The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-13
selves under the banner there raised.
MENACE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

| selves under the banner there raised.
MENACE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IL has been charged by men standing
| high in business and political circles that
our platform Is menace 10 private
| security and public safety. and II has
been asserted that those whom / have
! the honor. for the time being, TO repre-
sent. not only mediate an attack upon
! the rights Of property, but are the Toes
both of social order and national honor.
Those who stand upon the Chicago
] platform are prepared 10 make known
/ and to defend every motive which IN
nuonces them, every purpose which
animates them, and hope which inspires
them.
They understand the genius of our in
stitutions. they are stauucb supporters
| OF the form OF government under Which
we live. and they build their faith upon
foundations laid by their fathers. Andre"
jackson has stated, with admirable clear
ness and with an emphasis which can
| not be surpassed. both the duty anu
sphere OF government. he said.
! DISTINCTIONS in society will always exist
under every just government. Equality
| of talents. of education or OF wealth
cannot be produced by human institu-
tioms In the full enjoyment OF the giiis
of Heaven and the fruits Of superior ~
! dustry, economy and virtue, every man
! is equally entitled TO protection ny law.
WHAT HE BELIEVES.
We Weld 10 none I'm our devotion TO
the doctrine Just enunciated. Our cam
paien has not for It's object the recon-
I struction OF society. We cannot insure
t. the vicious the fruits OF yirtuous
life We would not invade the homes
OF the proyident in order to supply the
wants OF the spendthrift. we do not pro
| pose o. transfer the rewards Of industry
| to the lap Of Incidence. Property is
and will remain lr stimulus 20 en-
dcavor and the compensation for toll
We believe as asserted in the Declara-
tion Of Independence. that all men are
created equal; but that does not mean
that all men are or can be equai in pcs
sessions. ability or merit. IL simply means
that al shall stand equal before the law,
and that Government officials. in making.
consfruine. or enforcing the law discrmi-
| nate between citizens.
] assert that property rights as well rs
the rights Of persons. are safe i'm the
hands Of the common people. Abraham
Lincoln. I'm his message sent 10 Con-
gress in December 1861. said:
"No men living are more worthy 10 he
trusted than those who toll UP from pow
crty. none less inclined 20 take or touch
aught which they have not honestly
earned "
repeat his language with unqualified
| approval and Join with him IN the warm
ing which he added. namely:
Let them beware Of surrcndering a
political power which they already pos
sess. and which power. If surrendered.
| Will surely be used to close the doors OF
Advancement against such rs they and
10 fix new disabilities and burdens upon
them. til all OF liberty shall De lost
BULwARK OF THE NATION.
Those who follow the Injunction On
the sweat Of thy face shalt thout eat
bread" are now as they have ever
been. the bulwark of law and order-the
source Of our nations greatness In time
OF peace. and its surest defenders in time
Of war.
But 1 have only read part Of Jack
sons utterance; let me give you his con-
clusion:
But when tho laws undertake 10 ald
10 those natural and just advantares
artificial distinctions: 70 grant titles. gra
tuities and exclusive privileges. o. make
the rich richer. and the potent more pow
erful-thc humble members OF society.
the farmers. mechanics. and day lahOrcrs.
who have neither the time nor the means
of securing like favors for themselves.
have right TO complain of the injustice
Of their governn 'nt.
"Those Who support the Chicago plat
form endorse an Of the quotation from
Jackson, the latter part as Well as the
! former We ara not surprised to find ar
| rayod against ms those who are the bene-
| nciarios Of government fav0riti.m. thov
| have read our platform. Nor are we sur
| prised 10 learn that wc must in this
campaign face the hostility Of those who
find q pecuniay advantage in advocating
the doctrine Of non-intcrfcrenco when
great aggregatiOns Of wealth are tres
passing upon the rights of individuals
We welcome such opposition-it is the
surest endorsement that could hc hest0w-
ed upon us. We are content 70 have the
cooperation of those who desire % have
the Government administered without fear
or favor it is not the wish Of tho
general public that trusts should spring
into existence and override the weaker
members Of society
He INVEIGHS AGAINST TRUSTS
1t IS not the wish Of the general public
! that these trusts should destroy c0mpeti-
tion. and then collect such tax as they
will from those who are at their mercy:
nor IS It the fault of the general public
that the instrumentalitios Of government
| nave Nftu 80 VI lttt lfA'NAANNA'N ~ l'AA ifNNNo
of private gain.
Those who stand upon the Chicago plat
form believe that the Government shOIld
not only avoid wrong-doing. hut that
IT should also prevent wrong-doing; and
they believe that the law should Dee enc
forced alike against all enemies of the
public veal.
Tncy DO not excuse petit larceny but
they declare that grand larceny is equal
| " "a crime: they do not defend the oc-
| CupatiOn Of the hghwayman who rObs
the unsuspecting traveller, but they in
clude among the transgressors those. who,
through the more polite and less hazar-
dous means Of legislation appropriate
| the proceeds Of tolls Of others. The Com
mandment. thou shalt not steal" Is
thundcred from Sinai and reiterated IN
the legislation Of all nations. is no re-
specter Of persons.
It must be applied 10 the great as well
rs the small. 10 the strong as well as 10
the weak: to the corporate person. Great
ca by law. as well ~ 10 the person Of
flesh and blood created by the Almighty.
No government is worthy Of the name
which is not able TO protect from every
arm upnfted for his injury the humblest
/ citizen who lives beneath the flag. 1t
follows as a necessary conclusion that
| vicious legislation must be remedicd by
the people who suffer from the effects Of
such legislation and not by those who