The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1896-08-20

friends OF American institutions rave then
anchored their hopes for the future? The
and L.: Shall this great republic confess imam
ctal servttude to England or act independent
ly for itself. Shall this government follow
or shall It lead. Shall it be vassai
or . sovereign This republican con-
yention declared for foreign supremacy-for
American subse-viency. 1t upheld the Brit
ish policy OF q single gold standard. fraudu-
lensly fastened upon this country. and de-
clared that We are utterly incapable OF main-
tanning an independent policy Of our own.
Confessing that the gold standard is frauRht
with evil to our people, and that bimetallism
Is best for this nation and for the world. 1t
yet declared that we are helpless; that We
must stand Idle while our industries are pros
trated and our people ruined until England
shall consent for US TO lift our hands in our
own defense. To this low state Mammon
brought the great party OF the immortal Lin
coin. For years plutocracy has been winding
its Shiny and poisonous coils around the re.
publican party, and 1t will strangie 1t to death
as the sea serpents of old strangled the
Trojan priest OF Neptune and his sons. So
also It has laid its foul, corroding hands
on the democratic party-the party.of Jeffer-
son and Jackson-and used all its giant
strength to bend to its purposes. Within both
parties there was a mighty struggle for su-
premacy between those who believe In tho
sovereignty Of the people and those who be-
lieve In the divinity of pelf. Upon the repub-
uCdu party the n3uu OF MdICuS AuEciluS
Hanna has bvckled golden mail and sent 1t
forth dedicated to the service OF plutocracy in
this free land Of ours But In the democratic
party, thank God, the people were trtum-
phant. There the clutch OF the monev power,
after a tremendous conflict, was broken. The
priests Of Mammon were scourged from the
temple. and to-day, under the providence OF
high heaven. the old party rejuvenated, stands
forth, stronger and better than ever, the un.
daunted champion OF constitutional liberty,
svxAn Ay1RA
The gauge Of battle thrown down at st. Louis
was taken up at Chicago. Against English
ideas We place American ideas; against An
English policy VIC place an American policy;
against foreign domination we place American
independence; and against the selfish control
Of privileged classes we place the sovereignty
OF the people.
The republican platform is the antethesis OF
the democratic platform. One stands for gold
monometallism. the other for gold and silver
bimetallism. One proposes that we wait upon
other nations; the other that we act for our
selves. One proposes that the government
shall lean upon he bankers OF New York ana
London; the other that the secretary OF the
treasury shall stand erect confident and fear
less. and assert his power to protect the rights
of the people and the honor of the nation. One
proposes to continue the policy issuing bonds;
the other to stop it. One declares for Euro
pean alliance; the other is declaration OF
American independence. Upon all these inn
the two great political parties OF the
republic. Certainly there are other
things OF moment in which the people feel pro-
found concern, but OF all questions in the cur
rent political affairs of this day and generation
the financial question rises to such supreme
importance that all other subjects are practi-.
cally excluded from present consideration. The
Chicago convention declared in so many words
that until this great paramount issue was deh-
nitely settled, and settled right, the conSfdera-
tfOu ALI other inpOrtaQt questions. upon
which the people are seriously divided. should
be postponed. or at least not pressed upon the
public for rexecutiyefattentlon. Around this one
supreme issue the great battle OF 1896 is to be
fought. For the first time IT has been fairly
presented, without evasion or disguise. Both
parties have taken position boldly. Both are
confident aud defiant Between them the
American people are the arbiters; and
ment upon the most important question
presented to them since the storm OF
civil war wrecked happy homes and left its
bloody trail upon the land They are to pass
judgment upon a question which I profoundly
believe affects, as no other question can, not
only the present happiness and prosperity OF
the people, but the felicity OF their children,
the perpetuity OF American Institutions, the
well being Of mankind
The Chicago platform has been denounced as
undemocratic, and the delegates composing
the convention have been stigmatized as an
archists and socialists We have heard much
of this from q certain class of papers and in
dividuals.
Who composed the Chicago convention?
From Missouri the delegation sent to that con-
vention was composed of farmers, lawyers,
doctors, editors, merchants, manufacturers
and several OF the most conspicuously success
full business men in the Mississippi valley:
among them were prominent judges OF high
courts, senators OF the United States. repre-
sentatives in congress. and the treasurer and
governor of the state.
What was true OF Missouri was equally true
OF all the states. II these men could not speak
for the democratic party, who could. II these
men do not understand democracy, who are its
exponentS: But these are the men who are
ridiculed as an unthinking, unheeding mob.
who can not be trusted in the conduct OF public
affairs; and these are the men who must give
way % English tcadles and the pampered
minions OF corporate rapacity, who arrogate to
themselves all shev,rtues and wisdom Of the
world.
Sir. the man who holds up to opprobrium
such men as constituted the Chicago conveu-
tion; who denounces them as cranks. anarchists
or socialists, or who in any respect impugns
their intelligence or patriotism. does him
self most rank injustice, If he be not
knave, slanderer or fool. That
convention did indeed represent the
masses" OF the people the great industrial
and producing masses OF the people 1t repre-
sented tae men who plow and plant, who fat
ten herds, who toll in shops, who fell forests
and delvo In mines. But are these to be re-
earded with contumely and addressed In terms
Of contempt? They are the brayest and the
tenderest, the truest and the best. These are
the men who spoke at Chicago in tones that
rang ont clear. and high and strong. They
were in earnest and did not mean to be mis-
understood. It was the voice of true democ-
racy. It was also the voice of deep conviction.
spoken without fear. They demanded what
they want, and they mean to have It They
did not 20 to Wall street for their principles,
nor over the sea for their Inspiration. Their
principles we're inherited from the fathers. and
their Inspiration sprang from an unconQuera-
BILE love of country and Of home.
For leader they chose one OF the own
q plain man Of the people. His whole life and
life work Identifies him. in sympathy and in-
dustrial forces Of the country. Among them
he was born and reared. and has lived and
wrought all the days OF MS life. To their
cause he has devoted all his splendid powers
with which God endowed him. He has been
their constant and fearless companion. They
know him and they trust him. Suave, yet frme
gentle ret dauntless; warm hearted. yet de-
liberate; confident and seh-pofsed. but with
out vanity; learned in books and statecrAfs,
but without pedantry or pretense: .
superb orator. yet a man OF the great
est caution and method; equipped with
large experience In public affairs, true
to his convictions. true to himself. and false TO
NO man, William J. Bryan Is model Amer
lean gentleman and q peerless leader OF the
people. This man Is our leader. Under his
banner, and guided by his wisdom. We will 60
1~.ey, - %nn<,Y,nr Tat, r1llu evarvrharo on