The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-22


or subservient purtisans, carefully Sc
lected and drilled by local managers to
90 hrst on one side and then on the other
IN obedience to a nod or wink from some
self-constituted leader who has bargain
ed away their votes in advance. You
40 not acknowledge the divine right of
KING caucus or any other potentate to
Dind your conscience in political matters
or dictate how you shall exercise the
highest prerogative of citizenship, the
right of suffrage. You are not here. gen
tlemen, to wrangle about the disiribu-
tion OF Offices or to bubble about the
phraseology of platform. laboriously
constructed to conceal your real opinions
ana cheat the people out Of their votes.
lou are not here to trade your princi-
pies for office or to solicit the. endorsement
or acquiescence of political opponents. ty
ignoring or disappearing the real is
sues, presented by the existing condition
Of the country and by the dangerous
character of the policies which threaten
ITS peace and prosperity i'm the future.
You are not here to impeach the per-
sonal integrity or patriotism of any mart
Oh your fellow citizens. or to assal their
motives, however widely they may differ
from you on public questions; but, if |
understand your purpose, you are here
TO simply make plain and honest declar-
alton OF democratic princlplcs without
concealment or equivocatiOn and to NOM
lnate a candidate who represents them,
ana TO inaugurate a contest for
their supremacy which shall not be
abandoned, in Kentucky, at least,
SO, long as there is single man
left to carry the old banner. If
we are not here for these purposes
we ought not to be here at all.
I'm the estimation of many of your
former associates, the mere fact thai
you have assembled for the sole purpose
OF declaring your continued adherence to
the old democratic faith, uninfluenced by
the hope or expectation of official power
or patronage, will constitute ground
Tor serious complaint against you during
the campaign. In the opinions Of such
men. success at the polls, whether right.
fully or wrongfully secured. and the pros
poets of official honors and emoluments
are the only proper incentives to politica
action. and they are wholly unable 10
appreciate the force of an honest convic-
tion or to understand why a citizen
should attach greater importance to the
maintenance of correct principle than
to the preservation of an autocratic mar
ty organization. Abuse and yitunerat finn
are the only tribute that class of politi-
clans are capable of paying to your de-
mocracy and your patriotism
Inc 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
tthem or attempted to compromise with
It's enemies. During the civil war its
organization was completely broken up
In TINS state, and yet. when the conflict
was over, its scattered members came
spontaneously together in this city and
reasserted their fidelity to the constitu-
ZION, their devotion to the principles of
free, honest and just government by the
people, and their determination to use
their power for the protection of all the
personal, political and property rights of
the citizen against unauthorized on
croacnments of state or federal mower
ana this prompt and courageous action
made the party invincible in Kentucky
lor tnlrty years. 1t would be inyinciLln
sun IL the delusive promise of temporary
success on undemOcratic issues had nnt
uenioralized its organization and reyolu
tlonlzed It's creed. What contrast bn-
1Meeil the united democracy of 1876 I'M
dcr the leadership of Samuel 7. Tildrn
with its clear and uneouivocoI docIarn'
tion for sound money. tariff for
revenue only, honesty and economy in NH
nc expenditures, and thorough reforms in
the methods of public administration, and
the So-called democracy of 1896. under
the leadership of three different political
organizations, with three separate nlat.
forms. demanding the free and unlimited
coinage of deprecated silver, the unlimited
issue OF legal tender paper by the govern
ment, the public ownership of railroads
ana .telegraphs, and the postponement of
tariff reform until the debasement of the
currency has been accomplished, and. not
satlshed even with these eXtravagant and
revolutionary schemes, threatening the in
dustrial and commercial prosperity of the
country, the peace and good order of soci-
ETY. and the permanency of our institutions
were imperilled by the covert attack upon
the supreme court and denial of the
right of the government of the United
States to enforce obedience to its laws
without first asking the consent of local
officials. There is not a genuine demo-
cratic sentiment in any of these declara-
tons, and no democrat is bound by them,
no matter how many state or national con-
ventions may endorse them. You are
here today to repudiate them absolutely
and unqalifiedly, and to reassert the true
doctrines of the party with all these mod
ern heresies eliminated, and, in discharg-
ing that duty, you will render service to
the cause of free, constitutional govern
ment not inferior TO that of the patriotic
man who, after a long struggle, rescued
the country from the domination of fed
cralsm and paternalism and established
the principles of democratic equality at the
close of the last century.
"A sound and stable currency; just and
equal taxation for public purposes only; Il
strict adherence to the letter and spirit of
the constitution by all the departments of
the government, and rigid economy in the
of the peoples money, have
been vital parts of the democratic faith
from the beginning, and there has never
been n time in our history when the con-
dition of the country more imperatively de-
manded the practical application of these
doctrines than it does now. Many of our
industries are depressed for want of
market for their products, many OF our
most worthy people are deprived of en-
ployment, and many of our most valuable
enterprises are languishing
for the want of a profitable trade. At
such time every material interest of the
people demands that the currency used III
the transaction of their business shall be
absolutely free from even suspicion OF
that the necessaries OF lie
and the materials used in our Industries
shall be exempt from the burdens OF tax
alton in order that the poor may 1--we COM
fortably and labor may find employment;
and that the affairs of the government
shall be honestly and economically admin
istered and its expenditures be strictly
confined to the great public purposes Tor
which X was esta blished But in def