The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-15
Battle Cry Of Kentucky Democrats
Assembled.
THE STATE CONVENTION IN LOUIS.
VILE YESTERDAY.
Addresses By Henry Waterson and Ex-
Secretary Carlisle-Protection and Free
Silver Denounced AS Twin Evils of the
Country-Resolutions Adopted.

Louisville, KY, July 1.-THE state
convention of the National Democrats of
Kentucky was called to order here today
by Hon. A. J. Carroll of Louisville.
In his opening remarks, Mr.. Carroll
said that the money issue was forced up
on and accepted by those who were
from conscience and principle unalterably
opposed to the "free silver delusion' -
He charged the Frankfort convention at
which the Hon. J. G. S. Black was SO
great factor, with having run the
piratical flag, and followed this with the
assertion, 1--WE will continue the fight
with all the vigor of our minds and hearts
until the last vestige of he-esy is eradi-
cated.''
Mr.. Carroll then called upon James G.
Sims Of Bowling Green to act as tempo
rary chairman.
/ Immediately after Mr.. Simss speech,
the routine work of the convention was
taken up. When the several committees
had been named there suddenly broke
forth seemingly unanimous call for
breckenridge, which could not be sill
enced until the ex-Congressman came for
ward. Without attempting more than a
few words of commentator for the pur-
pose OF the convention, he appeased his
hearers
Permanent organization was speedily
effected with the Hon. John G. Carlisle
as chairman. Mr.. Carlisle spoke as fol-
lows:
I congratulate the National Democrats
of Kentucky upon the magnificent re-
sponse they have made to the call for this
convention, and congratulate the friends
T1ynA 4e.,s zc@-1 i
government in every part of the country
upon this auspicious opening of the cam
paign which, am sure, will be memo
rable in the annals of our party. This is
no ordinary political convention; it is
not composed of subservient partisans,
managers to go first on one side and then
on the other in obedience to nod or
W Ink from some self-constituted leader,
who has bargained away their votes in
advance. You do not acknowledge the
divine right of king caucus or any 9TH
er potentate to bind your conscience in
political matters or dictate how you
shall exercise the highest prerogative of
citizenship, the right of suffrage. You
are here simply TO make plain and
honest declaration of Democratic princi-
pies, without concealment or equivoca-
tion and to inaugurate contest for their
supremacy which shall not be abandoned,
in Kentucky at least, SO long as there is
a single man left to carry the old banner.
The Democratic party has always been
united and strong when it was faithful
to its true principles and courageous
enough to contend for them, and always
divided and weak when it abandoned
them or attempted to compromise with
it's enemies.
What a contrast between the united
Democracy of 1876 under the leadership
of Samuel Tilden, with it's clear and
a tariff for revenue only, honesty and
economy in public expenditures and
through reforms in the methods of public
administration, and the so-called Dem
ocracy of 1896, under the leadership of
three different political organizations,
ing the free and unlimited coinage of de-
preciated silver, the unlimited issue of
legal tender paper by the government,
the public ownership of railroads and
telegraphs, and the postponement of
tariff reform until the debasement of the
currency has been accomplished. There
is not a genuine Democratic sentiment
IN any of these declarations, and no Dem
ocrat is bound by them, no matter how
many state or national conventions may
endorse them. You are here today to re-
pudiate them, absolutely and unqualified
ly, and to reaessert the true doctrines of
the party, with all these heresies elimi-
mated. The paralysis of trade and indus
try resulting in the loss of public revenue
and insdestroying the ability of the peo-
pie to meet their private obligations was
produced mainly by unwise currency
and fiscal legislation, and the return Of
prosperity has SO far been prevented by
continued partisan agitation in favor Of
stillmore radical and destructive measures
on the same subjects. But, snotwith-
standing these well-known facts, the pres
ent Congress, instead of attempting to
reform the currency laws and permanent
ly establish our standard on the gold
basis, devoted more than four months to
the imposition of increased taxation up
on the people; and large part of this
time has been spent in acrimonious con-
tests among the benefciaries of the taxes,
over the division of the spoils. In this
work of spoliation, the protectionists