The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-16
WHAT ALTGELD Said.
His Talk at the Chicago jackson
Banquet of Things Funda-
mental.
"a Political Party. Stands for Either
Principle or an
Appetite" . ..

xKNJ
requests to print the full text of the speech
of Ex-Governor AltgAefd,' at the jackson
Day banquet at Chicago, at which he and
Mr.. Bryan, whose -speacn we have pub
therefore give aac in fuli as foe
lows, and it will repay a thoughtful and
careful reading, especially at the hands of
the many who delight to abuse the man:
At the Jackson BANQUET in Chicago the
other evening Gov '!AItgeld responded to
the toast. 1.-The character and mission of
the 4n| pa f!Hd partyV1!e He said:
for either princih,se Oh an appetite, and
both With It l sands for prime prime
ciple it is composedof nteil who have con-
victions, who are held, together by those
convictions, who are subsequently positive
in character and who give that positive
character, to the parry Mo- ma tier how
small their number, they become an ag-
gressive, advancing force.
But when the party represents only ap-
petite 1t is composed of men who give that
positive character:toat the party. No matter
how small their number, they become an
aggressive, advancing force.
But when the party represents only appe-
lite It. is composed of men who either have
no convictions or are willing to lay aside
all convictions for the sake of preferment.
Such a party is a mere negative force, in
Cdpdble vi duVduCeHeul. IL uhIe not move
to the LETT for fear of losing votes. 1t dare
not move to the right for fear of giving
offense. 1t dare not move forward for fear
of losing in the rear, and when such
party gets into power it. is not by reason
of anything it has DONE but because the
public Is Disguised with the opposite party.
All great reforms, all forward movements
OF the human race, were born of, were snur-
| tured, rocked and reared by minority
parties. The majority party being occu-
order to hold together conflicting interests
and thus maintain its hold on power, may
be we'll adapted to carry out reforms that
the country has already spoken on, but it is
not adapted to the development Of new
truths or the PRONUNCIATION of other re-
forms. The minority party, on. the other
hand, being free from these embarrass-
| ments, can devote its best efforts to the
consideration of great principles. The mis-
sion of the minority party Is. therefore,
of much higher order than that OF the
majority party.
In our country the earnest advocacy Of
great principle has always furnished the
most direct road to power and even to the
public crib. While we were yet British
colonies Jefferson advocated the abolition
ture and entail and he advocated the free
dom of religion. These propositions were
received with horror and alarm by estab-
lished society. They were looked upon as
destructive. and he was denounced as an
enemy, but in a brief time the men who
advocated these reforms constituted the
majority and controlled the government
The idea that men are born equal and
that governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed was born
Of the minority, was ridfculed and de-
nounced, and it's advocacy was even made
rhine, but in time its advocates re-
formed the majority and shaped the policy
of the government.
During the administration Of John AID
! ans, Hamilton, speaking for the majority,
| said: "The people cannot be trusted You
must have great centralized power. You
must curb the liberties Of the people.
Let the government help the rich and trust
to the rich to help the poor"
Jefferson. who spokeafor the minority,
declared that the people could be trusted.
He said: "Yonder is the ocean of freedom.
calm and deep. Steer the ship Of state
from the dangerous sshoa1s and rocks near
| the shore. Keep awayi from the dangerous
debris which the ages OF superstition, ty-
| ranny and OPPRESSION have deposited there.
Take your longitude and latitude from the
sun and stars and steer toward the port of
| liberty and the rights Of humanity Be-
| fore his utterances had died away in the
distance he was called to the head Of the
| A few men in the east gave expression
10 the uOCtrlNe lI1sAL nO uld1 CAN nave a
property right in a fellow man and that
slavery was an aboihAkfa aon. They were not
| sump1y denounced, they we're prosecuted
| or prosecuted. Strange as it may seem to
US today, cultured Boston closed it's doors
| to these men. The cfdfch denounced them.
The fashionable citizens avoided them. Yet
| SO direct did their course lead toward pow
er that. before they had time to change
| their garments they. found themselves at
| the head of the government.
Under ordinary circumstances their
career would have been short, but the civil
war raised new issues and gave them new
opportunities to perpetuate their party in
power. Since the war that great party
| has represented little else than organized
greed wearing the mantle Of pharisaism.
Had there been an aggressive party stand
| ing for definite principle opposed to it,
it would have been driven from power i'll
| disgrace. But. unfortunately, during all
Of the years since the war: the opposite
party took no definite and aggressive on
Eany question. ~ 5...s
/ Some gentlemen Ia the East who amassetl
Igreats fortnnes got control Of that great
iparty- These sensae.ne.a ysere ts C
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