Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-07-11
Iht SANE fAMIllAR WAL.

The Nominations OF the platform
adopted at Kansas City have a ia
miliar sound. The people are get
ting SO accustomed to the extrava-
CANT and vitriolic u~tterances OF DEM
ocratic platform writer's that moth
ing contained in them occasions sur
prise. Having no history except
what might be termed ancient, hav-
ing M record OF acts and deeds per-
formed in the affairs OF government,
having no past To arouse pride and
the work OF drafting n platform are
compelled To resort to dpnunciation
Of what their opponents have done
or intend to do. They must build
out OF nothing IA citadel in which to
take refuge. They must juggle with
words ms well as facts in the con
struction Oi n platform with which
to go before the people. And in do
Ing this, the aim is not to appeal TO
the intelligence of the country, but to
the prejudices oi those who give little
time or thought to pending issues.
As "A matter Of fact, clearly demon
strated, there was "a good majority
Of the delegates To Kansas City who
were utterly opposed to any recog-
milton Of the silver question In the
platform. IL IL well known that Mt
heart there were many delegates, not
only from the south, but from north
ern states, who favor expansion and
who would not surrender n foot oi
territory that has fallen to us as n
result Of the var with Spain. But
party e~xpediency and harmony were
paramount with such delegates,
whatever their private opinions
may be.
And yet. In the absence Of an issue
that will appeal to the intelligence
and patriotism OF the people, a plat
form Of fustinn and bombast Is con-
structed that would take front rank
in the chamber of horrors. We re-
member the scenes In Chicago when
Bryan was nominated four years
ago. Then the money devil" and
the gold bugs" were going to get
possession of the country and it
would 20 to the devil sure unless the
Nebraska Moses was chosen to lead
the people. In fact, had the election
followed closely upon his nOminn-
ton he undoubtedly would have
been elected. But the people were
given time To think and study the
money question and the more Hight
they got the farther they were drawn
away from Bryan and his vagarics,
The platform, rs now. was vONble
and vicious. Instead of nttributing
existing evils to Democratic policies
where they belonged, an assault WIS
made on the Republican party and
its stand for protection md honest
money.
The chief fulmiRations oi the Kan
sas City platform are against 'in.
perjallsm." militarism and trusts.
As to imperialism, there Is no such
thing. Its coinage belongs to sentis
meDtalists and denagoEues. No sim
cere, honest Densocrat believes this
country IL going TO entev upon such
"A policy. Ii does not seek conquest
IL has never SEN an armed iOrcefrom
it's shores with that end in view; Il
never will. 1t iought ~ war In behalf
of liberty and humanity Rnd in the
settlement territory and the wei
( re- vi n scmi-barharCHs people have
fallen into it's hands, Although Or.
der must ne restored I'm the Philip.
, pines aud the authority oi this gov.
} ernment recognized. the people al
these islands will never hc oppressed
or cnslaved. The Republican party
aud President Mckinley fought Il
! make men free in the United States
: when the Democracy fought To keel
them In bondage. Surely there has
e been NO new birth, no miraculous
transformation In the former that II
should now be pleading the cause OF
t the oppressed. The Filipinos are go