The herald., 1896-09-12
sEPTEnBER

monty accepted opinion, am compelled
to admit, but that there Is any such gen.
eral corruption as is currently believed,
l unhesitatingly deny. Personally be-
lieve that the great majority of the
least during the two sessions Of which I
have any personal knowledge, were
honest and conscientious men, earnest
ly desiring to legislate for the best in
terests of the constituents, and that by
far the greater portion of the evil legisla-
tion which has found it's was upon our
statute books is caused by incompetence
and ignorance, rather than by dishon-
esty and corruption.
But however much or little of truth
there may be In this prevailing opinion
1t is self-evident that the only way to
improve the situation is by the selection
of better and more honorable men for
legislative office, and as this selection
rests solely and entirely with the people,
it is very clear that we have only our
selves to blame If the members of our
legislature are otherwise than satisfac-
tory. And nothing Is truer than that if
good men refuse to accept public offices,
bad men will secure them, and l believe
that no one can render a more patriotic
service to his country than by accepting
such public position as may be rendered
him by his fellow citizens, and having
accepted, discharging the duties of his
office in such manner as to win or re-
tain the good opinion of his friends and
neighbors-those among whom his daily
life Is passed.
New. my friends, the national cam
paign upon which we have entered is
one which will prove to be memorable in
the history of our country and our party:
and while 1t Is neither proper nor de-
sirable that l should here engage in any
discussion of the all important issues
of this campaign, 1t Is not improper that
] should express the belief that upon the
proper solution of these issues will de-
pend the honor and prosperity-nay,
possibly, the very existence of our coun-
try as nation.
The spirit of unrest and discomfort
was never SO prevalent among us as
now, and the people are ready to ac-
cept almost any one as their prophet
who comes before them with plausible
promises of increased prosperity. Our
time-tried and time honored institu-
tions are being brought into disrepute
and contempt through the mistaken or
wilful Misrepresentation of able but
demagogical speakers. Protection. that
foundation stone of Republican princi-
ples-protection for American industries
and American workmen-has been ig-
nored during the last three years of our
national administration, with the result
that today our factories are closed, our
spindles are silent, our workmen are
idle, our farmers are without a market
for their produce, and we have added to
our national debt more than two hun
dred and fifty millions of dollars.
Even our supreme court, that Gibral-
tar of safety, established by the faith
ers of our constitution, tribunal which
has given to history a Marshall and a
Story, and which has long been conceded
to be among the ablest and purest tri-
bunals of the world, even that august
body has been covertly attacked in the
national platform of one of our great
political parties. And there are un-
mistakable intimations that that tri-
bunal should be reorganized in order to
obtain a decision in accordance with
the view of it's critics.
Now, my friends, I am not here IT,
discuss the merits or dement's of the in
come tax. Personally, do not hesitate
to say that believe 1t just and proper
tax; but this declaration to which I
have referred is to my mind the most
revolutionary and alarming ever adopt
ed in any political platform in our coun-
try-one that strikes at the very root
and substance of our existence as
nation and our liberties as people.
Fellow Republicans. this is time
when every Republican should remem-
ber the principles of his party, principles
which have always been held dearest
and most sacred in that party, which
1 believe to be the greatest purest and
best political party that ever sustained
a nation in it's darkest hours of trial,
and safely guided it's affairs when the
great struggle was forever ended; and
believe that each one of us here today
should deem it his most sacred privilege
h r. Ia at1c tn r.
power to defeat the nominees who stand
upon a platform so antagonistic to every
principle for which we have stood as a
party, as is the Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago. I believe this to be
our duty. not simply as Republicans,
but as true American citizens, thor
oughly imbued with love Of our country
and determined at whatever cost to pre-
serve that country and her institutions
a country which has done more than any
other upon the face Of the earth for the
advancement Of humanity, liberty and
civilization.
Are we ready. then, as Republicans,
as American citizens, to intrust the af-
fairs of this beloved country of ours in
the hands Of an inexperienced man,
dominated by an untried theory? I say
no, q thousand times no. And want
to say to you that there Is only one way
in which that can be prevented and that
is by bending every energy to secure the
election of the standard -bearaer of our
own grand old party, that brave SOL
dier, able statesman and upright citi-
zen, who will bring to the executive man
sion ripe experience, sound judgment
and spotless patriotism, William Nc
Kinley of Ohio.
The business Of the convention being
over, Chairman Long congratulated the
delegates on the work they had done
and an adjournment was taken.