The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-06-23
THE DEMOCRATS.
They Indulge in an Exciting all
Night Session.
NO VOTE is VET TAKEN.
"A Lengthy Wrangle Over
the Platform.
NO VOTE is VET TAKEN.
MR. WATTERsoN GAINS A POINT.

Presents the Claims of Scpator
Hill-The Platform of Principles
for the Battle of '92-Adjonrnment
Without Nominating.
CHICAGO, June 23.-For the first time
since the Democratic delegates arrived
in Chicago the sun shone out yesterday
from cloudless sky. 1t promised hot
day in the wigwam, but even heat was
TO be preferred to the uncertainty of
wind and rain in tho big shanty by the
Sake.
Precisely at 1880 Temporary Chair
pan Owens raped the convention to
order and called upon the Rev. Alfred
Henry, of the Methodist Episcopal
church Of Chicago, to lead in prayer.
At the conclusion of the prayer the re-
port of the committee on permanent or
ganization was presented and agreed to,
End Mr.. Owens introduced the per-
manent chairman as one of the bravest
Democrats of the nation-Hon. w. L.
Wilson, of West Virginia. Mr.. Wilson
spoke in substance as follows:
Gentlemen of the Convention; thank you
most heartily for this honor. / shall try TO
meet the duties of the high position to which
you call mo with the spirit of fairness and
equality that is Democracy. This convention
has high and patriotic work to perform. Wo
owe much to our party; We owe much to our
country.
The mission of the Democratic party is to
hight for the under dog. When that party is
out of power we may be sure there is an under
dog TO fight for, and that tho under dog is gem
erally the American people When that party
As out of power we may be sure that some
party Is in control of our government that
represents a section and not the whole coun-
kTy; that stands for a class and not the whole
people
!. Never was this truth brought home to us
more defantly than by the recent convention
nj Minneapolis. We not deceived as to tho
temper, We arc not in doubt as to the purpose
Of our opponents. Having taxed us for years
without excuse and without mercy, they now
propose to dlsarm us of further power to
sist their exactions. Republican success in
this campaign, when we look to tie party
platform, the party candidates or tho utter
Rnces OF the party leaders, means that the peo-
pie are to be stripped of their franchise
Through force bills in order that they may be
stripped Of their substance through tariff bills.
Free government is self government. There
Is no self government where tho people do not
eontrol their own elections and lay their own
taxes. When either of those rights is taken
away or diminished breach is made, not in
the outer defenses, but in the citadel of our
freedom. For years we have been struggling
10 recover the lost right of taxing ourselves,
and now we arc threatened with the loss Of
the greater right of governing ourselves. Tho
1oss OF tho one follows In necessary succession
Che loss of the other.
Tho people know by hard experience that
protection as system OF taxation is but tho
Old crafty scheme by which the rich compel
&he poor to pa, the expenses of government.
They know by hard experience that protection
r.r1Na. - k-sI t. h,.A
scheme by which the power of taxation OF tho
people is made the private property of a few of
she people.
Tariff reform means to readjust this system
Of taxation, and to purge away this system of
eribute. 1t means that we have not reached
the goal of perfect freedom SO long as any cit
fzcn is forced by law to pay tribute to any
ether citizen, and until our taxes are propor-
kioned to the ability and duty of the taxpayer
rather than to his ignorance, his weakness
and his patience.
Governor Mckinley tells his charges that
khe Democratic party believes in taxing our
sBaives. I'm afraid. gentleman, we must admit
&his charge. What right or excuse have we
Tor taxing anybody else with continent for
b country, with freedom and intelligence rs
The instruments for its development We
stand disgraced in the eyes Of mankind If we
cannot and If We do not support our own gov
srnment.
But, gentlemen, we arc confronted with a
new cry In this campaign. Tho Republican
party, says Governor Mckinley, now stands
kcr protection and reciprocity. He was for
protection alone when he framed his bill in
the house, or rather permitted his benefici-
aries to franc II for him, and firmly resisted
hi efforts of the statesman from Maine to an
mex reciprocity to it. No wonder that he
RhyorB the reciprocity added by the senate.
You may explore tho pages of burlesque liter
k4ure for anything more suprcmely ludierous
Ahan the so called reciprocity of the Mckinley
bill.
IL Is not reciprocity at all. II is retaliation,
and, worst of all, retaliation on our own peo-
pie. 1t Furnishes American citizens for the
Necessities or the follies of other people. IL
says to q few small countries south of us, "If
yeu are forced by your necessities or led by
6our follles TO mako bread higher and scarcer
20 your people. we will mako shoes and sugar
higher and scarcer to our people,"
We are for the protection that protects, and
FOR the reciprocity that reciprocates We are
In favor of protecting every man in the enjoy
unent of the fruit of his labor diminished only
by his proper contribution to the support of
tho government, and we are for that real rcci-
procity, not through dickering diplomacy and
presidential proclamations, but by laws of con-
gress, that removes oil unnecessary obstacles
between the American producer and the mar
kets he is Obliged to seek for his products.
1t is not for me- gentlemen, the impartial
Eeryant of you all, to attempt to foreshadow
sshat your choice ought to be in the selection
pf your candidates. You will make that selec-
kion under your own sense of responsibility to
Ehe people you represent and to your country
One thing only venture to say, Whoever
nay be your chosen leader In this campaign
no telegram will flash across the sea from the
-DAstls of ahsantee tariff lords to congratulate
him. But from the home of labor, from tho
Greside of the toiler, from the hearts of all
Rho love Justice and do equity, who wish and
intend that our matchless heritage of freedom
nhall be the commonwealth of all our people,
and the common opportunity of all our youth,
81 IL
sruits for the great Democratic host that must
strike down the beast of sectionalism and the
moloch of monopoly before we can have ever
again a peoples government ruled by q peoples
faithful representatives.
The convention passed the usual vote
ef thanks to the retiring temporary
chairman, and then the committee on
rules reported. The report was adopted,
end makes the unit rule hold good in
khis convention.
While waiting for the report of the
committee on platform Senator Palmer,
of Illinois, was called to the plat form by
She shouts Of delegates, and made q
brief speech, in which he asserted that
alis state would go Democratic, a pre-
diction that was received with thunders
OF applause. Ex-Governor Campbell, of
Ohio, also addressed the convention,
asking the Democrats to keep their eyes
on Ohio next November. There were
alsoscalls for Senator Mills of Texas,
Governor Taylor of Tennessee, Senator
Carlisle of Kentucky, At iorney General
Hensel of Pennsylvania, Burke Cochran
of New York and Henry Watterson, but
they failed to respond. Finally, at :44
p. M, the convention took recess un-
til s o'clock.
THE NIGHT SESSION.
HAfnr4 ,e A.. trs....s. n. A.