The Irish standard., 1900-07-07
THE KANSAS CITY CONVENTION.

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The Democratic national convention
is still in session at Kansas City as the
Irish Standard goes to press. William
]. Bryan was nominated for the presi-
dency on Thursday evening and re-
ceived the unanimous vote of every state
and territory represented in the conven-
ton. AS we write the vice president is
yet to be selected The platform has
been adopted, and the greatest conven-
ton i'll the history of the republic will
have finished its labors before the Irish
Standard is mailed to its subscribers. A
summary of the proceedings will be
found in the news columns.
The great gathering auspiciously as
sembled on the glorious Fourth of July,
a day held sacred by the followers OF
Jefferson as the natal day of the Ameri-
can republic. The Declaration of indie
pendence was read and elected the most
rapturous applause from the lusty lungs
of $4,000 patriotic Americans from all
parts of the Union. The singing Of
the Star Spangled Banner and the ma
tional anthem increased the enthusiasm
Such an ebullition of spontaneous
patriotism has never been witnessed in
the history of the republic whose life is
now in peril from the conspiracy OF
traitors who worship mammon and the
flesh pots of imperialism, who are out
wardly patriots and inwardly ravening
wolves.
The platform adopted at Kansas City
will be a memorable document long
after its trainers have passed away. 1t
is second declaration of independence
which will strike responsive chord in
the breast of every loyal American,
irrespective of party affiliations. The
principles of the national Democracy
are set forth in plain language without
evasion or equivocation, and are in
striking contrast with those enunciatcd
by the plutocracy in the Philadelphia
platform. To the great dismay Of the
Republicans the paramount issue in the
Kansas City platform is Imperialism"
or republic versus empire. Correspon-
dents of Republican papers have tried
to make 16 to the main plank, but it
occupies a subordinate position. The
object of mentioning it specifically at all
is to show that the Democratic party
has not surrendered or abandoned any
of its time-honored principles. If Is to
1 was right in 1896 it cannot be wrong
in 1900, but it will not be conspicuous
in the campaign as compared with i'm
perialism, despite the efforts of the
plutocracy to make it the leading issue
for the purpose of concealing the many
infamies and tergiversations OF the
Hanna Mckinley administration during
the past three years.
The Republican press has vainly pic
tured William ]. Bryan as dictator and
represented him as 'bossing" the Kan
sas City convention from his home in
Lincoln, Neb. The fact is that at no
time during the session did he dictate
to the delegates. He celebrated the
Fourth OF July without any ostentation
with his family and neighbors and was
in entire ignorance Of the plans OF the
convention leaders. He was apparently
the least concerned man in Lincoln as
to what was transpiring in Kansas City.
He had no comments to make on the
proceedings of the convention. He
laughed and joked with newspaper men
and when informed that during the
| demonstration for David B. Hill, the
New Yorker shook his head, Mr.. Bryan
only said: "That is too bad. I sup
pose he had fly on his nose and was
too busy with his hands to drive it off
| with them" When signed statement
by Mr.. Towne, a candidate for his run
ming mate, was submitted to him for an
expression of opinion, he remained ST.
lent and declined to speak. Throughout
the sessions of the convention he dis
played no anxiety and was in an imper-
turbable state OF mind. What contrast
between him and William Mckinley