The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-23
corporates un-Democratic features into its
creed in order to secure their support.
TRUE DEMOCRACY.

corporates un-Democratic fea 1ures into its
creed in order to secure their support.
TRUE DEMOCRACY.
TN ordinary times. and In the presence
Of ordinary questions of policy and expedi-
ency. no citizen can be properly ensured
II be conforms his action to the Judgment
of a majority of his political friends, but
no man or set of men can rightfully have
authority to dictate how you shall vote on
questions which. in your opinion. involve
the nonor and the peace and prosperity of
the country. There were democratic prin-
ciples long before there was any Demo-
cratic organization. There has never been
a time in the history of the country when
there was not a strong and aggressive
democratic sentiment among our people.
1t was the vital force behind the revolution
which resulted in the achievement of our
independence. 1t was embodied in that
great declaration which startled the
crowned heads and electrified the oppressed
people of the world in 1776.
What are the principles of this Ameri-
caa democracy. for | do not refer to that
wild, turbulent and destructive form of de-
mocracy which has been imported from
abroad. and which is so nearly allied to
anarchy that it is almost impossible to dis
tinguiSh one from the other? Liberty, reg
ulated and protected by law; local self
government and strict construction of the
powers delegated by the States and people
to their agents.; no interference with the
private business OF the c1tiZen, except so
fEr as may be necessary for the preserva-
ton of the public peace. the public health.
the enforcement of honest contracts and
the maintenance of the just authority of
the State and federal governments; no pro-
scription on account of religious belief;
freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
habeas corpus, the subordination of the
military to the civil authority; no taxation
beyond the necessities of the government,
honestly and economically administered
the nearest possible approach to the abso-
Lutte freedom of commercial intercourse at
home and abroad. and sound money for the
use of the people in order that their trade
be cheated out of their earnings by the
use of spurious or deprecated coins or
familiar and essential articles in the creed
OF the old Democracy which. during the
last hundred years, has been illustrated
Jefferson, the heroism of Andrew Jackson,
and the courage. fidelity and patriotism of
Grover Cleveland.
During all that time Democracy has con-
etituted the great conservative force of the
country. 1t is opposed to paternalism and
radfcalfsm in all their forms, and at every
great crisis in our affairs 1t has appealed to
the sober reason and judgment of the peoe
PIE for support; II upholds the honor and
dignity Of the judiciary as the last refuge
OF the oppressed citizen: it vindicates the
rights of labor and the rights Of property;
IT denounces violence and crime, whether
committed by one man or by combinations
of men, and insists upon the absolute SUI
premacy of the federal and State laws with
III tAiCi ACopCItlSC SPICtCS, diIo Wilt IL az
vocates all necessary reforms in legislation
and administration, 1t reSolutely reSists all
evolutionary attempts to subvert the foun-
the basis of our commercial and industrial
system. 1t does not recognize the omnipo-
tence of any human government, and it
therefore denies the power of Congress, or
parltamentS, or kings to create values by
laws or proclamations.
This is the kind of Democracy / believe
IN, and my support will be given to the cam
didates who represent 1t In this contest:
this country knows who they are. John M.
and Simon Bolivar Buckner are not
strangers to the American people; they
were not discovered yesterday by the be-
wildered delegates to a political convention.
they will not be forgotten when the
sonnd b AND f fury Of this hhey re ars ao1dlers ca and
ripe with the experience de-
rived from long public service at critical
sricuously III this contestsfor law and or
der, for the inviolability Of contracts. for
the Independence and manhood of all class
es of our people. for Just and equal taxa
ton for public purposes only; for a sound
and stable currency. and for the mainte-
uonal honor under all circumstances.
POPOCRATS ARE THE BOLTERS.
"Let us inquire for a moment how far
mere considerations Of regularity are in
the actions Of our critics in this
campaign. The nominations made at Chica-
go have been partially ~repudiated by the
very men who made them in a majority of
the States in the Union. The national and
State committees appointed to carry on the
campaign and pledged to the support of
both the nominees Of the Chicago conven-
tonic the support of one just as much as
10 the support of the other-have, in TWEEN
or seven States deliberately entered
into arrangements and combinations to de-
prive one of the nominees of a large mum
Der of electoral votes and give them to an
other candidate not nominated by that con-
or by any other convention even
pretending to be Democratic, and yet these
have the assurance to call us
and the presidential candidate him
self, who has countenanced and encouraged
the sacrifice Of his associate on the ticket,
nomination was as regular as his
own, tells us that we cannot get back into
the Democratic party unless we come to
cloth and aSheS.'
.sGentlemen. we are not out of the Dem
party, and we do not intend to go
out or to be put out. Here In Kentucky
the State committee, without authority.
and In defiance of the action of the State
which nominated a full cleo
toral ticket, has entered into a contract by
which 1t has traded off a part of the votes
of the people, actually bargained, sold, as
and transit arred them from some of
The electoral candidates regularly noni-
mated by the Democratic convention at
Lexington to other electoral candidates Sc
by the Populist committee. thus
it impossible for any citizen of this
to so cast his vote at the approach
lng election as to give the nominees of the
Chicago ticket the entire benefit OF his sup
port.
Have we ceased to be Democrats be-
cause we refuse to support this electoral
ticket not nominated by the State conven-
tion. but mutilated and disigured by the
of new electoral candidates, pledged
TO cast their votes for a wild and reckless
for Vice President of the United
and who, IL elected, might become
and be invested with all the pow
ers of that great office?
This is not a Democratic electoral tick
ct: II represents two political parties and
two political platforms, no one of which
IS Democratic according to any doctrinal
or historical test that can be applied to
them. On the one great question which is
.ngrossing the attention of the people and
10 which the presidential candidate is now
seeking to subordinate all others-the free
coinage of silver at the ratio of JIG to l.
these platforms are directly In conflict with
MI prior national Democratic conventions
in this country.
9TH act dropping the standard silver
dollar from the coinage ana making the
e.old dollar the sole legal standard of value
was passed Feb. 70. 1873. and the first ma
tional Democratic convention after that
date met at st. Louis in 1876. and the very
first declaration in it's platform was: Re
form is necessary to establish a sound
currency. restore the public credit and
the national honor Upon that
Samuel j. Tilden secured the
largest Democratic vote cast in this coun-
try up to thai date. and was, as we be-
lieve, LEGALLY elected President of the
States. In 1880 the party declared
gold. silver, and paper convertible into
coin on demand: the strict maintenance