The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-15

Then followed such a campaign as
patriotic men may well wish never to see
again. And to what purpose? 10 this
simply: That over a divided Democracy,
the Republicans might march to easy
victory; that the revolution arranged so
carefully and forced with such high
hand was a failure; that the combination
OF Populism and free silver Repuei1-
canism and reaction Democracy was not
strong enough to carry the country; IN
one word, that these over sauguine gentle-
men had perpetrated dreadful miscalcu-
lation, splitting their party wide open TO
make a futile fusion with the WINDS )
and. in point of facts, selling their biESh-
right for a promised mess of potage fSey
failed to get.
For thirty years the men who headed
this disastrous movement have been seelS-
ing Intellectually to defect the party
policy from the higher to the lower plans
of political thought and action. During
the sixties they were shouting: Down
with the constitutional amendments.
During the seventies they were shouting:
Down with the bloated bondholders."
In the saddle at last, it was Down with
the money of the people and the credit of
the nation and up with the red banner OF
Reputation and anarchy"
would do no man injustice. l would
nisstate the position Of no set of men,
| DuU L SuDlllU Uf1ttU tll0 MlOIO warp bud
wool both of the organization and the
argument of the Bryan Sewan- Watson
campaign of last year led to this conclu-
sion, and nowhere else.
AS good Democrats-as men who love
their country and their party and would
fain to do something to rescue the one
from destruction and to preserve the
credit and order of the order-we are here
this day. We are here to appeal, it may
be for the last time, to the serious sense
and judgment of our fellow Democrats.
We are here to protest against the vagaries
of a body of incompetent leaders, who
have prostituted the name and principles
of the party, and who seem more than
ever bent upon pursuing the course which
has wrecked US, yet who present no claim
to the party confidence except such as may
be allowed, two defeats in hand with the
deluge yet to come.
AS political issue the free and indie
pendent coinage of silver at ratio of 16
to /, or any other ratio, is as dead as the
institution of African slavery. After the
wretched experience the Democratic party
has had of It there would be no thought
of keeping it longer before the people,
even to yindicate those who are respon-
| sible for the evil it has done us, except
| that back of it still stand the silver kings
of the Rotten Boroughs and the stock
| jobbers of the Senate of the United States.
lncSt ItlJreS6uU lillllOIlS VI pICoCllU olitA
speculative wealth, supplying the needed
sinews of war; and whilst the agitation
lasts-no matter what comes of 1t OF who
suffers it can be made to serve the ends
sometimes political and sometimes
pecuniary of those who have it their
specials keeping and who never let it go
until forced to do SO by public opinion.
historic Democratic party, with all it's
glorious achievements and noble possibili-
ties, be scuttled and sunk by such men
and in actual sight of an open sea and
safe harbor? 1t is with the rank and file
of the party to say. To the rank and file,
therefore. we turn with eager, but with
confident hope. We ask them, in sober
truth, as friends, and brothers to look
about them, to stop and think, and, see
ing wither we are being hurried by
passion and error, to help US reverse the
engines before it is too late.
Henry Watterson was the unanimous
choice of the resolution committee for its
chairman.
At the conclusion of Mr. Watterson' s
speech the resolutions which had been
| formulated, were read by thesHon. W. G.
| p. Breckenridge. They were similar to
those adopted by the indianapolis con-
vention and their unanimous adoption
| followed.
| 1t was 5.45 when the reading of the
resolutions was completed and recess
until s p. m, was voted. The report of
| the committee on permanent organization
was offered by the Hon. WV. Stephen
son of Harrodsburg and was ratified. At
| 9.15 o'clock the election of a candidate for
clerk of the court of appeals was entered
upon. Those placed in nomination were
the Hon. j. r. Hindman of Adair coun-
| ty. John G. Orndorff of Logan county,
G. H. Alberti of Fayette county. Mr.Al-
horti INN iatp wi h q
name. The calling of the votes by coun-
ties had not progressed far before it fore
Swallowed the election Of Hindman and
when Logan county was reached, Mr..
Orndorff withdrew and moved that the
election of ex-Lieut. Gov. Hindman be
made unanimous. This was done and
cheers brought the successful candidate
to the front of the stage. He expressed
his appreciation in fitting terms. Mr..
Hindman finished speaking at 1918 and
| the convention adjourned.