The Yale expositor., 1896-09-04
GOLD DEMOCRATS.
THE STATE CONVENTION HELD
AT LANSING.
Rufus #. sprague, OF GrcenvlIio, Nomi.
mated for Governor-Nearly All of the
Ticket Named by Acclamntion- Quiet
Convention.

The state convention or the SOUND
money Democrats at Lansing was not
largely attended-only about 100 delegates
being present-and the Tenth and Twelfth
districts were not represented at all; but
hard work and enthusiasm made up for
numbers. Thomas A. Wilson, OF JACKSON.
called the convention 10 order in speech
fun Of bitter denunciation OF the Chicago
convention, and OF the treatment OF ths
Michigan delegates. When he mentioned
the name OF President Cleveland there
were cheers and applause.
Prof. Bradley NJ. Thompson, of Ann Ar
Dor, professor in the department of law
an eX-mayor of Saginaw and also of the
university city, was made the temporary
chairman, and as he found his way TO
the platform, he was heartily greeted. He
thanked the convention for the honor and
begged TO be excused from a very formal
speech. "A peril threatens this nation
sad he. 1--WE must devise some means to
avert this calamity that threatens this
nation. For the second time in this half
OF the century the great national party
has been disrupted by schism. 1 say de-
liberately that the calamity of the civil
war would be less than the threatened
compenses to make in the heroes and
memories that survive, but what compen-
saton can follow national bankruptcy
and dishonor? The disaster of war can
be remedied. Such disaster never could.
There is in our keeping the ark of the
covenant of our fathers. Palsied be the
is true the times are hard. The Michigan
farmer is a very Sick man. He can
scarcely pay his taxes and support his
family. But because he is sick, it docs
not follow that a poison administered as
an antidote Will restore health and life.
(Cheers) We deny that the fall of prices
is due to the decentralization of silver.
And secondly, we deny that there has
been any characterization of silver" Mr..
Thompson's speech was very eloquent
and caught the convention well.
j. G. Holt, Of Grand Rapids, was made
temporary secretary OF the convention.
rr,f Int Ion and
order OF business were appointed. At the
afternoon session the attendance was
somewhat increased. The committee on
permanent organization reported maxi
ing tn temporary officers permanent.
Several old-time Democrats were called to
the prolonged cheers Of the convention iti
Wayne; e. b. Pond, of Washtenaw; Geo,
IIngham; ~ 5. Upton. Of Calhoun. and
VIM. I. Mitchell, OF st. Clair. Then the
deiogates got down to, filling the many
offices and kept busy the rest of the az
ternoon, except when Eugene Prlngle. OF
Jackson, was reading the resolutions.
Four Notwithstanding TO the Indian
as follows: Samuel r. Douglas of
Wayne; John S. Lawrence, of Kent;
L K,nIIbmas e. wilson, OF Jackson; S. L.
In view Of the work OF Thomas A. Will
son. or jackson, who has had charge OF
ment, Delegate Buckeridge. of Port HUI
ron, offered the following resolution com,
mandatory OF Mr.. Wilson's work;
Resolved, That Hon. Thomas A. Wilson has
SHOWN by MS zeal energy and industry his ca
pacity 10 MI the exacting position TO which he
was called by the Grand Rapids primary meet.
ing and this convention recommends him 70
the delegates selected to attend the indianapolis
tlonal committee; and
Resolved, That we extend to him our thanks
tp,e ms untrlng and patriot work in behalf OF
The report of the committee on resolu.
IONS was adopted without change. When
Chairman PRINCE, of the COMMITTEES on
resolutions, read the address he had TO
stop many a time to allow the wells and
applause to cease. The resolutions are as
As Democrats OF Michigan, in mass conven
ton assembled, we appeal TO the loyal Demo-
cratic masses Of the state to stand for the
ahclent Ialth OF the party, 20 preserve its in
tegrity, and to rescue IL from the clutches OF
those who are endeavoring In its name to es-
tablish Ideas not only undemocratic but hostile
of citizens
The Democratic organization rests upon the
idea OF equal laws for ALL and 1t is the only
party known to American politics which has
ever had an article OF fundamental faith by
winch II could test all proposition to make new
laws or to change those already made. BY this
test protection as an element OF tariff taxation
was condemned; by the same test the debase-
ment OF our currency must be rejected as
wrong. for the reason in each case that neither
somebody else.
The Democracy has always been the defend
er OF the constitution and laws, always contend
ed for the independence OF the judiciary as the
third department OF the government II has al
ways proclaimed the supremacy of the federal
government as to matters wherein express pow.
ers are given to congress by the constitution,
and at the same time strenuously demanded
non-interference with the rights left 10 the
states. IL is, therefore. in its view revolution
airy to attempt by reorganizing a court to re-
verse judicial decision. or to deny 10 the gen.
eral government the rights TO protect by force
OF arms, II necessary. its postal service and the
commerce between the states when imperiled
b DS riots or insurreetRn. The constitution may
a party or a people, is false to its duty II II at
tempts TO evade or annul II.
History illustrates the determination with
which the Democracy has maintained the doc
Urine OF sound money. IL has controlled the
government during fifteen presidential terms OF
the preeent century. and II was during these
terms that the wars OF 1912 and 1871 were
Fought and the territory of the United States
more than doubled by the acquisition OF LOUISE
ana, Florida, Texas and part OF Mexico; yet,
In making all this history II never relied upon
the issues OF fiat money to support its finances.
IL has In the past acted in the belief that an
irredeemablc or debased currency was or
would be a potential agency to conjure the earn
inss OF the poor to the Golfers OF the rich. 1t
raw, with all the world. as the effect of the
stSepreeia,sd currency in from 1851 TO 1879,
OF the people taken from the many and given to
the few.
IL is evident that parties, like states, have
constitutions and that they the less
binding and beyond the power OF impairment
because they exist only in the history and
practices OF parties Neither a national con-
vention nor any power less than the entire
party has the right to set at naught the
cardinal principles which govern II. II must
submit TO the limitation of these principles. as
congress or n legislature must submit to the
requirements OF the constitution which creates
It,
The Democracy Of the nation is now con-
Ionted with the arations and nominations
u the convention which met at Chicago in
Juiy OF the present year That convention
strikes az the Independence OF tn the Supreme
touIt OF the United States; denies the au-
monty OF the executive department OF the
soNerhment TO preserve law and order when
rlot ana infurtection endanger the interstate
commerce. OF the country: refuses 20 approve
IN adminstrauon entirely faithful 10 the plat
FORM OF the party and resolves in favor of the
free ana untnited coinage OF silver at the
ratio OF 10 10 /, although the necessary effect
OF such coinage would be 10 debase our money
and contract our currency by producing silver
tnorometallism. To debase the money rnust
have been the purpose inasmuch as there is
no pretensc IN the resolutions OF bimeta llIsu
and the convention contemptuously rejected an
Amendment that the proposed legislation should
except from its application all pre-existinr
contracts IL also violated the usages of the
party. which TIL then had been to rive full
credit 10 the action OF the state organizations
by unseating delegates from this state who
were duly elected by the state convention ana
putting In their places men In wise accredIt-
ed 10 represent the state-and this for the pur.
pose. carried Into effect. OF reversing the vote
u Michigan on both the platform and the can
iidates.