The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-07-18
SPEECH or MIKE nAuaHRkTv
Presenting the Name of Col. kilbourne
To the Democratic State
Convention.

Inc hlghest honor that half
million Ohio Democrats have in
their power to bestow is the nom
ination of their party for governor.
To be selected from among the il
lustrious sons of the Ohio Democ-
racy to carry its standard in the
coming contest, and to stand as
the representative of the great,
historic, Democratic party is in
deed to be signally distinguished
To rescue from threatened destruc-
tion the now imperiled heritage of
our freedom is the supreme and sa-
cred duty of Democracy. No
chieftain ever rode to battle, no
orator ever enraptured listening
multitudes with the charm of his
eloquence, no statesman ever di-
rected the energies of his genius
in better or more ennobling cause.
1t is wholly impossible to disso-
ciate a political party from the
personnel of it's leadership and
therefore in mental attainments
and in moral worth our candidate
must meet and measure up to the
responsibilities of the situation.
Happily for this convention its la
bors are measurable lightened be-
cause the Democratic masses have
| already spoken, spoken in the
peace and quiet of their own homes
and at their own firesides, away
from and wholly uninfuenced by
the excitement and tumult that
sometimes attend political gather
ings, and they have already de-
clared who our nominee for COVER
nor shall be and commissioned the
delegates to this convention to ex-
ecute the popular will. And I
challenge search of the political
history of the state for an exam
pie of such singular unanimity
manifested by the adherents of
great political party; certainly it
has no parallel since the days when
Democratic giants trod the soil of
Ohio. There is now in Ohio only
one name on Democratic lips and
one parsonage chosen in the affec-
tions of the great Democratic
heart. No man of ordinary intel
lectual strength, no man of me-
diocre ability, no man in whose
soul there is not woven the tender
threads of human sympathy, no
man who mas not read and studied
well "the short and simple annals
of the poor" no man whose life
has not been governed by the sum
OF all the moral qualities, no man
upon whose nature and education
have not lavished their nobility.
could stir the enthusiasm and in
spire the loyalty of tens of thous-
ands and be called by the united
voice OF his party to lead it to
victory.
We see this man nurtured upon
Ohio soil. We see him in the yery
morning of his days before man
hood bade farewell to youth on
Southern battlefields upholding
the flag of the republic and keep
ing step to the music of the union.
We see him return to his native
city and from soldier become civil
ian and take up the burdens of
life with the same high perception
OF duty that led him to endure the
hardships of war, to crush an in
glorious rebellion. We see him
earnestly engaged in the busy ac-
tivities of human life. We see his
efforts crowned with that success
which follows in the footsteps of
honesty and fidelity and which is
sweetened by the reflection that
no correct line of conduct was OBJ
liberated in it's accomplishment.
We see him rising surely and
steadily in the public esteem and
confidence, which might we'll be
the highest object in the life of
any man, and which is not bound
ed by race, or party, or creed, or
any of the honorable conditions of
life.
We know that the bowed forms
OF labor, with their scared hands,
will rejoice at his exaltation, be-
cause he has been their life long,
devoted, and powerful friend.
We know, too, that the great bust
ness interests of the state will be
secure with his hand upon the