The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-09-10
NOMINATED FOR CONGRESS ny THE
MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS
OF the attn CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
ne TOUCHES ON LIVE ISSUES IN his
ACCEPTABLE SPEECH.
PURE AND uHADuL1ERA1ED DEMOCRACY
DINGLEY TARIFF, FREI: SILVER AND
TERRITORIAL. EXPANSION.

The Democracy Of the Fourth con-
gressional district Of Minnesota met last
Saturday in convention at Saltwater.
and nominated Judge John w. Willis
by reclamation to represent them in the
legislative hall of the national capitol.
In accepting the honor bestowed on
him, Judge Willis delivered the follow
Ing address:
The nomination unanimously rendered
by an assemblage of American free men
and accompanied by the most cordial
expression of confidence and good will,
constitutes q compliment and imposes a
trust For the compliment, l beg YOU
to accept an assurance Of profound graf
itude. l accept the trust. It's accept
ancc impresses me with a keen sense of
the responsibility which l thereby as
sume.. l am Democrat revere the
memory and accept the teachings of
Thomas Jefferson. rejoice In the
achievements Of Andrew Jackson
an proud to be arrayed IN the indomi-
table legion that with unsurpassed en-
thusiasm, fervid zeal and sturdy patriot
ism, follows the leadership of William
]. Bryan.
The fathers of the republic left to
their descendants and SUCCESSORS a. heri-
tage and all inspiration. The heritage
was vast. 1t has been extended by con-
quest and by purchase, until it has be-
come an imperial domain. Scarce a
quarter Of a century elapsed before the
Northwestern territory, won by the
Americans in the revolutionary stl7lg-
gles,was pcoplcd by the same race which
had triumphed over Great Britain.
The welfare of the United States and
their people was threatened by the pos
session Of adjacent domains by the king
dom Of Spain. Tho mouth of the Mis-
sissippi rivera great highway of eonl-
merce-was in the hands of IL foreign
power. This condition proved to be in
tolerable. The cession OF Spanish ter
ritory to the French empire and the
willingness of the great Napoleon to
transfer that territory to the government
Of the United States gave to Thomas
Jefferson the opportunity for extending
the boundaries of the Union. That OPP
portunity was not neglected The Lou
isiana purchase gave to the area OF the
United States an acquisition which has
been divided into more than ten great
states, which have been added to the fed
eral league and have become prosperous
and powerful. The result of the Mexi-
can war-a conflict fought under Demo-
cratic auspices-was tho addition to our
domain of the district comprchcnding
tho states OF California, Nevada, Color
ado, Utah, and the territories of Arizona
and New Mexico. The wise decision of
Democratic president and 4 Democrat
ic congress admitted the great state OF
Texas to an equal position In the Union.
The later Gadsden purchase, during the
administration of Franklin Pierce, still
further widened the area over which
our national ensign--Old Glory.-was
destined to float In honor. All Of the ac-
QUESTIONS of territory gained prior to
the present year, with the exception of
Alaska, have occurred at the instance
and under the direction of the Demo-
cratic party. All Of tho districts thus
acquired have been rapidly settled by
people OF races and nationalities practi-
cally identical with the original settlers
OF tho British colonies, and tho Ameri-
can race is rapidly becoming homogene-
Gus, subject to the same tendencies of
thought and action, and inspired by the
same ideas. The policy of territorial
acquisition hitherto pursued has been
calculated to secure for our own race the
highest vantage ground of civilization,
and to give an opportunity for social de-
velopment and for intellectual and ma-
terial progress such as can only be SC.
cured in a land OF liberty and under the
benignant influence of free institutions.
Our experience in attempting to control,
civiIize and hold commercial intercourse
with the Indian races and our expert
ence in attempting to adapt to institu-
tions Of sclf-governmcnt the emanci-
pated race Of the South, should lead us
to consider well before We adopt the
policy which shall extend our political
institutions over distant colonies, and
attempt to control and civilizc vast
hordes of barbarians
According to the primal theory OF
American politics, the government was
not endowed with the power or duty Of
creating opportunity, but was bound to
guard, for the common benefit, the cX-
istent and latent opportunities which
labor and capital might utilize for the
advancement of civilization, and the
amelioration of social and economic
conditions. Equality in regard to all
the opportunities Of life was the cardi-
nal principle Of Americanism. The
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