The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1896-05-14


ceptance.
Gov. Taylor's Speech.
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Convention-My heart oyerfows with
gratitude to the people of Tennessee
for this extraordinary expression of
their confidence and trust in me, Why
lay down bright hopes and turn my
back on promises of personal fortune
in other fields and take once more in
my hand the banner of democracy and
Of the people? (Applause) In accept
ing this sacred trust, L am we'll aware
of the responsibilities which | am
about to assume, and of the burden
which l must bear. But | know full
we'll that the paths of public duty,
whether they lead to victory or to de-
feat, are bristling with thorns, and he
who reaches the summit of popular pre-
ferment will look down with longing
eyes on the humber plane of life below
and wish his sphere had never wander
ed from its warmer sunshine and sweet
er flowers. We are in the midst of try
ing times. We are confronted with
conditions which are deserving of the
peace and prosperity of the whole coun-
try. These conditions have wrought
dissension and discord among party
leaders and dissatisfaction There is
chaos and confusion everywhere, and
we. are in the throes of great political
convulsions. The purchasing power
ofmoney is increasing, while the prices
of ,oroDortxy onJ ,,ro1,, o+o oro Iooroo.
ing. In this land of gold and silver
there is an eternal clamor for money to
satisfy the tax gatherer and the money
lender and to meet the ordinary de-
mands of life. God has blessed us with
fruitful fields, but there is no ample
market for the harvest, In this land
of plenty there is the blight of poverty
and hard times, and we hear the cry of
labor begging for employment. | be-
lieve that the prime cause of these con-
ditions lie in the fact that we have de-
parted from the true policies of old
fashioned democratic government The
constitution has been thrown over
board, and we are drifting and straying
into dangerous seas without O compasss.
There is but one star to be seen through
the rifted clouds; there is but one
hope for the republic. That star is the
intelligence of the people that hope is
an honest ballot.
eff our free institutions are to be
perpetuated, we must come back to the
pure, the simple form of government
which was bequeathed to us by oul
fathers, for, in the adherence to the
principles which are embodied in this
form of government, the safety of the
union must rest The combined wis
dom of the world could not improve
upon these principles.
Through the inspiration of God ant
the experience of the ages we mus
fight our way back to them ; we mus
scourge corruption from the ballot box
we must throttle it in the lobbies, anC
drive it from our capitols, both stat,
and national. We must stand for hon
est local self-government without ma
tional interference. We must come
back to the principles which prohibi
national partnerships with any class o
individuals whatever. We must fgh
for the principles Of taxation for the
purposes of government alone we mus
plant ourselves upon the principles tha'
the functions of the government are tC
protect its people in life, liberty ant
property, and that beyond this is tyr
any and oppression. We must com,
back to the free and unlimited coinag,
of both gold and silver, at the ratio oi
1G to /, independent of any empire OF
the face of the earth.
II would not wilfully advocate an,
policy which would mislead the people
or which would be detrimental to my
country, nor would | for a momen
doubt the sincerity and patriotism o
those who differ from me upon vital is
sues, upon which the. people must pas
Judgment at the ballot boxes. In thes
distressing times we must not deal il
intolerance and denunciation, but W
must reason with each other, and witt
the people, and in the spirit of con
servatism, for we are all one peopi
with common hopes and common
destinies, and we are all striving t
! reach the same goal Of national happi
ness.
''I am for the free and unlimited coin
age of silver because there is not enougl
gold in the world to have such for
| standard, and therefore we can nothav
sufficient volume of money to meet th
demands of business and commerce an
to give q fair reward to labor. / al
for the free and unlimited coinage (
silver because I believe that the ad
herence to the single gold standard wi
fasten upon the American people a gol
interest-bearing debt which never ca
t be paid. I believe that the re-establisI
: ment of the double standard of golda an
! silver at the old-fashioned ratio of IS I
is the necessity OF the hour. | bt
; lieye it would avert bankruptcy an
beggary, and prevent actual suffering
S believe it will preventriots and abolis
5 and smother the spread of anarchy an
/ believe it viii result in a gloriou
period Of prosperity and happines
g throughout the length and breadth {
/ the country. Gold and silver are th