Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-10-30
HON. H. M. HOCC ON
THE ISSUES OF THE DAY

time tneTe were o.VUU,UUU OF people
roaming around the country, not use
less, idle tramps, but men seeking
work and finding none, so that at that
time Mr.. Bryan said that he expected
things to grow worse than at the
end of Cleveland's administration if
the Republican party came into power.
Do we find it so? 1 don't think SO.
Hardly had Mckinley come into pow
er when men were placed at work.
Records show that they have been
kept at work. and that A per cent
more men than before are working.
Not only are more men employed and
wages have increased more than IL
per cent. Is 1t true what Bryan said
in 1896 that times would be harder
than during Cleveland's administra-
tion? He was mistaken in prophecy
No. g. Then listen to the following:
Mark my words-take it," mark it
and mark it-"that if the gold stand
ard goes on and the people continue
to complain, the gold standard advo-
cate instead of trying to improve the
condition of the working people, will
be recommending that you close your
schools SO that the people will not
Iealize how much they are suffering?
Did you ever in your life hear such
demogoguery? Could the highest
flights that imagination can carry us
to. say that the public schools would
be closed in order that the people
would not realize their suffering?
Have the public schools been closed
No. New schools have been built with
all over our land, and there are more
schools than ever. And not only have
schools multiplied and the attendance
increased, but the standing is higher
and here is another extract from the
same speech:
"f Mckinley and the Republican
party are successful and put into
power for the next four years, wages
will be decreased. hard times will
come uron us and over the land. The
price of wheat will go down and the
price of gold will go up. Mortgages
on our farms will be foreclosed by
the money lenders; shops and factor
les will close We will export no
goods and we will import from foreign
tOunlllto lHe SOouS We USE nus
will ruin. want and misery be with
u.s."
Have we seen any want and ruin or
misery in this land for the last six
years? Have we imported all our
goods and exported nothing? Is it
true that the factories have closed?
Take facts, not statements. In the last
year our exports were more than
$2,500, 100000 in excess over the i'm
ports. Factories have been opened all
over our country, men employed at
higher wages. 1t is almost impossi-
BILE in any of the lines of goods that
were purchased in this country to get
orders filed. because factories are
running night and day and are still be
hind in getting out their orders.
In his speech of July I, 1900. Bry-
an said: THE fight this year will be
to carry out the sentiment of that
song we have so often repeated, My
Country, 'Tis of Thee If we lose,
our children and our children's child
rem will not succeed to the spirit of
that song, and celebrations of the
Fourth of July will pass away for the
spirit of empire will be upon us"
This is inspiring. indeed, to a
happy, contented and prosperous peo-
pie. Because a man may use splen-
did language, it does not in the
least affect the cold, absolute facts of
existence. No, my friends, under
stand that in the discussion of this
subject, the principal thing that en-
gagged Mr. Bryan's attention last night
was imperialism. and our treatment OF
the Philippines, and the assertion
that the administration of affairs by
this government was crushing out hui
man liberty in those islands
am here to say that when we dis
cuss the question of human liberty.
we as Republicans know that as far
as the history of our party is con
cerned. we are the only party who,
through our enactments have made
human liberty possible throughout the
domain of this great land of ours.
The Democrats have never carried on
war in the United States with the
exception of that one waged to take
from Mexico her domain and extend
human slavery over every foot of 1t.
Texas was taken from Mexico by a
Democratic administration for the pur-
pose of extending the domain of slav
cry.
How did we come to be in the Phil
ippines. in Cuba? Having become
possessed of these iclands, what was
our duty to them? 1t has been said
tonight by Mr.. Royal that we came
into possession OF these islands by
virtue of treaty with Spain. The
Democratic party was bounding Pres
ident Mckinley all the time in order
to get him to declare war against
Spain. President Mckinley thought
that an arbitration of difficulties
might be made without war We
have acquired the islands. Spain be-
longs to us without reference to any
party. They stand for our national
honor, for the honor of the Democrats
and Republicans alike. We bought
the islands and paid Spain $40, O,O00. 900
for them. Now, Teller, Bell and 9TH
ers say that We have no right of SOW
ereignty. What did we buy from
them? Did we buy the national
/ huildinpc nf Gnoip for con nm 0nO1 MA