The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-14
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL
KEEP ITS PROMISES.
Fellow Democrats:

Fellow Democrats: I'D
And Jacob set up pillar, even Il
pillar of stone; and he poured a drink
offering thereon and he poured oil there
on
Thus did Jacob commemorate the hour
and the place when the Almighty lad
answered him in the day of his distress
and promised that he should be blessed
above men. From the earliest ages it
has been customary for men to leave Il
permanent mark to note great events,
either a stone or statue, or monument
that endures in the fundamental law
The pyramids of Egypt represented the
highest aspiration of the human mind
to leave a lasting memorial. Today the
monument that lives, and blesses while
it lives, is found not in marble. or III
stone, but in the wise laws Of a coun-
try. The Declaration of Independence
will live to tell of the blessings that
followed the Revolution when the Wash
ington monument has crumbled and been
forgotten. The Magma Charta is more
enduring than any marble or bronze
reared in the reign of John, and Runny
mede more famous in history than the
seat of any English war.
AS Jacob was delivered in the day of
his distress, so the people of this good
Commonwealth when brought low by
the rule of the ungodly, were delivered
when they asked the way to the civic
Zion with their faces thitherward, say
ing, Come, and let us make n perpetual
covenant that shall not he forgotten.
The victory we celebrate was not won
by the arts of the politician. He had
less to do with the redemption of the
State than the preachers and the good
women who in every village and hamlet
invoked the aid of the Ruler of all
things to prosper the efforts of those
who were working for the restoration of
good government. / believe that today,
as in Judea there is Providence that
guides in the temporal as well as in the
spiritual uplifting of His people and that
His arms are not shortened that He can
not save.
What shall be the permanent memorial
a grateful people shall erect to COM
memorate the mighty revolution of 1898?
Shall we erect upon the summit of Mt
Mitchell a towering monument that shall
look down upon five States? Shall we
upon the shores of the Attain
tic, pile stone on stone until a mighty
temple shall be reared in which the music
of the waves will forever sing the epic
of our victory? Shall we erect some
stately abbey where in bronze and mar
BILE the figures of the leaders of the strug
gle shall be given to stimulate posterity
to deeds Of civic valor? Or. discarding
those monuments which mock mans de-
sire for lasting fame, seek a memorial
that will tell forever in the new glory
,taI1. Il
virtue of the State that shall inaugu-
rate NEW era of good feeling and
prosperity"
The Ebenezer which the Democracy is
committed to raise must be built upon
the solid foundation of party pledges
faithfully performed. ANY other founda-
ton will be sinking sand" Fortunate
ly few promises were made by the vic
torious party. The Democratic State
platform, which lis the cornerstone of
our memorial was the inspiration of
wisdom 1t might be summarized in the
shibboleth of the campaign, 'the white
man and the white metal" The first
half of the platform voiced the over
wbelmiug sentiment of the party, that
the Chicago platform is a safe lamp to
our feet, and that William Jennings
BRYAN is the leader of the Democracy
that stands for equal rights to all and
special privileges to none. From the
opening of the campaign to its close, the
Chicago platform was approved aho
made the basis of our national hopes ano
convictions. Upon State policies we made
ten distinct promises:
l. To give security and protection TO
the property and people of every town
and county in the State by putting none
but capable white men in control OF
public affairs.
=. To put white men only in charge
of white public schools.
3. To secure ECONOMY in expenditure,
the abolition of unnecessary offices, de-
cency in administration, constant i'm
provement in our educational system,
charity to the unfortunate, and rule by
the white men of the State"
4. TO secure s'the extension of the pow
ers of the Railroad Commission, and
closer scrutiny into their affairs in order
to ascertain, establish and maintain
such rates as shall be fair and just
to the people. and to the transportation
and transmission corporations"
>. To prohibit free passes which have
been employed to defeat the will OF
the people and to give an undue power
to political railroad corporations
6. To provide for the election Of rail
road commissioners by the people, and