The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-18

system has brought this country to the
| condition il is now in, what shall be its
condition when you have crystalized in
to laws this declaration that you are
putting in this platform, that gold, and
| gold only, shall be the standard money
of this land
81 do not intend to debate this cues
ton. l am speaking now in explana-
ton of my conduct when 1 shall de-
| clare publicly, as 1 shall, when the
platform Is adopted, that can take no
| further part in this convention and can
no longer act with the Republican party.
"Mr. Chairman, it is no smal thlhs
! for a man to break from his pohtic'H
aseociatious. No man would be jusu-
| fed in doing this except upon prfiicl-
NE No man would be justified IN SC
| doing because Of dlssatlsIactloh WIN
mora methods or candidates; but When
-,ou edoDt a principle and ask me to sus-
| tain il make one of the cardinal tenets
| of a great political organization. what
7 believe to be destructive of the inter
As-s Of the whole country, then common
honesty calls for a protest from me. L
have been in this party from its organ
! ization. I doubt whether today IN this
! bodv or IN the convention, there Is a
/
man who has served more years IN IL
than I. and l deny that there IS any
man who has served more devotedly
and with more enthusiasm than nave.
when the Democratic party, 10 wAlcn
7 belonged. and in which had been rear
ed. became a party of oppression ana
the advocate of a system of servitude
that was destructive. in my opinion, not
only 10 the black man, but to the White
man as well, walked out of that party
and into a new party, which then dld
not even have a name, a party that was
weak and small. condemned and despis-
ed out of which came this Republican
party.
But I did not then break the ties
of more than fortyyears. l was then
a young man, full of enthusiasm and
hope. My life was before me. Now
IL is behind me. AS a member OF the
Republican party have shared in tri-
unTph s have shared in a few defeats.
/ took part by voice and vote in its rst
campaign, and in campaigns since, that
il has made either in states west or
east Of the Rocky mountains, L have
fbeen an active participant l was one
of the first men in the Rock mountains
who advocated the Republican doctrine
Of protection. and I have advocated 1t
in every campaign the party has made
] believe in II now. but do not believe
you can have adequate protection and
the gold standard. The. gold standard
means low wages and low prices for
products, and that is verified by the con-
ditions in every country OF the World
where it has been tried. I believe that
the adoption Of the gold standard will
in the end be destructive of those great
interests for which the Republican par
ty has professedly stood during all the
years of its existence.
"Mr Chairman. l shall break from
the party of my youth, the party of my
choice and the party of my service, and
that has given me honors as few men
have been given honOrs, feeling as
though 1 were going to my grave, as
though were burying my best friends,
and nothing but the supreme convic-
tion Of the danger Of the maintenance
Of this gold standard could induce me
10 make such a sacrifice; but the con-
viction is upon me that It Is duty, not
10 my people alone, not TO the people of
Colorado alone. but a duty which I owe
to you and to the whole world as well,
that impels me to this step.
II came to this convention reluctant
", that this would be the result of Your
deliberations. and that I should have 10
60 away having performed what is to
me one of the most disagreea BILE actions
Of my whole life. And yet. I repeat, !
would despise myself believeing, as I
do, in the supreme Importance Of this
question, if / failed to make any sacri-
fee that this case demand. If l failed
because Of fear Of taunts, that viii
H.
duty as my judgment tells me to do It.
am going TO fight for this principle.
but / can no longer fight for il IN the
Republican ranks, with hopes OF sue
cess. had hoped that the party which
has done 50 much for the human race,
and for whose future 50 much was
hoped, would come 70 the right view
upon this question and | still have a
lingering hope that some day this party
viii reach a condition where Il shall
not take its declaration from Wall
street or Lombard street, but from the
honest sentiment Of the great heart of
the American people. When that is
done the Republican party will aban-
don the platform that is now about 10
be adopted declaring for the gold
standard
Il beg the pardon OF this COMMITTEES
FOR having spoken 50 long. I did not
intend 70 detain you except with a
simple statement OF my earnest belief
IN the paramount Importance OF the
principles for which l have contentIad
so long IN public life and in private life.
It IS my earnest belief that no question
Is OF more vital Importance 70 the PEG
PIE or the United States. or deserving
OF more careful thought and careful at
n
which is now presented FOR our solu-
ton
Mr. Darlington Of PENNSYLVANIA re-
Piled briefly 70 Senator Teller. senator
Lodge spoke briefly. but largely A a
way personal 10 Mr.. Teller. he spoke
Of the esteem in which the Colorado
senator was held, and his respect for
him. but said that Notwithstanding
this feeling, 81 was Impossible 10 FOL
low his idea on a financial policy. Nj
Cannon Of Utah said there was nc use
Of the Republican party making an e
fort IN his state this year under the mill
stone Of a single gold standard plat
form. He was severe IN his charges
against the money power and its DOM
ination over the convention. Mr.. Lemon
Of California advocated the Teller
amendment strongly. While Mr.. Mott
Of North Carolina and Mr.. Lemon OF
California were as vigorous as they
could be IN protesting against the
pressure OF the gold standard. they
| did not STATE that they would go out 81
the convention with Senator Teller.
They did state - the members OF the
committee. that II they were defea ted in
ConvDtion thy would declare them
selves out Of the party and 60 the best
they could for their people hereafter
Members OF the committee Saii they
had never witnessed such touching
scenes in politics Some Of the silver