Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-07-18

standard is the standard Of civil
izaton, why my friends, should
We not have it? So if they come to meet
us on that, can present the history OF
our nation. More than that. We can tell
them this. that they will search the pages
of history in vain to find single in
stance in which the common people OF
any land have ever declared themselves
in favor Of a gold standard. (AppauseD
They can find where the holders Of fixed
investments have
Mr. Carlisle said in 1873 that this was
a struggle between the idle holders Of idle
capital and the struggling masses who
! produce the wealth and pay the taxes
/ of the country, and, my friends, it is
! simply a question that we shall decide.
upon which side shall the democratic par
! ty fight? Upon the side of the idle hold
/ ers of idle capital. upon the side OF
\ the struggling masses? That is the ques-
i ton that the party must answer first, and
! then it must be answered by every indl-
i vidua hereafter. The sympathies OF the
, democratic party, as described by the
/ platform. are on the side of the struggling
masses. WHO have ever been the founda-
| ton of the democratic party. Applause)
Two ideas of Government.
| "Fhere are two ideas of government.
I; There are those who believe that if you
just leg:slate to make the well-to-do pros
through on those below. The democratic
idea has been that if you leg:slate to
make the masses prosperous their pros
perity will find its way up and through
every class and rest upon it. (Applause.)
"You come to rs and tell us that the
great cities are in favor of the gold stan
iard. l tell YOU that the great cities rest
upon these broad and fertile prairies.
Burn down yoHr cities and leave our
farms and Your cities VIII spring UP again
as If by magic. But destroy our farms
and the grass will grow in the streets
of every city in this country. Cloud APP
, planse.)
My friends, we shall declare that this
nation is able to lesislate for its own
people on every question, without wait
ing for the aid or consent of any other
nation on earth tapplause). and upon that
issue expect to carry every single
state in this union. (ApplauSe.) / shall
not SANDER the fair state of Massachus-
ctts nor the state of New York by saying
that when its citizens are confronted With
the proposition. Is this nation able to at
tend to its own busineSS?-l will not SLAM
jer either one by saying that the people
Of those states viii declare our helpless
imrOtency as nation to attend to our
own business. Ii is the issue of 11l6 over
again. Cur ancestors We're the 3,0000DU
who had the courage to declare their in
dependence Of every other nation upon
earth. Shall We. their descendants. when
we nave grown to .9,410,G00, declare that
are less Independent than fore
fathers? No my frie nds, it will never be
the judgment Of this people.
'Tn3refOre We care not upon what lines
the battle is fought. If they say Emet-
allism is good, but cannot have it
until some nation helps us, we reply that |
instead Of having a gold standard be
cause ENGLAND has, We shall restore bi- |
metalIism. and then let England have BIZ |
metallism because the United States has |
CApplauseD If they dare to come out in |
the open and defend the gold standard as |
4 good thing. We shall fight them to the |
uttermOst, having behind us the produc- |
ing masses of this nation and the world. !
Having behind us the commercial inter- |
1sts ana the laborinS interests and all the |
toiling masses. We shall answer their de |
maEds for gold standard by saying to |
them you shall not press down upon the |
brow Of labor this crown of thorns. You |
shall cruelty mankind upon 4 cross |
of gold.