The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-02-18

remember how men who were evading their
taxes and Sinking their just duties to their
government held UP their hands in holy
horror at the idea of patriotism that
made them do their duty? Do you remem-
Der how they abused us, and even said
they were afraid We were not paying prop
err respect to the court? There was nothing
of disrespect to any court in the Chicago
platform. The strongest arguments We
could make in that campaign we took from
the opinions of the dissenting judges. and
one Of those opinions read something like
this: II fear that lest in some hour of
national danger this decision will rise up
TO paralyZe the arm of government" That
was the language used by Justice Brown
not an anarchist, a Republican judge. We
quoted 1t In the campaign. l thought 1t
was plain enough that all might see 1t.
But many did not see it. But. my friends,
the hour that he thought might come. did
come; the hour of national peril came, and
what was the result? That decision did
rise up to paralyze the arm of government.
They could not put taxes on the incomes
of their people. and therefore they had
resort to stamps on kilograms and express
packages and bank checks and deeds and
things of that kind. What does that de-
cision mean? 1t means that when this
| nation is in peril it can draft the citizens
and make him, the citizen, give his life Cor
his country, but 1t dare not lay its hand
on a dollar and make it support the nation.
(Applauseo 1t meant that the blood of the
Widows son was not too sacred for Il ma
tion's need. but tho miser's dollar must
| not be toushed. 1t was placing the dollar
above man and people see today what they
did not see year ago.
And so l might so through with Il num-
Der of Illustrations But, my friends. l SIN
going to do like these gentlemen who have
preceded mel am going to talk TO that
which runs In your head. l am going to
talk of the subject that you are thinking
about, because l believe, and have believed
since this policy was first suggested, that
1t was not only damnable policy but would
damn the party that proposed the policy.
(Applause)
1 have had friends kindly warn me not
to say anything until knew which way it
was going to 60 LaughterD My friends.
1t Is not the business of those who love
liberty to wait to find out which way things
are going to go. 1t IS not the business Of
those who love liberty to wait until it is
gone, IN order to invite 1t back. 1t is the
business Of those who love liberty to fight
from the first suggestion of danger and to
fight until there is no further need Of fight
ing. And. l. am one of those who believe
that when the people Of this country have
chance to think that they will conclude
rightly. Why. said that in 1896; and when
the election was over they said AHA, you
said the people would decide rightly, and
they have decided against you;" and
said, II bow to their decision; appeal 10
higher court. or, rather ask for new trial
In order that we may review the decision
which they have made" 1 said Their will
is law. but in this country-thank God
people can correct their mistakes after they
see them"
And If they made mistake in 1885, in vot-
ing down the Chicago platform, they have a
right to correct 1t when they see their
wrong. And, my friends, what has gone on
since has shown us that they are
correcting it. If you want proof positive
that our cause is growing, let me give it to
you. You can verify it by your own OBJ.
servation. Are we losing the men who
came to us in 1896? (Voices: No, no. MOI
Are we losing the men who stood by US in
1896, who came and helped US from other
parties? Not one. The Silver Republicans
and the Populists, who are our allies, have
not gone back. How about the Republicans!
They had some allies in 1896. Can they say
as much of their allies as we can say of
ours? (Aplpause and VOICES. NO, no.") Are
the Gold Democrats as faithful to the Re.
publican party now as they were in 1886?
Are they as faithful to the Republican party
now the Silver Republicans are to us!
If not, my friends, what does it mean? 1t
| means we are getting back the ones we lost,
and keeping the ones We got, and anybody
who understands mathematics knows what
that means for the future.
No, my friends, these new questions that
have come, instead of distracting attention
from the old questions will simply empha-
size the truths which were proclaimed in
1896: and the people who could not see
them will see now. Oh. my friends, if YOU
think that victories are won in one bat
tie or lost forever, look over the pages Of
history. If you think that because one
calamity will not teach people they will
never learn. search scripture and history.
Why, do you remember the Bible tells us
that when the children of Israel were in
bondage and their leader Moses was seek
ing to lead them out of that land, even
unto the promised land, that Pharaoh re-
fused to let them go. And what then? The
Lord sent plaques upon Pharaoh; and when
plague would come Pharaoh would feel
pretty bad about 1t, but then he would
harden his heart again and keep the chill
dren of Israel. And so they went through
plague after plague; they had the lice. and
the locust, and the disease Of the cattle.
plague after plague.bu a time came at
last when the heart of Pharaoh yielded.
When was it. 1t was when the blood of
the first born was she'd
And, my friends, we stand today in tho
same position. The blood of nations first
born has been She'd and the heart If
Pharoah hardened by greed and avarice
will be softened az last and he will let his
people go. (Applause.)
What the people couldn't understand Inv
| logic, by argument, they will understand
by blood This question has been brought
to their attention. They cannot escapc if.
My friends. they have got to think about it.
Iney are ttylnS u lay tHe Dllnc onto some.
body. Republican papers say that if orr
people hadn't opposed the treaty there
would have been no battle at Manila.
Well. my friends, my own judgment was
that we ought to ratiiy the treaty and
make our fight not with Spain to secure
for the Filipnos their rights, but before
our own people to secure for the Flipincs
their rights. Applause.) I said that was
my view of the subject. But, my friends
they cannot lay the blame onto the som
ators who opposed the ratification of the
| treaty. If those men who refused to allow
a declaration Of policy had consented that
the same promise should be made to the
Filipinos that was made to the people Of
der OF the United States slain in an effort
to force our sovereignty over an unwilling
people. (Applause.) They must not blame
| those who are opposed to imperialism.
If they want to find somebody responsible
for that bloodshed If they want to find
some believer III our doctrines upon whom
the blame must be laid. they have got to
go back among the dead-they can't place
it Jpn the living. If they want TO know
who was responsible for that determine
ton over there, not to submit to foreign
yoke, they must remember that the declara-
ton of independence was issued by the III l.
pinos before our people began to oppose
the ratification Of the treaty. Applause
treaty cause declaration to be made be-
fore the treaty was presented to the senate /:
was 1t retroactive in its operation? All.
my friends. If you want to know what in
spired those people over there to oppose a
foreign yoke. you have got to go back to
Mt. Vernon and there find the man who
drew his sword to make American people