Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-10-01


their candidate without a single dis
senting voice, made the following most
excellent speech before the convention
after his nomination:
MR.. CHAIRMAN, GENTLEMEN OF
THE CONVENT ON, AND MY FELLOW
CITIzENS:-I am lost for words TO ex-
press the gratitude | feel to you for
the honor you have conferred upon me
by nominating me for senator OF the
Eighteenth Senatorial District of the
state OF Michigan. To say, | thank
you, comes far short OF expressing my
thankfulness.
| feel il an honor to be nominated for "A po-
sition of so much importance. | should be
stupid indeed il did not feel some sense of
pride this afternoon. But | assure you the
source of my pride is not all in the thought
of the position | shall occupy, if elected, but
in knowing that the Republicans of this SEN
atoral district have sufficient confidence in
me TO nominate me for a position OF such
great responsibilities. 1t will be one of my
chief aims, If elected, To see that your conf
dence has not been misplaced, and TO see that
you never have reason to regret the work
YOU have done here today.
In accepting of this nomination, | accept
Of it realizing very keenly the responsibilities
that belong to the position. No person could
realize it any more keenly than |. My exper-
fence in the House of Representatives has
taught me that legislator has to do with
the social, political and economical affairs of
the people, and when conscientious man
assumes a position that calls upon him to
care for the interests eff the people, he must
feel that there is a great demand upon him.
This is a great state. Its business interests
are varied. Ii is composed of all classes.
All should be cared for, none to the detri-
ment of another. We are proud of ouI state;
and we are proud OF our state institutions.
They muat be maintained. The dignity Of
the state requires il; but they must not be-
come too much of burden on the people.
They should practice the same economy the
people are compelled to practice in these
| good times.
| am proud at the thought Of my name ap
pearing ON the same ballot and in the same
column with that statesman who is nearer to
the hearts of the people than any other man
| in this nation. That statesman, the mere
mentioning of whose name brings a hope of
prosperity, and the thought of his being
elected president of the United States brings
| JOY to its homes. That soldier and states
man, VIM. Mckinley. The laboling men and
women of this nation have been looking foI-
ward for -H' "ast three years to the time
when this man could be elected president
and they given relief. / am proud to be a
nominee on the Republican ticket because
the Republican party which has at all times
and under all circumstances. and in every
section Of this union, recognized the sover-
eighty of the Federal government. | am
proud to stand on the Republican platform
and on the history of the Republican party,
which is the history Of the prosperity of this
country for the last thirty years prior to 1898.
My friendsl We are now entering upon one
of the most important campaigns this country
has had since the close of the Civil war.
cast my first ballot at the second election of
General Grant and | never have in all the
| past considered sacredness of the franchise
with so much seriousness as | do this fall.
Four years ago we had to meet the doctrine
of free trade or tariff for revenue only. This
fall they ask us TO take new compound of
free trade, free silver, and state supremacy.
| For my part / want to get the taste OF tariff
reform out of my mouth before l take any of
this still worse mixture they are offering to
the people. Four years ago as nation we
were enjoying prosperity never equalled by
any nation on this globe. The Democratic
party told the people that the tariff was tax,
and that the Mckinley law was robbing
Them They told the people that it enabled
the rich to become richer and that 1t forced
the poor into deeper poverty, and majority
of the people believed it, What has been
the result of their reform2 Hasn't 1t made
the poor poorer? All Hasn't it driven the
poor to restitution and want? 1t has made
the rich less wealthy, and thousands OF them
have been reduced to poverty. 1t has made
us as a nation ragged and hungry. Society
is grooming and bleeding at every PORE 1t
has closed our manufacturing institutions
and made the industrious beggars. II has
made tens of thousands of men and women
beggars on our streets, not only for bread but
| for work Thousands of fathers and mothers
are compelled to look upon their poor ha'f
starved emaciated children and to listen to
their cry for food. What haye we lost as a
governmentY During twenty-seven years of
Republican rule our interest bearing debt
was reduced at the rate of SIS, 1000, 900 per
year, and during Cleveland's administration
our interest hearing debt has been increased
at the rate OF $s7 900, 900 per year. The
product of the two, which is Sl55, 600 900,
shows the difference between Republican
rule and Democratic misrule. This shows
something of what the government has lost
but who can tell what the people as indiyid-
uals have lost, It is beyond all human calcula-
ron. Being unable to deceive the people
longer with their tariff policy, they come
forth this fall with new issue; 'the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of rs
to ~ which, II adopted, will be still more