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

cnOfe0. And II is time the steady elements
or the American people answered the COM
mand or conservatism to fall In" We hear
OF new Declaration of Independence.
prefer the old declaration of the fathers:
We need no new philosophy of society or of
politics to-day. We only need a renaissance
of common sense. The political philosophy
you ask me to state that philosophy in
phrase / should answer, patriotic conserya-
tism He knew that the conservative ele-
ments of the American people are always
in the majority No matter what individual
views on incidentalS might be, he knew
that the sight of the countrys imperiiled
flag would marshal those elements into an
irresistible host. He knew that they need
only to see the main issue and they will re-
spond. And so. out Of the men of all par
ties who agreed on the issue of the integ-
rity of the Nation, Abraham Lincoln FASH
Toned that splendid party of cOnServa tlSm
which met the emergency of war and won,
won, met the emergency of resumption and
won, met the problem of national prosper
ity for thirty years ana solved Il, ana
ated by the conservative elements of all
parties, ready to M Get the emergency of
reputation and industrial chaos and to
triumph as of old Across the page of
events the spirit of Lincoln has written the
mission Of the Republican party. That mis-
sion is cOnserVatiSm-the rejection of ex-
tremes-the conduct of the government by
common honesty and common sense rather
than by fanaticism and revenge. Conserv-
atism IS merely progress by the processes
of growth 1t is government by experience
instead of by experiment 1t is moderation
instead of violence.
How does the present situation require
IincOlnian conservatism? On the one hand,
the tendency of the Democracy of to-day is
toward destruction. The Huns and vandals
among them are on the march. There is an
implied promise of piracy in every utter
anGe of some of their leaders. They awaken
expectations which nothing but the abolition
of property and the reversal of civilization
can fulfill. !. Every sane man knows that
free silver alone would not quench the
flames which reckless extremists are fan
ming. The readjustment of society is the
ultimate answer to the implied question
which the new commune thoughtlessly put
to civilza ton. That is one extreme.
On the other hand there are abuses of
capital which furnish the pillagers war
cry; improper uses of riches which the
catilines use as examples to descredit all
wealth; vulgar Ostentations of money which
unSheath envy and whet hatred a med
ding with the making and the execution OF
of trade by unlawful devices. These finan-
cial Developments know no party. They use
all parties for their purposes. There are
absolutely nonpartisan-a mugwump and
trust.
ty in this situation? Go, as Abraham Lin
coin always did, to the plain people and
learn from them. They will tell you that
our policy is LincOlnian conservatism. Abb
raham LincOln'S plain people are weary
with both extremes. The producing mil
lions demand truce to needless agitation
Iney demand an opportunity 10 CIedLt DTOS-
perity. They demand that the honor of the
Nation be put beyond the reach of dema-
gogue or fool They repudiate revenge as
a motive OF political action. They expect
improper commercial development to be
corrected without violating the principles
upon which civilization rests. They de-
mand laws so Just and so equally enforced
that the lips of seditiOn will be padlocked
by the peace they bring. In short, Abra-
ham Lncoln's plain people demand Abra-
ham Lincoln's conservatism, and Abraham
Lncolns party is here TO give 1t to them
THE PLAIN PEOPLE DEFINED.
The plain people. There is the source of
Abraham Lincolns wisdom. Lincoln, the
rail-splitter, and Emerson, the scholar,
agreed. The unprecedented instinct of the
masses is unerring. The common sense
Of the plain people, who, in peace, create the
wealth, and, in war. carry the muskets of
the republic, is, ultimately an unfailing
guide. Abraham Lincoln was one of these.
Their conscience was his oracle.
Their thought was his counsel He
preferred the matured judgment of the
ploughman, the blacksmith and the mer-
chant, to the opinion of any dOctfinalre
who ever lived. And the lesson of his life,
to the party he so loved. is. to take our or
ders from the plain people who founded
the Republican party, and for whom,
alone the republic is worth preserving.
Abraham Lincoln coined the phrase, THE
plain people" He bequeathed 1t TO US and
-.
Republican, partys shbboleth. But dem
agogues have learned its power, and used 1t
too, until, like liberty, crimes are commit
ted in its name and its LincOlnian meaning
Is obscured. The professionally miserable
are not the plain people. The plain peo-
pie" are not those who preach the gospel
of despair: not those whose trade Is dis
content and whose occupation is idleness.
A man does not become one of the plain
people merely by getting into debt nor cease
TO be one of them by getting out OF debt.
Rags are not necessary badge of the
plain people," although Il paupcf may be
one of them: nor is wealth, although u mil
ionaire may be one of 1.-The plain people"
too. But Abraham Lincoln's plain people
are those who understand that labor IS the
law OF life for all be they r railroad pFEe aso
who believe in that Old phrase THE broth
erhood of man." They are those who ac-
American institutions. The plain people OF
Lincolns love are they who understand
that liberty did not intend TO abolish Ia
Dor, thought and thrift that blessed trinity
that presides over all prosperity. They are
those who believe that nature should not
be repealed-those who do not expect law
TO do for them what they shouid do them
selves These are the plain people who
produced an Abraham Lincoln and a Re-
publican party, and 1t IS time that those
who misuse that term should be reminded
of what IL means and rebuked in the re-
minding.
NEW YORK AND THE WEST
Abraham Lincoln was the spirit Of the
plain people incarnate and therefore he
was the spirit OF nationality incarnate. For
the plain people know no sections-they
only know American citizenship. Sections
exist only in the minds of politicians too
small for the Nation. Abraham Lincoln
knew that the Constitution begins with
I'VE the people," that the peoples Ma
ton guarantees to every State a Repub-
lican form OF government" and so he sent
the plain people, wearing the Nations uni
form and carrying the Nations flag. wher-
ever the Nations Constitution required it.
and asked no reasonable Governors per-
mission. He taught the American people
that the golden rule of patriotism is unity.
This imperial city is not New York's alone
she is the pride of the entire Nation.
Your prosperity depends upon the pros
perity OF the American people. You dare
not be selfish, even If you would Injury
to the American people is suicide to you.
welfare Whatever truly blesses Nebraska
blesses New York as well. You are not
THE enemyS country" New York is too
great to be anybody's enemy. To be am
enemy to any American citizen is to be an
enemy to yourself. We of the Central West
would not let you be our enemy even If
YOU wished it, Why? Because you are too
useful, and because you are an American
port No foreign ship can ever shell In
dianapoliS; no foreign force invade us. Yet,
because we believe as Lincoln believed; be-
Sandy Hook American soil Indiana and the
Republics heart is in favor of coast de-
lenses and navy that can render every
port of the Republic as secure as Indian