The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-04

They divided the Democratic party in Ohio,
and Foraker takes the place of that long line of
Democratic statesmen ending with Thurman
and Pendleton. They disregarded the teach
fngs of Carlisle [cheersl and we have a Repub-
Hcan Governor in the State of Kentucky. They
pardoned the anarchists in the great State of
Illinois, and more Democratic Congressmen
walked the plank at the next election. There
has not been the CHEST of a chance to elect
Democratic President since 1894, because of
free silver; therefore when they charge US
with trying to elect Mckinley charge back
that they have done the job much more skill
fully. [Applause and cheers.I
WHAT we intend to do is to prevent the cleo
ton OF the Chicago ticket under the pretense
that it is Democratic ticket. 1 voted for
Horace Greeley; / am not ashamed of it. It
was not a very delightful dose at the time
[laughterl but the memory of il has become
more palatable in five and twenty years. But
! did not vote for him as a Democrat standing
on Democratic platform. and I shall not
vote for Populist candidate on a PopuIist
platform. [Cheers.l
After sta ting that the Chicago conven-
tion had disobeyed instructions and there
fore Democrats were absolved from follow
ing it, Mr.. Breckenridge proceeded:
have nothing TO say about the young gen.
tleman who is now enligh tening the people on
the policy that ought to control the settle
ment of the financial question, but have read
his speeches with great care Has anybody
gathered ANYTHING from them but the sad les
son that life comes unequal with men; that to
some come prosperous days and to some ad-
versity; that to some come plenty and to some
want, and that as a corollary from this
those with whom life has gone hard ought TO
unite and destroy those with whom life has
been prosperous? Is there anything else in his
speeches, stripped of their verbiage but this:
Here is great country, here is the Hudson
with its handsome residences OF rich men,
here are the syndicates controlling great sums
OF money and here are you. Labor is not given
its just share of the profits. There is the bal
lot-box; there is the booty; there is the
weapons; you are the soldiers"
What is the lesson? Be frugal. be law-obedi-
ent, be patient be statesmanlike and study
the question. Is that it? No. Use the ballot
box to equalize that which life has made so
unequal. protest that that is not Dem ocracy.
loud cheeringl The Government shall not
support the people; the people must suppor,
the Government. [Applause.l The ballot box
is not weapon of hostility. is not menace;
1t takes the place of the bayonet; it takes the
place OF force. No strikes, no bombs no an
archists, no organizations to commit violence.
The ballot-box is not to make discord, but to
bring about harmony; not to produce dissen-
slons, but to produce that equalization OF law
under which all men stand equal Whatare
we going to do here to-day? Nominate r.
ticket? OF course. No one came here with
any other idea. No one came here with the
idea of firing in the air." of going through
dress parade, of formulating tenets without
having an object lesson of two men standing
on good platform [cheersl; men who are ex
emplary.
care not who they are; care not whether
our candidate for President be some gentle
man who after long life in the service of the
country in peace and in war [alluding to sena-
tor Palmerl would like to leave off the arnoor
which we would put upon him in making him
leader. loud cheers for Palmer1 I eould
follow cheerfully and enthusiasticallv that
most excellent, self-controlled gentleman in
his temper who commanded the Iron Brigade
in the war lalluding to General Bragg OF Wis
consinl, lcheersl; or l could follow cheerfnIlv
that farmer statesman with whom served in
Congress, the fair Flower of New York
Laughter and applause.l l do not want the
question before US to be obscured by anv other
question. DO not let us make any nomination
that will obscure the question:; do not let MS
open any door that viii offer to the enemy a
chance to raise any new issues upon u.s.
We are that Democratic party which stands
for revenue for tariff only" and for that
honest dollar which measures the coined value
of the workmans labor. We want the laborer
when he sells his product to get a dollar for il
that he can use in any market in which he
wants to buy. That is the American dollar
no bastard dollar worth 53 cents. We
will nominate our ticket and then we will ad
journ and go home. We will win no election
not a single State, perhaps, will vote for our
ticket There is in every transaction an ele.
ment OF transformers. We will be defeated
but we will save the honor of America. the
good name OF the people and the Democratic
party from ruin. [Cheersl
In conclusion Mr.. BrecKinridge drew an
eloquent and humorous description of the
return of the erring Democratic brethren
to the fraternal fold and to their welcome
and regalement with pure, unmixed bour-