Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23

Lieut.. GOVERNOR. d. Putnam.
Secretary of state-John G. Ludwig.
State treasurer-John A. Johnson.
Attorney general-Geo. w. Bird.
Railroad commissioner - James Nee
han.
Insurance commissioner John Karel.
State superintendent = Edward Nc
Iaughlin.
TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION.
Atl2:O5 P. NJ, Chairman W. A. Walker
of the state central committee called the
democratic state convention to order.
Chairman Walker read the call under
which the convention had met, and on
his motion, D. S. Rose of Darlington, was
made
TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.
and addressed the state convention as
follows:
Gentlemen of the nvention:-Through
constant vicissitudes and innumerable de-
feats, covering a period of nearly quar-
ter of century, the democracy of Wis
consin, biennially assembled in conven-
ton to renew allegiance to principles
that bound them ia closer fraternal ties
than oaths of fealty or pledges of knight
hood. Vanquished upon many a hard
fought field, subdued by strength of num-
bers, they yielded to the inevitable decree
of the political war god, yet halted in the
conflict only to rally once more to the
party standard, and charged again fire.
quently baffied but never conquered.
Under the leadership of the supreme
genius, the conservative, balanced judg
ment, the fearless, indubious will of the
splendid Cleveland, backed by the collect
ed, prudent counsel, the eminent abilities
and the unimpeachable integrity of a
Lamar, Bayard and Villas (applause), and
the other grand luminaries of his magni
fcent cabinet, the nation has been eau
tiously, almost imperceptibly, led from
regime of fraud, extravaganza and cor
ruption into an administration of acknowl-
edged honesty, reform, and economy, SO
carefully has the nsaction-consequen
upon the change in the administration of
government been effected, that the bosom
of the great commercial ocean has scarce
been broken by a rifle, and the intricate
machinery of business has suffered no
preceptible change. The dismal prophe-
cies and dire predictions for the future
welfare of the country in the event of
democratic success, so recklessly indulg
ed by the republican party, have melted
away like vapor mists, before the spirit
of confidence and complacent faith en-
gendered by the reformations of the new
Within our own ranks
dissensions have grown and mutterings
of discomfort have disturbed the tranquil
ity and harmony of party organization,
consequent upon the seeming hardness of
the administration in making official
changes, but the results have inspired i'm
plicit faith and confding trust in the ad
mirable foresight and profound wisdom
of our party leaders. Two years have
brought to realization hopes long defer
red, and witnessed prodigious transform
ations in the political world, but no ma
ton on the face of the globe can epite
mize more important events crowded
within the narrow confines of so short a
period than our own loved land of politi
cal freedom.
The party, the speaker said, had suffer
ed great Iosses,- McClellan, Tilden, Hend-
there is much excellent ma
terial in it. The party is to day the only
genuine advocate of popular rights and
national development. AS for tariff that
party is already committed to the doc
trines of tariff for revenue only, and the
public lands for actual settlers of Amer1-
can citizenship.
Against the portals of the national
treasury have been hurled ponderous pc
titions for unearned subsidies, but they
have been answered only by the echoes Of
their own muttered maledictions. Pacific
mail companies launched the arrows of
their spleen against the armor-clad cham
pions of honesty and no brighter pennant
duttered in the phalanx than that of our
own Villas.
Nobly, honorably, proudly has the
democratic party carried out its platform
and redeemed it's pledges, and all appre-
ciat1ve people unprecedented by passion
Or political scruples will abundantly tes-
tify to their high esteem for the reforma
lions affected by the new administra-
lions.
With the laboring class the democratic
party has always been in consonance.
Believing that capital is but the product
of labor, we recognize the toiling laborer
as the pillar of our national prosperity.
For the purpose of advancing common
interests we commend organization
for legitimate purposes pledging the
protection of the laws to such
mendable measures. We denounce an
erchy and socialism as the bane of our
free institutions. We deny that causes
exist for the promulgation of such doc
trines, but rest in the calm assurance'that
by our constitutional privileges as citi-
zens of this republic, the power is vested
in the people to correct abuses by ballot.
We concur in the scheme of maintaining
a state militia organization to repel in
vas1ons and suppress Instruction, but
we insist that the civil power be exhaust
ed before the munitions of war are called
into requisition, to the end that the she'd
ding of innocent blood for the sins of the
criminal may be avoided.
In the cabinet of the chief executive;
in the deliberations of congress; in the
counsels of generals and commanders,
upon the forum and within the sanctity
of the highest courts of justice the demo
cratic party has sent her sons, the light of
whose genius and abilities has illumined
the pages of our national history and
contributed to the attainment of that
of greatest excellence which has
won for US the respect and appreciation
of foreign powers and potentates.
In the days of our national peril, when