Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-10-16
.PErT1GREw THEN AND NOW.
In his recent speech in this city, Mr..


cause in coming it gives me a chance
to say Il word in defense of Senator
Pettigrew among his own people,"
Ina previous speech by Mr. Bryan.
delivered at Burlington, To-, when a
man in the crowd shouted, "EIurrah
for McKinley!' the speaker said:
II want to ask my friend which Nc
kinley he is for-the Mckinley OF 1890
or the Mckinley of 1862"
And with certainly equal pertinence
Mr.. Bryan may be asked which Petit
grew he defends-the Pettigrew OF 1896
or the Pettigrew of 1892.
Four years ago Senator Pettigrew
made speech at Milbank. report Of
which was published in the Press. and
some extracts therefrom are intro
duced to show what kind OF a Petit
grew it is that Bryan says '.a word OF
defense among his own people,"
First let us see what was Senator
Pe.tigrcw's attitude with reference
to the financial and other schemes of
the populist party. In considering
these schemes he went down to funtla-
mental principles to show how entirely
natural the conditions are against
which the popuiistic reformers are ar.
raying their weak and feeble and illog-
ical projects. He said:
"They have shouted calamity and
plutocracy and all that, and have thus
sadly increased the discomfort which
was inevitably Il feature of our rapid
development, but which can never lie
cured by the unphilosophical ;gitators
which have inflicted themselves upon
the country.
'It was inevitable that the great de
velopment of steam and electricity and
general invention should afford enor-
moiisly increased opportunity for amas-
slug great wealth. 1t was inevitable
that this nineteenth century, with all
such advantages as the history of the
able that the generations thereof should
he unable to rapidly adjust themselves
to the conditions which this progress
bred. Ii was inevitablctha inthe pro
cess of djustment there should bcsome
who hy superior skill or ud.pttbility
or chance should get much more than
their share of the products OF this de-
velopment. I5was inevitable that there
should he some who by scliisslncss aud
fraU'! and force would rob their fellows.
",ihe republican party. with itsrecor'l
for concern in the welfare of all classes
and conditions of citizens the republi-
can party. with the history which it has
made in promoting every good thing
that has been enacted into government
since it WAS hori-this party may ba
depended on fordoiug whatever is dem
Ciistlated to be wise and just and eNpe.
dent IN regulating conditions. and in
responding to whatever unrest and dis
content may have their foundation in
Justice and equity to all the many i'll
terests involved.
sit is not worth while to take up and
discuss i'll detail the means by which
these Independent reformers propose
to regulate society and government.
1t is enough to say that not single
expert in such matters-not single
man generallyrecognized as "a profound
thinker upon such topics is enlisted
i'll the ranks of the populists.
That was only four years ago. The
OAidhh w WulCu CeUulOF
Pettigrew then referred in such severe
terms declared in favor of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to land still in his whole speech
there was not a single reference to his
Endorsement of any such thing. OF
populist notions on finance he spoke
most slightingly-declaring them to be
"fiat schemes" and that they are not
indorsed by profound thinkers upon
such TOPICS" But let us see what he
thought of the declarations of the re-
publican state platform of 1892, adopt.
ed ut the Madison convention. He
said:
''The republican platform of this
state declares our party to be the friend
and supporter of the interests which
these populists assume to especially
foster. 1t is a party the great majority
of whose memberships are included with
in the special classes to which the dem
agogues of the independent party appeal
There is no good thing in all the claims
and demands of these populists which
cannot be much more easily and more
certainly effected through the republi-
can party than through this indepen-
dent movement. The farmers and Ia
borers of the state have it absolutely
within their own hands to determine
what the republican party of this state
shall stand for. There is positively no
justification or excuse for the desertions
from its ranks which have been excited
by sorehead or disgruntled leaders of
this third party movement. Here in
the republican party is the natural
| home of every man who desires to pro-
mote any good and desirable thing in
government. Look at the declarations
of the Madison pla tform and see what
are the principles of the republican
party of this state''
And so let us turn to that Madison
platform, which Senator Pettigrew SO
cordially indorsed, and see what its de.
clarations were OH the subject of
finance. Here is what it said:
1--WE favor the use of both gold and
silver as standard money under such
legislative regulations as will secure
l - n.