The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-05-15
SOUND SENSE FROM A SILVER MAN.
A BATTLING REPUBLICAN
SPEECH.
Won't Follow Stewart and Teller out of
the Republican Party.

hOu. luOiudS run az thc Aiiloha toiii-
terial convention, April 30:
/ thought that the seclusion that the upper
gallery grants. combined with other circum-
stances, would exempt me from any invita-
ton to speak before this convention, but
your repeated calls leave me no alternative
consistent with courtesy but to answer to
them.
The speakers who have addressed you
have spoken of the free coinage of silver as
a cardinal principle OF the republican party.
l fear that the st. Louis convention may
compel us to retrace some OF our steps in
this matter, and, as the statesmen who con-
troll the action of this convention have not
included me among those deemed most fit
to represent Arizona at st. Louis, l feel
quite at liberty to tell the truth. "a voice:
Lets have it," Applause)
l suppose no one will question my long
devotion to the cause of free silver coinage.
Years ago, at the inception OF the move
ment, L, as vice. president OF the national
executive committee of the silver convention,
i'm connection with A. j. Warner, the presi-
dent of the committee, travelled through the
south and west preaching the doctrine of
bi-metallsm, and have never since had Oc-
caslon to change my views with respect to
the great benefits that might result to this
nation from the complete restoration OF sill
yer as a money metal; and yet there are
other circumstances quite as influential
which must be potent IN determining my
future action and the future action of many
republicans in this matter.
This morning friend, who is member
of this convention, and who now hOnOrs me
with his audience, said to me: "Mr. Fitch,
you have always been pronounced adv0-
cate of The free coinage of silver, what will
you do If the st. Louis convention shall
adopt plank in their platform fayoring a
single gold standard and denOuDciDg the
free coinage of silver?" did not answer
his question then, but, with your permission,
| will do so now. applause.
belong to the republican party because
its history is the history of the growth, the
greatness and the freedom of this nation;
because its purposes are patriotic; because
1t is the friend OF labor without being the
foe of thrift; because it Is wise; because it
is just; because its restoration to complete
power will rekindle the furnaces and start
the turbines, and fill the land with the mu-
sic of contented and well paid toll, and put
bread into mems mouths and hope into their
hearts. (Appause.)
belong to the republican party because
1t is the grandest political organization of
II6eIlltu THAT tut WOIlu has cfci huOWus bo-
cause under its wise guidance star after star
has been added to our flag; ship after ship
has been added to our fleets; factory after
factory has been added to our resources;
millions upon millions have been added to
our wealth, city after city has been devel-
oped from our villages, and the land has
been laced with network OF iron rails, and
furnace fires have illumined the night, and
the grand diapasOn of labor has been made
to sound throughout the continent.
belong to the republican party because
under its inspiration these United States
once wrangling and discordant common
wealths; these United States once shamed
with slavery and decrepit with the disease
of secession, these United States have be-
come country where no slaves presence
dishonors labor, where no freemans utter
ances are choked by the hand of power,
where no man doffs his hat to another ex-
cept through the cour esy of equals, where
education is free, where manhood is respect
ed and where labor is protected. cloud
applause.)
Under the patriotic rule of the republican
party these United States have become a
nation whose credit reigns at the head Of
the worlds finances. (Cheers.) Whose
flag floats proudly upon every sea. and
whose armies would come at the drum beat
out of the hives of industry to swarm in the
defense of their country on every shore.
CHEERS and applause.)
Under the rule of the republican party
these United States have become the great
est, freest and most prosperous nation UNI
der the light of the sun. Great applause.)
belong to the republican party because
it gave land to the landless, because 1t gave
work to the Industrious, because it gave
freedom to the slave, because when the ma
ton was in peril 1t gave armies and treasure
for her preservation. (Cheers.>
Forty years ago, then lad of eighteen, l
Joined the republican ranks, and, too young
to vote, yet flung my blazing brand alott
for Fremont and Jessie. l was present as
a newspaper reporter at the Chicago con-
ventlon in 1860, when all Illinois shouted
Abraham Lincoln into the presidency.
(Cheers.) heard the song of John Browns
soul sung i'm bated breath and In secret
gatherings of his sympathizers, and four
years later on these distant shores l almost
caught the echo of its refrain when armies
chanted it for their battle anthem. Cheers
l enjoyed the eloquence and friendship. of
Baker and Starr King, and Butler and
and Garfield and COnkling, and
that noblest Roman OF them all, James G.
Blaine. Cheers and applause.)
Who, then, is there in all this land that
shall dare to ask me to betray these memo
ries because of a difference of opinion con-
corning the conditions under which silver
dollars shall be coined? Who shall dare to
tell mo that 1t Is my duty to leave the path |
along which my youth and my manhood |
and where, when the evening bu- ]
gle shall sound the final reveille my age |
shall be found still marching? Cheers |
Rather will turn to the republican goddess |
the same steadfast face that bore when |
my locks now whitening were black as the |
ravens wing, and say to her as Ruth said |
to Naomi: "Whither soever thou goest |
will go, where thou stayest will stay, thy |
people shall by my people and thy God my |
God, and where thou diest l will die and |
here will be buried"
Primary School Money.
The semi. animal annortionment of ,,ri- |