Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-17
NOTIFICATION SPEECH
DemOcracy's Great Expositor on the Par
mount Issue of 1900.
DEMOCRACY AGAINST PLUTOCRACY
Republican Party Dominated by Those
Influences Which Constantly Tend to
Substitute the Worship of Mammon for
the Protection of the Rights of Man
Property Rights Most Secure When
Human Rights Are Most Respected.

Notification Committee: | shall. at an
early day. and in a more formal man
ner. accept the nomination which you
tender. and | shall at that time discuss
the various questions covered by the
democratic platform. 1t may not be
out OF place. however 10 submit Il few
observations at this time upon the gen
eral character OF the contest before us
and upon the question which is declared
10 be of paramount Importance in this
campaign
Is Il contest between democracy on the
one hand and plutocracy on the other
1 do not mean to say that all our OPP
pOnentS have deliberately chosen 10 give
TO organized wealth a predOminating in
nuence i'm the affairs of the government.
but DO assert that on the important
issues of the DAY the republican party
Is dominated by those influences which
constantly tend to substitute the worship
OF mammon for the protection of the
rights OF man.
In 1859 Lincoln said that the republic
an party believed in the man and the
dollar. but that in case of conflict il be-
lleN I'd in the man before the dollar. This
Is the proper relation which should eX-
LIST betW cen the two. Man, the handi
work of God. comes first; money. the
handIwork of man. is of inferior inn
pOrtdnce. Man is the master. money the
servant. but upon all important questions
today republican legislation tends To
make money the master and man the
servant.
The maxim of Jefferson Equal rights
10 all and special privileges to none"
and the doctrine of Lincoln that this
should be IL government of the people.
by iie people ana for the people. are
being disregarded and the instrumentali-
tlrs OF government are being used To
advance the interests of those who are
IN n position 10 secure faVOrs from the
government.
The democratic party is not making
war upon the honest acquisition of
weditL, it has no desire TO discourage
industry, economy and thrift. ON the
contrary. il gives TO every citizen the
greatest possible stimulus to honest toll
when Ii promises him protection in the
enjoyment OF the proceeds of his labor.
Property rights are most secure when
human rights are most respected. Democ-
racy strives for a civilization in which
every member of society will share ac-
cOrdiHS to his merits.
No one has right TO expect from
society more than a fair compensation
Tor the service which he renders To So
ciety. III he secures more il is at the
expense OF someone else. 1t is no in
Justice to him to prevent his doing in
justice to another. To him who would
either through class legislation or in
the absence of necessary Legislation. tres
pass upon the rights of another the
democratic party says. Thou shalt not"
Against us are arrayed Il compare
lively small but politically and finan-
cldlly powerful number who really profit
associated large number who. because
of their attachment to their party name
are giving their support 10 doctrines an
taSOnlStic TO the former teachings of
their own party Republicans who used
20 advocate bimetallism now try TO CON
vince themselves that the gold standard
Is good: republicans who formerly
attached TO the greenback are now seek
ing an excuse for giving national banks
control OF the nation paper money; re-
publicans who used to boast that the re-
ia off he
tlondI debt are now looking for reasons
10 support a perpetual and increasing
debt; republicans who formerly abhorred
4 trust now begulle themselves with the
delusiOn that there are good trusts and
pad trusts, while in their minds the
line between the two is becoming more
and more obscure; republicans who in
times past, congratulated the country
upon the small expense of our standing
army, are now making night of the objec-
lions which are urged against a large
increase in the permanent military es-
adjustment; republicans who gloried in
our independence when the nation was
less powerful. now look with favor upon
a foreign alliance: republicans who three
years ago condemned 'forcibe annexa-
ton as immoral and even criminal are
now sure that il is both immoral and
criminal TO oppose fOrcible annexation
That craftsmanship has already blinded
many to present dangers is certain: how
large a portion of the republican party
can be drawn over 10 the new policies
remains to be seen.
For time republican leaders were
inclined to deny TO opponents the right
10 criticise the Philippine policy of the
administration, but upon investigation
they found that both Lincoln and Clay
else a president during the progress of
the Mexican war
Instead of meeting the. issue boldly
and submitting a clear and positive plan
for dealing with the Philippine question
the republican convention adopted a plat
form; the larger part of which was de-
voted TO boaSting and self-congratula-
ton.
In attempting to press economic uues-
tons upon the country to the exclusion
OF those which involve the very structure
OF our government the republican leaders
give new evidences of their abandon
ment OF the earlier ideals of the party
and OF their complete subserviency to pc
cuniary considerations
But they shall not be permitted to
eVade the stupendous and far-reaching
issue which they have deliberately
brought into the arena of politics. When
the president. supported by "a practically
unanimous vote of the house and senate
entered upon war with Spain for the
purpose of aiding the struggling patriorS
81 cuba, the country. without regard to
party, applauded. Although the demo-
Gratis recognized that the administration
would necessarily gain "A political advan-
taSc rom the conduct of war which l..
the very nature of the case must soon
end IL a complete victory. they We'd with
the republicans in the support which fhev
over ana the republican leaders began
10 suggest the prOpriety of u colonial
policy opposition at once manifested it
self. When the president finally laid be-
fore the senate d treaty which recop-
ntzed the Independence of Cuba but pro
Vided for the cession of the Philippine
Islands TO the United States, the menace
of Imperialism became so apparent that
many preferred to reject the treaty and
risk the ills that might follow rather
than take the chance of correcting the
q
action of this country.
i was among the number of those who
believed 1t better to raitfy the treaty
and end the war. release the volunteers
remove the excuse for war expenditures
and then give to the Filipinos the indie
pendence which might be forced from
Spain by a new treaty.
In view of the criticism which my ac-
ton aroused in some quarters j take this
occasion TO restate the reasons given at
that time. | thought il safer To -
the American people To give independence
10 the FilipinOs than to trust the accom-
plishment of that purpose to diplomacv
with an unfriendly nation Lincoln EN-
bodied an argument in the question when
he asked Can aliens make treaties
easier than friends can make laws?' /
believe that we are now in better posi-
ton to wage "A successful contest against
imperialism than we would have been
had the treaty been rejected. With the
treaty ratified "A clean-cut issue is pre-
Sented between "A government by consent
and a government by force, ana imperial
ISIS must bear the responsibility for all
that happens until the question is settled
If the treaty had been rejected the op-
ponents of Imperialism would have been
held respectable for any international
complications which might have arisen
before the ratification of another treaty
have existed as to the best method Of
opposing colonial policy, there never
was any difference as to the great i'm
portance of the question and there is
difference