The Ely miner., 1902-07-11


Following is text of Senator Mel
sons speech delivered before the re-
publican state convention at ST. Paul:
You have not forgotten, and all Of
you well remember, the critical. hard.
and unpromising times of 1896.
THE country was still suffering from
the industrial and financial stagnation
and depression which began and con-
tinued under Cleveland's administration:
The country was full of mechanics and
Without Without work. r Money, ley iusi through wa want of Of
confidence, was out of circulation, ana
hard to earn, to acquire, or to borrow.
1.-The industrial, the financial and the
business world was. stagnant, stood par
alyzed and in dread of the future. And
the great masses of the people were
suffering. restless, and pining for a way
out of the difficulties by which they were
surrounded, but with no clear purpose,
in many cases, as to the proper road to
take.
1T was at such a time and under such
conditions that the Democratic party
hoping, that out of the stagnation, chaos
md despair then prevailing, they might
ing to secure victory and power at any
cost-came before the American people
gram, declaring in favor of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver, seeking to
array labor against capital, and depre-
ciating the protection. by the courts
lawlessness and disorder.
And their program and policy was, as
you will remember, emphiasized and I'm IN
and animus Of their standard bearer.
Whatever ambiguity there may have
been in any paragraph Of the the, PLATFORM at tha
candidate.
ut was at this juncture, and under
pa hsfs eHer 8ndu that at te fhe weare sad
best interests of the American people,
accepted the wage of battle, and took up
the defense of sound money, declared
harmony, both capital and labor, and to
preserve and defend both against an
archy, lawlessness and disorder.
DOCTRINES REVOLUTIONARY.
when the issue was first joined in
that campaign, the Democratic party felt
confident Of success, for at the outset
it seemed as though their new gospel had
captured the masses of the people. And
there were many good men in the coun-
try who were alarmed at the prospect
and fearful of the result. The very bold
ness and revolutionary character of the
Democratic platform and candidates was
paralyzing the awe inspiring.
But the Republican party, under the
men-William McKinley-opened and car
ried on a campaign of education and APP
pealed with faith and energy to the con-
people Loyalty to the true interests of
the country, and faith in the intelligence
and sober Judgment of the masses. was
the foundation and corner stone OF the
Republican campaign.
'The effervescence, which existed i'm
mediately after the Chicago convention,
gradually disappeared as men began to
think, to reason, and to see the dan
gers Of silver monometallism with Incl
dental contractions, and the danger of
arraying labor against capital, and thus
The tide was stemmed, the creed and
gospel of the Republican party bore fruit
and in November the. American people
under the banner of the Republican
party, gained great and glorious vic
tory, and were saved from one of the
greatest perils that had confronted . the
bellion.
1.-The result of the election was no
sooner known than the country seemed
life. The nightmare of Democracy was
past and the rejoicing was not alone
confined to the victors.
Republican rule have but served to en-
phasize the great advantages and the
great blessings that have come to the
country as a result of that victory.
But the Republican party has not only
stayed the hand of the destroyer, it has
also, to large extent and in ma
terial degree, by judicious legislation and
the industrial and economical life and
development of the country.
EVILS OF DEMOCRATIC TARIFF.
1.-The Democratic tariff law of 1894,
which for lack of discriminating protec-
tion, bred industrial stagnation, and was
also insufficient as a revenue provider,
gave toe Republican tariff act of 1897,
passed at a special session, called by
PreSidsat MCKINLEY ley for that purpose i'm
Whatever criticism may be pro-
nounced on some of the provisions of
ic al al iC rtai n
that but for the then unforeseen Spanish
war, it would haye provided the country
with ample revenue for its current ex-
penses; and it is also certain. and amply
demonstrated by our experience, that
under it's flag our country has enjoyed
the greatest and most pronounced COM
tinued prosperity in all our history.
EUROPE is ALARMED.
.It is this rapid and immense growth
balance in ours favor-that has alarmed
and frightened so many countries of
Europe. They fear and see in it-and
well they maya loss of their industrial
and commercial supremacy, and its de-
parture to and vesture in the great re-
public of the west.
factory, under the momentum of en-
larged production, resulting from good
home market, are invading with ire
sistible force all the countries of the
civilized world. And this is merely the
overflow of our production over the home
demand.
The domestic trade of our country
since 1897 resulting from our great in
dustrial revival and increased produc-
tive capacity, has more than kept pace
with our foreign commerce, and has in
creased with even greater force and
volume. Capital has been and still is
abundant; and labor finds no lack of en-
ployment at fair wages. And in many
Industries the demand for the output is
in excess of and outruns the productive
capacity. Many mills and factories have
rec eived orders for months in advance
of the time in which they can be filled.
And there have been many instances and
localities where there has been scarcity
of labor.
.'The important and needed tariff legis-
lation of 1897, was supplemented and given
new vigor by the currency act of March.
1900, making gold the standard unit of
val&e, providing for the refunding of our
bonded debt in new 2 per cent bonds, and
providing for the increase in. our ma
tional bank currency by allowing circu-
lation up to the par value of the bonds
deposited, and by permitting the estab-
iishment of banks with only $4,000 CAPT.
tai in the smaller towns, thereby de-
centraliZing the system, and bringing
-. fnni - 10 h. of