The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-23

/ the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland De-
| cause I did not believe that he was ia
| sympathy with my idea Of the plain
meaning of the platform, but l was
delighted to sustain my party by my
vote and voice, because hoped from
| his administration faithful dis
charge of the duties and trust reposed
in it, and because / know that from
the Democratic Party alone would
finally come relief to the distressed
and impoverished people, daily grow
ing poorer and poorer while the pr
vileged classes favored by unjust laws
were daily growing richer and richer.
Our hopes were disappointed. In
1896 I attended another convention Of
the same great party in the same city.
1t was with thrill of delight and hope
that I witnessed the adoption of a
platform which was no longer sub
iect of doubtful construction, but a
platform presenting the great needs
of the American people, and l BE-
HELD WITH JOY THE NOMINA-
TTON OF CANDIDATES UPON THAT
PLATFORM WHOSE VERY LIVES
EMBODIED THE PRINCIPLES OF
THE PLATFORM ITSELF.
1t was my most heartfelt wish TO
present to the good people of North
Carolina my views on these great IS
sues presented by the Democratic
Party to the American people, and to
speak to them of the burdens which
they have borne so long and patiently,
and to rejoice with them in the glad
hopes of returning life and prosperity;
to explain to them the income tax,
by which the rich should bear their
proper burden of taxation, and to
urge that men holding property eX-
empted from any direct taxation
should contribute to the support of
the Government by a just and pro-
portionate tax upon their incomes.
This measure adopted by a Democratic
Congress was declared nnconstitu-
tional by a court which was forced,
in order to arrive at it's conclusion, to
overthrow the decision of the greatest
legal minds that have adorned the
bench of the Supreme Court of the
United States for the last one hun
dred wears. This and many questions
presented by the State and national
platforms 1 wished to present to you.
I desired above all things to speak
to the people of the trusts and unlaw-
full combinations which were threat
ening the destruction of the commerce
and business of the Country Com
binations of men by which the very
necessities Of life were placed under
their absolute control 10 be dealt out
to the consumer at prices fixed by lille
gal means, and under the operations
of which small dealers with limited
capital are being driven from business.
The business of others is being con-
trolled within channels directed by the
trusts The prices of raw materials
in the hands of the original producers
are fixed by these trusts and combina-
tions at or below the cost of produc-
ton. and then in turn these same raw
materials, when manufactured, are
sold by these organizations at the
prices fixed by them, and thus to q
great extent has all competition in
the purchase of raw materials and in
the sale of manufactured products
been destroyed. Mark Hanna is the
a1,otheosis of these trusts ana com
bines, and his cunning fingers are
touching every button and every spring
in his reach, and dropping his money
into all the open slots, large or small,
through all this land.
In my speech to the July convention,
I declared then that the situation ten
dered the issue as to whether the peo-
pie should be left free to exercise their
own choice, or whether the power of
Hannaism would not in a stealthy and
deceptive manner hood-wink them
through trusted leaders and endeavor
to defeat their aims.
My declaration has been verified, for
Hannaism has entered the rooms OF
our opposing committees and sub
committees in Nation, State, County
and Township, and has ait least be-
clouded the minds of our opponents,
and thwarted them in their expressed
purpose to see the people united in
securing the control of their financial
system, which they so much desire.
Bryan, like the Cheyalier Bayard, APP
| proaches like the greyhound, defends
| himself like the lion, and like the wolf
retreats only with his face towards
| his foes.
Hanna carries dark lantern.
/ I should feel, my fellow citizens, in
| INV ,,racant weakness a great despair