The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-23
TRIBUTE TO THE PRESIDENT
WHOSE CRAFTSMANSHIP HAS ASSIST
ED IN REUNITING THE COUNTRY.
Some of the Results of the War-Buz-
Nj. Voorhees, for Governors.


present senator from Union county and
in his capacity as president of the Senate
has been acting as Governor since Governor
John w. Griggs was chosen attorney gen.
eral. There was only one session of the
convention lasting about two hours and the
gathering was the most harmonious affair
of the sort ever got together in New Jersey
Attorney General Griggs presided and his
speech, mainly devoted to national affairs,
was the feature of the convention Mr.
Voorhees, was nominated by reclamation,
and as the Governor is the only state officer
elected by the people the work of the con-
vention was soon performed. The platform
adopted is devoted mainly to state issues
A paragraph expressing faith in the ability
of the Republican national administration
to deal with incompetency in the army was
on motion of State Chairman Murphy
stricken out. Mr.. Murphy, who had pre-
sented his resignation some days ago, was
prevailed on to reconsider his withdrawal
and continue at the head of the state COM
mittee
On taking the chair as presiding officer
Attorney General Griggs spoke briefly of
local state politics and the last presidential
campaign. He then continued as follows:
And in this latest time of storm and
and under the weight of enormous respon-
Slbilltles, 1t is a pleasant thing to bear wit
ness that our President has retained the
confidence and support of those who aided
US in 1896. And, more than that, he has
had the assistance of the advice and coun-
sci Of many of the responsible leaders of
the Democracy North and South Loyalty
and sincerely rendered without thought of
partisan or political differences When the
there will stand to the credit of President
Mcklrley no more proud or gratifying
achievement than that he has won and kept
the confidence of his honorable political OPP
ponents He has had behind him the sup
port of the American people with a greater
decree of unanimity than any President
since Washington.
THE party and the administration which
has had the responsibility of this war,
which has given such new glory to our
arms and luster to the American name, has
not been party nor administration Of par
tisanship, but of patriotism. Our President,
great-has been the Nations chief indeed
What can political opposition rest upon
academic discussion left for Democratic
platforms. They may denounce protective
tariffs, but no one will care. They may
cage platform, from which tens of thou
sands of New Jersey Democrats revolted
IT that was dangerous and alarming per-
version of Democratic doctrine then, 1t is
now only ridiculous. - 1t has upon it the
double condemnation of popular defeat and
present absolute inconsistency with every
occurrence in our history since 1896. When
we are expanding and charging our place
among the great conn ercial nations it pro-
poses to destroy our honor and credit by the
adoption of financial basis at var with
the system of the business world 1t de-
nounceS our system of government as OPP
pressive to laboring classes our courts as
exercising unconstitutional and tyrannical
powers and our executive for enforcing the
laws. This when we are holding ourselves
out not only as models of government to
oppressed people, but have actually inter-
fered by arms to secure for them the same
hnT ~ or COZ ant
which we enjoy.
Il do not refer to that other item which
certain newspapers and others are trying to
make the leading issue of the Democratic
campaign. Forgetting the glory, the
achievement, the success with which an
army of 100000 men was raised out of moth
ing and hostile nation almost wiped out
in ninety days, they are lowering like buzz
yards over the battlefields and hospitals
and graveyards, looking only for the misery
and suffering and death which are inevita-
BILE in war. Surely the Democratic party
of proper subjects for political division as
10 need to rely upon yellow fever and vel
low literature.
Lift up your eyes to the height where,
glory-crowned the genius of American lib
erty points to a future pregnant with pro-
digious good to all mankind; to fresh fields
for the extension of American trade and
commerce-new openings for the investment
of American capital; wider scope for the
active energies of American young men
to more frequent glimpses of the American
flag for voyagers over the oceans; mer-
chant shipping multiplied manifold in the
harbors of the world; with navy large
enough and strong enough to enforce our
just demands and the rights of American
citizens as promptly and as efficiently as
Dewey enforced the views of the govern
ment in Manila bay; an army large enough
to serve the reasonable requirements of
seventy millions of people without putting
the administration to the risk of quick and
terrible disaster in case of sudden war;
the maintenance of our foreign diplomatic
service upon footing commensurate with
in1nn hot x1yill
no longer be necessary to seek for ambassa-
doris and ministers among those only who
are blessed with private income sufficient
to maintain a proper establishment abroad
without regard to the salary attached to the
Office.
The country demands now branch of
craftsmanship new to Americans--the prop
e. method and measures for the control and
government of colonial dependencies, and
the adjustment of colonial affairs to the in
tereSt of the home governmental field
wherein partisan politics should not easily
be allowed to enter, but where broad and
liberal state policy may have full scope to
work out plans whereby all the blessings
of essential liberty and twentieth century
civilization may be assured to the peoples
that to be our paternal care and recip-
rocal benefits may be obtained for our
relations will add fresh dignity to American
citizenship: will raise the sense of official
and political obligation as they increase
out of the treadmill rounds of domestic poll
tics-where issues are too often artificial
and transient New thoughts, new queS-
tions, new fields, fresh hopes, broader
fields wider influences. all these will come
as well as troubles and disappointments,
and temporary failures and discourage
ments, which will but serve to call forth re-
newed energy and effort until they are
overcome.
Who can set bounds to the expansive
spirit of American enterprise? Only forty
years ago an American periodical declared
that the banks of the Missouri river were
the shores at the termination of vast
ocean desert over one thousand miles in
breadth, which it was proposed to traverse.
If at all with caravans of camels and
which interposed a final barrier to the
tablishment of large communities, agricul-
tural or commercial. That desert now
blossoms like the rose and parallel lines of
iron rails bear produce OF unreasonable
wealth from off the fertile lands to the
markets of the world. The ambitious energy
of American enterprise can take its choice
to-day of delving for gold in the frozen
wastes within the artic circle or of tilling
the generous soil of islands washed by
tropic seas where in the heat of the day
they rest in shade of palm trees, all under
tine protecting guarantee of our flag.
This has been year unequaled for prog
TesS and accomplishment. The hand of man
has not fashioned nor his eye foreseen the
work that has been wrought. Call it fate,
the progress of events, Providence, God,
what you WILT has been a leading, up
ward and on. the drawing forward by ire
sstible impulses of this people to place
at the front of the world
ITO Captain Gridley. at his post on the
deck OF the flagship Olympia, on that
word Of command, as Dewey said You