The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-09-10

letter, accept the nomination which Is
now rendered by the notification com,
nittee. and | shall at that timo touch
upon the Issues presented by the plat.
form. 1t Ia fitting, however. at this
time, In the presence of those here as,
sembled, ! speak at some length In re.
gard to tho campaign upon whicA w
are now entering. We do not under
estimate the forces arrayed against US
neither are we unmindful Of tho i'm
Lvfiance Of the struggle in which we
arc engaged; but, relying for success
upon the righteousness Of our cause
we shall defend with all possible vigOr
the positions taken by our party.
1t has been charged by men stand
Ing high in business and political cir
Giles that our platform is menace to
private security and public safety; and
1t has been asserted that those whom
have the honor, for the time being, to
represent, not only mediate an attack
upon the rights Of property, but arc the
foes Of social order and national honor.
Those who stand upon the Chicago
platform are prepared to make known
end to defend every motion which in
1luences them, every purpose which an
dmates them and every hope which in
spires them. Andrew Jackson said;
Distinctions In society will always ex-
ast under every just government.
Equality OF talents, OF education, or OF
wealth, cannot be produced by human
institutions In the full enjoyment OF
the gifts Of heaven and the fruits Of
superior industry, economy and virtue
every man Is equally entitled to pro-
lection by law We Yield TO none in
our devotion to the doctrine just snun-
ciated.
Tho Object Of tho Campaign.
Our campaign has not for It's object
che reconstruction Of society. We can
not insure to the vicious the fruits OF
virtuous life; we would not invade
the home Of the provident in order to
supply tho wants of tho spendthrift,
We do not propose to transfer the re-
wards OF Industry to the lap of indo-
lence. Property Is and will remain
the stimulus Of endeavor and the com
pensa.ion for toll.
Il assert that property rights, as we'll
as the rights Of persons, are safe in the
hands OF the common people. Abra-
ham Lincoln, In his message sent to
congress In December, 1861, said: mo
men living are more worthy to be
trusted than those who toll up from
poverty, mono less inclined to take
or touch aught which they have not
honestly earned.
Il repeat his language with unqual-
ifled approval and join with him In the
warning which he added, namely: Let
them beware Of surrendering a polite
al power which they already possess,
and which power, il surren-
dered, will surely be used to
close the doors of advance
ment against such as they, and to fix
new disabilities and burdens upon
them, till all Of liberty shall be lost
Those who daily follow the injunction.
ssln the sweat Of thy face shalt thou
tat bread are now, as they ever have
been, the bulwark of law and order,
the source Of our nations greatness in
time OF peace, and It's surest defenders
in time Of war.
I'VE are rot surprised to find arrayed
against those who are the boneflciaries
OF government avoritism-they have
read our platform. Nor are we sur
prised to learn that we must In this
campaign face the hostility of those
who find a pecuniary advantage In ad-
vocating the doctrine of non-interfer-
, ence when great aggregations of
wealth are trespassing upon the rights
OF individuals. We welcome such OPP
position--it Is tho highest Endorsement
which could be bestowed upon us. We
are content to have the cooperation of
those who desire to have the govern
ment administered without fear or IA
yor.
Existence Of Trusts
ut Is not the wish OF the general
public that trusts should spring into
existence and override the weaker
members Of society; 1t is not the wish
OF the general public that these trusts
should destroy competition and then
collect such tax as they will from
those who are at their mercy. Those
who stand upon the Chicago platform
believe that the government should not
only avoid wrong-doing, but that it
should also prevent wrong-doing; and
they believe that the law should be
enforced alike against all enemies Of
the public veal. The commandment,
Thou shalt not STEAL Numbered from
Sinai and reiterated in the legislation
OF all nations, Is no respecter of per-
sons. 1t must be applied to the great
as well as to the small; to the strong
as well as to the weak; to the corporate
person created by law as we'll as to the
person of flesh and blood created by
the Almighty. No government is
worthy of the name which Is not able