Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-07-13
DAVIS A CONVERT.
Gifted Young Orator Declares He
Will Support Bryan.
Republican Party, He Says. Was Afraid to
Declare Sympathy for the Boers-David
b. Hill's Great Plea for Demo-

Kansas City, Mo-, July THE two
most interesting addresses before the
democratic national convention were
by Webster Davis and David B. Hill.
Mr.. Davis formally renowned his al
legiance to the republican party in
the following speech:
Life human life, Is but a narrow span
between two great unknown eternities.
and life is too short for a man to sacri-
flee his principles or his love of country
for money for Office in this republic.
I have never yet read or heard a plat
form that was so intensely American as
the platform read here in this conven-
tion- Old conditions have passed away.
old questions have passed and gone,
many of them, and new questions are
now before the American people.
care not a snap of my finger for party
or private criticism. care nothing for
Office, for I gave up one voluntarily bet
ter than any you can give me. and the
man or newspaper that makes the state
ment that 1 was forced to leave the
administration against my will, abso-
lutely. unqualifiedly and maliciously lies:
love liberty, equality of rights, and I
love justice, and VIXEN the party that I
belong to has been too cowardly to take
stand for liberty, to represent govern
ment against British ariStocracy and
monarchy, 1 leave it and leave it for
good
Liberty! We all love the splendid word
the sweetest word that ever blossomed
upon the tongue of men,. and as one
great republican senator said in the Unit
ed States senate, 1t has come to pass that
we must whisper the word liberty in
Washington. Is it fact that liberty
is to become obsolete in the American
lexicon? Is it fact that this great re-
public must chain itself to the chariot
wheels of the British empire in it's mad
race for land and gold?
The masses of the American people
stand for the blessed idea of liberty,
justice and equality of rights, and dare
say to-day, if it were possible to get
the news over the British cable. to the
BOer farmers in the two South African
republics, that these representatives OF
six or seven million American voters sent
a word of sympathy to them. many a
Boer would shout for joy in the hills Of
the Transvaal. Grander struggle for lib
erty was never made in all the world
history than the struggle being made by
the republicans and democrats in South
Africa. Let us Sympatize with them, and
I am glad that you have taken this
action to-day, and at the polls in Novem-
Der follow it up. Let American princi-
pies ever live. Let them go and on
for years to come as an institution to
generations yet unborn. Liberty, love
of country, one flag. one country. one
splendid destiny alone. stand upon this
platform and support William Jennings
Bryan.
Former Senator David B. Hill, OF
New York, spoke as follows in sec
| Onding the nomination of Mr.. BRYAN:
| the state of New York, for whom I as
sumo to speak on this occasion, 1 second
| the nomination which has been made
| from the state of Nebraska. William J.
Bryan does not belong to Nebraska
alone; he belongs to the north and the
| SOUTH, to the east and the west-he be-
| longs to the whole country at large. 1t is
! a nomination already made in the hearts
| of the American people From the clos
| ing of the polls four years ago until this
very hour there never was possibility
| of any other nomination being made.
He is gentleman that needs intro
| duction into this audience or to the
American people. Nebra ska is proud OF
| him, but New York is proud of him also
| For four years he has upheld the banner
| of democracy in almost every state in
| this union. His voice has been heard not
| only in behalf of principles, but in
behalf of the cause Of the common peo-
| pie. in behalf of the workfngmen, in be-
! half of humanity.
He is strong, strong with the masses
| strong with farmers, strong with the ar.
tiSan-stronger even than his own cause
| His integrity has never been questioned
| during all the time that he has been under
| the gaze of the American people. His
| craftsmanship has been exhibited in the
during such a brief period that made such
| an impress upon the minds. and hearts
and conscience of the American people
| The cause that he represents is peculiarly
the cause of the people. His election
| will mean honesty and integrity in pub
| lie office. 1t will mean the amelioratiou
of the people, it will mean the destruc-
| ton OIL criminal trusts and monopolies
| 1t will mean a return to the advocacy
| of the principles of the declaration of in
| dependence. 1t will prove a blessing no;
| only to those who vote for him, but to
the few that may vote against him
I, as you well know, was one of those
who in good faith doubted the wisdom
| of some portions of the platform, doubted
| the propriety of going into details or
certain portions of our financial policy
but the wisdom of this convention has
| determined otherwise. and 1 acquiesce
| cheerfully in the decision.
| / am here to say further that the plat
| form that has been read is worthy of the
vote and approval of every man who
| claims to be democrat in this country
Those who do not admire some portions
car speak of others. If there are some
1 issues which they do not desire to present
as strong as some others, they can al
1 least talk about something in this plat
form that is worthy of their approval
| AT least in some portions of this country
| the paramount issue is going to carry and
carry strongly.
| A word more. This is time for unity
anC not Tor division L plead for party
harmony and for party success. 1 plead
because of the dangers which confront us
| AS sure as election day comes, and If we
| should happen to be defeated. which dc
not believe we will-if IL should occur
what will follow? 1t means the restora-
ton of federal election law. It means
a reduction of the apportionment OF
members of congress throughout the
| southern states of our union. It means a
| consequent reduction in the electoral col
l south c<o foc nd he
| plea of necessity will be made because
1t will be apparent by election day that
| some of the newborn states of the west
| which they had relied upon had gone