Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-17


Gentlemen of the Conventions: APP
preciate the honor conferred upon me
by the state committee and congratu-
late you, gentlemen of the convention,
upon this most suspicious gathering
of Towns democracy. This convention
is the best evidence of the reason why
the republican press of the state has
for several months given SO much at
tention to my speech and your delib-
erations, and ] very much mistake
your purpose If you do not give them
abundant reason for even greater ac-
tivity in the future than we have given
them in the past.
For the first time in my life have
committed a political speech to manu-
script, and now, only to avoid possible
uncertainty hereafter as to my utter
ances, / shall endeavor to be plain
spoken rather than rhetorical.
Just what the democratic national
platform of 1900 will contain l do not
know, but firmly believe that it will
be along the lines of the last platform,
with such an Indictment ofIthe Mckin-.
ley regime for It's mal-administration
class preferment and Unconstitutional
conduct as to insure the support of ev-
cry citizen who has been, is now, or
wants to be a Jeffersonian democrat.
And ! sincerely hope that no demo-
cratic convention will subject itself to
q "round robin" charge of censorship,
hut that all will be respected in the
expression of, and contention for, an
honest conviction, and that when the
national convention has again spoken,
the will of the majority will be ac-
guessed in by a reunited and irresisti-
BILE democratic party, and thus make
certain the supremacy and consequent
prosperity of the liberty-loving, law
abiding, BODYBUILDING and industri-
Gus masses over the now favored class
es who, for selfish purposes, advocate
or tolerate the prostitution of the ex-
ecutive, Legislative and judicial powers
of the government, the federal consti-
tuition, Monroe doctrine and Declare
ton of Independence.
The republican party came into pow
err less than thirty months ago with a
pledge of superior love of country em-
blazoned on the stars and stripes as a
campaign banner, in honor bound to
demonstrate that a political party
could be as non-partisan and patriotic
in the administration of the affairs of
the government at Washington as
were those who departed from the
paths of a life time TO make NlcKin-
ley's election possible, and now with a
party record unparalleled in our ma
tional history, these self-same republic
can malcontents have the unblushing
audacity to again seek partisan adj
vantage by affecting to denounce, dis
credit and deceive the three so-called
elements of the democratic party.
The trust plank in their state plat
form is sufficient proof that Iowa re-
publicans believe in Emerson's maxim
that consistency is the hobgoblin OF
little minds, adorned by little states
men and philosophers and divines."
The trusts are the creation of the re-
publican party and it will stand by
them. The New York Sun, which
speaks for the president, says: 1.-The
republican party and the democratic
party and every other party is impo-
tent against the trusts because the
trusts arise from business necessity.
The legislatures might as well make
statutes against multiplication or the
rule of three" The community of
interests of leading industrial trusts is
more than ''gentlemen's agreement
for the same controlling stockholders
figure largely in each. So far as its in
stigators and intriguers are concerned,
this new industrial oligarchy is COM
posed of some fifteen or twenty multi
millionaires whose ramifications in
clude control of raw material, manu-
featured. products, and transportation
facilities of the entire country.
So far a. I nm a la po1y ~ Jat,,
mine, the most effective way to destroy
the trusts is to remove the, at present,
most apparent cause by amending the
tariff laws and placing on the free list
everything used or made or sold by q
trust. That is simple, conservative
and practical policy. Its execution
would not depend upon the zeal of the
attorney general of the government or
the state.
! would also have both congress and
state Legislatures pass laws for their
control and taxation, each, making it
a felony, punishable by both fine and
penitentiary sentence, to form, con-
duct or be in any manner interested in
a trust, and If after fair trial it is
apparent that trusts, corporations or
other monopolies are determined to
defy the laws made in justice to all,
would resort to the initiative and ref
erendum with government ownership
of public utilities, and above all, and
without delay, would have the fed
eral constitution so amended as to re-
quire the election of United States
senators by direct vote of the people.
1t. is entirely possible that all these
things will not be fully grealized by
the means have indicated, but of this
1 am certain: The democracy, as now
constituted, recognizes that its mission
as party organization is to fight the
battles of the masses and it will enter
upon this conflict, not with the cloven
foot of the Iowa republican platform,
but in good faith, determined to do
whatsoever honesty of purpose and
fearless effort shall develop along the
lines of its accomplishment.
1t is not the purpose of the demo-
cratic party to wage a war of exter-
mination against any man, men or le-
climate interest. 1t will in the flu
tnre as it has in the past, at all times
and under all circumstances, as fully
protect an honest and equitable organ
ization of capital as it win the orgari-
cation of labor, and, in doing SO, make
equal and just requirements for the
protection of each.
An income tax is now, and for many