The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-01

| Democratic party that it has always sided
| has endeared il to the people and has given
| 1t sustaining force So long the Demo-
| cratic party remains true to the great prin-
cipleS underlying its life, so long will il live
| and flourish. As party we may not al
ways have adopted the WiSeSt course. This
| is because we are merely human, but the
| fact remains that the great mass of the
American people believe in the honesty and
sincerity of our principles, and so long as
/ this is true we need not fear for the future
Every good Democrat is proud of the
| Chicago platform. On the money plank of
| that platform we differed some, and the
| difference was a serious one, but that was
| a difference on a detail. The American peo-
| pie at heart believe in the splendid pro-
| nouncement of the Democracy. at Chicago.
| 1t marked an epoch in American politics.
| 1t arrayed, squarely, the burden-bea ring,
| taX-paylng, tolling masses against those
who gain wealth by combination, by Chi
cane, by all the devious ways of trusts and
wrong-doing under the guise of law.
DROPPING SILVER ISSUE.
"Since the acrimonies of the last cam
| paign have worn off, since the great body
| of the people have had their second sober
| thought, ] believe that they are ready to
make the principles announced at Chicago
the basis of American law. Down with
! trusts. down with government by injunc-
| ton; down with class distinctions: down
with privilege and protection for the favored
| few at the expense of the many. This is
| what the Chicago platform meant and you
| might as well try to tear the rock out Of
the bottom OF old ocean as to try to make
| the American people forget that part of the
! Chicago platform. The struggle before the
american people is greater than struggle
oVerFgold' and silver The money question
| Will solve itself If justice is done along the
! greater lines that I have just indicated If
| you Will down trusts and combinations ami
give men or ordinary means chance in
| life; II you will do away with protection and
| privilege; II you will give to the laboring
masses just laws and equal chances you
viii not hear much complaint about. the
Klnd or money that ought to be the basis
| or our currency.
Il do not seek to belittle the money ques-
tlon; It is great one, and we stand by the
| chicago platform on it, but do desire to
say that as Democrats we can not afford
| 10 quarrel over this issue alone, leaving
| other great questions of the day untouched
and unsoved. The hope of The American
| people lies With our party. The Republican
party is welded to the money power, to the
trusts and combines; to the men of privilege
ana special protection. 1t is like Ephraim of
| old-Joined to its idols-and the American
| people will, sooner or later let it alone.
"A crisis confronts the American people
d Crisis that must be met Sternly wisely,
calmly, but II need be with the terrible
shock of arms In this crisis we will know
no NORTH; no south, no Republican. no
| people. President Mckinley and a Repub-
lean Congress will be sustained by the
democratic party as warmly, as patri-
1 oticaliy, as If the reins of government were
| in the hands of Cleveland or a Bryan.
General Fitzhugh Lee, of Havana, is as
| at the White House. The Democrats of In
diana viii uphold the arm of a Republican
| as any Republican that is hoping for war
Tor the purpose of party ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Free America, the grandest achievement of
modern thought, will not sit idly by while
| Spain, the worst expression of the thought
or the middle ages, attempts to force her
baieful Influence over people heroically
struggling to be free"
i NO WORD FOR SILVER.
S. K. Morss, chairman of the committee
on resolutions, read the report of the COM
| mittee, as follows:
I'VE invoke the attention of the citizens
ana taxpayers OF Marion county to the mis-
| present Republican officials. The Criminal
| Court and it's adjuncts have become so Sc
rlous source of scandal that the Repub-
| llcan press has been forced to join in con-
| demning 1t. The County Commissioners
| nave made record of unexampled extraVa-
gance, largely increasing the expenses in
every department. They have voted away
the money of the county for services for
Which there was no legal obligation what
ever Ihey have awarded contracts to
others than the lowest responsible bidders.
We demand that there be put in their place
men who will not only open the books and
expose the deeds of these officials, but also
administer the affairs of the county in an
economical and honest manner We also
pledge our support to reform in the, sys-
tenn of county government which shall put
IL permanently on q rational business basis.
We reaftirm the Democratic national
especially the declarations contained there
in as to the financial policy of the govern
ment, and we express our continued conf
dence in our great leader, VIM. ]. Bryan.
we believe that the time has come for
the United States to recognize the indie
pendence of Cuba and to take whatever
| steps may be necessary to put a stop to the
horrors on that island at which the civilized
World stands appalled,. The warfare which
Va h0ve IN1xlo III
struggling for independence and liberty has
not been conducted in accordance with the
practiceS OF civilized nations. The deaths
| OF several hundred thousand noncombat-
ants from starvation and the unspeakable
misery IN which the survivors of the in
famous Spanish policy exist demand inter-
Ventlon by this government in the interest
or humanity. We are opposed to further
| delay in the discharge of solemn duty
and we protest earnestly against the con-
tlnued SubServiency of the authorities at
washington to the selfish and unpatriotic
influences or Wall street. We should de-
| plore war, but should prefer it to a dis
| honorable and degrading peace. The honor
and dignity of the United States, with all
It's might ana power, should be maintained
at any cost"
The report was adopted unanimously, but
1t seemed that this was to be the last
| unanimous action of the convention The
report of the committee on credentials was
| Just about to create the storm. While Judge
Bartholomew was adjusting his glasses
preparatory to reading his report the candi-
dates for nominations grew especially
| hard 'call down. IF those candidates
don't get off the floor he yelled, .'Ill call
| their names and we'll all vote against
| them" The chairman also made courteous
| request that the delegates stop smoking out
| of Difference to the ladies present but a
delegate on the front row replied: Jaw, get
out What yer givin us? Dis is a Demo-
| CRATIC convention; it amt no Sunday school
meeting.
THE CREDENTIALS REPORT.
The report of the committee on creden-
| tials was the apple of discord which came
near disrupting the convention. The COM
mittee had not attempted to settle all the
| contests resulting from the primaries of the
| night before, but those it did settle, Tag
CART men claimed, were settled in purely
partisan manner. seating the Rockford dele
| gates. On this ground Taggart men OPP
| posed it. The other fault found was that
the report was final as to the credentials of
precinct committeeman elected at the pri-
maries. This is entirely unprecedented and
both Rochfordites and Taggartonians yelled
against ii. No one not even the chair,
seemed to know what course to pursue
either to railroad the report through,
amend it or reject ii, and the convention
| took on the aspect of a Populistic gather
ing of the rankeSt type. Did traitors"
and id outrage" were phrases heard on
all sides, and it looked for while as if
Will Z. English raised the point of order
that the county convention mad nothing to
do with the seating of precinct committee
men, That matter he said, should be left
TO the county central committee, which has
a committee on credentials to decide on its