The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-04-08


of the advantages Of the money of the
constitution.
Disqualification. plutocracy, says
that seventy millions of people in this
country must wait until relief comes
| from a handful of English tnanciers.
Democracy says that seventy millions
of people must achieve their own de-
liverance, and then raise the torch of
hope to the struggling millions of the
old world. Applause and cheers.)
lit was said of us in 1896 that they
were afraid that our people did not love
their country. They were afraid that
we were not safe citizens, and then we
told them that if ever this country got
in danger they would need our people:
that if this nation had any fighting to
do they would come to the people who
advocated our cause and get more men
to the square inch than they would get
out of Wall street where they were
specializing all the time.
| when the hour came that the pres
ident wanted an appropriation and
suggested to congress that $4,000, 900
ought to be placed in the hands of the
president for national defense, al
though it was republican president
who asked it. there was not a democrat
for one moment to give the.full amount
which the president asked. Yes, my
my friends. and occasionally you will
hear it said that the democratic party
was composed largely of men who
| fought against the union, and they
! would try to reflect upon the patiotism
of our party because we had in our
party, men who fought in the confeder-
| ate ranks from 1860 to 1868
But. my friends. it so happens that
the representative of the American
government down on the island of
| Cuba is a man who wore the confed-
crate uniform, and yet no one has said
that Fitzhugh Lee is not agood enough
patriot for the United States. ZAP
plause and cheers.) Place democracy
anywhere and it will be true to its
history. Democracy means equality
Of all before the law. Democracy
stands for government which derives
its power fl ON the consent of the gov
erned. Democracy stands for govern
mcnt that comes up from the people
and not down to the people. and that
being the meaning of democracy, is it
strange that every democrat in the
United Safes feels warm place in his
heart for those neighbors just below
| right to have a government that de-
rives its just powers from the consent
of the governed? applause and cheers.)
II told you ! was a private citizen.
The world does not need to reward me
for anything l have done. 1t has
more than paid me for all the efforts
l have been able to put forth, but in
the restoration of democracy 1 shall
find recompense enough for all l can
ever do because my children shall live
after me, and if they. as daughters.
seek an alliance, it will be with Amer
lean citizens applause and cheers.)
l do not expect to leave money enough
to tempt foreign title, but do hope
that shall be able to teach them an
American sentiment that will make
them satisfied with one who has sworn
allegiance to the stars and stripes.
'And if my son. shall live after me.
| want to leave him a government
that gives him a fair show; l want to .
leave him government that will pro-
tect him if he goes into business and
enable him to do business upon his
own merits, and not stand him in con-
slant terror of some greater power Of
wealth: and If he goes into politics 7
want him to go upon his own merits
poration to ask permission to run as
candidate for office. applause and
cheers.)
II want a democracy of the fathers
democracy that shall know no differ
ence between individuals, democracy
that says to the poor man. you shall
have what you earn. that says to the
rich man you shall possess what Won
I Il
will protect the little the little man
has, and protect the great amount that
the great man has.
II want democracy that shall say
to the poor man, You shall not Law
hostile hands upon that which indus
try has procured and which economy
has laid away and I want a demo
cracy that shall say to avarice. sThus
far shalt thou go and no farther: YOU
shall not take the bread that you have
not earned. applause and cheers.
THAT is our idea of democracy. and
1T is because it is true idea: it is be-
cause 1t is a just idea; it is because it is
righteous idea, that it will appeal to
more and more and will at last prevail.
Leu us therefore say to you who are
members of the Mohawk club. and to
you who are the guests of this club.
that the battle of '96 was not fought in
vain.
IF we who took part in it pass
away before the next great struggle
we can die knowing that we have
advanced the cause for which we
fought. We know that our contest
was not in vain; thatswe have awak-
ened 1.-THE people to thinking. and
that thinking will bring relief, and