Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-16
THE OHIO
DEMOCRATIC
CONVENTION.

CONVENTION. /
Columbus, O.. July 1O.-The demo
cratic state convention convened here
today under peculiar circumstances.
All the more conservative elements
had combined in the preliminaries
against Tom l.. Johnson, but the com
bination was not maintained after the
committees were selected, and in the
committee on regulations, where the
real contest occurred, the Johnson
men won on their favorite views on
state matters and other national issues.
There was no confirmation Of the Kan
sas City or any other platform, and no
mention of previous platforms or OF
Bryan.
The convention was called at IL
o'clock by Chairman Brucker after
prayer.
salen's Speech.
Hon. Charles P. Salem was intro
duced as temporary chairman and
spoke as follows:
You are gathered in state convention
not alone to nominate ticket which
shall command the respect of the vot-
ers of the state, but also to define your
attitude upon questions which to them
are of the most vital concern. 1t is
for you to decide whether this gather
ing shall be the commonplace kind
which dominates a ticket, INDUCES in
platitudes, and adjourns, or whether it
shall take action so forceful and so
productive of results as to entitle it
to a page in history.
State Affairs First.
In this election our first concern is
with the state affairs, and the demo-
cratic principal which settles national
questions right can do SO with local
ones as well. But, while holding that
national issues should not control this
campaign, as one of the great repre-
sentative Eodies of the American dem
ocracy We are deeply concerned in
those which now are uppermost and
which relate to domineering trusts at
home and the subject colonies abroad.
Digs at Republicans.
The party in power fosters NAM
moth monopolies as it's domestic pol
icy. and in its foreign policy it initiates
the crown colony system of Great
Britain. Against both policies the
democratic party must be unwavering
in its hostility. When our party
ceases to oppose these policies, it
ceases to be democratic. And let no
one protest that this opposition is
negative and reactionary. In fact, it
is affirmative and progressive.
Trusts Must Be Destroyed.
By opposing trusts we promote liber-
ty. In fighting against them we fight
for the just rights of property, for an
equitable distribution of wealth, for
industrial peace, for social order, for
individual and national advancement.
The trust stands like dragon in the
path of American progress. 1t must
be destroyed or our country cannot go
forward. Though some classes -four
ish where trusts are fostered, the
great masses, the country as whole,
must soon realize the words of Gold.
smith when he described the condi.
tons where wealth accumulates and
men decay" The republican policy of
feeding and fostering the trust, is a
policy of negation and reaction. The
democratic policy of destroying trusts
is the true policy of progress.
Imperialism.
What the trust question is to our
domestic policy, such is imperialism
to our foreign policy. To make new
feeding for trusts, crown colonies are
established under the American flag
Our country once boosted the Monroe
doctrine, which guaranteed the indie
pendence of all American republics
But that beneficent doctrine has been
bartered away for ignoble ambitions
to be grim world power From be
ing the great protector of American
republics we have become a confed
crate of the war lords of Europe. Ones
the worlds exemplar of the jefferson
ian doctrine of self government, oul
beloved republic is now embarked up
on shameless career of conquest. II
has abjured the fundamental princi
pies of the grand old declaration of in
dependence, and set up the British
system of crown colonies. In that sys
TEN there is no citizenship, but onl,
dumb allegiance. Call this policy by
whatever euphonious name you please
it is nevertheless un-American, un-re
publican, un-democratic, reactionary, {
policy to be repudiated and condemn
ed. There is no progress in turning
republics into crown colonies and max
ing obedient subjects of unwilling PEG
pie. 1t is not progress, whether Brit
ish tories do it in South Africa o.
American republics do it in the Philip
pines. This imperial foreign polio,
; must be reversed. A democratic for
eign policy must be substituted for it
Foreign Policy of Democrats.
, Am l told that the democrats hav,
no foreign policy? Whether they hav,
or not depends upon what is meant
, 1t is true that they have no dishonor
; able policy of conquest. 1t is true
that they have no autocratic policy TO
/ governing imperial subjects by mill
! tary power. But it is not true tina
they have no foreign policy. The,
' inheritated one from Washington ant
Jefferson which is far in advance o
world power politics as the Goth cen
J fury is in advance of the middle ages
) The foreign policy of the democrat
of this country is to make our repuh
{ lie the model of political and CONNER