The herald., 1897-07-14
ciated with me have labored to estab-

lish harmony between the leagues and
the regular party organization. The re-
suit of your efforts in this direction have
been most gratifying. The league has
right to exist only as long as it is use
full agency for party success In the
heat of campaign, our clubs can be re-
lied upon for valuable service. They can
and do take charge of political meetings,
| distribute literature, look after registra-
| ton, and on election day become re-
spon sible for every Republican casting
| his ballot. 1 am glad to report that in
| those states where the Republican clubs
were disintegrated by sentiment IN
| favor of free silver our cause is full or
hope, and bye and bye the league clubs
of the silver states will bring those
| states into the Republican column.
| During the last campaign when the
Democratic candidate for president was
travelling about the country in palace
cars telling the people of their poverty
and their distress, the Republican
league clubs, one by one. were finding
their way to Canton where they heard
| the gospel of hope and the prophecy OF
better things to come. AS they re-
turned to their homes from the Mecca
of Republicanism they carried with
them an enthusiasm that made the
campaign of 1896 the most memorable
in our country's history.
| As part of our deliberations at this
convention I would suggest the pro-
priety of discussing as to whether it
would not be wise to establish a. fixed
day of the year upon which to hold our
national conventions; I would also ad-
wise that this convention recommend to
the various state leagues that the state
convention of all the leagues through
out the union be held on the same day.
Being thus held that day would present
the league prominently before the people
of the country in every state, and such
concert of action would bring the vari-
GUS state organizations in closer touch
with each other. They would seem to
have a common purpose. By having
the entire army in the field on one par
ticular day would very clearly show
our continued development in power and
influence. I would suggest as the day
for this extraordinary event the birth
day of the father Of the Republican
party and the savior Of his country,
Abraham Lincoln.
am justified in saying that the league
/ d
years ago our party leaders looked upon
it with suspicion. Now they recognize
it's usefulness and gladly encourage and
support it. We have a number of dis
tinguished statesmen who have hardly
realized the fact that there exists in this
country the National Republican
league. They have unsatisfied ambi-
tions and are somewhat disappointed at
the slow progress they have made in
national politics. My advice to them is
to get in line and not overlook the league
men.in this country, who, with a COM
radeship of two and one-half million
members, have no axes to grind, but
naturally thinkmo re Of their friends
than they do of their enemies. OF the
large number Of distinguished Repub-
licanS who have been friends of the
League, there is one who stands out con-
spicuous among all the rest. That man
is William Mckinley. AS an organiza-
tion the league cannot assist any can
didate for office until nominations are
duly made, but as individuals its men,
bers naturally remember their friends.
AS a consequence William Mckinley
today Is president of the United States.
That magnificent pageant at Washing
ton at his Inauguration on the 4th OF
March, said to have been the most re-
markable in our nations history, was
composed in large part Of members of
this League of Republican clubs. They
were there not as paid officers or men
of the army and navy, but as the vol
unteer representatives Of this army
which last fall went out upon the fields
of political battle and fought with a
vigor that knew no WEAKNESS, with a
courage that was stranger to defeat.
Our share in the remarkable victory of
1896 adds enduring laurels to the cause
of club organization throughout the
states.
The people of this country are to be
congratulated upon the fact that during
these trying times we have a Republi-
can president at Washington. A man
of lofty character and rugged patriot
ism; a man pure in life, sincere in pur-
pose, and with convictions of honor that
are as stable and unflnc ching as the gran
ite hills. AS We are proud of the party
of Lincoln, of Grant, of Garfield and of
Blaine, so are we proud of the party of
William Mckinley The question is often
asked by our political adversaries:
What has President Mckinley done
We answer that he has unfurled the
Stars and Stripes upon the isle of Ha-
waii, and by that act he will reclaim our
country's territory and our nations
honor. He has gone into the southland
and taught the gospel of enduring peace
and Christian fellowship. He has re-
buked pessimism, and in the place of a
discordant wall of despair, has pro-
claimed the joyous message of brighter
days and bitter times. He has made it
possible to pass Republican tariff law
when his party was in the minority,
which, indeed, is an accomplishment al
most unknown in American politics. He
has done even more. He has taught our
people that our president is one of us
and for US; that there should be no in
surmountable walls between our chief
ruler and his subjects, and it may be
said that each official act of our new
president brings him in closer touch with
the American people, who have learned
to admire and to love him.
The contest Of 1897 is already upon us.
In various states the conventions of both
parties have assembled, nominated their
candidates, adopted their platform, and
the people are again asked to give voice
to their preferences.
The Democratic party adheres to the
Chicago platform. 1t has learned moth