The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-16
HON. BEN HARRISON.
the Indiana Senator's Vigorous Ar
raignment Of the Party Of
Pretensions
A Speech Delivered Before the Re.
publican State Convention OF
Indiana.


fidence and kindness. cannot make you any
return, to-day, except that which have always
endeavored to give back to you-my own
spect and confidence, and my hearty fealty to
the party you represent have never known
any other political allegiance than that to the
Republican party 1 was born into my
followed its triumphs with enthusiasm 1 have
given TO its success all the powers with
which have been endowed L trust you will
bear me witness that have not asked TO be put
on parade by my party. IL there has ever been
a duty so aiduOus suggested for my perform
ance that l have shrunk from its execution,
do not recall IL and do not think you do.
few We sks ago there was assembled in this
hall-flling the seats in which you are sitting
convention representing the Democratic party
OF Indiana, and think might submit it 10 the
impartial judgment OF those who have looked
upon both conventions, that this one, assem-
bled here this morning 10 made up OF men
equally respectable, equally intelligent, and
equally entitled To the exercise OF the full
rights OF citizenship. have a habit Of always
undertaking my propositions, you know My
fellow citizens, the first thought that occurs to
me this morning is that this body of men
sembled here to-day is not the equal in polit-
cal power in Indiana, man for man, with
those who composed the late Demo-
cratic convention. We are laboring under
partial political acknowledgements. The appor-
tionlnent for legislative and Congressional pur-
poses made by the last Democratic Legislature
has robbed every Republican who hears mo OF
part of his political power. The same process
for Acknowledgement for political ends which
has made the South solid, which has kept the
free people OF Dakota from participating in ma
tonal affairs, and which has attempted by fraud
20 rob the people of Ohio Of their representa-
tion in the United States Senate, has invaded
Indiana. and we are to-day confronting first,
the question how shall we recover our political
equality. do not desire TO make declaration
of principles, but cannot refrain from saving
that the dominant, controlling and overmns-
tering question in this campaign in Indiana il
how we can recover our political rights,
would have you bear in mind that this
acknowledgements does not operate only upon
Republicans. 1t affects majority OF the peo-
pie OF the State. Democratic minority has
usurped the control Of affairs. The Nation
ais have been stripped of n part Of their power
and the Prohibitionists also, by these outrageous
acts OF the Legislature, intended TO keep the
Democratic party in power against the will OF q
majority OF the people 1 think we may call
upon all in this campaign to unite in an effort
to restore an equal ballot 1 say it is the first
question in the campaign, because we cannot
accomplish our wishes in State legislation,
cannot accomplish our wishes in the House OF
Representatives at Washington, until
cover our political rights as electors. We may
desire that State legislation shall take this form
or that, but we have'no power to give il any di-
rection until each voter OF Indiana is made
equal in his political influence appeal then
to all, that il there be differences as to what we
severally wish TO accomplish in the Legisla-
ture, or at Washington, we put this question to
the front first, and recover our power TO do any
thing before divide as to what shall be done
For twenty-five years the Democratic party
has asked TO be judged upon its pretensions
1t was party Of pretensions. 1t made its cam
paigns upon declarations of what il would do II
10 got into power, and now for the first time in
n quarter OF a century, We are able to lay its
professions alongside of its performances. We
could not discuss Democratic performances
heretofore without going back into ancient his
tory. Now, my feilow-citizens, what was the
argument Of the last campaign? Well, they
said they wanted TO look into the books The
books have been open TO them sixteen
months. Their most intelligent men, / sup
pose, have examined them, and ask where
with here and there trifing excepton-they
have discovered, in the conduct OF our
otficals, that evidence OF corruption and
maladminisration in office about which they
talked so much. You will remember that their
desire to look into the books related solely
10 the books that had been kept by Republican
officials. IL was demonstrated in the last Legis-
lature that they did not care to look into the
books their Democratic State Treasurer had
kept. An investigation affecting the question
of the safety of the peoples moneys was practi
cally suppressed in "A Legislature elected upon
the declaration that they wanted 10 enter into
bookkeeping, They said they wanted TO turn
the rascals out, but have the impression that,
by some chance, the ends Of that procession
have been reversed, and they are marching left
in front.
the Treasury. Mr. Hendricks, whose untimely
death we as citizens mourn, pledged himself "a
the people OF Indiana that, IL the Democratic
| party was intrusted with tho control of the
! National Treasury, they would distribute what
he claimed to be an enormous and unnecessary
surplus stored in the Treasury vaults. The
! honest Democrats OF Indiana believed him
| as they had been won't to do, and doubtless if
| the Democracy of the West had been allowed e
select President for their party, some such
| policy would have been inaugurated But, as
! you know, New York captured their convention
| and aver that never in the history of the United
| States Treasury have the views Of Wall street
| been so the roughly intrenched i'm the Treasury
| as they are to-day. The Secretary, Assistan;
Secretary, and Treasurer all New York
| men. They represent the view of Mr.
Cleveland and of Wall street in regard e
the suspension Of silver coinage. They arc
greatly alarmed at the accumulation OF silver
| What have they done toward reducing the sur
| plus2 Why, my fellow citizens, that surplus
| about which Mr. Hendricks talked has been in
creased over eighty millions under Democratic
| management. The money that was to go out
| among the people to stimulate industry and Il
restore that which had been taken by taxation
Mr. Hendricks so eloquently promised, has
been boarded in the Treasury. During the
| sixteen months of Democratic administrator
they have paid nearly one hundred millions les,
| of the public debt than we had averaged every
| sixteen months for the four preceding years
| They said good times would come, the price 81
wheat 90 up, labor would be abundant and it,
| rewards satisfactory to the laborer. Have W,
ever had n year OF more depression, moro
strikes, more turmoil and discomfort? They
have held the threat Of their free trade Idle n
and tariff reduction over all industries and tn,
iron trade did not begin to revive until tn,
| Democriec Congress adjourned.
They said they would be economical, but ap
! preparations have been increased. They sale
| they would cut down the civil list and yet al
most every head Of n bureau at Washington las
winter demanding assistant that haC
| not been given to the bureau before The civil
| list has been increased. / defy any man {,
| point TO one of those pledges made during tn,
last campaign that has been faithfully kept 10y
this administration. You cannot find n Dem
ocrat in Indiana, outside Of those fortunate few
who have been appointed TO office under thi
administration who is woalthier, happier o
more content than he was under "A Republican
administration.
| At the late State convention the Democrat,
| Endorsed Mr.. Cleveland in platform resolu
| ton, but venture to assert that IL the most &C
/ tive and vigiant constable in this city wer,
| started out w tn n search warrant, he could not
| find an Indiana Democrat who approves Mr.
| Clevelands administration in his heart. And
| vet they ask the members OF that party, mer
who have been disappointed in every promise
| made TO them, to indorse this administration lay
electing the Democratic ticket in Indiana this
| year.
The soldiers lot has been somewhat like tha
of the policeman in the comic-opera, since this
| Democratic administration came in--not
happy no.
But. NV fellow-citzens do not intend 70
| keep YOU longer from that important work for
which YOU have assembled. The issues upor
which we will make appeal to the people
this year are issues that will touch the reason
and Intelligence Of our people. We 60 into the
campaign partially DISTINGUISHED, but with the
! resolution 20 ov rturn this inquitous legisla
ton We nppeal 20 the honest Democrats "