Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1896-08-20
WHY | AM A REPUBLICAN.
An Eloquent Address by Tom Fitch
of Arizona.

st. Louis convention, Tom Fitch, one
OF the most noted free-silver advocates
i'll the territory, was called upon to
speak, and responded in aspeech which
for simple eloquence and beauty of die
tlon deserves preservation. His rea-
sons why he should remain in the re-
publican party are unanswerable, and
should be read by all republicans. The
reading will in no way dwarf their en-
thuslasm for the old party. The full |
text of Mr.. Fitch's speech is as follows:
Gentlemen OF the conventions: !
thought that the seclusion that the up
per gallery grants, combined with other
circumstances, would exempt me from
any invitation to speak before this
convention, but your repeated calls
leave me no alternative consistent
with courtesy but to answer them.
The speakers who have addressed
you have spoken of the free coinage of
silver as a cardinal principal of the Re
publican party. | fear that the st.
Louis convention may compel US to
rctrace some OF our steps in this
matter, and, as the statesmen who con-
troll this convention have not included
me among those deemed most fit to
represent Arizona at St. Louis, | feel
quite at liberty to tell the truth.
Il suppose no one Will question my
long devotion to the cause of free sill
yer coinage. Years ago, at the incep-
lon OF the movement, |, as vice presi-
dent of the national executive com
mlttee of the silver convention, in con-
nection with A. j. Warner, the presi-
dent of the committee, Travelled through
the west and south preaching the doe
trlne of blmetallisn, and | have never
since had occasion to change my views
with respect to the great benefits that
might result to this nation from the
complete restoration of silver as a
money metal; and yet there are other
circumstances quite as influential
which must be potent In determining
my future action, and the future
faction of many republicans in this
matter.
| This morning friend, who is a
member of this convention, and who
| now honors me with his audience, said
to me: MIR. Fitch, yoe have always
been pronounced advocate of the free
coinage of silver; what will you do if
the St. Louis convention adopt a plank
in their platform favoring single gold
standard and denouncing the free coin
age Of silyer?' | did not answer this
question then, bnt with your permis-
sion will do SO now
81 belong to the republican party be-
cause its history is the history of the
| growth, the greatness, and the freedom
OF the Nation; because its purposes are
( patriotic; because it is the friend Of la
Dor without being the foe of thrift: be-
cause 1T is wise, because it is just, be-
cause its restoration to complete power
! will reklndle the furnaces and start the
turbines, and fill the land with the mu-
sic of contented and well-paid toll, and
put bread into mems mouths and hope
into their hearts.
81 belong to the republican party be-
cause it is the grandest political organ
ization of freemen that the world has
ever known; because under its wise
! guidance, star after star has been added
to our igg, ship after ship has been
added to our fleets, factory after factory
has been added to our resources, mil
lions upon millions have been added to
our wealth, city after city has been de-
veloped from our villages, and the land
has been laced with network of IRON
rails, and furnace fires have Illuminated
4 the night, and the grand diapason of la
Dor has been made to sound throughout
tina continent.
81 belong to the republican party be.
cause under its inspiration these United
States, once wrangllng and discord.
ant commonWealsh; these United
States, once shamed with slavery and
decrepit with the disease of secession
these United States have become q
country where no slaves presence dis
honors labor, where no freemans utter
ances are choked by the hand of power
where no man doffs his hat to another
except through the courtesy of equals
where education is free, where man
J hood is respected, and where labor is
J protected.
Under the patriotic rule of the re
publican party these United States have
become a Nation whose credit reign:
, at the head of the worlds finances
whose flag floats proudly upon every
sea. and whose armies would come a
the drumbeat out of the hives of indus
try to swarm in the defense of tn,
country on every shore.
, "Under the rule of the republican
: party these United States have becom,
the greatest, freest, and most prosper
Gus Nation under the light OF the sun
|. 81 belong to the republican party be