The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-21

question, presenting III general the we'll
known arguments in an attractive way.
He claimed that the cause of the farmers
hard times was not the demonstration
of silver, but the tariff, which had cut
him off from the barter customers of the
world, leaving him only to sell his wheat
to those who pay cash. Mr.. Shepherd 8
speech was loudly applauded.
When
COLONEL JOHN R. FELLOWS
of New York, the famous Tammany
orator was introduced, he received very
enthusisstio greeting. Col. Fellows began
by saying that he had for quarter OF a
century bean coming to Maine to preach
the principles of Democracy. He now
came with no new doctrine. 1t WAS the
same that he had preached quarter Of
a century before.
The present sitution was unusual.
The national convention at Chicago had
acted in so unusual q way that there
was great dissent. If any one asked him
why he disEented, he would answer
Because l am Democrat. - loud
cheeTs.) He was not originally Demo-
orat. His Wing father had taught him
that to be Democrat was to be a sinner
for whom there was very little hope.
cloud laughter.) But he had examined
the Easio principles Of the Democratic
party, and approved them and had been
led by them since. Others might run away
with tho flag of organization, but he
would remain with the ark of the faith.
(Cheers.) He believed usually in regu-
larity and form in party matters. But
there came crises when the action of the
regular body was such that the individual
was absolved from allegiance. AT
Chicago was repudiated solemnly-nay,
not soiemnly, but with unseemly uproar
all the principles of the party. and all
the old articles of Democratic creed
They are the heretlcs, and we are left
the only custodians of all that is left
worth keeping of the old party being.
(Cheers.
Conventions did not make parties
That ST. Louis convention was not con-
stituted to make Democracy for US.
Democracy was older than any conven-
ton; 1T had been handed down from the
days of the fathers.
Speaking of the Chicago convention
particularly the orator said: 81 deny
the authority of any such assem- blage,
and declare that it has become revolu-
tionary and released everyone of us from
allegiance Cheers
Speaking of the Maine Democrats, he
said: I'm juno you met and declared
the ancient principles of the party. Has
what bloomed SO brightly amid the
roses of June withored and faded In the
heat of Augusta" sNoud cheers.) Has
Democracy changed? We're you true and
honest then9 Are you lying now?
Let those deluded by the passions of
the hour, carried away by unusual feel
ing. prescribe new nostrums if they wills
The formulas which we're handed down
by the fathers are sufficient to comfort
me to the end. (Applause.)
But even in form the Chiuago conyen.
tion was not regular. The national
committee, the connecting link between
the conventions, makes up the temper
airy organization which decides who are
the properly accredited delegates. The
national committee at Chicago, as GUS
tomary from time immemorial, made up
the temporary organization. But they
we're fouted and turned down by the
revolutionary gathering in the process
fairly bowling down one of the most
prominent Demo Gratis in the land, the
senior Senator from New York.
Then there was rule that two-thirds
should be required to nominate. Now
these men did not h ave two thirds. They
might have followed the direct example
of their great masters, Danton and
Robespierre. But they did not have the
courage to proceed directly. So they
resorted to as infamous fraud as WINS
ever. perpetratsd in convention. They
did not have two thirds, so they met at
dead of night and devised plan. The
Michigan delegation, under the unit
rule, was solidly for sound money
Twenty eight delegates, who had regular
credentials, against no one of whom
there was test, were for gold, under
the unit rule; but the state of sentiment
was such in the delegation that by turn
ing out four gold delegates and replacing
them by silvermen, the vote of Michigan
could be wheeled into the silver line
Although there were no contestants, and
although they had to telegraph to Miohi-
gan to get their men to substitute, those
revolutionists turned out the sufficient
number and made Michigan vote for
free silver. This gave the oonspirators
the needed two.t thirds.
Then they called in an elocutionist and
he delivered such speech as may readily
be gotten up, when libraries are con-
yenient and time is ample
He borrowed his metaphors from a
Republican Congressman in Massachu-
sets.
They borrowed their platform from a
Populist convention at Ocala, Fla.
And the product started in fraud and
ending in hysteria cloud cheers) they
called Democracy. (Derisive laughter.