The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-04
GALLANT DEMOCRACY.
The Third of September Day Long to
be Remembered i'm the Party's
History.
The Day Devoted to Convention Bnsi-
ness and the Night a Scene of
Unparalleled Political
Demonstration.
CONCLUSION OF THE CONVENTION.

CONCLUSION OF THE CONVENTION.
When Hon. John F. Duncombe. Of |
Fl. Dodge, took his place as permanent
chairman of the Iowa democratic state
convention yesterday afternoon, he made
most excellent address, He said
can truly say that | have never felt
more deeply impressed with any kindness
and favor ever conferred upon me in all
my life, than | am with this honor at the
hands of this assemblage, of honest intel
| ligent, patriotic men, met here for the
good of the state and nation. This con-
| vention is to assist in determining wheth>
er this country is to be preserved in hon
esty, economy, purity and devotedness to
the welfare of the people, or continue to
| it detriment and ultimate ruin.
| [ lay down these propositions: That in
the very nature of our form of governs
ment it is absolutely essential to its wel>
fare that there be frequent changes in its
administration, both as to parties, and in
the officers who administer the governs
ment
That experience has demonstrated be-
yOnd question by more than a hundred
defalcarons of county treasurers in the
state of Iowa, which have come under our
own observation, and defalcations in Off
GERS, both state and national, that these
defalcations and other rascality, will not
be discovered, as a general rule, in any
party until there is change of the par
ties holding and controlling the offices,
and new officers of another party selected
who are interested in exposing instead of
| concealing these crimes.
That the experience of this government
has demonstrated the fact, that any party
holding and controlling the administers
tive offices of the government for great
number of years, will, in the very nature
of things become corrupt, its officials
dishonest, and that rascalily and robbery
will be the rule, while the exception will
be honest officials faithfully doing their
duty.
That any party in power great num-
Der of years naturally absorhs reckless and
dishonest political spectators. who ut
terly disregard the welfare of the public,
and make office and political trust means
of concentrating speculation and robbery
upon the people.
That any political party long out of
power when again entrusted with the adj
ministration of government will become
more cautious and careful, and will be-
come more thoroughly imbued with the
5 spirit of economy, justice and honesty in
the administration of the government.
That in the case of the democratic party
and the republican party, it has been
demonstrated by experience that robbery
+ of the public funds, star route frauds, San
r Domingo jobs, carpet bag rascalities,
back pay salary grabs, Credit Mobilier in
famies Indian bureau swindles, Robson
: navy swindles, Sanborn contract frauds,
e pension bureau frauds, post trader steals
: Freedman bank swindles, Boss Shepherd
rings and frauds, sales of speakers rul-
. ings, Harrington safe buglaries election
5 commission frauds, Little Rock Il Fort
= Smith iobbery, stealing of the presidency
n and finally the assassination of President
Garfield, follow long continued power
and that this proposition is established
not merely theoretically, but practically
d that thieves 60 where they can best steal
e viz; to the party longest in power.
The true index of the character OF
every party is shown in every instance by
u the leader put forth by the party. In thi:
e case Blaine, by the records of the govern
e ment, is shown to be man, who, if be
# had the proper deserts for the rascalitie:
which the Congressional Record show:
= him To be guilty of, instead of being /
# candidate for president would be candi
e date for the penitentiarv. While the off
cial administration of Cleveland is clearly
shown by the endorsement before hi,
nomination of every leading republican
paper in the state of New York, and the
!. country, by majority of 1913, 600 and by
# the record of his acts, to have been clean
. clear of rascalities, bold and fearless, anC
in every instance favorable to economy
u and honesty in government.
I'll Under this state of facts can there bt
Is any doubt for whom the people woulC
- vote at the coming presidential election
were it not for the fact that one hundred
: and twenty thousand otficeholders receiv-
Al ing from the government, in salaries anC
|. perquisities, nearly sixty millions of dol
lars annually, representing a minority o
the American people, for the last twenty
} years corruptly making use of the none,
y they receive from our oyerburdened an(
overtaxed people to hold their Office, ut
: terly regardless of the fact that such off
ces are simply trusts and that they have
= no property interests in the offices which
5 they hold
i, To illustrate the idea which have ad
yanced, suppose that the democratic part,
. had been in power for twenty>four year
e and was seeking another four Years o
Ie power with the written record of dishon
= esty, jobberY and knavery of every kline
!. and character that stands today agains
the republican party, is there arepublical
II in the United States that would not max
himself hoarse crying out for change il
| the administration? Would he not b.
justified in doing SO? Would not ever.
sensible man standing outside of tn,
e limits of his party machinery say that hi
demand was reasonable and just2
If there were not enough honest, hon
orable men, representatives of that part,
d who can vote their own sentiments ciea
| llOIu dl1 UldS SduoCu ny lCaoOu VI luti
connection with the party, to accomplish
IL such result, how can it be hoped tina
% there will be hereafter any safety or Sc
curlty either for person or property whel
az the leaders of any party have but one OBJ
/; ject for which they sacrifice time ant
/ money without measure, and that objcc
'e plumber.
The committee on resolutions mad
|. the following brief and clear report;
te Resolved, That the democratic party o
Iowa, in convention assembled, fully en-
dorses the principles laid down in tn
y national democratic platform this year
adopted at Chicago, and cordially ap
< proves of the sentiments contained il
m Gov. Cleveland's letter of acceptance
:. and, in the language of said letter, w
N express our conviction that claws unnec
q essarily interfering with the habits ant
| customs of any class of orr neonle which