, 1890-11-14

anu executing our ldWst nut July COu- |
denim but fippantly deride cheapness and
economy within the homes of our people,
and when the expenditures of govern
ment are reckless and wasteful. we may
may be sure something is wrong with us
and that the condition exists which calls
for vigorous and resentful defense of
Americanism by every man worthy to be
called an American citizen. Upon the
question of cheapness and economy,
whether it relates to individuals
or to the operations of the govern
ment, the Democratic party, true
to its creed, will uualternably
remain attached to our PLAIN and frugal
people. Thus, when the question is
raised whether our people shall have the
necessaries of life at a cheaper rate, we
are not ashamed to confess ourselves in
full sympathy with the demand for
cheaper coats, and we are not disturbed
by the hint that this seems necessarily to
involve a cheaper man or woman under
the coats. When the promoter OF a party
measure which inYadcs every home in the
land with higher prices declares that
cheap and nasty things go together, and
thus whole system OF cheap things is a
badge of poverty; for cheap merchandise
means cheap men, and cheap men mean
a ChldD COuuNlls W. 10
pudiate such an Interpretation OF Amer
lean sentiment. And when another one.
high 10 party councils, who has become
notorious as the advocate of a contrIvance
to perpetuate partisan supremacy by out
rageous interference with the suffrage,
announces that the cry for cheapness Is
unamericau, y we scornfully reply that his
speech does o indicate the slightest con-
ception of Americanism.
| will not refer to other uttcrances of
like import from similar sources. L con-
tent myself with recalling the most prom
ineut and significant. The wonder IS that
these things were addressed to Ameri-
cans. IL is hard to speak patiently as
we anticipate. step by step, the vast num-
Der OF our people who had been led on,
following blibdly in the path of party.
They had been filled with hate and sec
tional prejudice; they had been cajoled
with misrepresentation and false prom
Uses; they had been corrupted with money
and by appeals to their ~selishness. All
these things led up to their final betrayal
to satisfy the demands of those who sup
piled the fund Tor their corruption. This
betrayal was palpable. and it was impossi-
BILE to deuy or conceal the fact tina the
pretended relief rendered to the people in
AuluiAAutuI VI 1hC pAOnloC W hkubCh AZ
burdens of their hte, made by the party
entrusted with the government. was but
a scheme to pay debts incurred bv the
purchase of party success, while it fur
Their increased the impoveTlshment OF the
masses. The people were at last aroused
and demanded an explanation.
The leaders of the party which was
caught in the act Of robbery and which
was arraigned by the people for the viola
ton of its trust, were forced by their sad
predicament to a desperate e~Xpedient.
To attempt 10 reverse the current of true
Americanism and discredit it and the
most honorable sentiments belonging to
American manhood we're the disgraceful
tasks of those who insulted our people by
the announcement Of the doctrine that to
desire ~cheapness was to love nastiness,
and to practice economy and frugality
was unamerican. Thus do we plainly see
that when the path pointed out by patriot
ism aud American citizenship is forsaken
by the party in power for schemes OF
s~elfshness and INSCRIPTIONS conspiracies
for partisan success, Its course inevitably
leads to unjust fayoritism. neglect of the
interests of the masses. entire pervertion
of the mission of republican institutions,
and. in some form. to the most impudent
and outrageous insult to true American
sentiment. But this is the time when
faith in our oountrymen should be fully
re-established.
The noise of the recent political revolu-
ton is still heard through the land. The
people have just demonstrated hat
there is a point beyond which they
cannot be led bv blind partisanship, and
that they are quite competent to examine
and correctly decide political questions
concerning their rights and their welfare.
They have numerically resented every at
tack upon the true American method, and
have taught party leaders that, though
slow to anger. they take terrible revenges
when betrayed. They permit us to forgive
our honored guest for all the cheap coats
he has ever worn, for they have declared
them to be in fashion. They have also
decreed that the decalogue has a place in
our politics, for they have enforced the
command, Thou shalt not steal and
rendered an emphatic verdict against
those who have borne false witness.
Who can now doubt our co%untrymen's
appreciation of that trait 80 well illus
trated in the oh Iracter Of Allen G.. Thur
man, which prompted him throughout
his long career, at all times and in all cir
cumstauces, and without regard to per-
sonal consequences, to do things which
his conscience and judgment approved
and which seemed to him to be in the in
terest OF his country and in accordance
with his Democratic faith. Our reioic-
iugs and his are increased as we also cele-
brate tonight the triumph Of the Demo
cratic principle for which he fought and
fell but Two short years ago. and to com-
plete our joy and his we are permitted to
indulge IN true Democratic enthusiasm
over the st~eadfastness and devotion to Its