The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-07-31
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION.
A Broad Platform and Strong
Ticket.

The Democratic State Convention met in
Baltimore on Wednesday, and was the occa-
sion of the gathering of distinguished and
prominent Democrats from all parts of the
state and also an unusual number Of news
paper men. Four or five of the latter were
delegates.
The convention was held at Ford,s Opera
House, and was presided over by Col E..
Buchanan Schley, Of Hagerstown, the first
victim of the Mckinley Administration, being
summarily removed from the office of Naval
Officer without charges being made or defense
allowed. Howard Bryant, of Baltimore, was
secretary. The usual committees on creden-
tails and permanent organization and resolu-
tons we're appointed T.. Herbert Shriyer,
Of Carroll, served on the former aud was made
chairman, and Dr. Jos. I. Herring was Car
rolls representative on the latter.
Sen. A. p. German, who was delegate from
Howard county, was put ON the committee
on resolutions and was made its chairman.
The Senator's every appearance was greeted
with hearty applause, and when he arose to
read the platform the applause was loud and
prolonged.
col. scHLEY's ADDRESS.
In taking the chair Col. Schley made a STIR
ring speech. He said in part as follows;
''We have met today with a common pur-
pose and in the spirit of harmony TO adopt a
platform and nominate candidates for Comp
troler and Clerk of the Court of Appeals that
we hope will command the support of all
Democratic and independent voters. We
have no fight among ourselves; we have but
one enemy-the Republican party. 1t has
failed in the performance Of all its promises.
1t promised encouragement to capital, en-
ployment for labor, prosperity to all. Its
promises have but Knocked you; capital is
idle, labor unemployed, strikes involving hun
dreds of thousands of men exist, and the
stream of commerce is sluggish almost to
stagnaton.
"1'hey promised the people moderate tar
if bill and after four months of discussion and
Juggling they have enacted the most iniquitous
measure ever passed by Congress, lavoring
trusts and special interests to such an extent
as to produce profound discomfort, not calcu-
lated to fill the treasury according to its
needs, hut rather the pockets of those who
helped them to place and power; to make
dearer and harder to get those articles which
are SO essential for the comfort and happiness
of the people; in short, all the necessaries of
life; it is not calculate to give encourage.
ment to idle capital because of the Icaaona
bleuess of It's provisions and consequent prom
ise of sta ility, but so unjust in It's provisions
that the agitation for its repeal, always dis
quoting to business, has begun with its enact
ment, for it carries with it the seeds OF It's
own dissolution.
s'They promised you currency reform; it
was "a promise to the ear to be broken to
the hope Remember that all the financial
legislation of this country is the work of the
Republican party, and that whatever of unrest
and fear exist in connection with our financial
system is the result of their vicious legislation,
every statute on that vital question now in
existence is their handiwork, and as party
they are responsible.
"They promised, | repeat, to reform our
currency system and laws. Prosperity will
never come to stay until we have settled the
financial question on an enduring basis, but
the only step taken by them has been the APP
pointment of commission looking to Il bi-
metallic conference and agreement, if posi-
bic, between the leading commercial nations
of the world and this step, the only one. was
forced on them by the commanding voice OF
six millions and a half of Democratic voters
IN 1896
There must be relief; there will be relief
from the uncertainty and errors of our finan-
cia system, but it will come from the Demo
cratic party, viii h has always been the friend
of honest money, and not from those who are
entirely responsible for our monetary evils,
from which they have not the courage OF
capacity to relieve us. The system is theirs
its faults are theirs, its responsibility is theirs
and its condemnation is theirs.
GAS we turn from national to state affairs
the condition, il possible, is worse. A cum
bersome, expensive reassessment law is the
child of their labor and its exactions and
inequalities are keenly felt by all. In the
vran tbntr toba
taxation and ask us to be thankful.
