The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-06-19
c. W. Fairbanks Address Before the
St. Louis Convention.
IMPORTANT POINTS DISCUSSED.
Plea For Return TO Tariff Legislation
Of Merit.
SOUND MONEY THE OTHER SLOGAN.

publicanism Expounded Forcefully and
cratic Administration.
We give TO our readers herewith o
full report of the address delivered be-
fore the national convention in st.
Louis by Hon. O.. w. Fairbanks of In
dianapolis upon assuming temporary
craftsmanship:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTIONAL
am profoundly grateful for this express
sion of your generous confidence.
AS citizens we were never called upon
to discharge more important duty
than that which rests upon us--the
nomination of president and vice
president of the United States. This
duty is peculiarly impressive one at
the moment, for it is already written in
the book of fate that the choice of this
convention will be the next president
and vice president of the great republic.
Three years of Democratic administra-
ton have been three years of panic, of
wasted energy, of anxiety and loss to
the American people without parallel
in our history. Today the people turn
to the Republican party hopefully, con-
fidently, and it is for us to meet their
expectations; it is for us to give them
those candidates upon whom their
hearts have conferred and to give them
clear, straightforward, emphatic ex-
preston of our political faith. The Re-
publican party is party Of convictions,
and it has written its convictions in the
history of the republic with the pen
and the sword. With it the supreme
question always has been not what is
merely "politic," but what is everlast-
ingly fright" The great men we have
given to the nation and to history, the
mighty dead and the illustrious living,
are our inspiration and tower of
strength. If we are but true to their
exalted example we cannot be false to
our countrymen.
Republican Record.
For third of century prior to the
advent of the present Democratic adj
ministration we operated under laws
enacted by the Republican party. All
great measures concerning the tariff and
the currency originated with ii. The
tariff laws We're formed upon lines which
rArnfnpfaH 10
from equal and unjust foreign COMPETE
ton, and upon the theory that the best
market in the world is the home market
and that it should be enjoyed by our
own countrymen.
Under the currency laws our currency
was made national. The wildcat state
banks money of the Democratic party
was wiped out of existence The un-
precedented demands growing out of the
war were met by paper currency which
ultimately became as good as gold.
Since the resumption of specie pay ments
in 1879 every dollar of our money-pa-
per, silver and gold-has been of ecu al
purchasing power the world over. The
policy Of the party has been to make
and keep our currency equal to the best
III the world.
Under the operation of these honest
tariff and honest money Republican
laws the country grew in wealth and
power beyond precedent. We easily
outstripped all other powers i'll the com.
mercial race. On Nov. s, 1899, there
was work for every hand and bread for
every mouth. We had reached high
water mark. Labor received higher
wages than ever and capital was rrcfita-
bly, and securely employed. Ile ma
tional revenues were sufficient to meet
our obligations and leave surplus in
the treasury. Foreign and domestic
trade was greater in volume a I'd value
than they had ever been. Foreign bal.
ances We're largely in our favor. Euro.
pean gold was floating toward us.
Cause of Depressing Conditions.
But all of this is changed. The cause
is not hard to seek. A reaction began
when it was known that the legislative
and executive branches of the govern
ment were to be Democratic. The Dem.
ocratic party had at Chicago condemned
the protective tariff principle as uncon-
stitutional, and solemnly pledged itself
to the overthrow and destruction of the
Mckinley law and to the adoption of
free trade as the policy of the United
States. This bold, aggressive attack
upon the long settled policy of the Re.
publican party bore its natural fruit in
shaken confidence and unsettled bust
ness, and we were soon drifting against
the rock of destruction. Before the
work of demolition had actually begun
a run was started upon the treasury re.
serve which the Republican party had
wisely accumulated for the protection of
the government credit. The drain upon
the reserve for the redemption of green.
backs and treasury notes greatly sur
passed all prior experience and empha.
sized the discredit into which the Dem
ocratic administration had fallen. An
utter want of confidence in the admin.
istration possessed the people.
The Democratic party was harmonious
upon one subject, and that was the de-
struction of the Mckinley law. But
when they cane to the exercise of the
creative faculty-the enactment of
great revenue measure in its stead
there was dIscord. The imperiled in
terests of the country watched and wait. ;
ed through the long and anxious months