The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-14

for are necessary to the perpetuaton Of this
government And when l say this, do not
speak from party standpoint, for / can see
the time night easily come when 1t would
be high duty to defeat the Democratic
party 1t is now to overthrow the Republ-
party finds no hostile critic in me- for i
reserve to myself the right at all times to
cast my ballot according to the dictates of my
conscience-but the man who leaves his party
at the command of a political, social or cor
porate overseer forfeits his rights of citizen
ship and merits disfranchisement.
In the great unterrifed Democracy we find
the hope of this nation. The party that had
vitality sufficient to enable it by its own
strength to cast off the false prophets who
were leading 1t to its destruction and to un-
cite anew the proad principles upon which
this government was found No party plat
form can, item by item and detail by de-
tail, specify every step it proposes. Its decla-
rations must be confined to broad general
statements of fundamental principles and SO
we find that the Democratic party in its battle
for the people and for the perpetuation of
popular government says that the money of
the country, the life blood of commerce, the
common drudge 'twixt man and man" shall
not be dimin. n.shed or cornered by the con-
tinuance of the single gold standard; that
trusts and monopolies shall not be fostered
by high protective tariff; that if an ordi-
nary revenue tariff is not sufficient to meet
the expenses of the government, economically
administered, an income tax, the most just
form OF taxation known, shall be imposed
upon those whose incomes are sufficiently
large to endure it without its working an op-
preston of the poor. That the constitutional
provisions of this government shall be ma
tanned, and that government by injunction
means uSurpatlon by the judicial branch
OF the government Of functions not belonging
to it and constitutes a violation of the law
by the very tribunal charged with its en-
fOrcement.
1t is a remarkable thing, and one that
shows how truly conservative the attitude of
the Democratic party is at this time that
the Chicago platform enunciates no new doc
tr1ne While, as | have said, Industrial and
business conditions have changed so rapidly
that the question is pertinent whether the
time has not arrived to so change our funda-
mental law that the people may be better
able to regulate and control the huge agencies
of commerce which have sprung up in our
midst the Chicago platform proposes that for
the present we shall only hold fast to the
original limits of this government
Look then. at the situation of this country
today, examine the attitude of the two par
ties and say where lies your duty. Straws
show the direction of the wind driftwood
upon river indicates whether the water is
falling or rising, the moss upon tree shows
the points of the compass, and so the charac
ters and dispositions of the persons WHICH a
party attracts to itself show it's tendencies
and aims.
Until such time as the rank and file of the
Republican party revolt from the rule of
those who now hold that party in thrall
the Chicago convention, it's success is
menace to this country.
In his desire to better himself the Amer-
sometimes involuntarily places himself
above his class. The small trader thinks
himself capitalist, the plodding professional
man thinks he is of the aristocracy, and the
absurdlty is often presented of some timid
but well-meaning, out-at-the-elbows fellow
shuddering at the fear of arousing the
people.
Let remember that the opportunities of
America have resulted in raising the people
altogether; that still are of the people
and that their interests our interests and
ours theirs.
Next to being afraid of ones self, the great
est atsurdity which timidity commit is
to fear the creatures of ones imagination,
and the attitude of some of ittle-bg men
reminds me of two sisters who as children
slept together. One was timid and nervous,
timid child had often great difficulty in going
to Sleep and one night, after exploring under
the bed and listening to imaginary burglars
and various other distractions had brought
her to high pitch of excitement her more
practical companion suggested that an excel
lent way of inducing sleep to imagine
that one was counting q large flock of sheep
as they followed each other a fence.
This plan seemed to work satisfactorily but
just as the elder sister had concluded that
she had at last secured her own and the
childs composure, she was disgusted to hear,
Mary! Mary! am afraid of the Sheep.
Let me again congratulate the young men
of Minneapolis upon this organization. 1t has
become fashionable to sneer at politicians,
but this country requires today more than
eyer that the young, intelligent and conserva-
tive American should take active part in
the affairs of his country. Why should we
leave the management of public affairs to
the depraved, the vicious and the venal? The
business spirit of the age must not be carried
to such point that the American citizen
would be willing to surrender the heritage
of freedom he has received for the mere accu-
mutation of wealth.
One day we must account to another gen.
Grafton for the use we have made of our
rights of citizenship and if wee do not resign
to them this government pure and
sulied received it, changed only for
the better as time and experience may teach
US to better it, what answer or explanation
shall we make to those for whom we now
hold it in trust?
After Mr.. O'Brien's address, John P.
Rea considered the matter of the out
look of the Democratic party from Il
municipal standpoint, and gave pleas
ing talk we'll interspersed with the
humorous.
Mr.. Baldwin, previous to adjourn
ment, announced that it was the in
tention of the club to make this supper
a monthly feaure.