The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13

turned. Many a NOBLE youth from Indiana
may be sleeping tonight in common
grave with Buckeye boy, upon some I'M
known hillside OF the Southland, with moth
ing to mark their resting places but the
shrub or magnolia, but there shall ever
cluster around that sacred spot halo
of glory My friends. some of you may nave
lost a loved one in that contest. IT so, go
find his resting place; plant the weeping
willow near his tomb. and look up 10 a
just God and thank him that one who was
near to you by the ties of nature died Tor
his country, died for you.
MY friends has it ever occurred to you
have been elected by the American people
since the civil war were born III ONO
What an array Of them! Ulysses > Grant
Rutherford b. Hayes, James "A. Garfeid
Benjamin Harrison and William Mckinney
We share this great honor alone with IN
diana because it was within your territory
that opportunity was given for the develop
ment of the superb abilities OF your own
President Harrison.
This community has been honored to-day
with the presence of your State Republican
League convention. l congratulate the
committee which succeeded in bringing to
you this important gathering OF active fte-
publcans. / congratulate the league that
it accepted your hospitality. These EVIL
dences of your interest, your taste and your
patriotism, which l see all about me,
prompt me to believe that many ,conven-
lions yet to be will meet within your gates.
What is the league of which we near so
much? During the memorable Mckinney
contest of 1896, when / had the honor TO
be president of the National Republican
League we had in active service about
EIGHT thousand clubs, with a membership
of two and One-half million voters. AT sucn
a time as this when all is quiet, we are
liable to underestimate the value OF TINS
organization. After the battle is over these
men retire from the field, just as the armies
of the Union did in 1865, when the flag OF
the Confederacy had gone down IN dlsoLlo oI;
upon these league clubs as the great stand
ing army, the militia of the Republican
PARTY which at the call of our leaders,
spring into activity and take up the con-
test not alone upon the skirmish line, but
at every point in the engagement THESE
clubs are the basis Of party organization,
and no party can survive without organi-
IT recall tonight with vivid recollection
the Republican State League convention or
Ohio which was held on this date in the
wear 1894 Cleveland had not yet been IN
augurated, but we had before us the prom
Use of four years of Democratic rule. We
went to that convention like a group Of
sorrowing friends returning from funeral
The future was full OF darkness. Al one
of the sessions of this convention an invita-
ton was extended to the then Governor or
the State Of Ohio to address US, ana we
gained new hope in the inspiring words OF
the modern Moses of the Republican party
our own William Mckinley. Said he: We
have nothing to take back. the principles
for which we fought in 1892 still live and
are as sacred to us as the party itself His
ringing words gave to us new courage, ana
a few months later that true and tried
leader was placed IN command Dy DtlilS re-
nominated for Governor, and like Henry
of Navarro he went up and down over our
State, not teaching a new doctrine, but
holding up magnifcently the banner or the
Republican party, which, together with the
nobility of his manhood, brought TO us
victory that has become historic. William
Mckinley has ever been a friend of the
league, as a member of Congress, as Gov
ernor as President. He has appreciated its
value as e working organization In the
various campaigns where he has been our
Iaa hpen tnlckeSt
of the battle, fighting yaliantly for the
maintenance of the Republican party ana
for those sacred principles Tor which 1t
TT is well enough for us to understand
that the convention of to-day IS practically
the beginning of the campaign OF 1898 IN
the great State of Indiana The delegates
who have been in your midst viii return to
their homes full Of ENTHUSIASM Tor inc
grand old cause of Republicanlsm. They
have exchanged ideas, they have promul-
gated plans. and they are ready to cooper
ate with your regular party organization in
bringing about a signal victory IN the COM
ing autumn. Republicans of other states
have a right to expect much from this COM
Y1ScnweaIfh We of Ohio want to see an
other Republican United States senator
from Indiana an illustrious citizen. one
who will labor side. by side with your hon
ored Charles W. a Fairb an Sc - anticinate
what the Republican platform Will be. The
Republican party Is q party OF progress.
II believes in taking advantage Of the light
that comes in upon us and in adapting our
selves to the onward progress of the centu-
ries 1t will still be in favor of protec-
tive tariff. The best argument IN favor
of a protective tariff is to state the effect
Of it's absence during the Cleveland admin
istration when our factories we're closed
and thousands OF men were thrown out OF
employment. The highest and best results
from the application of that tariff will be
only temporarily postponed. because during
the months prior 10 the enactment of the
Djngley law millions of dollars OF products
were imported into this country in antiei-