Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-08-29

mon enemy. We must recognize the
gravity of the situation. 1t is now
less than year since we were beaten
in this state by nearly 140, 1000 plurali
ty, nor was this local disaster af-
fecting only the party in the state.
We suffered from the Atlantic to the
tcific and from the lakes to the
gutf. We were beaten in our strong
holds, as we'll as in doubtful places,
and it is idle to talk of it's being the
fault OF any one man, or any single
act of the party, or any of the minor
causes that effect political success.
The shadow of the great world wide
panic, the industrial and financial
depression, low prices for all pro-
ducts, low wages, or no wages for
workingmen everywhere, despair for
, farmer and mechanic, terror and ruin
for bankers and merchants, and at
the bottom of all a false tariff system
running in turn manufactures and
consumer, and an unwise and fatally
weak currency situation, had thrown
over the whole nations resentment
against the party which happened to
be in power when the disaster came.
Millions of Democrats remained at
home-hundreds of thousands of our
own state-as mute protest against
the powerlessness of their president
and their congress to prevent or pro-
tect them from these disasters. Men
from all parties and everywhere were
freely saying that the Democratic
party was dead, dissolved, gone off
into the camps of the Populists and
the Socialists and has become mere
wandering bands of fugitives, with
out union and without hope. There
was wild, fierce clamor against the
president, against the Democratic sem
ate, against the Democratic house.
So widespread was this feeling of
hopelessness among our party that
we have already lost our majority in
the senate, not to be regained in
many years. Our majority of more
than 100 in the house of representa-
tives has been reversed and our mem
bership in the branch of the present
congress is mere handful. Is this
the time for those who remain stead
fast and loyal to the great party Of
Jefferson, Jackson, Tilden and Cleve-
land to indulge in quarrels and recrimi-
nations? Should we not. rather well
come all who are willing to join hands
and build the Democratic structure
on which, as we believe, lies happi-
ness and safety for this government
and its people?
'But gentlemen, does not this con-
vention, and the intense feeling mani
tested by those who attended it, and
those who have sent their delegates
here, tell the story that change has
come over the public mind; that the
Democratic party is no longer pros
trated; that it's fortunes are rising,
and that it is quite worth the while
to be in the Democratic army, which
already has the assured and confident
step of march toward victory?
Panic and fear have passed away.
The beneficence of Democratic legis-
lation has already produced and
is producing it's effects. Faith
Faith is rapidly being restored, CON
fidence re-established and business
everywhere reviving, and it is now
clear, that it is only question of
time, either in November of this
year, when the American people will
reward the Democratic party for it's
profound service to the republic. The
three great promises made to the
American people in 1892 have been
more nearly fulfilled and carried more
nearly into execution than any three
promises ever made by any party in
any platform. What were they? They
were summed up by SamuelJ. Tilden
forty years ago as home rule, sound
money and free trade as nearly as
governmental requirements permit;
and under the very shade Of the dis
aster brought on this country by the
Republican laws, against which we
protested and whose repeal we de-
manded-the force bill, the Nc cKinley
bill and the Sherman bill. These
promises were fulfilled. The Demo-
cratic party repealed and wiped from