The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-24
WHERE THE DEMOCRATS FAIL.
The Candidate for Governor on the Democratic
Ticket in Massachusetts, Last Year, Makes
. Striking Speech, in Which He
JuStifleS the PopuliSts.

Portland, Me-, June 16.-The politi-
cal sensation of the season was the
free silver utterance of George Fred
Williams OF Massachusetts, tonight
at banquet in this city on the eve OF
the Maine Democratic state conven-
tion. The banquet was given by the
Young Mems Democratic Club Of
Maine. and more than 600 people were
present. There were present among
others, Ex-Governor Garcilon, a
Democrat, and ex-senator Bradley of
Augusta, who announced that the ma
iority of the Maine delegates to the
state convention are with him in the
declaration for free silver. The news
that the fourth Maine district con-
vention this forenoon declared for sill
yer was early received and cheered
loudly. But the feature after all was
the speech of Mr.. Williams, who, it
must be remembered, was the Demo
cratic candidate for governor of
Massachusetts last year. He said in
part:
The history of our country has
proved that our people are patient,
long suffering and honest. No excess
has yet been committed without a
grievance behind it, and the adjust
ment Of our government makes the
success of radical errors next to i'm
possible. For twenty years our great
parties have been nearly equally di-
vided in the popular vote, and but
once has the scattering vote exceeded
81 per cent of the total vote. In 1892
cries of SdiscOntent were heard and II
per cent of our voters were found in
an independent movement. They
came from the agricultural and labor
ing elements, and their protest was
against the abuse of the peoples
rights by monopOlists in money, lands
and industry. If the Democratic par
ty is true to its principles it will not
ignore such claims, but fairly search
their causes and seek to do justice.
We should not be deferred by abusive
epithetS or fear the whitening and
cruel criticism Of those who think
are crying for justice. =
Lam of the opinion that the Demo
cratic party has not performed its
- Wv AUuCuAOA LII OPPOoAhS wiz VII
dency which the Populist party is or
ganized to check. We may not now
approve their remedies, but propose
tonight to frankly consider why this
despised protest from the West and
South does not strike the fundamen-
tai evils Of our development, which
nave sapped our prosperity and Great
ed wides pread misery.
l believe and declare that a vicious,
unjust and cruel system has developed
in our industry, which has worked
with increasing strength, until a
popular uprising is at hand. Agricul-
ture and labor are the basis of our
national prosperity; as they flourish
or wither. the whole country smiles
and groans. They are the customers
Of trade. We who have something to
invest do not know where to put it,
for fear it will be stolen. / have lost
more from dishonest railroad man
ayers and mOnopolistic tyranny than
silver standard could take from me
under any circumstances. And those
who took my earnings are walking
head-up in Boston and elsewhere to-
day, and will very likely be the first
to rush into print and say that | am
attempting to carry class against
class.
Who are the anarchists. who are the
repudiatOrs in community where
such methods thrive and not even So
cial penalties are visited upon the
wrongdoers? / cannot tolerate the
blindness of morals which accuses
whole sections of the country OF dis
homes ty, when they seek way out of
a spurious money system, while men
who organize corporations for pillage