The San Francisco call., 1896-10-30
A PARADE OF FREE MEN.


which has attended the adoption by the
committee of arrangements for the great
parade of the little strip of ribbon to be
worn on coat lapels and bearing the words,
~ will parade on October 81, 1896. for Nc
Kinley and Hobart and sound money"
should be enough to convince every one that
the parade will be not only great success,
but that it will be parade of free men.
Cowards and sneaks and slaves gre not
enthusiastic upon any subject, and hence
wherever genuine enthusiasm is TO be
found it is the best evidence of voluntary
action on the part of those who. display it.
The citizens of San Francisco, of every
class, vocation and condition in life, are
enthusias site upon the subject OF the great
parade next Saturday, and are willingly
and proudly displaying the badges which
declare their purpose to take part in the
procession.
If another proof were needed of the
success and significance of this great
demonstration it can be found in the
attitude OF the enemies of the Repub,i-
can party toward it. BY every sort
of unfounded slander, by every kind of
m can insinuation, by every unworthy
and contemplate subterfuge, they are
endeavoring to diminish the glory
and TO destroy the great significance of
this parade. The suggestion that those
who take part in it should carry and those
who observe ii should display the Ameri-
can flag as evidence of their loyalty and
favor toward the Republican party has
been howled at by every demagogic and
journalistic cur, who hates the Republi-
can party mainly beca use of its unswerv-
ing devotion to American principles and to
the American flag.
The evident intention of very large
percentage of the wage-earners of San
Francisco to indicate publicly their party
favor by taking part in this great
Republican parade has been made a
text for the absurd and utterly unwar-
ranted claim that they are being CO.
| creed by their employers, and for the far
more contemplate and insulting sugges-
ton that they should manif est one pur-
pose in the parade and anot her at the polls.
The moral obliquity OF those who are sug-
gesting this sort of political viAainy is as
surprising as 1t is hum iliating to the
minds of men who expect nobler things
| from their political enemies and who
have not looked for such an absence OF
conscience and decency among men who
call themselves Californians or who as
! sumo to represent the manhood and the
morals of the State.
The great parade of tomorrow after
noon will put the stamp of disapproval
and the seal OF shame upon every slander
which has been uttered against the man
hood of those who will take part in it. 1t
will be eminently procession of free
men, and beyond ali question it will
be one of the greatest demonstra-
tions which the State. of Califor-
MIA has ever known. 1t will be
made up of the representatives of every
industry, of every enterprise and of every
trade-and. occupation in Central Calfor-
MIA. From the cities, towns, villages,
| factories, farms and colleges within
hundred miles OF San Francisco
will come crowds and companies of
enthusiastic men, of every age and
of every calling, eager to swell the
ranks and increase the success of the
parade.
The enthusiasm which will overflow
from it's participants and infect the APP
plauding thousands of its observers will
be no simulated enthusiasm OF men who are
making cowardly pretense of treason to
their. convictions. On the contrary, every
banner, every transparency. every burst
of music and every responding shout
from the vast throng of marching men
will convince every. beholder and every
listener that the paraders will vote as they
march. The procession will be splendid
and assuring presage of Republican vic
| tory or Tuesday next, to be achieved Dy
the votes of American freemen, such as
those who win be found manifesting their
purpose by marching in this great parade.