The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-11
Silver Question Not Settled Until
Settled Right.
POLICY OF EXPANSION
DEMOCRATS ALWAYS FAVORED
ANNEXATION OF TERRITORY,
But the People Should Not Be An
nexed Without Their Consent
Campaign Will Be Made On the
Free Coinage Issue-War Tax
Upon the People.

st. Louis, Mo-, Aug. 10.-A special to
the Republic from Springfield, Mo-,
says: The Democratic hosts assem-
bled in BaIdwin's opera house, which
has seating capacity of 5000, filling
every seat, and promptly at 11:55
o'clock the convention was called to
order. Richard P. Bland was made
| temporary chairman. He addressed the
| convention for nearly an hour, and
was applauded frequently. He spoke,
! in part, as follows:
| What we do here today will not be
| confined to our state, but viii have its
| influence on the whole country, so that
we should make no declaration respect
| ing recent issues until we have care
| fully deliberated upon them
Mr.. Bland then went at once to the
Chicago platform, recalling the finan-
cial plank, and declaring anew the ar
gument with which the people are ia
miliar.
This domestic ISSUE" he said, must
remain paramount until it is settled
and settled right. We propose to make
the campaign upon this issue. We do
not propose that pIutocrats shall en-
tangle and confuse our minds with for
eign issues. We propose first to make
free and Independent the people of the
United States. (Applause)
I'VE have been drawn into a war
which has already cost millions of dol
lars, and put upon the common people
the burden of a tax which congress
refused to put upon the wealth of the
country
He said the sentiments expressed in
the declaration of war was unparalleled
in the history of the world, in its JUS
tice and love of humanity, and that no
party ought to survive which would
undertake TO lower that standard of
universal freedom of manhood.
We deserve the good opinion of the
world but we must also deserve the
good opinion of ourselves. l have OBJ
served tendency in some directions
TO lower our principles to those of a
land-gra bling nation. (Falnt applause.)
The Democratic party has always been
the party of progress in the anneXa-
ton OF territory, but it was territory
bought and paid for
After reciting the history of past &C
QUESTIONS of territory, Mr.. Bland said
But we are asked today to acquire not
only land, but people. We are asked to
connect ourselves with a foreign pop
ulation, unknown to our interests and
purposes. l don't want to see this
convention declare itself in favor of an
neXing Cuba or Porto Rico or the
Philippines. At the same time 1 do
not wish you to declare in favor of
closing the doors to any honorable an
neXatiOn with which we may be con-
fronted.
But we can declare our adherence to
the Monroe doctrine and no party o.
power can assail US. If I could ex-
press my personal opinion in the plat
form 1 would declare against the an
r.f n
Philippine Islands, and that when we
shall have wrested the islands from
the Spanish government they shouln
be allowed to govern themselves. We
are not to assume that they are not
capable of government. Thomas
Jefferson would have spat upon such
an assumption as that
He continued in this vein for some
time. declaring his belief that even
tually Cuba and Porto Rico would come
into our country, but he desired no dec
laration on that question until these
territories were prepared to come in
of their own free will and accord and
under democratic principles.
A short address of welcome was de-
livered by Major Hall and a recess was
taken.
When the convention reassembled at
o'clock Congressman NJ z. Benton
chairman. Nominations for supreme |
judge were then made and balloting |
commenced. The first ballot resulted |
in the election of Judge William c. |
Marshall for supreme judge for the |
long term and Judge Leroy B. Valiant |
for the short term of the same office. |
The convention then adjourned until |
tomorrow at 8 a. m.
Late tonight the committee on reso-
utions agreed on a platform which
endorses the Chicago platform; OPP
poses acquisition of the Philippines or
other territory in the eastern hemi-
spheres; approves the construction of |
he Nicaragua canal, which should be
controlled by the United States; de-
elares that our navy should be kept
equal to any emergency, and demands
hat Porto Rico and all Spanish terri
DRY in the West Indies, except Cuba,
shall be taken and held by the United
states; Cuba to be allowed to estab-
ish its own government and to be an
lexed only at the desire of the people
# the island.