Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-04-26
FIRST GUN is FIRED.
SIGNIFICANT WORDS SPOKEN AT
MILWAUKEE.

Practical Opening of the 1000 Cam
paiGn-Bryan AMI Harrison Speak
Anti Trust Issue to BE Prominent in
Next National Political Struggle.
Democrats of the Central West in
particular and of the nation in gen
eral find an immense amount of ma
terlal for mental digestion, as a result
OF the Jefferson Day banquet and eel
eDration ut Milwaukee,. The opinion
OF the most far-seeing men who at
tended is that the Democracy of the
Central West Is taking the bit between
its teeth early in the battle that is to
be waged in 1900 with tirmness and
determination, leaving no room for
doubt that the antitrust issue will be
paramount in the campaign, and that
the issues raised by the Spanish and
Philippine wars will have prominent
places in the party platform.
In his address Mr. Bryan realiirmed
the Chicago platform without denying
the demand and the desirability of con
temptation of the antitrust and war
issues. In his address Mayor Harri-
son, of Chicago, adhered to his text,
Corruption in Politics Dangerous to
Free Government" advancing the
thought that the next battle of the De-
mocracy for national supremacy should
be one against trusts and in behalf of
the rights of the plain people, the gen.
eral lines of the Chicago platform be-
Ing indorsed.
All honors We're accorded both Mr..
Bryan and Mayor Harrison at the ban
quet. The Chicago Mayor spoke in
part us follows:
That political corruption exists In this
nation no man will venture to dispute. In
all this broad land there is not a municipal
NY IN which at some time Its citizens have
not been forced to grapple with the lust for
gain of great corporations seeking to de-
bauch the government established by the
people for their protection. Councils have
been corrupted and executives terrorized
that The stockholders of great monopolles
might receive greater dividends upon their
watered stocks. State Legislatures have
proved traitors In this nsdlous warfare up
on the peoples rights and have deliberately
bartered to few the property of those
they have been chosen to represent. Even
the ermine has not been free from corrup-
tons polluting touch, and In Instances
which, thank God, are but rare, the canker
has attacked the last safeguard of popular
rights.
:, The great trusts Of to-day, springng up
like mushrooms In night could not exist
but FOR the corrupt practices ut work to
save them from the peoples righteous
wrath. They feed and foster the corruption
upon which they fatten. without which they
cannot live. The people, recognizing that
unless the vast and increasing power of
wealth Is curbed, the nation will inevitably
be on the downward grade, are crying for
relief.
A republics first need is purity of the bal
lot. Its second need is the absolute incor-
ruptlbility of those Entrusted by 1t with the
nopoles, constituencies as they are, corrupt
the one and debauch the other. They are
the hotbeds hat breed mass of corruption
which Is to-day the greatest danger threat-
enlng the permanency of our free insttu-
lions
The sober second thought of the nation
Will assert Itself against the exotic theory
of Imperialism. Even Its warmest advocates
Will of the people. But there Is need to open
the nations eyes to the danger of corruption
In political circles. 1t Is II gangrene that
eats beneath the surface. Those who foster
1t proceed stcalthily in their work, with
voices never raised above a whisper, with
signals to convey what their tongues dare
not express.
Where. then. shall the work of reform be-
gin? The answer Is evident: AT the very
foundation of our political system, In the
village and municipal governments. Let
our young men, the hope and future bull
wark of the republic, regard service In mu-
nicipal politics as the highest proof they can
give of their patriotism. Let them work In
the primary districts and In the wards, re-
membering that ward politics forms the
foundation upon which rests the entire
politics is lgnobie only In so far as those
who labor In that field of activity make 1t
ignoble.
1t lies in the power of the young Democ-
racy of the nation, II 1t will but set TO work
In The first trenches, to carry forward the
crusade for purity In politics until corrup-
tion shall have been driven from high
places, until honesty shall control In every
department of the municipal, the state and
national government.
Stalwart young Democracy need not look
far for an incentive. The example is set
for 1t In the person of our national lender.
Two years ago the party made Its fight un-
der leader with private life so stainless,
with personal character so blameless, the
people followed him and follow him still
with us much zeal as the crusaders dis
played for the paladns of old
Ours Is the party OF the people. Unless
we serve the people honestly and fairly we
are faithless to our trust. Duty requires us
to strike the first blow Mt corruption within
our purity ranks. Let the word go forth
that the Democracy will not tolerate man,
no matter how profuse his professed devo-
ton to the party creed. who does not place
obligation to the public above any and every
personal consideration. II Democracy means
anything 1t means the honest service of the
people. No man can be Il Democrat whose
Integrity is not above suspicion. He who
seeks public office for private gain is trait
or to everything for which Democracy
stands, and for him there should be no place
within the party ranks 1t should be the
from the temple of the party faith.
In 1900 bitter struggle awaits us. The
old fight must be made again-a fight along
the lines laid down In the platform of the
last Democratic convention for the rights of
the plain people: fight against corruption
and all Its awful menace to the republic; a
fight against the trusts that seek to make
of this nation, founded upon the theory of
the absolute equality of all men, serfiom
submissive to the power and the arrogance.
lift the people higher; n fight against every.
thing that will restrain the republic In the
onward march of Its triumphant destiny.
If we remain true to the theory and the
practice of what Democracy means and
stands for, there is no need to doubt the
successful Issue of the combat.
MIR. Bryan's Speech.
Mr.. Bryan's speech is given herewith
In part:
We are now near enough to the next cam
paign to be able to form some Idea of the
lines along which the contest will be fought,
and am taking no risk when | say that
those who In 1906 gave their allegiance TO
the Chicago platform are as united to-day In
the determination that no step taken In 1896
shall be retraced.
In 1883 Mr.. Cleveland was defeated on the
tariff Issue, and yet the tariff was made the
main issue In 1892. and Mr.. Cleveland was
elected. In 1892 Mr. Harrison was defeated
largely on account of the Mckinley bill. and
four years later the author of the bill was
nominated upon Il platform reaflirming the
belief In protection and was successful. Thus
1t Is seen that In two Instances recently
losing Issue In one campaign became n win
ming Issue In the campaign following.
The test ought to he not whether the issue
has been presented before, but whether the
position taken is right. If the gold standard
was unmerlted In 1896 1t Is unmertel now.
II Its maintenance was detrlment to the
Interests of the people of this country then,
1t Is 4 detrlment now.
While 1t Is unnecessary to discuss the Ques-
tlon of ratio until some other ratio Is pro-
posed, 1t may not be out Of place to suggest
that 16 to /, being the ratio at which the
present gold and silver coin circulates, is the