Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-16

libellers of the late convention know
that the Chicago platform is not an
archical. In most respects it is inspired
by enlightened progressiveness. The an
archical elements in the convention
Tillman and Altgeld-were distinctly
frOwned upon. Tiilman was Kissed when
ever he rose to speak. The mild implied
criticism of the majority of the supreme
court or rather of the one justice who
changed his mind, was thoroughly we'll
deserved, and might have been made
much stronger without improperly.
Since when have. we been endowed with
infallible judges, whose acts are above
criticism? If the advocacy of the just
and scientific principle of the taxation
of large incomes was anarchistic, then
every statesman in England is an an
archist and, instead of searching the
cellars of the houses Of parliament for
barrels of gunpowder, the authorities
ought to search the pockets of every
member for bombs. The income tax is
the backbone of the British financial sys-
tenn; it is about to be introduced, in a
graduated form at that, into France, and
it already exists in its most extreme de-
gree in Germany.
1.-THE condemnation OF the practice Of
substituting government by injunction
for the old, orderly processes of courts
and juries, so far from being revolution
airy, is Yindication of the ancient rights
of the English speaking race against a
deserves the name of anarchy much bet
ter than anything done at Chicago.
'"rhe platform reaffirms the principle
Endorsed by vast majority of the people
of the United States, of tariff for reye-
nue. only, and protests, against the dis
turbance to business that would be
caused by a return to McKinleyism.
There is nothing incendiary in that. In
this point it is the Chicago platform that
is conservative and the one adopted at
st. Louis that is revolutionary.
I'VE hold, adds the democratic pro-
fession of faith, that the most efficient
way of protecting American labor Is to
prevent the importation of foreign pau
per labor to compete with it in the home
market That is honest straightforward
protection-the only kind that does what
it pretends to do.
'The Chicago platform demands sim
plicity and economy in government and
protests against the prohigate waste of
money that has characterized republican
legislation. That is not the reckless spir-
it of a mob 1t is rather the sober utter
ance of prudent property owners and
tax payers, of whom the Chicago conven-
ton was principally composed.
"The protest against arbitrary federal
interference in local affairs is one which
Jefferson would have commended as the
very foundation stone of his political
faith.
I'm denouncing the attempt to swindle
the government out of more than Szoo,-
600, 900 by extending the Pacific railroad
debts the convention was fighting an
archy, for there can be no more danger
our anarchists than those who are pow
erful enough to override the laws and
amaSS wealth from the property or the
people.
Moreover. the silver plank in the Chi
eago platform does not deserve the fran
tic vituperation leveled against it, If its
authors were mistaken in their methods,
their aim was to introduce bimetlllism,
and bmetallism is a scientific theory
with too much expert authority on its
side to brand its advocates as lunatics or
1ncendiaries.
"Nor is 1T possible with any more sim
cerity to call Mr. Bryan a demagogue
He is the very reverse of "a demagogue
He follows the truth as he sees it, though
it leads him to political destruction
Last year he could muster only 10000
votes for his faction in Nebraska out OF
over 100000, but he had no thought or
compromise. He fought on, regardless
of victory or defeat, thinking only of
what he believed to be right. If he had
not been nominated nobody would have
dreamed of calling him "a demagogue.
His spirit is rather that of a prophet.
son the other side we have William
Mckinley, bound hand, foot and tongue
to the most corrupt combination that
ever exhibited itself openly in an Amer
lean presidential campaign. His cleo
ton would put the resources of the gov
eminent at the disposal of the Hanna
syndicate. 1t would mean return to
Chinese protection, and the exploitation
of the people by rapacious ring of man.
darins. 1t would mean in the end pop
ular revolt, before which affrighted con-
servatism might pray for leader with
the moderate instincts of Bryan.
I'm most respects the superiority OF the
democratic candidate is so palpable as
to make comparisons needlessly cruel to
his opponent. What then, Is the duty
of American citizens who desire to Sc
cure the best possible government Tor
the republic during the next four years!
Plainly it is to vote for that presidential
candidate who is manifestly best fitted
to administer the government and to set
tie the financial question through their
representatives in congress Gold men
may vote for gold candidates, silver men
for silver candidates, and bimetallists
for bimetallists. But nobody who real
ICES what is at stake in this campaign
can vote to abandon government OF the
people, by the people, for the people, in
favor of government of Mckinley, by
Hanna. for a syndicate"