Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-18

OCfHt4 Oh Maine HuOuJu Hut JlvOtsuty ~
register our Honest convictions. It IS no
lence, or postponemelts Our. present
finlnclni condition II due entirely 10 the
INK upon this important question. IN.
While / recognize the great ability with
which the cause Of the free coinage or
silver at a forced and fictitious ratio Is
championed ] cannot view the matter in
any other light than that the contest is
between those who would place luck of
thrift and industry at a premium and tho
between those who believe that for every
dollar that has been invested or borrowed,
a dollar equally good should pc returned.
and those who believe that the panacea
for all our Ills Is to settle our Indebted
ness at fifty cents on a dollar. Can there
be any doubt as to where the Democratic
party of Maine will take its stand upon
his question?
Those OF us who are Its younger mem
bers have learned something of the tra-
ditons of the party and that among the
oldest. Is its devotion to honest money;
that even as a term of reproach his oppo-
nents called Jackson odd Bullion
Whatever may be the result. l believe
the Democracy OF Maine should speak In
no uncertain words of its devotion and
adherence to the time-nOnored traultion
OF the party.
We are told that a great crime was
committed In 1873: that silver was then
demonetized. secretly and in the dark.
But what ii IflS ne true IL III dcI Oh
Injustice was performed 20 years ago.
should that be IL sufficient reason WHY
another act Of injustice should be per-
formed now? There are. we are told,
over two billion dollars in the savings
banks of this country. placed there by
nearly five million dcpositors. Shall W.
say to the widow and orphan, dependent
upon The scanty savings left for them by
the departed husband or father, or to the
thrifty. Industrious farmer. or mechanic,
who, with the pride born of the self-con-
seriousness of his honest purpose. has
been watching his savings bank account
steadily grow. in the hope that by his
prudence he may be able to educate his
sons and daughters-that we propose TO
deposits so tina for every dollar which
they have deposited. they shall receive SO
cents. because % years ago in the halls
of Congress. unknown TO the friends OF
worded act. so that 1t escaped the eye of
the chief executive. silver was demon
etized? How shall the condition be i'm
proved by such an act OF injusticel
There come to us with added force al
this time these words found in J~eTerson's
inaugural. where after having stated the
essential principles of our government,
and among them the following: Equal
and exact justice TO all men of whatever
state or persuasion. religious or political;
the honest payment of u debts. and
freedom of religion: freedom OF the
press" he adds in a note of warning:
These principles form the bright constei-
lation which has gone before us and
guided our steps through an age OF reyo-
luton and The wisdom OF
our sages and the blood OF our heroes
have been devoted to their attainment.
they should be the creed of our political
faith. the text of civil instruction. the
touchstone by which 10 try the services
of those We trust. And should We wan
der from them in moments OF error or
alarm, let us hasten to ~retrace our steps
and to regain the road which alone leads
10 peace. liberty and safety"
The great American commoner. TO
whom more than to any one else, the
people of this country are indebted for
The preservation of their individual rights
by constitutional provisions. In whom
the love of liberty was so strong that II
circled and eddied about every hearth
stone and sanctuary, every honest
thought and word. and in its warmth
nourished the unfledged spirit OF liberty
in the humblest, until fuii-winged, It
scared it's way upward In the free air OF
America, and swept with spreading wing
from sea to sea. from lake to gulf. utter
among the essential principles OF our
government the homes payment of our
debts and the preservation OF the public
faith" BY this touchstone let us try the
proposed payment OF the nations pledges.
the liquidation of private Indebtedness, in
dollars whose intrinsic value Is 50 cents.
steps and to regain the road which alone
leads 10 peace, liberty and safety.
The important question for the Dem
ocracy of Maine 10 consider in this con-
Ventior is whether. in that larger con-
Vention which shall meet at Chicago. they
viii Ice represented by men who will
stand for the principles of the party and
assist in the nomination of a candidate
for the office of President who represents
them? ! have no doubt that you will adj
dress yourselves to this duty with the
full consciousness of its Importance.
The Republican party in this State has
~.At t~ - tAt ati In Annarl ns.
with its usua custom. resolved that II
has been the friend OF temperance, and
has pledged future fidelity to its cause
and We are told that the Republican plat
form means something. The party which
is in open alliance with the saloon the
friend of temperance and loyal to its in
terests. As well might the wolf claim 70
be loyal TO the farmer whose focks he
has dcvoured. Ashamed at last to claim
loyalty to prohibition, they omit that
word from their platform. although it
has always appeared there before. and
now they boast of their loyalty to tenn
perance. not to prohibition
They have for ut least - years. ignored
the prohibitory law so far as its honest
enforcement. and we congratulate them
that they have at last had the manhood
ANA courage to drop il from their plat
form. TWO years ago they pledged their
support to temperance and prohibition.
But their audacity was not so braZcn that
after the experience of the last two years,
they could claim fidelity to prohibition;
tfI 81 ffIli VI tlAt ldt1t ttfS it't t'il
Guided. Prohibition is deserted: but they
say they will still maintain their fidelity
TO temperance. Certainly. true temper
ance could not be mcant-but Republican
temperance. the kline that is procured by
the enactment of stringent prohibitory
laws and the failure to enforce them, so
long MS their violators are willing to sup
port the Republican party and contribute
to its campaign funds. We congratulate
them upon this slight manifestation of
manliness which has led them to throw
off part of the sham which they have
so long maintained. and to confess that
they have abandoned the cause of prohi-
bition. although the confession is so
tardy.
There never has been in any State Il
more evident need of a party that would
stand for the Democratic idea of local
sclf-Eovernment, than in Maine.
Wherever the Republican party is in
power. there are seen exhibitions of the
dominating idea of that party-a central
ization of power. In Maine this has
grown under the uninterrupted rule of
the Republican party, until the right of
the people to local self-governmcnt has
been denied. Here in the city of Port
land. the right of Il majority of its cit
liens to manage their local affairs. to
determine the division of the city into
wards. was denied by the Legislature.
And, finally. so far has this tendency
gone. that in another city this whole
matter was taken from her citizens and
entrusted to a commission made up OF
non-residents. all Republicans, with no
opportunity given to the voters of Water
vile to pass upon the report of the COM
- .--sn - xA Int,o .- crva6 ~ mir nrn-