The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-17
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would hold the balance of power. Does any
sane man, with the memory of the Popu-
and Mr.. Watson's subsequent conduct be-
fore his eyes, doubt for moment that
they would use this advantage. 1T wouio
be just easy for the Watson gang 10
hold up the Electoral College and insist
that the Vice President be elected first, as
evidence OF good faith. as it was for
them to hold up the St Louis convention
and insist that he be nominated first.
The law governing the casting OF tne
January following the election makes 1t
not only possible. but comparatively easy
for the Watson electors In all states where
fusion has been effected to absolutely con-
troll the situation and force the election or
their candidate for Vice President THIS sis Is
which calls for the patriotic and careiul
consideration Of every Democrat In the
mo man should be elected to the vice
presidency who is not fit to be President,
and | ask in all .candor is there Demo
where. who, with clear conscience and
with due appreciation of the responsi-
bility OF good citizenship, Will cast ballot
which could in any contingency elevate
this man Watson, this gabbling aftermath
of secession, to the chair occupied by
Washington, jefferson, Jackson or Lin
coin?
LABOR INSULTED BY BRYAN.
'The situation in Indiana has it's coun-
terpart in every other State of the Union
where sacrifice of principle to greed for
office has been possible. This has been a
campaign of degrading influences from the
beginning. The presidential candidate has
appealed to the prejudices and hates of
men, rather than to their intelligence and
love of country. Posing as the special
champion of labor. he has insulted the dig
nifty and manhood of the $4,000, 600 wage
oarners of the country. The Democrat
ic party has ever been the fearless
champion and authorized representative of
labor. There is not a law for the benefit
of labor State or national, in the statutes
of this country that has not been placed
there by the Democratic party The Au-
stralian ballot law and all the other laws
in promotion of free and untrammeled
elections are the handiwork of the Demo-
cratic party. 1t has been the constant and
unrelenting foe of every form of coercion
it has taught that there is nothing on
God green earth much mans own as
his vote. 1t has insisted that every man
entitled to a vote. no matter how hum
to other men in other respects might
be, should be entitled to register a
freeman'S vote In a freeman's manly way,
without responsibility to anyone but his
Maker.
'.ThA presidential nominee of the Chicago
convention has marked out a different
course for the laboring man of this coun~
Try than that for which the old party has
so nobly and consistently contended and
has sought to relegate the workingman to
a plane almost low that occupied
by the slaves of the South before the war.
initiating to an honest man. earning his
bread by honest toll selling nothing to his
employer but his time and his skill, being
told in public speeches by candidate for
the highest office in the gift of this free
and enlightened people to meet attempts
at coercion not by a manly and vigorous
assertion of personal independence and po-
litical equity, but by crnging exhibition
of meanness, cowardce and hypocrisy?
" Put on their buttons and badges, says
Bryan, join their clubs and march in their
professions. pretend to be a Republican,
but you have the Australian ballot law in
this State and when you are alone with
your Creator you can vote your sentiments.
| don't care if you Republicans every
other day in the year that you are DEM
ocrats on election day.
A REAL CROWN OF SHAME.
could anything be more insulting to
American manhood than this? No man
who ever worked with workingmen for a
living could have given utterance to such
a degraded sentiment. 1t is unmanly, un-
American and undemocratic and should
meet it's proper rebuke at the polls. Mr..
Bryan would shield the brow of the Amer
iean laborer from an ina ginary crown of
thorns.' but advises him to put on and wear
before the world a real crown of shame.
A crown of thorns may be placed upon
ones brow by another. No man a
crown of dishonor by any mans act but his
own.
Il do not believe in Mr. Bryan's financial
theories. l am constrained to think that
Mr. Dryan does not himself believe in the
arguments he advances in support of
them. l believe that the election of
Mr.. Bryan upon the platform which he
stands and the utterances which he has
made would bring on panic. Mr.. Bryan
has said so himself and is corroborated by
no less authority than Senator Teller. l
do not want panic. We have had panic
enough. L know the times have been and
still are hard, and that mer, willing and
able to work are walking the streets of
our towns and cities in enforced idleneSs.
/ know that the farmer has suffered from
low prices for his products. but the .condi-
tions of neither workingman nor farmer
would be improved by free coinage and
Mr. Bryans and Mr.. Teller's rapidly sue
ceeding panic. When one has been re-
duced in strength and spirits by the typhoid
fever he would be a silly man, indeed, who,
in weak condition, would voluntarily eX-
pt sc himself to smallpox by way of exper.
mental cure,
1.-The experience of the entire world in all
its financial history is against the prob
able success OF free coinage OF silver by
this country alone at the ratio af 16 to J.,
either Immediately or remotely. There may
be those amongst who do not know
exactly what we want in the way of finan-
cial reform, but with Mexico and China and
the smaller free-silver countries staring us
in the face, it ought not to take us long
to determine what we do not want.
Il regard the present crisis as the most
serious that has confronted this country
since 1861. 1t is time to try expert
ments, for the future of the homes and
fresides of our land hangs in the balance.
/ have ilimitable faith in the intelligence,
honesty and courage of the people. Let
us turn from the blatant voice of the dem>
agogue to the small, still voice of con-
science each man determining for HIM
self wherein his duty lies. Let each then
his ddty do with the characteristic courage
of free American citizen upon whose head
man dare press crown of thorns upon
whose brow no craven act, no matter by
whom suggested, shall self-iniiict brand
of shame. SIMON r. SHEERlN.