The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-07-09

opoly upon the necks Of our citizens.
1t aims mt the efficacy Of universal
suffrage. Its success would take the
bulwark OF civil liberty from the
greatest republic ever founded upon
i the footstool of God. 1t would make
the money power the paramount and
dominating factor in American poll
tics. 1t would undermine constitu-
tional government, and cause history
to repeat itself, in the formation of a
kingdom, upon the ruins Of q repub
lie. The days Of its adoption would
be the beginning Of the end. To
that obnox ious measure alone, de-
feated radicalism might trace its
overthrow, were it not for the fact,
that among SO many acts OF treach-
cry to the people, q single issue is
hardly discernible in the mass. Yet
whatever OF fraud and injustice that
party may have practiced, the decree
OF the Supreme Ruler Of nations is
heard in every critical moment OF
| the history of constitutional govern
ment: Whoever shall corrupt the
ballot, or make it less representative
of popular will, is an enemy to his
country, to be classed with traitors.
The Lodge election bill was deliber-
ate attempt to overcome the power
OF suffrage, and reap, by trickery,
what is impossible to gain by force.
The party that has stood as the
champion of that vicious and traitor
GUS act, is a counterpart of Bene-
dict Arnold, or a Judas Iscariot, fit
only to prove the orthodox faith, by
establishing the fitness, and necessity
OF eternal damnatiOn.
But our party has not found sue
cess alone in the shortcomings of
others. No party can deserve to win
except it be worthy, independent Of
any thought, other than the public
veal. Democratic worthiness has
been demonstrated by years of sue
cesses in the past, all resulting in a
record OF economy, efficiency and
and purity OF public service. The
history of its supremacy is the history
of our national advancement. In ex-
tent of territory j, it gave us all our
great additions. 1t gave to our ma
ton, and to our state, our unequal
led system of public schools. It
gained tor our country her first and
highest position in the field Of diplo-
macy. But better than all else, dur
ing all the years, since, in the days
of jefferson, the democratic party
lead to our national affairs, that
party has stood as the champion of
the common people, and resisted to
the extent of its power, the encroach-
ments of organized monopoly, and
the pooling OF the powers of wealth.
1t is worthy today, only as it will
continue its record. OF counting men
as paramount to money in the affairs
of government. Our party will live
SO long as this truth shall be its basic
principles; but should the day ever
come that our party shall learn its
lessons in finance from Wall Street
instead Of by an observance of pub
lie needs, or in other words shall con-
slider the desires OF money kings as
more to be observed than the welfare
Of the masses, then shall we fail, be-
cause we deserve to fail.
To the end that the will of the peo-
pie may be honestly ascertained
without fear or favor there must be
established a system OF voting that
combines the two conditions of indie
pendence and secrecy. We are not
left to speculation as to proper
method to secure these conditions.
Experience has proved the efficacy
of the Australian system, and until
that shall be made the election law
of our commonwealth, it is the duty
of the democratic party to keep it
before the people under solemn
pledge to establish that system when
first the power to legislate shall have
been secured.
Words from me are not necessary
to declare the continued determina-
ton of the democratic party to over |
throw the iniquitous Mckinley bill,
and to establish in its stead a law
based upon the principle that all tax
alton of whatever nature shall be for |
the revenue and for revenue alone.
Iowa democrats never speak in doubt |
full phrase, on this all important ques-
ton. When the platform shall have
been formulated and read to this /
the certain resolution.
for tax reduction and tariff |
reform, will meet with such q re-
Spouse from you all az will declare
our faith more strongly than mere
words can do. We believe in Ameri-
ca. We believe IN her ability to sue
cessfully contest for supremacy on
equal terms. We will never admit |
that our industrial centers oare only
possible by the compulsory cOntri-
buttons from the common people for
the manufacturers benefit. We hold
too much patriotism. too much pride
to admit such assured conditions as
would class our manufacturers as
tralnps, begging protect
ion along the highway of trade. Our
duty on this question lies in the re-
assertion of those principles which
have been fundamental with our
party ever since it had an existence.
One year ago the democratic party |
of Iowa said to the people of our
state and of the nation:
I'VE demand the free coinage of
silver and that it be made full legal
tender for all debts public and pri-
yate and denounce as unjust and dis |
honest the provisions of the law re-
Gently enacted allowing parties to
stipulate against the payment Of sill |
yer and silver certificates TINS setting |
up one sta ndard Of value for the |
debtor and another for the rich mar.
1t struck the keynote to the financial
situation then, it strikes the keynote |
now. We must stand by the financial |
needs of our state, until the dollar of |
our fathers, the gold and silver Of the
constitut ion, shall stand upon their
original constitutional basis, from
which the hand Of treachery cast
down the silver dollar, by the demon
citation act Of 1878.
Ours is an agricultural state. Ev-
cry question affecting the currency,
every question affecting taxation,
every question affecting transporta-
tion, every question affecting labor, is
doubly felt at the homes of the pro-
ducers Of the food products of our
state. Their labor is not fairly re-
warded. They sell their products at
too low u price, and pay too much
tor that which they must buy. This
is not a new truth. For several years
past it has been known to our agri-
cultural classes; but never before was
it SO strongly brought to the atten-
ton of the whole nation as when, in
the very home ofmOnopOly. the truth |