The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-13
Lieutenant Governor Gilbert.


Lieutenant Governor Newton W. Gilbert
responded to the toast 1.-THE Republican
Press of Indiana" Recalling the days Of
the civil war. Mr.. Gilbert told of the diff
ficulties which Governor o. p. Morton en-
countered, how he was assailed and reviled
by the "copperhead' press, and how he
overcame all opposition and steered the
ship of state safely through the perils that
beset it. Continuing. he said:
but even a Morton must have failed had
sustained his every effort. The yellow
journal had not then attained the saffron
hue of some which exist to-day, but then,
as in the little war so recently fought, il
denounced the cOmmander-in-chiefo of the
army and navy. Then, as now 1t sowed
seeds of discomfort among our soldiers.
Then, as now, 1t protested TO believe the
false tales OF every enemy Of our flag
rather than the statements of our officers
and soldiers who were barring their breasts
to the bullets of those same enemies. Then,
nance Of the supremacy Of the flag and the
prosperity of the people met it's condem-
nation and ridicule.
The Republican party is composed Of
the progressive men of our country, who
are young enough to live in the present
and future and not in the past; of those
who are animated by hope, and who be-
lieve in striving for better things; of those
whose eyes are upon the stars and not
upon the earth; of those who believe in
the welfare Of all the people, and lend no
aid to the creation of classes in this land
of opportunity; of those who favor the pro-
lection of American labor, the maintenance
of an honest dollar, and equal opportunity
for every man in our glorious sisterhood
of States. 1t is made up Of hopeful, siren
uous, earnest men, who know that for more
than a generation the development of our
institutions has been dependent upon the
success of the party of Abraham Lincoln;
VII "a 10 a han nd Of no
principles for which he stood and the sue
cess of the party of opposition and discon-
tent has speedily brought disaster
You of the Republican press, are they
who fought the battles of that party and
of the people. When others doubt, you
trust: When others falter and hesitate
arise, as they always will when the march
is forward, yon seek the solution. No man
among you breaches the doctrine of dis
content. You believe in the people and
the people believe in you. When our
blood-bought banner was carried forth at
the head of our blue-clad sons, amid the
cheers and tears of millions. you gave en-
enlargement to those who marched ard
to those who stayed. And since it has
been planted upon many an isle of the
sea, filling millions of hearts with hope
and carrying liberty TO those who never
knew it's meaning, no word of yours has
created discomfort in the heart of one Of
it's defenders, nor offered encouragement
or cheer to any man who would assail Ii
battles of the Republican party since those
early days when. conceived in the heart
of God himself, ii had it's birth. What a
life that party has lived Consecrated to
liberty, il brought freedom to a race
brought IL at a sacrifice OF hundreds of
thousands of lives and billions of treas
ure. Columbias rivers ran red with the
blood of her noblest sons. drawn forth
by her own keen blade. The greatest war
of all history was waged by the gentlest
kindliest, most tender-hearted man of the
century that our beloved country might
indeed become the land of the free and
the home of the brave The many prob
lens of reconstruction were solved The
country was reunited Constitutional
amendments were adopted. Specie paw
ments were resumed. The national debt
was paid. Disabled and worthy soldiers
were pensioned. Reputation was trodden
under foot. Protection was accorded TO
American industries and American labor
Our currency has been kept the best in
all the world. And to-day our flag Is fiying
and our institutions are finding Judgment
in distant chimes. The best soldier in All
the world, the volunteer soldier of the
United States-your son and your brother
has carried old Glory within the for
hidden walls OF the imperial city of the
most ancient empire upon the globe; car
ried IL there-c2rried IL everywhere-not for
conquest, not for gain, but that the blessed
principle of liberty might be more widely
understood
The glory of these achievements is
largely that Of the Republican press Every
step I'm this nightly advance has been
contested. The battle is still on. The
party of opposition; the party OF mega
ton, the party which contained every ira
Queer OF the savior OF our country, the
party which opposed protection for our
labor, the party which proposed 10 paw the
workingman and the husbandman In a
deprecated dollar. the party which dis