The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-09-07
SENATOR DAVIS, ADDRESS.

SEN AIOR DA FlS-ADDRES
One of the strongest speeches. of the
campaign yet delivered, and one
which the Minneapolis Times, an in
dependent paper, declares will prob
ably be the clearest exposition of the
Republican side of the question dur
ing the campaign, was delivered by
Senator Davis of this state, before
the Hamilton club in Chicago, on We'd
nesday evening last 1t was clear
and concise exposure of the Demo
cratic platforms willful perversion of
the plain meaning of the Declaration
of Independence. The real demand of
the Democratic party is, said Senator
Davis. reversal of every policy,
domestic, and foreign, monetary,
financial, protective and expansive,
which has made the administration of
President Mckinley one of the most
glorious in our history and the para
mount issue, he said was not imperial
ism, it is whether these conditions
and the policies which have produced
them are to be abandoned or even put
in the chance of abandonment "
Referring to trusts, he distinguished
between those that were organized for
the crushing of competition, and
those consolidation of capital, intel
lig ence and labor, made necessary by
vast extensions of modern commerce
which stimulate the production of raw
material and cheaper the
ultimate and finished product - The
class of trusts first named he pointed
out as hostile to every material and
social interest, while the second is a
most efficient agent in the national
and personal prosperity. He then
referred to the proposed amendment
in the house at the last session for
the purpose of giving congress the
power to control and regulate combin-
ations of all kinds, and said that here
was such an opportunity as Democracy
had never had to demonstrate the
sincerity of its declarations But they
showed their insincerity by voting
against, and gave as their excuse that
the amendment would diminish the
sovereignty of the states upon this sub
ject. The senator then proceeded to show
that the legislation which they favored
by stateor nation is already yoided by
decisions of the supreme court, which
has defined the limitations of such
legislation.
Senator Davis commended the course
of the administration in the Boer war,
and said that while it had done more
than any other nation, it could do no
more without danger of sembroiling
this country in European matters. He
also commended its course toward
China and said that ''there are few
events in our diplomatic and military
history more honorable than the con-
summate skill, the wise conservatism
and the unfinching courage by which
OnO VI L 1Ob1OCuU MI
Kinley relieved our legation in Picking
and at the same time maintained
proper relations with the Chinese en-
pire" There has been no criticism
against this policy. The Democrats
in their convention dared make no
comment in favor of it, because one
sentence of sympathy, of patriotism or
of national duty, would refute their
declarations respecting militarism and
cause them to tumble in ruins to the
ground.
In the Philippines he showed that
we were making no war of criminal
aggression, but were simply engaged
in the work of bringing about order in
an attempt to establish a stable gov
eminent, and he clearly showed that
while Mr.. Bryan may talk as he will
he cannot make the Declaration of
Independence justification for riot,
arson and murder, that it never was
and never will be an excuse for such
crime.