The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-05-05

hopes and its all. If you voted as 70,
pretended to save the republics homo,
in 1896. you will not under any circum
stances vote to destroy the republic il
1900.
Besides, to millions of those who
voted for Bryan in 1896, the refusal te
reaffirm the Chicago platform would
seem like delivering up the party to the
control and leadership of those who
basely deserted the party in the last
presidential contest -.
"They will also remember that in 1902
under the leadership of at least some Of
those who deserted the party in 1896
the Democratic party went into power
declaring in favor of bimetallism and
tariff reform; that special session Of
congress was called for the express pur-
pose OF destroying the foundation of BIZ
metallism, and later on the same leaders
joined with the friends of trusts and
enacted high protective tariff act,
which was at the time denounced by the
president OF the United States, as AN
act OF party per6dy.' Let it be under
stood that the party is again under such
leadership and you never can marshal
the millions of the faithful, loyal and
courageous Democrats who followed
the standard of Democracy in 1896.
But in what have said I do not
wish to be understood as conveying the
idea, that all the gold Democrats can be
placed in the same class. Some sup
ported Mckinley on account of favors
received and favors expected. Those
are politicians without conscience, men
who would sell their country for a con-
sideration and then unblushingly boast
of the fact that they had country to
sell. To them it is immaterial which
side has the heavy artillery. They will
be found conspicuous in the army with
the largest corruption fund. But there
is still another and much more numer-
Gus class of gold Democrats, who hon
estly believed that in supporting Nc
Kinley in 1896, directly or indirectly,
they were performing patriotic duty
to their country. But how sadly they
have been disappointed anyone can
learn by conversing with them.
During the last two years they saw
the Declaration Of Independence sheer
ed at and trampled under foot; the con-
stitution of the United States violated
and the decisions of the highest court
in the country ignored. To-day they see
the temples of the republic filled with
money changers, and the glamour of
greed and grab everywhere sitting the
voice of patriotism. They see the en-
pire of Mark Hanna rising rapidly upon
the ruins OF the republic of George
Washington. They hear strange doc
trines preached from high places, such
as American patriotism and per cent
go hand in hand; Trade follows the
flag, but the constitution of the country
remains at home
"They hear it proclaimed that the
vice OF criminal aggression when
about eight or nine months of age, as
sumes all the beauties and virtues of
benevolent assimilation; that it is the
duty OF this giant republic to hold the
coat of the biggest bully among nations,
while he is pounding to death the only
two republics in the world like Our
own I believe that the honest gold
Democrat. Nwlo loves his country, her
constitution, institutions and ideas, and
who sees and hears these strange things
will, like the traveller who falls into the
den of thieves, avail himself of the first
opportunity to escape from his strange
and uncongenial surroundings and asso-
ciates.
"But if in the last final analysis it
shall be found that we must make a
choice of destroying the confidence of
those who stood by Democracy in 1896,
to placate those who gave aid and COM
fort to the enemy, there should be no
trouble in reaching conclusion. I be-
lieve it will be better to adhere to prin-
ciple and retain the confidence of our
friends, rather than abandon principle
in order to effect reconciliation with
our enemies"