The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-05
Graphic Recital of the AppnIIine
Failures for which Democrats
Have Been Responsible.
THE RECORD OF INCAPACITY
WHAT THE PRESENT THEORY OF
sILvERITEs AMOUNTS TO.
Most Interesting Speech by the In
dfannpofs Inv School Dean at
Terre Haute Last Night.
ipecial to the indianapolis Journal.

TERRE HAUTE. Ind. Sept. 4--Hon w.
+. Fishback of Indianapolis delivered an
address tonight to a meeting held under
the auspices of the Sound-money Club of
Railroad Men. The place of meeting was
under the sheds at the union depot and
there was lssgge attendance. During the
hrst hour he was frequently interrupted
by moving trains. but on his repeated
promise to deliver the speech If it took all
night, the people called back to him that
they would stay with him. There are now
SIX hundred members of the club which
was organized less than a month ago
Some of the officers of the club are we'll
known railroad men, who have heretofore
been Democrats, and on the roll of men,
bership there are many who declare
that they have determined not to vote for
Bryan, but who do not admit that thew
have permanently left the Democratic
party Mr.. Fishback was introduced by
President Perryman, who said that Mr.
Fishback had not been informed that he
was to address a nonpartisan club The
speaker said he had come as a Republican
TO make Republican speech and he would
make it, but he would try not to say any,
thing offensive, except in the line of argtl-
ment which involved comparison of the
records of the two parties Mr.. Fishbacks
speech was as follows:
rest upon the fact that man is endowed
with memory, and profits by the lessons
OF experience In a limited way the lower
animals have memory and learn by ex-
perience, but here comes the distinction
that gives man his primacy and makes
progress possible. Succeeding generations
of animals have way Of transmitting
their experience to their successors-so that
age after age they come and go, and the
ape and tiger and elephant of to-day are
Just as intelligent and no more than were
their pregenitors centuries ago Animals
IN hiGfn
no great treasure house CT accumulated
knowledge to which they can resort for
The honey bees that stored their sweet
treasures in the carcass of Samson's lion.
thsa and the rst orioles roles that hung
pendent branches of elm, built
their combs and nests perfectly
as 1T is possible for them to do to-day.
They like some voters who never learn
anything. But the difference between pre-
hist1~ic man who dwelt in caves. and the
man of to-day who builds cities and war
ships ana who makes the winds and steam.
servants, is immense
/ address you tonight, my fellow-citi-
zens. on the theory that you have intelli-
gence and common sense; and that you are
possessed of a fair share of that wisdom
which comes from observation, reading and
experience.
The progress of mankind has not al
ways been rapid or constant. There have
been times when the forward movement
has been checked, but, upon the whole.
century after century there has been a
marked advance. 1t took our ancestors
many centuries to learn the use of fire
and the metals, the mariners compass.
gunpowder the steam engine, the art OF
writing and book making, and the art pre-
servative of all arts. the art of printing.
These and many others came in due time,
and form the great treasure house of the
human race. Having tested these things
and found them to be valuable. man holds
on to them and will not let them go. 1t Is
impossible to conceive of a time wnen man
will give up these agencies of civiza ton.
And yet all these would be of little use
unless men come TO some agreement as to
the terms upon which they to live to-
gether on amicable terms. Such agree
men live, and the type of government
which seems to be best adapted to promote
the security, happiness and prosperity Of
the governed. Society and progress are inn
possible without some sort of government.
The worst conceivable despotism is better
than anarchy. In the ancient kingdom of
Persia when ruler died II was customary
rulers for six days That was enough
When the wise men who framed opr Con-
;saa FfSSnikn rank Madison
came together they found the colonial
States. held together SO loosely that any
of them could break the confederacy
at will; there was no Congress to enact
binding laws; there was no executive au-
thority to enforce them; there was no SUI
preme. independent judicial tribunal TO
pass upon the validity OF congressional en-
actments. BY the Constitution they framed.
which was adopted by the people, these
three great departments of government
the legislative, the executive and the 1ud1-
cial-were set up and their functions and
powers were defined. 1t entirely
new thing; in the language of washing.
ton. 1t was an experiment II was criticised
and ridiculed by many. Foreign rulers and
statesmen predicted its speedy downfall.
and there were many of our own people
who had faith in its permanence. But
it has survived-and at what cost The
tree of liberty in America has certainly
been watered with human blood. but IL has
fiourished for more than a century. Our
success has extorted the praise of the wise
nd nations. foreign
critics praise us. Gladstone says our
Constitution Is the grandest political docu-
ment ever conceived by the brain of man.
Mr.. Bagehot says our federal system has
demonstrated that nation may last while
hostile. changed his opinion before he died,
and acknowledged the perfect success of
the experiment. What is especially valu-
able in form of government I'm their
eyes IS the establishment and maintenance
of a Supreme Court which is the final arbi-
ter of private rightsA and whose DEGREES
concerning the powers and duties OF Con-
gress, and the executive and the States
are absolute and final, Never before. In
the history of the world. was such court
established. Never IN the history of man
has there been a tribunal or such power
and dignity, or one that has so well per-
formed the great duties assigned to IL. IL
has remained for Governor Altged and
that portion of the Democratic party which
was represented at Chicago TO discover that
the trainers of the Constitution committed
a great blunder when they provided for
such a court. How are great questions be-
tween State and Nation and between State
and state TO be determined II this court Is
stripped OF It's powers?
ENFORCEM INT OF LAW.
1t was one of the most glaring defeats OF
the confederation. and probably the most
elaring of all. that no power was given TO
the general government, either by its ex-
ecutive officers or It's military authorities,
to go into State TO enforce a decree. to
execute public law. or to preserve tho
public peace or protect public or private
property The citizens of a State could
defy the public authority with mpunity.
The power and duty of keeping the public
peace and protecting the citizens was con-
fided to the State authorities and IL these
authorities neglected that duty Il was un-
performed. 1t is provided by the Constitu-
tion that when State officers are incompe-
tent TO meet great emergency. or when
they are unfaithful and cowardly. the
sfrong arm of the general government may