Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-08-14
REPRESENTATIVE TONNES
SPEECH.

gress from the Duluth lNlnn.) district, at
recent silver convention in st. Louis, of
ch he was permanent yice-president. Mr..
yne has been republican, but forsook
party because of its position ON the
hey question and is now an ardent advo-
Of free silver. lie is regarded as very
. man and an accomplished orator, He
The situation of our affairs is most grave
n long intrusted with power have come to
ard themselves as the source of it, and
II own selfish advantage as the proper OBJ
of it. Every instrumentaty that could
lister to it has been pressed into service.
r ustriai, social and political forces have
n adroitly avaed Of not only to bestow
results upon the manipulators, but to give
process all the appearance of natural
orderly evolution. Laws have been COM
ed to speak the will of a class instead Of
of the people. Legislatures and adj
istrations have been puppets, and recent
he tide of suspicion has even risen about
judiciary and threatened to undermine the
bulwark of the constitution, while the
IS, by the sacrifices and through the wis
of the fathers made free as the chief
ranty of liberty, has in great part forgotten
noble traditions and become the plant
rument of oppression.
A GREAT ERA DAWNlNo.
Ambition has almost ceased to be honor
Glory has narrowed to mere success
eral attainments are despised. Money
become a god. Wealth has erected an
IL
es OF hfe, the richest treasures Of the
/, the dearest possessions OF the heart
hottest emotions of the soul But the
of regeneration is at hand. We are in
vortex of great events; we are making
Dry. We are turning to the first princi-
of our government The age of chival-
as not wholly gone; the age of calcula-
and economists has not quite succeeded
the glory of the republic is not yet eX-
uished The people of the United
es, having for some time been remiss in
ance and having therefore imperiled their
ties, are about to resume control of their
affairs; md on every side are seen the
ents of the impending change. Demos
been sleeping. He has at length awaken
nd the continent is trembling under his
BY stride.
THE REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY.
)ne month ago, at this city, the represen-
es of great and dominant party met in
,ention. Behind it was history OF much
orable and glorious achievement, before it
enable prospect OF continued power 1t
ned an opportune time for those who were
to control the action Of that convention
lsten upon the country, through definite
mitment thereto, of the party apparently
med to long possession OF the govern
t, an alien monetary policy which, already
onsible for the principal woes affecting
people, should doom the productive forces
be nation to an endless slavery to the
ers OF gold. Explicitly, almost de6antly,
proclamation was made. For the first
. in this or any other country, great
f declared in favor of the single gold
lard. make bold to say that IN doing
( that convention did violence to the
ions of the great majority Of its constitu
l am aware of the platform statements
be effect adopted at the preceding State
s. entions, but | remember also the plat
Is adopted in the former years by the
es and the National republican conven-
+ of 1888 and 1892. | know that the re-
lean party was pledged to bimetallism as
icitly and honestly as it was ever pledged
lythng, and l know that the masses of
party were honest in their adherence to
principle. If so, the absolute reversal Of
IF by the platform of 1896 cannot be ac-
ed as an honest expression of republican
ment (Applause)
REPUBLICANS IN REVOLT.
such a complete and causeless change is
by incredible. Many will acquiesce in
surrender because Of that mistaken party
ormity which confuses all loyalty and OBJ
ion, and others because OF the hope OF
erment as the reward of 'subseryiency.
thousands and hundreds Of thousands
not do SO. Their protest has been al
heard. Many Of US sit here in this con-
= ion as the expressions of their determi-
on to place the interests Of the country
ye the concerns Of party. We remain by
old repubicanism. We have not changed
Oh our banners have been stolen. We
- d upon the ancient ways. We stand
the fathers stood, the fathers of the
on and the fathers of the republican
v We stand by the constitution. We
d where Hamilton and Jefferson and
)ster and Lincoln and Blaine all stood
where they would stand today if they
d again devote their lives to the service
ne country. The bold and bald dcclara-
s. for the gold standard has had certain
derful results Events land agitation ha:
ualy prepared the pubic mind until II
in condition like that of certain chemi
Bolutions that needed only the addition
le single ingredient to cause the crystal
ion of the whole mass. The declaration
it, I he CrystalliIati0u bc0an | ndtr cir