Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-24
ALTGELD AGAIN.
He will Be Standard Bearer Of the
illinois Democracy.
A Red Not Silver Convention Full Of Great Ex
element.

sembled. today. to select state tlcke
and to name delegates to the nationa
convention in Chicago
An hour before the time set by the
official call. fully $500 people were
packed within the rectangular build
ing, and couple of thousand more
were unable to obtain entrance.
Alexander Hamilton Bell Of Carlin-
address he said: IF there was ever d
time i'm the history of any politica
party when every step should be taker
with prudence, but without fear, and
when wise counsel should prevail. that
time is now at hand for the Demo
cratic party. Great issues are before
the people. Momentous issues are al
stake. This year will become famous
in the calendar. Though our natural
resources are exhaustless, yet many OF
our people are in want. Though we
are the great agricultural nation OF
the world. yet through unwise legisla-
ton the ports of the world are closed
beyond the reach of our products.
Though gold and silver mines should
make us rich and keep us so, yet
through folly or crime we have de-
stroyed the value of one-half our
wealth of precious metals by, statute.
Though the great money kings of the
East grow rapidly richer. the common
people are becoming gradually poorer.
While millionaires increase in num-
bers, tramps multiply and wander up
and down our land.
Our farmers produce great crops
viii nd 4
tie are sold at a loss. Our mines pro-
duce great quantities of precious met
ais, which our own laws dishonor. Our
homes. our liberties, are passing into
the hands of cold. crafty, organized
wealth. Is there no remedy for these
evils? | believe that none of these
great social and economic questions
can be rightly solved except by and
through the Democratic party. 1t is
the party of equal rights; the party of
the common people. l would be
ashamed to doubt the equal patriotism
or intelligence of my Republican
neighbors. but the Republican party is
powerless to redress these wrongs. It
is securely dominated by the Morrill,
eastern states of the Union. Maine:
New Hampshire, ermont, MassachN-
sets. Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
York and New Jersey dominate the
Republican party. ana although they
have ruled the Land. though it may
have impoverished the West to enrich
the East. we might as we'll pray to
the gods of the heather as to seek a
through the Republican party
The East has never controlled the
I in orfx
nominated a man for the Presidency
from the state of New York, in spite
of the protests of the delegation from
that state. May God forgive us for it.
There must be a limit even to divine
wrath. for we have since then been
beaten as with a scourge of scorpions,
The Republican national convention.
last week. dominated by the North
eastern section of the Union declared
for single gold standard In my
minds eye l can see the conspirators
at their work
There are Plat and Quay, Depew
and Hobart, and Lodge and Hanna;
and lot of ignorant negroes who, for
ready cash. would sell themselves and
their poSterity into a worse slavery
than their race ever knew. Moved by
a selfiShnesS that knows no humanity,
prompted by unfeeling greed. they seal
the compact. The great states of the
West under the leadership of Senator
Henry NJ. Teller withdrew from the
What will our national
do? Will the East control
its action and write its platform? Rest
assured that it will exhaust every eff
70 do bax fa; ln; ag
fort will they remain loyal to the party
or viii they bolt? I don't know, but
would have our national convention
declare its purpose fearlessly and ex
plcitly and let those bolt who will /
am tired of following New England or
New York. Let imperial Illinois lead
the way Let Illinois be henceforth
the empire state. We have been suck
ers long enough. l have no doubt that
the national convention at Chicago will
declare for the free and
unlimited coinage of gold and silver at
the ratio of 16 to l, whether England
says we may or may not. We are told
by some of our friends that we must |
have harmony in the party and that
for harmony's sake we must compro- |
mise. We must conciliate, we must |
straddle. There will be no straddling |
in this campaign. We cannot compro-
mise with error. We cannot daily with |
sin without pollution. There is no |
sHerVing from the right line that may
not lead eternally astray."
At the conclusion of the address. |
which was vociferously applauded at |
every period, the usual committees We're
named.
While the call of districts for mem
bers of the committee was in progress
in the Democratic state convention. |
the convention got into terrible dis
order as a result of outsiders crowding
100 or more delegates from their seats
Hon. Charles X. Ladd. permanent
chairman, made fiery address, Elk
Congressman Worthington of Peoria,
declared that the Eastern goldbugs
were responsible for 40-cent wheat and
so houses, but there was a sentiment
breeding in the West that would para
yZe them.
Governor Altgeld then appeared on
The platform and was given a ire
nendous ovation. He spoke at length.