The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-06-24
With Wild CHEERS
Governor Altgeld Renominatsd Against
His Will by Acclamaion.
THE PLATFORM ALL RIGHT
Free Silver Coinage Demanded as
the First Consideration - The
Bond sharks of Wall Street
Denounced Without Mercy.

Bond sharks of Wall street
Denounced Without Mercy.
Peoria, ILL.,. June 23.-The democratic
state convention was called to order
To-day. Temporary Chairman NJ. M.
Bell made a speech declaring against a
straddle on the money question. He
SAID: "Momentous issues are at stake.
-Four years ago We nominated a man
for the presidency from the state OF
New York. in spite of protests from
the delegates Of that state May God
forgive US for 1t. Since then we have
been beaten as with a scourge OF scor-
pions. Our president. forgetting the
tariff issue on which we had won,
brought confusion Into our party by
striking down with traitorous hand the
only apology that still remained for
the coinage of the peoples silver The
republican national convention last
week. dominated by the northeastern
section Of the union. declared for a sin
gle gold standard. In my minds eye 1
can see the conspirators at their work.
There are Platt and Quay. Depew and
Hobart. and Lodge and Hanna and q
lot OF ignorant negroes who, for ready
cash. would sell themselves and their
posterity into a worse slavery than
their race ever knew. The great states
OF the West, under the leadership Of
Senator Henry NJ. Teller. withdrew
from the convention. What will our
national convention do? VIII the par
ty control IT'S action and write Its plat
form? Rest assured that II will ex-
haust every effort to do 80. / would
have our national convention declare
its purpose fairly and explicitly. and
let those bolt who will. am tired OF
following New England or New York.
Let imperial Illinois Iced the way. Let
Illinois be henceforth the empire state
When our national convention declares
for 16 to l blmetallism what will be
the result? God only knows. But this
great question must be settled and set
tied right"
At the conclusion Of Bells speech the
great audience gave vent to deafening
applause. The convention took a re-
cess until o'clock.
On reassembling Charles X. Ladd
was chosen permanent chairman. The
convention was addressed by Governor
Altgeld. He said In part: -Four years
ago our people met under brighter
skies. We swept the country by q such
q majority that fidelity to democratic
principles would have assured Bupes
macy for another quarter of a century.
But before the inaugural festivities had
ceased the head of the new administra-
tion sought strange gods and espoused
alien principles. The interests of mon-
ey were placed above those of human
ity. Organized greed was fed with
golden spoons, while the cry of the
husbandman was unheeded and the
sweat Of the toller brought him no
bread. The republicans had inherited
the principles of Hamilton, according
TO which the government should be q
convenience for the rich. Our presi-
dent tried to crowd them out and to
place his own feet on this ground. As
the months rolled by, every principle
that is vital to republican institutions
was violated, and every precept of
jefferson. every doctrine fundamental
to democracy was trampled to the
earth. Since then defeat has followed
dishonor until we have lost even what
we formerly had. But the spirit of
democracy Is immortal. To-day the
democratic hosts are again mastering
on the plain. The first thing neces-
sary for US to do Is to stand for sosne-
thing definite, stand for those princi-
pies upon which hope of humanity de-
pends.
THE question of protective tariff has
long been an issue in this country.
For the first time we took an unequlv-
ocal position on II four years ago and
we won. The tariff has been revised
and the probabilities are that neither
political party will make any radical
..lA t.. 4.
while to discuss the theories of tar
iff. 1t protects the proprletors. but not
the laborer The climax had been
reached in the passage of that legis-
lative monstrosity known as the Nc
Kinley law This law was based on
the theory that IL taking blood out of
the patient was beneficial, then the
right thing to do Is to draw II all out
at once and be done. Between 1873 AMI
1880 this country and all of the nations
of Europe by law destroyed one-half
of the redemption money OF the world
and reduced by fully one-balf the an
nual addition to the stock money Of the
world. Silver. when used at all was
put on the basis of paper money. The
effect of this was to double the work
which gold had to do. and by doubling
its Importance Its purchasing power
was doubled; 1t made two-hundred-
cent dollars. AS the debts, interest
taxes and other fixed charges were not
reduced, It took nearly everything
which the farmer and the producing
classes generally could scrape togeth-
er to meet the fixed charges. This de-
stroyed the trade OF the merchants and
soon forced the factories to shut down
las the democratic party represents
the great toiling and producing masses
II must take the lead In undoing this
wrong. 1t will be a fierce struggle
for those INSCRIPTIONS men who by
corruption and trickery fastened this
system on the world will resort, nay
are already resorting to the desperate
means to hold their advantage. The
men who about 10 years ago made ter
millions out of the government in small
bond transactions carried out through
secret contract with the president
and the secretary Of the treasury. will
do all in their power TO prevent q
change OF policy. They will ltry TO cap
ture the Chicago convention and. fail.
ing In that. will move heaven and earth
to control the new administration In
case We succeed.
Last week there was held in St
Louis a convention which will bt
known in history as the Mark Han.
mas Trust" Railroad attorneys. cor.
porstion agents. lobbyists and thost
men who have ru-de millions out o