Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-10-11
leir platform they said never word against

declaring that "a political crusade in the nine
teenth century. and in the Unitod States,
against Catholics and foreign-borm. $ neither
justified by the past history or future pros
poets of the country, nor in unison with the
spirit OF liberation and enlightened freedom
which peculiarly distinguishes the American
system of popular government
Inc governor next discussed the tariff, labor
organizations, free coinage of silver. monopo-
lies. etc.
In regard to the tariff he said among other
things:
The senate bill. recently enacted into law,
does not meet the public expectation. AS
measure OF tariff reform il is a disappointment.
1t is not up to the standard of the Chicago
platform. But go not too fast or too far in con-
demning. l sympathize with the president in
his desire for 4 more comprehensive and demo-
cratic measure. am rejoiced to see him so
indignant and rcseItful. I heartily agree with
him that the legislative battle just ended at
Washington IS but skirrrish. We must lift
higher than ever tn. banner o. tax reform. of
industrial emancipation. CT commercial free
dom. and bear il on rr.ore resoluteir than be-
fore
If the senate from all the states had been
as faithful those from Missouri and Ar
kansas, monopoly would have been driven in
utter and hopeless discontinue from the field.
Cnhappily. all were not so faithful. The truth
is, the senate is not what il ought TO be. Every
year become more and more convinced that
a radical reform in senatorial methods is one of
the crying needs of the hour. To begin with,
senators. should be elected by direct vote OF
the people they represent. And until that is
authorized By law, I unheSitatinyIy and heart
lily approve the growing demand that sena-
tors shall be nominated as governors and
other officers are nominated by state conyen-
tOns- The Illinois plan should be adopted by
all the states In that way the people can have
some direct voice in the selection of their Sena-
tOrial representatives
A WESTERN MAN
The governor concluded his speech by an
earnest appearl to the democrats to get to-
gether." and reiterated his opposition to any
eastern man for the presidency in 1896. On
this point he said:
For years have opposed the dominance of
eastern influences in the democratic party In
March 1892. in speech delivered at Jefferson
City in the house of representatives. ANNOUNCE
ing my candidacy for the governorship. de-
ciared my hostility to the nomination of an
eastern man at the then approaching Chicago
convention. In April 1898. in speech had
the honor to deliver before the New York board
OF trade. again. even in that presence, declared
for western ideas and western man At all
times and seasons 1 have been engaged in
preaching this doctrine from one end of the
country to the other | am rejoiced to see that
the sentiment is growing in strength. and that
many able men are coming to its support.
am not hostile to the eastern states. Far from
1t. want them prosperous happy and great
HOi the TACT, ana 10 IlaI TACT
DO OBJECT, that those states have been long
prospecting at our expense. The eastern states
are more inclined than the western to sacrifice
patriotic interests to commercial consdera-
tions For years the fiscal and economic affairs
OF the government have been directed from
that quarter. I had hoped that the graspng
spirit of eastern sectionalism would tiisap-
pear upon the accession of democracy to
power. regret that 1t did not. On the con-
trary- it has been permitted to intrude itself
L
councils, and to exert potent and hurtful in
fuence on our party policies. But in 1895 We
will assert our supremacy and nominate a
western man on a western platform. He must
be Stalwart. genuine representative of west
ern manhood and ideas: rot merely a make
shift. He must be western in sentiment. not
simply in residence. There are west
ern men who are wholly acceptable
to Wall street. That is not the kind
1 want. L want a western candidate nominated
by western men. not By the brokers of New
York the society dudes of Boston. Here
after we should take affairs in own
hands. The democratic party is all right. We
may be betrayed or outraged by this or
that, but the party is all right. This is the
time for democrats to Shirk Sulk 1t is in
the hour of danger that a man 5 mettle is tried.
towards only desert when the tide OF battle is
at is height. Whatever may be charged against
us. the truth remains that the democratic party
is only hope. The true principles of de-
take control of the party and strike off plu-
tOcracyS debaSing clutch. The thing we call
plutOcracy is here. 1t represents the power Of
money. 1t will struggle to control any party
| that becomes great and powerful. The repub-
lcan party is its confessed and willing Servitor.
| The populist party is utterly powerless 20 ac-
compliSh any substantial end. 1t has many
honest. well-meaning men in its ranks, but it
is the refuge. also of army of visionary
cranks and diSgruntled malcontents. The
honest man should be in the ranks of the demo-
cratic party.
Whatever the populst has that is worthy
his love and effort he has taken from the DEM
ocratic party. He but pleases his enemy when
he stands aloof, idly advocating measures
which, If not absurd. can not at least. be made
successful for years to come. He may hate
plutocracv in his heart. but by weak
ening the opposing force he becomes
its unconscious ally. Let all the
friends of the democratic party and of old
fashioned democracy rally once again under
that old banner that Jefferson first bore with
loving hand, and which ought to be precious TO
every democratic heart because of the glorious
memories around it. Let Missouri,
and then from Missouri go forth to redeem the
Union