Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-16

thoughtful Democrats should rtCp1.
There never has been a moment since
its adoption that could support ID,
except by loss of my own seif-respcet
what is the platform? There is not
a line in 1t that is Democratic that r.
not good. There is not a word % ID
that is bad and therefore uu-Demo-
cratic. that has not been stolen or
taken from the Populist platform Bad
as Republication is. subvorsivc ny it
has generally been OF the best interests
" the country. it is infinitely prefer
able To Popuiism which is next OF kin
IL Socialism. We should examine our
past platforms in connection with the
teachings Of the founders ana states
men of our party 10 ascertain what is
the test of party faith. Democratic
principles took root with the birth Of
the Republic; they are sound and lofty
today as they We're when first ex-
FOUNDED 10y jefferson.
"AH Democrats should give their
hearty support 10 candidates who
stand upon a platform which reahirms
and upholds these principles. But
when these principles arc abandoned or
set aside and new doctrines at varience
with national honor and national pro-
Sress are adopted do we not cease to
be Democrats If We fail to repudiate
that which is unpatriotic and immoral
More sacred to every citizen
than the honor and business interests
of individuals is the honor OF the ma
ton itself. The United States is a
debtor by virtue of the bonds il has
issued. If for these bonds gold was
I,aid. Juice. morals and national honor
all cry out for redemption, principal
and interest, in the same coin. But ii
is claimed that on the face of these
Ionds the government is given the legal
right to redeem them in coin. and there
fore may redeem in silver coin. 4 ques-
ton of morals should always rise su-
perior to a legal question. For the
$50 coo, 900 of government bonds now
outstanding we have received gold coin,
and unless the intelligence Of this ma
ton be blunted ana its patriotic inn
pulses paralyzed those obligations Will
Toe redeemed in similar coin
Nor can the apologiSts Of the Chi
cago platform now pcttifog or beg the
question. When they rejected the
amendment offered by Senator Hin to
he effect that any change in the pres
ent standard of value should not ap-
ply to glorious flag of reputation and
national dishonor.
Against the preparation Of such
crime in the name of Democracy pro-
test Who are the owners of most Of
these bonds? Not foreign bankers or
nome syndicates; not the men WHOM;
governmental protection has made
rich not the so-called bloated bond
holder but the ward whose education
has been provided for in the supposed
nViolability of United States bond:
he widow whose sole support may be
the income thus received. and the g.
600 of American citizens who have
placed their deposits in our savings in
situations. These deposits are not stored
away in the vaults of the savings
banks. That which is not loaned is in
vested, and most of it in government
bonds. There is not a depoSitor in a
savings bank in the nation whose de-
post, no matter how small, does not
represent some part of a government
bond. Still, we are asked in the name
of ancient Democracy to compromise
with such a fraud. National prosper
ty will have to follow national honor.
because without the one we can never
attain the other Men who have ne
proper conception of national honor are
poor harbingers of the way to attain
national prosperity.
With legitimate proposition to in
crease the number of United States
supreme court judges, or to abolish
within constitutional lines life tenure
in office. | may have no controversy:
nor do / object to proper criticism OF
judges or public officials. An American
citizen has the unquestioned right t.
criticise or praise official or judicial ac-
ton. But when an Open bold attempt
is made to increase thenumber of these
judges, with the avowed purpose of Sc
curing a decision on any question in a
predetermined way, patriotic and in
telligent men may we'll hold up their
hands in horror Shades of departed
Democratic greatness, turn away from
such spectre!
THE United States supreme court
has always been considered conser-
vator of life and property,a safe refuge