The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-07-09
Walt H. Butler Sounds the Key Note
OF the Iowa Campaign, at Ottum-
wa, June "a, 1891.

temporary chairman was the sigma
for cheering and from that time fol
ward the convention had plenty
opportunities for exercising its man
fold lungs and, it must be written
none were neglected.
Mr.. Butler opened with feeling
and beautiful tribute to the memoir
of Col. Ballingall, dwelling upon til
appropriateness of holding the con
vention in his home city and saying
that though Ballingall was gone hi
hospitality remained. Mr.. Butte
then continued:
Gentlemen of the Conventions: Fo
the high honor conferred, accept III.
thanks. 1t is with great pride that
stand before a convention Of meI
whose record, as valiant warriors To-
correct principles Of government. ha
finally won for the democracy Of lowe
the glory Of substantial victory.
We meet today, not as years gone
by, simply to plan for the perpetuit.
of our organization, but rather in tn,
fullness Of achievement, to celebrate
the day Of success and to name the
leaders who sha II march at the heat
of our ever-increasing columns Al
four certain November triumph.
The logic Of recent succe sses show,
permanency Of progress. Democrat
ic advancement has not been acct
nor yet the result of condit
ions not understood. 1t is but the re
currence of q truth, as old as jura
society, that principle is stronger
than plumber, and that in the nation.
onward march. under the influence
of educational campaigns, the sup
port of the masses will eventually be
found on the side of the peoples
truest champion.
One noticeable element. in the
attainment Of our present victorious
position, is the failure of our OPP.
ponents to remember the source
from which all political power is
derived. The republican party, reck.
less in the possession OF opportunity,
privilege and power. has proven it.
self a foe to popular rights, and de.
veloped false theories Of government
tai functions. This. with the fact
that the democratic party has always
held public interest suggestive of
public duty. and has advocated no
policy but that has fonnd its inn
polling thought in the needs of the
masses, has led to the decay Of radi-
calism. and the growth of democracy.
Paternalism, with its tendency to-
ward the basic element Of monarchy,
has become the central idea and doe
trine of republicanism, while demo-
cracy holds faith in the capacity of
the people of self government, and
the inherent right of the people to
the largest degree Of personal liberty
with good order In society.
Republics fade and weaken in the
shadow OF Capitalization, but grow
bright and strong in the light of l:b-
erty. AS the masses come to realize
more and more fully this truth. the
party of paternalism must sink to OBJ
livion, and that party in our country
which most nearly represents the
principles of of virtuous liberty, the
democratic party of today, will rise
to serve the people for the nations
good.
The republican party, in the broad
est sense, is not patriotic. 1t conn.,
pares our country with the other ma
tons of earth, and, for shame, de-
clares our inability to compete with
other lands, on equal terms, in the
ordinary business of life. 1t holds
the industrial centers Of our land, as
pauper communities, only able to
survive, in the struggle for wealth,
by the assistance OF the tax gatherer,
who collects the tithes from the
many homes of toll, to scatter fairness
IN the larders of its masters.
To this end, that party has increased
taxation, which absorbs the SUBJ
stance of the people, and has de-
:lared such taxation to be the very
of individual and, national
The democratic party replies to
these croakers Of monopoly with pat
riotic spirit. We look abroad upon
our land, and see the grandest dis
play of natural resources, ever given
TO mankind. Our coal areas are both
broader and better, than any other
continent can boast. Our forests, of
every variety of wood, eclipse the lum-
Der regions of all competing lands.
Dur mines produce in inexhaustless
mass, the ores, both useful and prec-
ous from iron to gold. Our fields
ire white with more and better cot
ION than the whole known world out
side can furnish. Our water powers
'urpass, in both availability and
the wheel prOpelling
streams of other chimes. We see
Yankee ingenuity contriving every
form Of labor saving device, and sup
the sluggish agencies of
former years. Rapidity Of operation
and accuracy in detail, are charac-
teristic OF the American producer.
We see all this, and declare, with
patriotic ardor: America is the nat
ural home OF progress, the mother of
productive arts, the real leader, not
Z mere competitor, among the ma
tions of the world. And as for taxa.
ton, the democratic party, ever true
TO duty, meets its opponents boldly,
with the assertion of the patent
truth, that taxation, for any purpose
other than the needs OF government.
economically administered, is: rank
injustice, and robbery of those by
whom the tax is paid.
The republican party sees danger, in
intercourse with foreign
nations, and counts the open high
way of the seas q menace to our pros
perity. 1t has been consistent. in
the laws, which have driven our
ships from the commercial world, and
given all ocean carriage, to be hand
ed under foreign flags. But incon-
'istent now, attempts to build up by
subsidies, the very commerce it de-
'troyed by tax.
Democracy has ever held a broader
view. 1t declares the truth, admit
ed by the commercial world, as in
harmony with reason, demonstrated
Dy experience, and noted in the his
DRY of nations, that where the Gen.
.er of trade and commerce is, there
s the center of dollars. Seeing pros.
perity in unhampered markets, she
welcomes, to our shores, trade, trade
he calm health of nations Trade
labor, and is the vivifying
bower, that quickens industry to its
best productions; because it enables
Zach to exchange his surplus for
II har commodities, ,n1rn