The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-08-27
WHY A REPUBLICAN,.
Tom Fitch. of Arizona. Gives His Reasons
for the Faith That Is In Him.


At the republican convention of Ari-
IONA, held to elect delegates to the ST.
Louis convention, Tom Fitch, one of
the most noted free silver advocates in
the territory, was called upon to speak,
and responded in speech which for
simple eloquence and beauty of diction,
deserves preservation. Hisreasons why
he should remain in the republican
party are unanswerable, and should be
read by all republicans. The reading
will in no way dwarf their enthusiasm
for the grand old party. The full text
of Mr.. Fitch's speech is as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Conventional
thought that the seclusion that the
upper gallery grants, combined with
other circumstances, would exempt me
from any invitation to speak before
this convention, but your repeated
calls leave me no alternative consistent
with courtesy but to answer them.
The speakers who have addressed
you have spoken Of the free coinage of
silver as cardinal principle of the re-
publican party. | fear that the st.
Louis convention may compel us to re-
trace some of our steps in this matter,
and, as the statesmen who control this
convention have not included me
among those deemed most fit to repre-
sent Arizona at st. Louis, | feel quite
at liberty to tell the truth.
/ N
long devotion to the cause Of free silver
coinage. Years ago, at the inception
of the movement, l, as -presidentof
the national executive committee of
the silver convention, in connection
with A. j. Warner, the president of the
committee, travelled through the south
and west preaching the doctrine Of BIZ
metalism, and [ have never since had
occasion to change my views with re-
spect to the great benefits that might
result to this nation from the complete
restoration of silver as money metal;
and yet there are other circumstances
quite as influential, which must be
potent in determining my future action
and the future action of many repub
licans in this matter.
!" This morning a friend, who IS a
member of this convention, and who
now honors me with his audience, said
to me: Mr.. Fitch, you have always
been pronounced advocate of the free
coinage of silver; what will you do if
the ST.. Louis convention adopts a plank
in their platform favoring a gold
(single) standard and denouncing the
free coinage of silver?' did not an
swer this question then, but with your
permission | will do so now.
Il belong to the republican party
because it's history is the history OF the
| growth, the greatness and the freedom
of this nation; because its purposes are
patriotic; because it is the friend OF Ia
Dor without being the foe of thrift; be-
cause it is wise, because it is just, be-
cause it's restoration to complete power
will rekindle the furnace and start the
turbines, and fill the land with the mu-
sic of contented and well-paid toll, and
put bread into mems mouths and hope
into their hearts
"I belong to the republican party
because it is the grandest political or
| ganization of treemen that the world
| has ever known; because under its wise
/ guidance. star after star has been added
to our flag; ship after ship has been
added to our fleets; factory after fac
/ tory has been added to our resources;
millions upon millions have been added
to our wealth, city after city has been
developed from our villages, and the
/ land has been laced with network OF
iron rails, and furnace fires have IL
Illuminated the night, and the grand
diapason of labor has been made to
sound throughout the continent
| Ct belong to the republican party
because under it's inspiration, these
United States, once wrangling and
/ discordant commonwealth, these United
States, once shamed with slavery and
discrepit with the disease of secession;
these United States have become a
country where no slaves presence dis
hOnors labor, where no freeman's utter
ances are choked by the hand of power,
where no man doffs his hat to another
except through the courtesy of equals,
where education is free, where manhood
is respected, and where labor is pro-
tected.
g Under the patriotic rule of the re-
publican party, the United States have
become nation whose credit reigns at
the head of the worlds finances; whose
flag floats proudly upon every sea, and
whose armies would come at the first
drum beat out of the hives of industry
to swarm in defense of the country on
every shore.
"Under the rule of the republican
party these United States have become
the greatest, freest and most prosperous
nation under the light of the sun.