The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-09-03

triots but by that of radicals of the French
revolution. overturn party precedents and
pack convention to secure an
effective majority, then by aid of
that majority raise alOft the
incendiary banner of the people against
the rich, attack the integrity of the su-
preme court, threaten the subversion
Nf national institutions and the indirect
perversion of constitutional guarantees,
incite disrespect to law and authority,
suggest and in substance recommend the
Reputation of national and private debts,
and reject by intended implication the
fundamental principle of Democracy that
that government governs best which gov
erns least, then it is time not only for
Democrats to forsake that motley and I'M
American ehunciation of doctrines and to
join, in such manner as may seem best,
with all patriots who cherish their coun.
try honor and wish to protect the wei
fare of its people.
ReAindIing of American Patriotism.
l mistake the moral sense of the Amer
lean people if the action of the POpulists
at Chicago, rc-cntorced and emphasized
by the action OF the Populists at st. Louis,
has not rekiuGled the spirit of American
patriotism end awakened the American
conscience to the national dangers which
lurk in the forces and influences behind
Bryan and Scwall or Bryan and Watson.
The real issue in this campaign is an issue
of patriotism. In many presidential
election has the fight wuged fercely b.,
tween the advocates Of different political
doctrines, and the ruin of the country has
been freely predicted If either set of doc
trines were established as the policy of the
government-such predictions being mere
ly the extreme expression of party poll
tics; but in this election the issues around
which the battle is waging involve the in
tegrity of our institutions and the sacred
ness of our national honor and when they
have stirred that deep we'll of sentiment,
ordinary party differences disappear the
moral issue predominateS, and all good
citizens
Stand Shoulder to Shoulder
against those who would destroy the
American name and destroy the walls Of
her political structure. Mr. Bryan takes
trouble to reiterate in about every second
| speech that he stands squarely on the Chi
cago platform and supports every one of
| Its planks. He has not yet announced his
acceptance of all the planks of the Pop
ulist platform, but inasmuch as these are
| only different in degree and he has been
identified with Populism quite as much
| as with Democracy, it Is but fair to as
sumo that he stands on both platforms
Not quite SO radical in his views perhaps
| as Altgeld or Tillman, not quite so frank
as Tom Watson, he Is nevertheless fit
| representative of the revolutionary
forces behind him-ambitious, unsteady
and unsafe. There Is nothing in
his career or his present utterances to en-
courage the hope that If elected he would
rise above his surroundings or stay the
| hand which threatens to destroy and per-
vert. An untried man, demagogue q
word juggler, he perhaps will
Represent the Reckless Mob
from which he rose, and with character
| istic recklessness does not hesitate to ap-
peal to base human passions in order to
| attract votes. That, in this incendiary' s
| roll, standing, as he processes to stand, on
principles as un-Democratic as those Of
Herr Most, he should deserve, by any con-
ceptiOn Of party regularity, the support Of
true Democrats is past comprehension and
explained only by the ignorance Of the
man and his platform or disloyalty to gen.
uine party faith.
Mr.. Flower then entered upon an ex-
tensive discussion Of the financial and
other features of the Chicago platform
and pictured the calamities which would
follow its erection into law, closing as
follows:
Against such threatened cakmities we
have met as Democrats, as PATRIOTS to
| n,,r L. tnO T.,
permit differences of minor matters or
personal jealousies to divide our councils
or weaken our influences as we may have
among Democrats for the good Of our
country and the preservation of our party
organization for further periods of useful
ness Renouncing as un-Democratic the
work of the party organization at Chi.
cego. let us be true to every Democratic
instinct at Indianapolis. Let no man say
that in this convention any false note OF
Democracy was sounded. We stand for
all that should inspire good citizenship
for honest money, enforcement of law and
order, respect for authority, the preserva-
tion of the national credit, the just pay.
ment of debts, the dignity and welfare OF
labor, the prosperity and fair name OF
America UHited in such cause we can
20 forward with the American flag as our
banner and the words National Demo
Gratis incribed on it's folds. We know nc
sectional issue or interest. We stand be-
hind the broad shield of patriotism and in
that sign we shall conquer.
The mention of President Cleveland'i
name in the speech was given an ova.
ton. His characterization Of Mr..
Bryan as ambitious, unsteady and nm.
safe; as q "demagogue and word ing.