The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-20

They are Jealous like all good citizens, for the
honor of the country [cries of 1--WE are and
they mean to maintain unsullied the proud
name of America. [Great cheering.l
They do not believe in either public or pri-
vate dishonesty. APPLAUSE and cries of 'No,
no."l They waEt the Government to pay its
debts in the best currency known to the CON-
mereial world. Applause and cries OF That's
rlght.l And they want the railways to pay
them in the best currency of the world TGreat
cheering and cries of "Hurrah for McKinley.']
Currency that will not be questioned and that
will pass current everywhere on its face value
without discount or depreciation. Renewed
cheering and cries of That's what we want."l
L cannot conceive of a more potential force
In our politics this year than the men who traV-
erse this country IRON one END of it to the
other, and to feel that large percentage OF
that force is enlisted In the Republican cause
and is fighting Tor the success of the Republi-
can principles is an assurance of victory which
will gladden. every patriotic heart [Great APP
plause.l
You are always solicitous for the trains in
your charge; you guard them with sleepless
activity from wrecks and wreckers, and as
citizens of this glorious republic you are
deeply concerned in its progress and honor,
and will guard with equal care from wreck the
credit and currency and courts OF the United
States [Great applause and cries of eve
Wilt The signals of danger to public safety
and honor are as quickly, as faithfully needed
by you as are the danger signals the roads
have established for the safety of life and
property committed to your care. [Cheering.l
The perils which lie along the path of the Ma
TONS progress you would help to remove as
you would remove those along the track of the
mighty railroads you operate. welcome the
railroad employees of this country as allies in
the great contest for the country's honor and
the country's flag. [Applausel
The contest this year, my countrymen, If it
results in victory for the Republican party
will not be mere party victory, but victory
deeper and broader and more significant than
that, for it will represent the votes of men OF
all parties, who unite with the Republican
party in the patriotic purpose to preserve the
honor of the country. Applause and cries of
''You are right."1
With the many delegations that are visiting
me to-day, the one crowding the other, am
sure you Will excuse me from talking at
greater length, as would be glad to do to this
splendid audience of earnest and patriotic
men. I thank you, one and all, for this visit
It has been an inspiration to me, and believe
that it will be of invaluable service to the
cause in which we are all engaged. [Great
applause.l
And now, Mr.. Burke and gentlemen of the
Telegraphers' Association of Chicago, 1 am
glad to greet you here with the railroad en-
ployes, who have honored me with their
presence. [Applause.l Perhaps none of us APP
preciate the degree of universal acceptance
that the telegraph has obtained.
remember as boy OF reading how Morse,
the first to put the telegraph into practical use
in the United states, sent his first greeting
across the wires-the significant message,
What hath God wrought Little did the
people know then what gift he had made to
lit ST,
ages. [Applausel When the Democratic Ma
tional Convention in 1914 was in session at
Baltimore it is said the news of Mr.. Folks
nomination was instantly telegraphed TO
Washington, sixty miles distant; but it found
no credence there Men did not believe in the
accuracy OF the statement and waited until it
was verified by the newspapers or the return
ing delegates daughter and applause.1 Per-
haps the news was surprising where differ
ent result was so confidently expected, but it
illustrates the credulity of the times and the
lack of confidence in scientific accuracy. Con-
trast this lack of faith with the story of the
old man who, it is reported, had learned to
read the ticking of the wires, waited patiently
at the telegraph Office in Chicago for many
hours for news from Washington that Lee had
surrendered.
He sprang to his feet with the happy excla-
nation which proved to be his last words
"Now 1 can die happy" [Great cheering ]
Congress gave very scant aid to the great in
Fvention, and some of the old statesmen
laughed to scorn a proposition to make small
appropriation for connecting Washington and
Baltimore by telegraph line, saying it was
chimerical and could not be done [aughterl,
and yet they lived to see such lines practi-
cally girdle the glope. American genius and
enterprise, wiser than the law-givers, was
soon extending wires everywhere, until now
1 believe it is estimated that the American
lines extend for 100000 miles, with 500 900
miles of wire, $4,000 Offices and $4,000 en-
ployes Everywhere the service is efficient and
reliable tgreat cheeriugl, and I congratulate
the telegraphers of Chicago and the repre-
sentatives of those of the entire country on
the marvellous skill, rapidity and accuracy
with which the millions of messages almost
daily are handled and transmitted. ZAP
plause.l
1t is gratifying, too, to find them as sensible
in politics in business [great appIausel;
as quick to enhance the prosperity of the
country and as unitedly in support of the
right as they are uniformly attentive and
obliging to the public. [Great applausel
1 thank you, my fellow-citizens, for your
call and appreciate most highly indeed your
assurances CT support, which your eloquent
spokesman have presented to me. wish 1
could shake hands with every man in this
audience. [Cries of 1--WE wish you could, too
major."l do not know that can do it, but I
am glad to meet you and greet you and am
glad to know that you are enlisted in the
great cause as against public reputation.
| Tremendous cheering.l
The delegations from Button and Mer-
Ger counties were just behind the Chicago
men. AS soon as they could find room
| they took their places near the stand.
There were 100 in the two delegations.
Major Mckinley said to them:
My Fellow-citizens: appreciate the message
which comes from the farmers. from the WORK.
ingmen of those two counties, and from nv
| fellow-citizens generally, and thank them all
| from the bottom of my heart for their warm
tender of assurance of fidelity to the Republi-
can cause and to the Republican party [Cries
of "Hurrah for McKinley."1
What we want in this country, first and fore
most. is work for the American worklngmen,
[Appiause.1 And am one of those who be-
neye in the doctrine of protecting American
factories against foreign factories. [Cries OF
''Good."l What we want is chance to work
! and when we have wages the home market is
improved for the farmer. We want honest
American dollars. [Criet of 'fThats righL"1