The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-10


force bill, which passed the house but
was defeated in the senate.
He introduced the first free coinage
measure in congress, and was the au-
thor of the seigniorage bill which pass
ed both houses and was vetoed by
President Cleveland.
If this be an obscure record where
can be found the career of any public
servant which deserves the plaudits of
his cOuntrymen?
THE Democrats of Missouri who
have passed through the fiery furnace
of Republican prescription seven times
heated, and whose state flag has al
ways been placed beneath the great orr
famine of the national Democracy.
makes no apology nor excuse when Of
fering such candidate for the presi-
dency.
If you ask, Whence comes our can
didate?' We answer, Not from the usur-
ers' den, nor temple of Mammon where
the clink of gold browns the voice of
patriotism, but from the farm, the
workshop, the mine-from the hearts
and homes of the people,
ITO reject him is to put a brand
upon rugged honesty and undaunted
courage, and to chill the hearts and
hopes of those who during all these
years have waited for this hour of tri-
umph To nominate him is to make
our party again that Of the people, and
to insure success.
50 Give us Silver Dick, and silver quick,
And we will make Mckinley sick
In the ides Of next November -
The senator's closing words were the
signal for another Bland demonstration,
long loud and enthusiastic. A banner
bearing the we'll known face of Silver
Dick was hoisted in the middle aisle.
The convention rose enmasse, men
cheered and waved hats and handker-
chiefs. The Bland banner was carried
down to the platform, then carried
around the delegates. From every part
Of the hall Bland banners made their
appearance, some bearing his picture,
others ''16 to / and others voicing the
''Iavincible Irreproachab BILE" sentiment
of the Missouri candidate.
Meanwhile the wild clatter continued.
One man far up among the spectators
turned an umbrella inside out and
waved it madly. The bearers of ban
ners and transparencies formed in twOs
and tours and circulated them.
David Overmyer of Kansas, began to
make the seconding speech under diff
culties for a small riot was stirring in
front of the platform when ne swept his
right arm across the arena. When quiet
was restored he spoke as follows:
DAVID OVERMYER'S SPEECH.
mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Convention: In the name OF the De-
uOcracy of Kansas; in the name of the
farmers of Kansas; in the name of
the farmers of the United States; in the
name of the homeless who thrOng your
streets in the quest of bread; in the
name of that mighty army of unem-
plOyed; in the name of that mightiest
army which has risen in insurrectiOn
against every form of economic despOt-
ism, 1 second the nomination of that
illustriOus statesman and patriot. that
Tiberous, gracious silver Dick Bland
of Missouri.
"A man who understands the signif-
canoe of the fact that the American
Democracy took the constitution when
it was a mere commission of authority
and added to it the ten great amend
ments which stand forever as an i'm
passabl barrier against the invasive
instincts OF power; a man who knows
that if power is not required to stop
somewhere, power will stop nowhere;
that the first lesson of liberty is Jeal-
OuSy of power and that the first maxim
of liberty is that safety lies in distrust
of power; a man who knows that no
nation ever enriched itself by taxing
itself; that 10 tax is either constitu-
tiOnal or just except it be levied for a
public purpose, and that any tax which
places the burden of government upon
the backs of the poor while exempting
the rich is Ubiquitous; man who knows
that there are things dearer than gold,
character. exalted character, manhood,
uncOnQuerable manhood, honor, immOr-
tai honor, and that these high qualities
cannot long be retained by man, men
aced with mortgages, dominated by
landlords and bowed down under the
bitter and hopeless bondage of perpet-
ual debt; that all which dignihes, all
which elevates. all which exalts our
mortal life must wither and perish IN
der the calling touch of gold.
" Ill fares the land to Fastening ills a
prey,
Where wealth accumuIates and men
Princes and lords may flourish or may
fade,
A breath may make them as a breath
A bold yeomanrv. their countrv's pride.
When once destroyed can never be sup
Piled
"a man who knows that money is the
likelihood of the body commercial and
that no man or set of men can ever
have the right to Iigate the limbs of the
body or to arrest or impede the normal
circulation of that blood; a man who
knows that money coined from either
of the precious metals is sound money,
as atteSted by the experience and Wis
dom of all ages of the past a man
who knows that all money Of the con-
stitutiOn is sound money; that money
which is good enough to pay every pri-
vate debt is good enough to pay every
public debt; that money which Wa
good enough to pay George Washing
ton for his expenses incurred in estab-
fishing our liberty is good enough to
pay Ickeiheimer or Morgan or any
other man in the wide, wide, wide
world; that the money of Jefferson, of
Jackson, of Madison, Of Monroe and
of Benton is honest money, and that he
who says it is not insults the memory
of those dead but sceptered sOVereigns
who rule our spirits from their urns'
"A man who knows that information
al agreement is a mere device to ap-
pease the people and once more disap-
point and betray them; and. that they
who would place this nation under sub
lection to Great Britain in the matter
of the standard of value are no friends
of their country or their kind; and.
that the true ratio between the metals
&c mott lone Nv n
"A man who knows that this nations
honor is not in the keeping of that