Arizona republican., 1900-07-18
THE OPENED CAMP AIGN
Republican Clubs Set the Ball
 Rolling at St. Paul
President Stone of National League
 Sounds the Keynote-Figures and Facts Are Strongly Against Our Populist Friend From Nebraska.

St. Paul, Minn., July 17.-Prominent ' republican leaders from all over the country filled the spacious auditorium this morning and signaliZed the open ing of the twelfth national convention of the League Republican clubs by giv- ing free vent to republican sentiments and republican enthusiasm. The fact that it is a presidential year has served l to attract large delegations from near ly every state and territory of the union and the attendance is the largest | in the history of the league conven- 1 ton.
 It was few minutes after 10 o'clock when the national president. Colonel | George Stone of San Francisco called | the gathering to order. Nearly 2OOO | delegates were ranged by states on the floor of the hall while twice as many | spectators occupied the rear and gal | Iefles. On the platform We're seated 1 several score republican leaders of na- uonal prominentce. After addresses | or welcome by Senator Knute Nelson and President F. B. Wright of the Min nesota League Republican clubs. Secre tary D. h. Stine of Kentucky read the call Tor the gathering. various para graphs of which were loudly applauded fresldent Stone then proceeded to de- l liver his annual address which was perneated with republican fervor and cordially received. President Stone l spoke as follows:
 During the brief period of tvo wears since last we met in convention marv pages have been added to the history ot the American republic. which so Ione- as that republic shall exist will evi. | dence the wisdom and loyalty of tbe republican party; a party Knowing how 10 govern the country for the security l "eiIafe and glory of it's people. h. | separably connected with, and forni1g part or that record is the name of that wise and patriotic statesman. whom republicans delight to honor. and | whom all Americans can safely trlIst President William Mckinley.
 l We cannot soon forget the paralysis m business and the industrial ruin wrought by the disastrous financial policy. as eXemplified under the last democratic rule; nor shouII we ever | forget the marvellous change that inn i mediately followed the election of Me l kinley in 1886. A change that brought prosperity to the producer and Iaborer and to the democrat and republican alike. Confidence was restored. the wheels of trade an1 commerce moved again and the world was notified that the people oe thr United Stltes wCuld not allow its credit to be destroyed. nor its currency made .t commodity.
 The searching test of application has proved the vision. Of she uositIon taken by the republican party cn every national issue. !1ve.y pledge has been redeemed: every opportunity for the Il advantage of the people has been grasped; every crisis unshir,;ingIy met and the unbroken record of it's sue cesses, at the minimum est of treas ure and blood. causes me heart of the true American to swell with pride
 Clouds have gathered on the hori- zons of the great nations. Human foresight cannot prophecy whether they will spread or iisperse. IT is our .;i.ty as a people to be watchful and rrapaI for whatever complications ray ;tris" or dangers threaten our ship of state. Therefore 1t b"hOoTas Us b con-inna at our helm our pilot, tried and irue
 Figures are stubborn facts, and con- vincing, not figures of speech: the Sc We will leave to our i.opulist friend from Nebraska. He has had four years | of constant practice and doubtless has | invented others as startling as the | Cross of Gold upon which the hapless | American working man was to be crucified. The figures to our purpose are the good old fashioned kind learned at school, and which were clearly pre- sented for consideration of the Ameri can voter. in a masterly manner by the | leaders of our party in the Philadelphia | convention. The inconteStable facts, | which the democrat will not see, and | to which the republican triumphantly points, that under the present financial policy, We have the largest circulation | of money, per capita, in the history Of | the nation, and that the country under | the gold standard is prosperous to de- gree that commands the attention of other nations, has caused the pOpulis- tic-democratic party to subordinate the shibbOleth of four years ago to other forecastings of impending disaster. l With prodigious effort, in solemn con clave, it brought forth this latest pigmy of the brain and named it imperial ism, placing it upon a platform which they fondly believed to be an impress sive arraignment of the republican party.
 Tt is a senseless cry, and has not been. nor ever will be, justified by any conditions of our body polite. We do not set our boundaries unchangeably; | expansion has been our opportunity | and possibly our salvation. The pos session of the Philippines was the na- | tural sequence of events, commencing | with the destruction of the Spanish | fleet in Manila bay; events which fol- l lowed each other with startling rapid 1 ity. making a brilliant epoch for Ameri- i cans in the closing years of the cen tury, and shall we think so lightly of those who asked only of glory the priv ilege to sustain their country's flag on 1 those distant islands, and who now in l the flower of their manhood fill the humble grave of a soldier? What these lives have won shall we cast aside as of no consequence?
 People from foreign countries enter our gates by thousands, rejoicing to possess homes and blessings under our flag, denied them in their native land. ] We still have unbounded faith, that wherever that flag is raised, whether