Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-15
THE FIRST GUN.
Opening Of the Campaign by Hon.
Franklin MacVeagh at Chicago.
Ne Defines His Position on the Pub.
Tic Questions Of the Oay-The Line
Of Battle Clearly Drawn.

CHICAGO. Sept. 1.-The capacity of
Central music hall was tested to its ut
most by the wildly-enthusiastic crowd
that assembled tonight at the OPEN
ing of the campaign of 1894 by Hon.
Franklin MacVeagh, democratic cam
didate for United States senator.
Chairman Phelps. of the state central
committee, called the meeting to order
in felicitous speech and introduced
Hon. W. I. Baker rs the chairman of
the evening. The latter spoke briefly
and concluded by presenting Mr.. Mac
Veag b. who was received with tumultu-
Gus applause. The enthusiasm rather
increased as the evening wore on, and
Mr.. MacVeagh was frequently inter-
rupted by wild cheers of approval as
he delivered the following opening
speech of the campaign of 1894:
Mr. CHAIRMAN. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
Our plan OF letting the people choose United
states senators Is not approved by the press
and leaders OF the republican party. They fat
ly refuse to allow their people 10 have any
thing to do with United States senators. They
the people, but they evidently had IL in mind.
They have changed since the days of their
popular cnthusiasins, In Lincoln's time. Then
they could not get too near TO the people: now
they cannot set fur enough away from them.
bac iness , Sers ana 81 pF acton S
from the people. the republican press and
leaders would retire 70 them. And so. point by
point. the responsibility of being the only peo-
pies party is put upon the democrats
The republican press ana leaders object also
toour nominee. They cannot feel sure OF his
democracy. They think man who was born
democrat, as ! was. should never have been
anything else. They believe Ia hereditary par
tsans. To them party Is 81 oriental caste,
which no man can enter except by the gateway
of birth, and none. but a renegade. leave until
he dies. independent thought Is hercsy; and
independent action. total dopravity. They re-
gard the men they lose n traitors: and how
thcy would regard a convert. VIC have of late
years had no opportunity To find out. We only
know how they look upon our converts; and can
guess that u republican convert would be kept
on the anxious seat"
The contrast between the two parties will
not be lost upon those independent voters who
do not believe In hereditary politics. They
viii honor the democratic party for the open
welcome IL extends TO oil citizens willing TO
aid It's principles. AL independent men will
honor 10 because Its doors arr always wide open
to svery one e. tss peSpef All s such 81 men-a
party exists which ell can enter without any
sense Of intrusion, and in which no patriotic
citizen eau possibly feel himself unweIeome or
But we must not look to the republican
party Tor the impulses or crecds Of liberalism.
And why Bccausc 81 + not a liberal party. 1t
T. tory party. The republican party started
life LIBERAL party. and was famous il the lines
ofliberaliStl. IL became q tory party so grad
uaIly and informally that it, radical change Of
front was obscurCd. There never was a more
emphatic Testimony TO the value OF q right
start In llfC. Here j. u party vaich. bCcCusc it
impressed the nation at the beginning with It's
devotisn TO tho ideals OF liberalism. 70 the
cause Of the whole people and TO the very
dreams OF human progress, has for twenty
years. without disturbing the confidence oi o
majority Of its rank and tile, been gliding
steadily away from its early enthusiasm for
human progress and the ideals OF modern de-
noCracy into the sOrdid service Of a privileged
elass--aw..y from al the modern impulses OF
40 NOT of
ism. A minority % it, people have. IL Is true.
abandoned u. tut the majority remain and
think themselves members Of "a liberal party.
Dcrrneraey Of the Republican Party.
The change began with the loss Of the i'm
mortal Lincoln Tho great liberal period of
the republican party bean 10 close whom the
eaidaacc Of The sreat leader PASSED toSe,aeT
out 81 It's IIfc. The new situations failed to
support It's liberal aspirations and t-le new
men failed " live on L!ucolr's heights. The
change bcgan In the partisan exifcncies OF the
reconstruction period. The party then con-
OF the natiOn ana entered upon its career OF
bonding the nation to the service Of the party.
Tho Reconstruction measures, starting from
Lincoln's patriotic platform o! real reunion.
soon detcriorated into the notorious quarrels
and sluabOles OF the party leaders and fiually
into Che wrctehed aud insufferabie scandals
and abuses OF cGrpct-bag government. The
colored people who, as slaves in the days Of
republican liberalism. were objects Of noble
and ursclrSh sacrifices. rs freefncn were soon
treated and have ever since been treated
rs mere supports OF republican rule. The
slayes whom the liberal republican par;y made
free men the tory republican party made slaves.
This period frst stirred those rcvolts within
the party which ended in the independent ex-
piosion Of iss4 and the great republican exo-
The second step was easy. When the re-
publican party. from having been controlled
by the people for themselves, came to control
the people for itself, II was easy for bosses
the Conklings. the Cancrons and the Logans-
60 rise up and take the control of the party to
This was tho period of the complete debauch-
cry and decentralization OF the civil service
the perfect riot OF spoils-the whisky frauds
tho star route scandals-thc credit mobilier
rottenncss-the boss Shepherd reign In WASH
ingson.and, the back pay erab1all marking
publican party Of Lincoln and the new tory
party Of Grants second term.
The third step was from the stage OF bosses
VINO. bad as they were. still gave the party u
political flavor. to the stage OF the protected
lords and gentlemen" The protected lords
party themselves, lnd became both its rulers
and It's bcnctciarics-settingu up nominal Lead
ers. but sctzing protection and privilege pr.c-
tically with their OWE hands This third st u has
landed the party In toryism pure and simple.
We have now tory party with ali the essen-
men in control-the devotion TO privilege-the
exclusive interest IL n single cinss-thc belief
In protection-thc demand for q strongly CEN
tralizcd government. ana the disbelief IN home
rule-thc belief In pStronage-thc belief in pa
ternalism. Tor the rich-and the conception
tnat prJkrcss ueIpCflts upon tue promotion OF u
wealthy class. As q liberal party IL had high
ideals and was In oil truth political party; us
"a tory party IL scorns ideals and has lowered
Its interests from the plane Of politics TO the
plane of trade.
The story OF the democratic pcrty is o differ
eut one. The leaders OF both the whiy and
democratic parties lost their opportunity. US
the climax OF the slavery question came on
before the war. The wing party went OF the
scene forever. But nothing beyond temporary
setback could happen TO the democratic party.
because u Is based upon the permanent ideals
and principles OF modern democracy. and re-
lated. therefore. TO the whole people in u wny
that cannot wear out. AS long however, as
the republican party remained liberal party
md the party OF the whole people. there wns
no chance for the democratic party TO regain
Its lend. i,ut when the republican party be-
ran its departure from liucgulism-began its
tory dcvclopmcnt-it began to be plain that
the DIV % the democratic party had returned.
=. Dy isys It's opponcn. had distinctly entered
It's tory career, and the place Of the liberal
party could only be Allied by the democratic
party. a bold dash vas made for the REIN
statement of liberalism In is5s nt time when
the liberal revolt In the republican party like
wise undertook the overthrow Of the new tory
ism. The attempt, through the nomination Of
Greeley. failed. but the great liberal move
mcnt, then begun. never ceased to 20 forward
until liberalism was finally roinstated in all
pats of The government. except in the senate.
In isys: and the liberal leadership Of the DEM
liz L Ulssfif-