The record-union., 1896-06-19
THOMAS b. REED.

THOMAS b. REED.
Senator Lodge Places the Speaker of
the House i'm Nomination.
The net State to respond was Mas
eachusetts, and Senator Lodge nom
mated Thomas B. Reed for the Presi-
dency in the following speech:
Gentlemen of the Convention: Four
year ago we met as we meet now, rep
resentatives of the great Republican
party. Prosperity was in the land; cap
dtal was confident and labor employed.
There was the good days wage for the
good days work and the spirit of Amer
ican enterprise was stirring and bold.
The treasury was full, the public rev.
enues amply for the public need. We
were at peace with all the world and
had placed a prudent hand on the key
of the Pacific. Four short years have
come and gone. Look about you now.
The treasury is empty; our credit is
Impaired; our revenues are deficient.
We meet the public needs not with in
come, but by borrowing at high rates
and pledgfng the future for the wants
of the present. Business is paralyZed.
Confidence has gone. Enterprise has
folded its eagle wings and mopes and
blinks in the market place. Our mills
are idle and our railroads crippled. Cap
ital hides itself and labor idly walks
the street. There Is neither a good
days wage nor a good days work.
We have met with Sights abroad, and
have serious differences with other ma
tions. The key of the Pacific has Slip
ped from nerveless hands. Foreign
troops have been landed in this hemf-
sphere. Our own boundaries have been
threatened in Alaska. The Monroe
doctrine has been defended, but is not
yet vindicated. The people of a neigh
Dor island fighting for freedom look to-
ward US with imploring eyes, and look
in vain The American policy which
would protect our industries at home
and our flag abroad has faded and
withered away.
But four short years have come and
gone and they have brought this
change. What has happened? I will
tell you in a word The Democratic
party has been in power. That is the
answer Upon US falls the heavy bur-
den if binding UP these wounds and
bringing relief to all this suffering. The
Democrats deceived the people by prom
ising them the millennium, and the mis-
cry of those lying promises are about US
to-day. We have no promises to make.
We pledge ourselves only 10 that which
we believe we can per form. We will do
our best That is all. And, as in 1860.
we saved the Union and abolished slav-
cry, SO now in 1896 we will deal with this
Democratic legacy of blunders. bank
ruptcy and misfortune.
I'VE are gathered here to choose the
next President of the United States.
That we will win in the election no man
doubts. But let us not deceive our
selves with the pleasant fancy that the
campaign is TO be an easy one 1t will
be hard battle; it cannot be otherwise
when SO much depends upon the result
Against the Republican party, repre-
senting fixed American policies,
strength, progress and order, will be
arrayed not only that organized fall
ure, the Democratic party, but all the
wandering forces of political chaos and
social disorders.
TT is not merely the Presidency which
is set before US as the prize. The pros
perity of the country, the protection of
currency and the national credit are
all staked on the great issue to be de-
cided at the polls next November.
Upon US rests the duty of rescuing the
country from the misery into which it
has been plunged by three years of
Democratic misrule. To drive the Demo-
Gratis from power is the first step and
the highest duty, but we shall triumph
in vain and in turn shall meet heavy
punishment at the hands of the people
If we do not put our victory to right
uses. Such a crisis as this cannot be
met and dealt with by shouts and en-
thusiasm We must face it as our
fathers faced slavery and disunion-wi:h h
a grim determination to win the battle,
and, that done, to take up our respon-
sibilfties in the same spirit with which
we won the fight.
Now, as then, we can hope to sue
ceed only by the most strenuous en-
deavor; and now, as then, everything
depends upon the administration we
place in office We want a President
who will meet this situation as Lin
coin met that Of 1861 with the chiefs
of the Republicans about him and with
the party and people at his back We
want President who on the 9Th day
of next March will summon Congress
in extra session, and, refusing to make
appointments or to deal with patron
age, will say that all else must wait un-
I'll Congress sends to him tariff which
shall put money in the treasury and
wages in the pockets of the American
workingmen. We want a President who
will protect at all hazards the gold re-
serves of the treasury; who will see to
It that no obligation of the Government
is presented which is not paid in what
ever coin the creditor chooses to de-
rand, and who will never forget that