The commonwealth., 1897-12-09
A RINGING ADDRESS.

The State Democratic Committee
met in Raleigh last week, under resolu-
tions offered by Hon. F. D. Winston.
The following ringing address was adop-
ted:
"The representatives Of the Demo-
cratic party in North Carolina congrat-
ulate the Democrats of her sister States
who. with a firm stand for the princl-
ples embodied In the Chicago platform,
have won splendid victories for the peo-
pie.
"In rejoicing at the success of the
Democratic party In the late elections,
we remind the people that the
Democratic majorities were largest, and
Republican majorities were smallest,
in those States where that platform was
the issue. 1t is significant fact that
Democracy was defeated in the States
where local concerns were allowed to
overshadow the principles of the party.
The recent utterances of the people are
plain and decided. They have express
ed their faith in the Chicago platform,
their belief in bimetalism, their disgust
and disapproval of Republican creeds
and practices, and, above all, their ha-
tired of the tyrannous gold standard.
They show that they will no longer
submit to the robbery of trusts, the
domination of bosses and the oppres-
sion of the money power. The con-
demnation of the hypocracy, and false
hood OF the Republican party is crush
ing.
at is equally pronounced, whether
we hear it, loud and free, in the wheat
fields of Ohio and Iowa, or struggling
for utterance in the wealth congested
centre OF Greater New York" where
the candidate for mayor received 3d.
OOO plurality-a candidate whose utter
ance was: Il am a Democrat; who
was heart and soul for the Chicago
platform and the candidates who stood
on it.
"No less significant is the fact that
the people of the State of New York
have elected by 10000 majority as
chief justice of the Court of Appeals, a
statesman who sought support by an
nouncing that he had voted for Hon.
VIM. J. Bryan last year.
"And with this glorious news of the
Democratic success we rejoice that
sham international bimetalism' has
been exposed. There is now no room
for Republican lodging.
"We reaffim our belief in the princi-
pies of the Chicago and State platforms
of the Democratic party, as adopted in
1896, IN their entirety and we will
still support those principles until they
are written in our laws.
eve would be untrue to the firm
and loyal allegiance the Democratic
party of North Carolina bears to our
greatest leader, Hon. william J. Bryan,
if we failed to express our confidence
in his honor and integrity and in his
devotion of head and heart to the wei
fare of all the people. We emphasi re
the fact that our great victory was won
in the States of Ohio and Kentucky,
where he personally appealed to the
people.
"We view with alarm the depressed
condition of trade and the low prices
of all products raised by our people, but
we remind those who heard Republi-
can orators inl896 predict dire disaster
if the Democrats were elected, that Nc
Kinley is president of these United
States and both branches OF Congress
are Republican. The people are swift
to draw the proper conclusions.
eve thank all patriotic citizens who
joined with us last year in carrying the
State for our presidential candidate and
we inyite to the future councils of the
Democratic party-the party of the
I tpeople-all men who believe in its
principles, desire its supremacy, and
who will assist in carrying out Its poll
cies.
"In less than one year opportunity
will be given the voters to express {
firm adherence to those principles
We regret that the ballot box was MOI
this year opened to all North Carroll
mans. North Carolina is now accident
ally Republican. We do not believt
that any number OF intelligent and vir
tuous men expected or hoped Tor the
present rule in this State. We are SUR
all good men are eager for a change
We have fallen on evil days in NORTH
Carolina. They recall the days of re
construction. They demonstrate tht
truth that no Southern State car
be governed with honor and decency