The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-10-20
AMERICAN LABOR.
The Republican Party Has AL
ways Been It's Champion.
Senator Thurston's Eloquent Speech at
Cleveland = He Gives the People
Something to Think About
Ohio Urged to Stand
by the President.

at the Cleveland Grays' armory was a
complete success, both in attendance
and enthusiasm.
Committeeman ]. w. Holcomb, of
the Fourth district called the meeting
TO order and introduced Francis j.
Wing, esq.,, as the presiding officer.
Mr.. Wing spoke briefly, and then in
troduced Senator .Thurston, who was
greeted with perfect storm of ap-
plause and cheers, an abundant testi-
mony to his popularity in Cleveland,
and to the esteem and admiration
which Cleveland republicans feel for
him.
In opening his address, which was
frequently interrupted by applause
and cheers, the senator said:
ask the indulgence of this audience for my
voice. have been talking to so many acres Of
Ohio people that my voice is as badly broken
as the Chicago platform was last November.
But assure you that my voice has republican
qualities, and like the campaign, will grow
better as 1t proceeds. 1 am not an orator;
have never been trained in the graces Of the
art Of making public addresses. lido not seek
you something 10 think about.
Five years ago there was greater accumu-
lated surplus in our savings banks, deposited
by labor, than ever in the history OF labor.
There were more fires blazing, moro whistles
blowing, more tresides bright, more families
happy in this country than in any other land
In the history Of the world. And yet In that
year the policies which had brought about that
wonderful contamination were reversed
AS said, want to set men thinking. Men
cannot think IN passion or prejudice can
put the healthiest mind into q condition unfit
for thinking by turning six democrats day on
that healthy mind for week. And that was
the trouble In 1892
In 1S0? the democratic party appealed to the
labor forces on the ground that their oppor-
tunlty was to buy things cheaply, making them
forget that mems prosperity depends not on
what they can get out, but what they can get
in strong plea was made to the farmers
and 1t had some logic but how they were able
to convince the workingmen that 1t was better
for them to give up their opportunity for work
to workingmen abroad have never been able
to understand All the labor organizations five
years ago demanded an immigration law, but
apparently they forgot that the same ships that
brought the men over would bring, too. the
goods that would create the same competition
in every line.
Last year again could see how strong was
the appeal made to farmers for free coinage,
but how in the world they would fool the man
whose price they proposed to cut in two with
ffty-cent dollar cannot understand. In those
two campaigns Of % and 90 the danger grew
out OF the diseased condition Of the public
mind, and ask you to remember that In all
the years Of the republican party's history 1t
has never appealed TO mans passions or preu-
dices. or arrayed class against class 1t has
always taught that we stand together, and go
up or down together, and 1t has stood for labor
since the time when 1t insisted that honest
labor should not be paid for with lashes upon
tho back The republican party stood for labor
when 1t declared that American work should
be done by American workingmen under the
stars and stripes. And the republican party
stood for labor when it declared that the dollar
to be paid for work into the hands OF the
American workingman shall be as good as any
other dollar any place in the world.
The republican party has sought to protect
Amer :an labor through all its history. 1t has
been a.ged that the Harrison administration
was n.Drked Ly much labor trouble and many
strikes, and that the succeeding democratic ad-
minlstfation was free from strikes.
1t will always be so, for the American work.
ipgmen cannot strike when the streets are full
OF idle men. Five years ago the democratic
demagogue, talking to the laboring men, said
What we need is more leisure; more leisure
TO talk with our families at home; more leisure
70 walk abroad through the green grasses. -
And little later saw the army OF Gen. Coxey
with plenty Of leisure walking through the
green grasses OF the country between here and
Washington.
think the republican party was braver last
a. l1f~ Te l.
when 1t elected Abraham Lincoln president II
was brave when 1t issued the emancipation
proclamation. 1t was brave when it persisted
and carried the day for American protection
1t was brave when it demanded that the dollar
OF this country shall be worth hundred cents
all the year and all the world round. But II
was brave indeed, last year when. under the
leadership of your splendid fellow-ctizeh
Mark A. Hanna, 1t pasted on all the walls II
could find that heroic figure OF Mckinley, and
beneath 1t placed the words, "The advance
agent OF prosperity" Do you remember how
through those long weary months our popo-
cratic friends asked US: Where's your pros.
perityg" Apparently they expected 1t TO CONT
In mighty food the day after election. Bu
no. 1t had to come little by little until now ever
the Chicago Chronicle, tho New York Journa
and the Cincinnati Enquirer admit that II ha;
come.
But now our democratic friends say that thi.
Is Almighty Providence. not republican pros
perity. And say with all reverence that It 1!
Almighty Providence. But did you ever motto,
that Almighty Providence generally pours III
richest blessings on this nation when the re-
publican party is In power Abraham LincolI
was part Of Providence. The emancipation
proclamation was o part OF Providence. Ap
pomattox was part Of Providence. and l be
lieve William Mckinley is u part of Providence
Continuing Senator Thurston sale
that the democratic claim of yeal
ago, that there was not money enough
in the country to do the business of tn,
country, should have been reversed, fol
the fact was that there was not at tha
time business enough in the country Il
use the money of the country HI
spoke at length of the confidence bego
OF the election of Mckinley, the pass
age of a tariff bill which he character
lied as the best in the history Of tn,
nation, and it's effects. incidentally
the senator happened to speak tn,
name OF William Jennings Bryan.
"Hurrah for Bryant shouted some
one in the audience, and little groul
2 of silver democrats in thes rear Of th'
hall took up the shout for few sec
onds.
"Yes," said the senator, "and whel
the Judgment day has come and tn
Heavenly hosts are all gathered to
gether near the pearly gates, imagin
there will be some fellow there wb,
will yell rHurrah for hell. This sail.
was followed by applause and cheers
In CO iclusion Senator Thurstor said
Ohio is wonder ful state Of six republican
presidents, elected by the people, three wer