the tariff may be revised, and without which it can not be done.

Should Get Busy at Once.

I feel that we should get bus at once and keep busy, doing; all we can conscientiously and honorably to the end that better conditions may be restored. It is not a party matter I am presenting, but the issue: What is best for you, what is best for me, what is best for all of us? For ten years we enjoyed prosperity s never before in the history of this or any other country. Now that there has been a slowdown, should we abandon the policies that gave us good times and involve the commercial and industrial future of the country in doubt by the selection of an executive whose career does not inspire confidence, but rather lack of it?

Let us think it over and determine this question for ourselves in the light of our own best interests and the best interests of those dependent upon us for employment, and not let politicians and office-seekers deterus from doing what is best for all of us. This is sent by unanimous direction of the executive committee.

Yours very truly,

W. T. DURBIN, President.