The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-23

country history, and the mention of which
stirs every patriotic heart
In this contest the conservative and bust.
ness elements of the community will be with
us. The independent press will lend our
national ticket a helping hand. The Demo-
cratic press-able, faithful and true-will
preach the sound doctrines and give the
reasons for the faith that is within u.s.
The most bitter partisan cannot deny that
the President is an honest and sincere man.
FOR over three years the country has had the
benefit of wise, economical and successful
administration Of public affairs, and the De-
mocraey may confidently appeal to the people
for the continuance Of our party in power. /
concede that neither the President nor his
administration has escaped criticism. But
Jefferson was criticised, Monroe was assailed
and jackson was abused.
1--WE favor freer trade but not free trade.
The Democratic platform, while not in every
respect as some of us might desire it, sulfi.
ciently expresses the principle of tariff reform
to which we are all committed If l thought
that our platform favored free trade should
not be here tonight. believe in an intelh-
gent, fair and honest revision of the tariff. a
revision in the interest of the people and not
of monopolies | believe in protecting labor
In every legitimate and proper way, but unne-
cessary and unjust burdens upon commerce
do not afford any assistance or protection to
workingmen.
at is an absurd suppostion that any party
should enter upon line of policy which
would reduce wages, produce poverty and
destroy business. 1t is the very height of ab-
surdity to suppose that the Democratic party,
of all others, would adopt such policy. The
Democratic party is largely made up now, as
1t always has been, of the masses of our popu-
lation. The multitude ofthose who earn their
bread by the sweat of their brows are within
it; its very name proclaims it the party of the
people-the party of the many and not the
few.
at is the party of truest protection to the
American workman. 1t aims to leave him
free to enjoy the blessings of our republic
without making him pay tribute out of his
hard earned wages to the monopolies, the
combinations and the trusts which have orig
mated and grown fat and hourishing under
the system of high taxation of the many for
the benefit of the few. Honor to whom
honor, credit to whom credit, praise to whom
praise is due. And the honor, the credit and
the praise are due to theAmerican workingman
himself for the position he to-day occupies.
Not the tariff or any other tax, not protection
by any party, not the fostering care of any set
of men has put him where he is. Not these
have accomplished the work. His own hands,
his own brain, his own energy, his own in
dustry, his own activity, his own sobriety, his
own vigor, his own honest, hard work under
the blessings of the government of a free
country have done it all.
"The attitude of the Republican party upon
the question of revenue reform is inconsistent
and disingenuous. Their representatives in
Congress oppose all efforts to change existing
duties, and yet some of their ablest men have
heretofore repeatedly committed themselves
in favor of reduction. The Republican party
under its present leadership has degenerated
into mere opposition party. 1t has no fixed
or definite policy or principles Of its own, but
it opposes everything proposed or suggested
by the dominant party, irrespective of the
question of merits or the good which might
be accomplished for the country.
'They in favor of tariff reform-some
other year. They want to reduce the taxes
whenever they and they alone can secure the
credit for it. They want to strengthen the
coast defenses of the country-when they re-
turn to Power. They are the boldest cham
pions of civil.service reform-when they are
out of power.
"Permit me to pay brief tribute to our
noble candidate for Vice President, Allen G.
Thurman, ofOhio. Asjudge, Senator, states
man, citizen, neighbor, friend, and in every
relation in life, he has been honored, re-
spected and revered. Every Democrat knows
who The Old Roman is, and he at least is
free from the charge of obscurity.
"Four years ago the Republican party cry
was that our candidate for President was too
inexperienced Well, since then he has mar
ried and settled down, and so given a good
example to us all, and if we are as fortunate
in our choice as he has been, we shall all have
obtained greater prize than even that of the
presidency of the United States But now
they say that our candidate for Vice. .Presi-
dent is too DID, If he is old, then he GER
tainly cannot be charged with the inexperi-
ence of youth. No man can be said to be
too old if he has not outlived his usefulness.
The Democratic party is proud to honor the
Nestors Of the party who served it in the
days when it was weak and struggling for
existence. Truly of Thurman it can be said:
cage sits with decent grace upon his visage,
And worthy becomes his silver locks;
BE wears the marks of many years well spent,
OF virtue, truth well tried and wise expert
ence."
''If Thurman is too old and Cleveland is
too young the general average is about
right and even our opponents must admit
they make,a pretty fair team for the presiden-
tial race.
Gas Democrat, speaking to a Democratic
organization which has existed from the be-
ginning of the government, let me say to you
that the ticket and platform are both worthy
of our warmest approval and our most zeals
Gus efforts and support.
''The masses of all parties are honest and
desire to advance the best interests Of the
country. We all proudly believe that in spite
of its faults and imperfectOns ours is the
grandest government under the sun. 1t is the
home for the oppressed of every cline; it is
the abode of fliberty-liberty ruled by law; its
broad plains and fertile valleysare the richest
in the world; its cities are growing with unex-
ampled rapidity; its h9rvests in their abund-
ance are unsurpassed, and with laws well ad-
ministered and with the continuance of an
honest and incorruptible administration of
public affairs, I'VE and those who follow US
may enjoy for unnumbered years the blessings
of good government in this magnificent West
ern home of the free."
The farmers who attempted to raise stock
for beef purposes are compelled to abandon
the undertaking because the profits which
they should realize are arbitrarily taken from
then, hv nronesses which are little short of