Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-06-30
CHAIRMAN HURSi'S ADDRESS.


the Democratic state convention. made
the following able speech at Springfield
Tuesday:
Since the representatives of our par.
~ have assembled in national conven.
| tion new issues have arisen-issues In.
yolving grave questions of right and
wrong. great questions of principle,
questions affecting. in my judgment
| the pcrmanency of the republic. These
new issues are. however. but the nat.
| uril outgrowth of the old contest be-
tween man and the dollar, between
plutocracy and democracy. Our fore.
fathers thought when they abolished
entail and provided for the distribution
of estates they had erected u bulwark
| against the money power. They were
led 10y Jefferson and believed with him
| that in u republic there should he no
aristocracy but that Of virtue and tai
cnt If Jefferson saw danger to Rcpub.
| lean institutions in u landed aristocia-
cy what. think YOU. he would say If
alive to-day ut the growing power of
combinations of capital in the form of
| ;rustsI
"rhc greatest danger which threatens
our institutions to-day Is to bc found In
this incoming flood of incorporated
wealth. These vast and powerful III
lies in the continuation of republican
administration which has failed to on
force the laws now on the statute
book or TO enact more stringent laws
against them. and they will oppose
| with all their power any change of al
ministration. AMI unless the mass of
| the people Is aroused to the danger
which cOnfrOnts them the time will
soon come when M law will pass or
honor bc conferred without the consent
Of these powerful and interested com.
binatlons. which are speedily becoming
the government itself. to the utter sub.
version of the authority of the people.
II YOU think this an over,irawn picture.
look ~ the Republican national convcn-
tion ut Philadelphia last week. where
tl,s Representatives of these interests
named the candidates and dictated the
policy. u convention To which the great
state of Illinois chose for two of It's
delegates the ruling spirits Of the barb
wire trust. u trust which. To advance
the interests of It's officers. recently
closed down twelve Of It's factories and,
without any warning whatever. de-
privcd more than 5000 labOring men Of
employment.
'The Democratic party wages no war
on property az property rights. The
true Democrat glorics IN the Opportuni.
~ for individual advancement under
u government such rs ours. when right.
fully administered. and has only adj
mlratiOn for the man who. asking moth.
Ing from his government but equal and
exact justice. carves out his own sue
cess, he II financial ar otherwise. Hut
the trne Democrat demands that the
blessing OF government shall fail. like
tll" rain from heaven. on the rich AMI
poor alike AMI demands that his gov.
eminent shall not grant special privi.
lcgcs TO the few.
"'rhc growth of trusts Is largely due
To the protective tariff laws enacted by
the Republican party, but. not content
with the advantages afforded by con-
troll of home markets under Republl.
can legislation and influenced by the
prospect of profitable trade with the
islands wrcsied from the domination
Of Spain, these monOpOlists have in
splred the imperial policy of the pres
cnt administration. the enforcement of
which can only he accomplished by
notwithstanding our Government aud
substituting the principles of our he
rcdiiary enemies for the teachings of
Washington AMI his associates. Five
score ana fourteen years ago our faith.
rrs brought forth on this continent u
new nation, conceived IN liberty and
dedicated 10 the proposition that "all
men are created equal" Winning their
struggle for liberty. they established
here II great self-ruling nation-the liv.
Ing embodiment of the gospel Of de-
mOcracy-"a government of the pcO-
pie. for the people and by the people,
n government which has been % beacon
light To the people of the world strIg.
Cling for liberty, ana whose influence
has liboralizrd monarchirs and limited
arbitrary power all over the world.
There IL great danger tn the rcpuD.
II" In this policy Of Imperialism his
reaching out for distant islands To he
governed as subject provinces. such
n colonial scheme destroyed all hopes
Of rcpubllcanism in ollen times. II
can exist In no free country bocaus" II
uproots AMI eliminates the basis of ~.
publican institutions, that govern
mrnts derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed"
The question presented 10 the Amer
lean people II not the question of "X-
panSion of the republic over contiguous
territory 10 which we extend the bless.
lngs Of our institutions, u policy which
all would gladly welcome If accom-,
plish"d peaceably and honorably. No,
the question for your consideration Is
the question between the republic aud
the empire, between liberty ana slav,
cry, between the declaration of ind.
pcndonce and Imperialism, between
IN" doctrines of Washington and JEFF.
f"rSon and the doctrines of George Ill
ana Lord North, and. with n firm rcli,
ancc in the love OF liberty which God
has planted In the hearts of the Amer.
lean people, ! firmly believe the PEG.