Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-09-18
MCKINLEY.
His Address to the VermOnters
at Canton.


Issues.
The Vermont delegation of 10S men
who iourneyed to Ohio to greet Major Nc
Kinley, arrived in Canton Friday morning.
Among those present were Gov. u. A.
Woodbury., Lieut.. Gov. Mansur, Congress-
man Henry II. Powers, Senator Redfeld
Proctor, Gov.-elect Josiah Grout, Lieut..
Gov. ELECT NJ. w. Fish, Gen. j. G.. McCul-
Tough, ex-Lieut. Gov. f. S. Stranahan.
The Canton Grand Army band, large
troop of horsemen and the citizens recep-
ton committee met the Vermonters at the
railroad station and a procession was soon
formed. 1t was o'clock when the Yer
monters reached McKinley's house, but
thousands of spectators were there. Maj.
Mckinley appeared on the north porch,
surrounded by the Vermont committee and
most conspicuous officials. In a window
back of him was Mrs Mckinley. A glee
club from st. Adams sang, eve want yer,
Mckinley, yes, we do"
State Chairman Merrill began the
speeches, saying: eve come from great
and surprising victory. The battle was
fought solely on national issues. Every
man, Republican or Democrat, who helped
by his vote to make the Vermont MAORI
ty, cast his ballot with the deliberate pur-
pose and the full knowledge that in so do
ing he was voting for you and the plat
form upon which you stand. Every such
ballot was intended as an emphatic con-
| domination of the false doctrines which
our people believe would bring disgrace
and disaster upon our country. The battle
in our state was won because the free men
| of Vermont, after full hearing and con-
sideration of both sides, rejected with I'M
alterable determination the pernicious her
estes of our opponents. In this action the
Republicans of Vermont were unanimous,
and the sense of their individual duty in
| this great crisis brought them all to the
polls. We also had the direct and active
aid of large number of patriotic Demo-
| Gratis who placed love of country above
party affiliations. The $4,000 plurality
was by 1000 the largest plurality given any
party within the history of the state in
gubernatorial election. Coming the first
of September made our campaign of ne
cessity of less duration than any of our
sister states"
Col George T. Chilis, national commit
teeman from Vermont, followed. He re-
viewed the recent state contest, spoke of
Mckinley as the first choice of Vermont
ers, and referred to the patriotic Demo-
Gratis who voted the Republican ticket.
Maj. Mckinley spoke as follows: | give
you welcome, generous welcome, from an
overlooking heart, to my state, my city
and my home. | would be unjust to my
feelings and irresponsible to the kind senti-
ments uttered by your spokesman if | per-
mitted to pass unobserved the fact that in
the preliminary contest for the nomination
of president the state of Vermont gave to
me united vote.
Tho {, roam Maintain etata 10 an1pa al
to us all by tradition and history, in song
and story, but above all, in good work
manifest in glorious results, Whether in
the days of the Revolution, when her hardy
mountaineers repulsed the best soldiers of
Europe, in the days of the Rebellion,
when her soldiers displayed the same reso-
lutte courage at Big Bethel, Champions
Gap Station or Gettysburg, or in the no
less important and decisive conflicts in civ
il life, the people of Vermont have always
been loyal TO the best ideal and highest OBJ
legations of duty and active, distinguished
and useful in every great emergency. No
one will deny to them a glorious part in
achieving the independence of the colon
les. None will question that they did
much to check the aggressions of human
slavery and in the final triumph of the
Union in the hour of its greatest peril.
Nor in our later trials will any one doubt
that the example and voice of Vermont
have always been most potential on the
side of justice, honor and right.
Some of the newspapers have asked me
to interpret the result of the elections in
Vermont on September l, but it seems to
me that they are their own best interpreter
They have simply declared what every stu
dent of your history must already have dis
POUpra1 oh ful nd moi rip 10
citizens are as true as ever-aye truer than
ever-to the tenets of good morals, good
politics and good government.
They have shown by their ballots, by
greater preponderance than ever that they
are more devoted TO the honor of the gov
eminent, TO the maintenance of law and or
der, and the restoration of that sound, wise
and economic system which has always
been our chief pride and source of strength,
than at any previous period in our event
full history.
The value Of your example is certainly
greater than ever in the past, as the issues
on which your victory was won are the
same as those which now engage the atten-
ton of the entire country. The free silver
orators and organs of Vermont lily con-
cealed, if they did not positively assert,
what is being proclaimed everywhere, that
their solicitude is the relief of those who
might temporarily profit by degraded cur
reEcy, no matter at what sacrifices of the
plainest precepts of good morals.
In no case and at no point do they pro-
pose system to pay our national and pri-
vate obligations on the plain, old-fashioned
principles of good faith and honesty which
have always heretofore distinguished the
American people.
Practically admitting that the effect of
the free, unlimited and Independent coin
age of silver would be an immense loss to
the savings and resources of our people,
and that its adoption would reduce the
plane of their social and industrial con-
dition, they yet seriously propose that we
shall risk this hazardous experiment. Yer
mont has said in tones that cannot be mis-
understood that she will have nothing to
do with that fatal experiment.
Indeed they are urging us to attempt by
legislation to make so cents worth of silver
pass current as legal tender 100,cent dol
lar, good for all public and private obliga-
tions. The mere statement of the propo-
sition ought to lead to its instant rejection.
We cannot by law make every man hon
est, but we certainly will never make law
encouraging them to be dishonest.
To me the question of free trade is a
question of humanity, the voice of labor
pleading for its own; and the question of
free silver question of public morality,
honor and good faith, and its success would
be blot on our hitherto spotless national
credit.
Ohspura tho raal issuaS and ~ 6non, 40