The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-07
BURTON'S F|NESPEECH
Talks Expansion and Sacred
ness OF the Ballot.
SAYS FUSION is SINFUL
Large and Patriotic Meeting
at Auditorium.

Bryan and his followers would use the
PopuHsts as a flirting wife uses a stupid
husband, to cover up Irregularities"
When ]. R. Burton made the above
epigrammauc comparison in his speech at
the Auditorium last night the crowd
caught the point simultaneously with the
last word and sent I'D a yell fit for a
Dewey parade
The fire of patriotism never burned
brighter than at the opening of the Re
publican campaign last night. 1t was a
| rousing, cheering meeting, with fine
music by Sanford's band, eloquent speak
ing by Judge SIuss and Hon. j. R. Bur
ton. The Auditorium was well filled on
the main floor and several were seated in
the galleries.
Sanford's band played a selection, af-
ter which Mr.. Herman. chairman of the
Republican county central committee, in
PRODUCED Judge Sluss as chairman of the
meeting. Judge Sluss made an eloquent
and logical talk in introducing Mr. Bur
ton. He said the Republican party was
the safe party of the country, because
it always had something to stand upon.
Republicans, he said never have to hunt
an issue. The party is always doing
things, and all it has to do in a campaign
is to back up what it has done in the in
terest of the country, and its own record
is the issue on which it invariably goes
before the people. The reason it has al
ways been a success is because it has al
ways been on the side of the country. In
the issues that have been formed today
the Republicans are again on the side of
the country. 'They are with Mckinley
and against Aguinaldo." This remark
was greeted by a deafening round of ap-
plause. Judge Sluss then, in very fine
language and sentiment, introduced Mr.
Burton the speaker of the evening.
Mr.. Burton spoke in excellent voice. He
was intensely patriotic, and in his refer
ence to the glory and power of the coun-
try he rounded out some of the prettiest
sentences that have ever fallen from the
lips of public speaker in this state. The
audience caught his patriotic thoughts
and at times were wildly enthusiastic in
their applause. Mr.. Burton began his
speech with an appeal for the sacredness
Of the ballot. He recalled the miserable
conditions in the south in which all re-
spect for the ballot box had ceased to be,
because the rights of the black man,
which had been purchased with blood,
was no longer a consideration on cleo
ton days. Yet he said, the evils in the
SOUTH, in which the sacredness of the
ballot had been lost, were no greater
evils than that which is growing uD in
the rest of the country and has reached
Kansas-the sin Of fusion Fusion, he
said. robbed the ballot of its highest
good. It expressed no principle and is a
means of corrupting voters, just as much
as the stuffing of ballot boxes or the de-
struction Of the rights Of the negro in the
south. men complain that money is
used to buy votes and that elections are
bought, but is that a greater sin than to
place a mans name on two tickets rep
resenting entirely different principles,
merely for the purpose of securing his
election? Where is there a more dishon-
est method than that, and how can
man maintain the sacredness of his ballot
when he resorts to such a scheme merely
for the purpose of securing an election?
And yet it is being done here in Sedg-
wick county. What is fusion? Is there
any reasonable alliance between the
Democrat and the PoDulist? 1t is an IL
licit union, an unmanly and indirect way
in which to polute the ballot. Personally
all Democrats and Populists condemn it,
even as I condemn it, but the temptation
for~pffice is so great that the leaders re-
sort to it in spite of their personal
views"
Referring then to the issues which d.
vide the two great parties, Mr.. Burton
said:
"The Democratic party is against ex-
panson. 1t claims to be against imperial
ism
"AT parties favored the war with
Spain. but the Democratic party insists
that since our purpose was to drive Spain
from Cuba, we should have been satisfied
when that purpose was accomplished.
That we are helping to give Cuba a free
government, protecting her until such
time as she can protect herself, we should
declare our purpose to treat the people
in the Philippine archipelago in the same
way. Mr.. Bryan claims-and he speaks
for the Democratic party-that had Presi-
be our purpose to turn the islands back
to their people, and have no further con-
troll over them so soon as a stable gov
eminent should be established, Aguinaldo
and his followers would not have fired
on our soldiers, and if such purpose
should be declared now the war would
cease.
Jerry Simpson says. and he speaks for
the Populist party, If there is such "a
thing left as a PoDulist party, that
Aguinaldo is a patriot, that our soldiers
are fighting in an unholy cause.
The action of the Nebraska fusion
conventions. under the control OF Bryan,
denounced our war with the Philippines
as a war Of conquest. Other Democratic
state conventions have spoken in SINH
lar tone so that it is fair to state that
the Democratic party as it is now con-
trolled is against expansion. against re-
tanning the Philippine Islands or any pa1t
OF them. and against further prosecu-
ton OF the present war.
Although there are a few Republicans
/ here and there ike Mr. Reed. Senator
Hoar and Senator Mason, who agree Win
the position OF the Democratic party re
specting these questions, Il IS only Ialr 10
say that the very large majority OF re
publicans. and the party a It 5 now con
troned. is emDhatically in favor Of hrs'
/ prosecuting the war 10 a suecessful ter
+ mfnation by beating the rebels INFO sub
/ mission. and next in the retention OF the
/ islands as a part OF our territory.
I'VE shah whip these rebels and retain
po-to Pic, and the Philippine Islands
! That Is. we shah do with them a. We
would any ether part OF the American
+ territory. Whatever seems best Ter 1he