'In your city of Baltimore the number Of
their offenses and shortcomings cry out 'trum
pet-tongued' against them, high taxes, public
improvement neglected, your police force
governed by men whose partisanship knows
no bounds, but shocks the people of the whole
state, as well as those of the city; all these
coupled with a scramble and greed for office
never before known running riot while the
public interests suffer; all these, | say, de
mand Il rebuke and correction from rs, who
for nearly thirty years governed and admins
tered wisely and well the affairs of our state
THE PLATFORM.
The platform adopted was as follows
The representatives of the Democratic party o
Maryland in State Convention assembled, do herr
reafirm their allegiance to the principles of the
party as formulated by Jefferson and eXempliieC
and develops new issues are presented and ole
issues disa ppear but the fundamental principles
Democracy born of human needs and Graded il
events
The preservation of personal liberty,
The equality all citizens before the law,
Freedom of speech,
Freedom of the press,
Freedom of conscience,
The reserved rights of the States,
And the supremacy of the Federal Government
within the limits of the Constitution
These remain untouched by the vleissitudes o.
time and evolutions and will ever stand as the
best and only guarantee of the perpetuation of free
The Democracy of Maryland, in common witt
the Democracy of the Union, believe now, as the!
always have believed, in honest money, the golC
and silver money of the Constitution and the coin
age of both metals without discrimination against
either into standard dollars of final payment and
redemption.
We note with satisfaction that the demand OIL
more than six and one-half millions of Democratic
voters expressed at the polls last Noyember ha
compelled President Mckinley and Republican
Congress to urge upon the European powers
through the medium of a duly appointed commits
sion, the necessity for international conference
to arrange the terms of bimetallic system unde
the operation of which both gold and silver shall
be used and recognized as money of final redemp
ton.
The suffering of the masses, the honest toiers
the bone and sinew, the brain and courage ant
manhood of the land, have met with the sympath!
of the Democracy, and the protest of our grea
party so eloquently voiced in last years elections
has forced the Republican party despite its arrog
ance and recklessness to recognize the needs of al
aroused and patriotic people. And while man!
Democrats have not approved all the expressions o
their party in national convention, bimetallism
will surely come. 1t may come through the instru
mentalities set in motion by the present Admins
tratlon though in truth inspired by the intrepiC
action of the Democratic voters. But it Will come
and the prosperity and happiness that follow in its
train will be due to the courage the undaunteC
fidelity and the intelligent patriotism of the De
mocracy.
In ali respects other than this reluctant perform
anee, the Republican party has been false to the
thn nj xvbi
last November, it secured the sutrages of the Amer
lean people.
Triumphing upon an issue of financial reform, i
was bound by every obligation of good faith to re
deem its promises to the country. Every eXistin:
act relating to the currency is the work OF the Re
publican party That party is responsible forever
one of the defects in a system now universally re
garded as being vicious and unwholesome. Tha
party is therefore, responsible for their correction
Yet President Mckinley convened the Congress:
in extra session within the fortnight following hi
Inauguration, and now, after more than fou
had no power to interrupt or influence, the Con
greSS has adjourned without giving the people the
smallest measure of financial relief and with tht
sole result Of imposing upon thema tariff law more
oDnressiye and UBIQUITOUS than has ever disgraceC
our statute books-a law which taxes the masse
for the benefit of the classes, which narrows thu
field of individual opportunity which torbids tins
expansion of our commerce, ana winch has no
even the merit of providing sufficient revenue 70
the proper conduct of the Government. 1t is in al
respects more Odious and abhorrent measure thai
the Mckinley act of 1890. Thatact was overwhelm
ingly repudiated and rebuked by the people in 1892
The Dingley act will be still more signally con
demned in 1898.
The Democratic party, in the interest of thu
whole people, will continue to wage war agains
the iniquities of this act and will insist upon
tariff for revenue sufficient for the needs of Govern
ment economically administered, and will Away
maintain that unnecessary taxation Is unjust tax