The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-15

independent more exalted. Schools OF
learning have been within easy reach and
without price to every boy or girl or the
Republic; and the poor boy, with the rlch
boy, enjoys equal opportunity TO draw from
these great fountains of knowledge ana,
under our system, the poor boy can rise;
reach, as he often has, the highest place
in the gift of a self-goverped RepuDhc
tremendous cheering.)
I'VE can truthfully claim also, as Amert-
cans, that cur national administration in all
the years of the past, whether Federal or
Democratic, or Whig CIR Republican. have
for the most part conducted the govern
ment with credit, honor and efficiency.
They will contrast favorably with the ad-
mlniStrations of any other government on
earth. "a voice: 1t beats all of them.
And. my friend says beats all OF them.
Laughter and appiause) To our credit
be it said, that not one of these admins
rations, Whatever may have been their
mistakes and failures ever suggested, much
less attempted, the reputation. directly or
indirectly, of single dollar, or cent, hon
estly due TO a. citizen of TINS any other
country of the globs lrenewed cheers), nor
counseled the establishment of money for
the uses OF the people tainted with the
slightest dishonor.
Shall we now consent, or seem to con-
sent, by our votes to lower that high stand
ard or reverse the proud policy which this
government has pursued from its begin
ming Cloud cries of No, no!) Shall we
tolerate now policy that would cheat any
or our creditors, whoever or wherever they
may be? SCries of NOD Shall we tolerate
living or their widows or orphans of a
farthing in the pensions that a grateful
government has granted them? tCries of
NO, no, no, neverl) How could we recall
their patriotic service or the heroic services
OF Washington, Adams. Jefferson, jackson,
Lincoln and Grant If we were 10 stoop to
shave one dollar either from the money
creditors of the government those other
creditors of the government who were will
ing TO give their lives to save the Union :?
tremendous applause) Yet, my friends,
no other logical construction can be placed
upon the proposition now before us to re-
Quce and depreciate the value of our dol
lars.
There Is another thing that can be said
of our government: we have always had
good money so far the national authori-
ties We're concerned. No Congress that /
can recall has ever passed and no Presi-
dent has ever signed a bill that authorized
what was confessedly dishonest or dis
credited the dollar to be coined or issued
by the united states government In time
OF war we have taxed the credit of the
government by issuing its promises TO pay
as gold.
Again good wages. too, we have en-
loyed, especially since 1860 and, measured
by the labor standards of other countries,
they have been the best.
Our contention in this regard is purely
domestic. We steadily aim at a better
citizenship more exalted and enlightened
citizenship. We have encouraged a high
standard or American manhood and Ameri-
can Womanhood and we do not propose to
lower that standard now. (Applause) We
AeFC SOuSHt LOT the sake or numan1tV to
elevate our citizens and give to them work
and living wages which would bring not
only the necessities but the comforts of life
we want in this country a free ballot
ana honorable, Independent, seif-reSpecting
Tree and conscientious citizenship We
sweep away the suggestions of birth class
caste or condition and boldly proclaim in
the words of Jefferson, uttered more than
120 years ago, that all men are created
country We have always held that good
wages are only a form of economy. and
the highest economy and insisted that by
improvement, effectiveness of methods and
machinery We could pay more and better
wages than were given to the people of
any other country. This We could and did
90 under protective tariff; and not until
1873, more than thirty-two years after its
adoption, had we failed to preserve our
own high standard of wages by long odds
the best and highest of any OF the other
great industrial and competing nations
III we have followed false doctrines in
the past to our hurt and injury IL is orr
privilege to abandon them now and I be-
Iieve we will. That Is the very purpose of
Tree government. 1t gives us ffequent OBJ
portunities for a revision of judgment II
they do not prove beneficial to reject them
we have tried the policy of revenue reform
Are We satisfied to continue it? Qoud cries
or No. no! never.) or rather will we sub
stltute for it a tariff policy which will
aDollSh deficiencies in the treasury light
up our almost abandoned factories and call
back from idleness to work and wages tha
light and hope to many American homes
thank you for this call, and it will give
me pleasure to meet and greet each ons of
you personally" (Cheers.)