Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-27

I
was inaugurated at the Tilden club
meeting in New York city, Thursday.
June 10, when ex-President Grover
Cleveland and former Gov. David b.
Hill met and clasped hands. There was
a large number ofmembers and visitors
present and enthusiasm ran high. Mr..
Cleveland made an earnest and impress
sive speech, the substance of which is
here given:
MIR. CLEVELAND'S SPEECH.
ST have been urged to participate in this
occasion by those who have assured me
that this handsome structure is to beldedi-
Gated tonight in the ehabiiitation and con-
soliGation of the democratic party, unoer
the inspiration of a name which during the
DAYS of democratic strength and achieve
ment was honored in every democratic
household. Such ass urance made to one
who followed with hearty devotion the lead
ership of Samuel J. Tilden when living. and
who has since found in his career and fame
the highest incentive to democratic stead
fastness could hardly fail to overcome the
temptations of my contenteo retirement
from political activity.
Against Feuds in the Party.
ST am. here to take counsel with others
protesting the same party faith concerning
the democratic situati ton l suppose we
all are convinced that this situation might
be improved and some of us may think 1t is
perilously undermined. Whatever the meas
ure of its impairment may be, our
condition an organization cannot De I'M
proved by calling each other harsh names
nor by inaugurating a system OF arbitrary
prescription and Punishment.
ssThe members of business firm in finan-
cial embarrassment should not sit down ana
look in each others faces in mute despair;
neither will they regain financial soundness
nor the confidence of the business commu-
nifty by recrimination and quarrel; nor
will any members of the firm aid in its
fnr finy, CnIU emf ctr
insistence upon a continuation of the bust
ness methods which have invited its en-
barrassment.
1.-The democratic party is very far from
political insolvency, but no one here should
be offended by the suggestion that its capt.
tai and prospects have suffered serious IN
jury since Mr.. Tilden was elected president
Then and afterWard northern OSmocraI1c
states were not rare curiosities northern
democratic senators, now practically eX-
tinct, were quite numerous and northern
seen, were frequently encountered.
Urges Returns to Old Ideals.
eff this state of impairment exists, an in
slant duty presses upon the managers of the
democratic establishment; and one which
they cannot evade with honor. Those of
US less prominent in the party-the rank
and file-are longing to be led through old
democratic ways to the old democratic vic
tories. We were never more ready to do
enthusiastic battle than now, if we
only be marshaled outside the shadow of
pred eS tined defeat.
us it Noo much to ask our leaders TO
avoid paths that are known to lead to dis
aster? Is it too much to ask that proved
errors be abandoned and that We be deliv
cred from a body of death and relieved from
the burden of issues which have been killed
by the DEGREES of the American people?
Ought We not to be fed upon something bet
ter than the huSkS of defeat?
eff these questions are met in an honest,
manly fas hion 1 believe it will be productive
of the best kind of democratic harmony.
Democracy to Guard All People.
I'm dealing with new issues we of the dem
ocratic faith are extremely fortunate in the
simplicity of democratic standards ard the
ease with which new questions can be meas
ured by those standards. party based
upon care for the interests of all the people
the aggregate condition demands, with
no unjust favoritism for any particular
class; party devoted to the form of pop
ular government as our fathers ordained
it and for the purposes which they sought
to establish; party whose conservatism
opposes dangerous and un-American ex-
periments and yet puts no barrier in the
way OF genuine and safe progress, ought
to be able to deal with new questions in
manner quite consistent with democratic
doctrine and stimulating to democratic i'm
pulses and instincts.
Scores the Party in Power.
Let not forget, however that it is not
in the search of new and gaudy issues nor
in the Interpretation of strange visions that
strong ana nedltny democracy displays
its splendid power. Another party may
thrive on the ever-shifting treatment of the
ever-shifting moods of popular rest1essness,
or by an insincere play upon unreasoning
prejudice and selfish anticipation, but the
democratic party never.
Democracy has already in store the doc
trines for which it fights its successful bat
ties and it will have them in store as long
as the people are kept from their own and
just as long as their rights and interests are
sacrificed by favoritism in government care,
by inequality in government burdens, by the
encouragement of huge Industrial aggrega-
lions that throttle individual enterprise, by
the reckless waste of public money and by
the greatest of all industries as it underlies
nearly all others, system of tariff taxation
whose robbing exactions are far beyond the
needs of economical and legitimate govern
meDt expenditure, which purchases support
by appeals to sordidness and greed and
which continually corrupts the public
science.
What but fnfatuation with the visage
of defeat can explain the characterization
of these things by democrats when they
prepare for battle?
Wants Platform Made Openly.
IF we to have a rehabilitation and
realfgnment of our party in the sense sug
gested it is important that it be done open
ly and with no mystery or double meaning.
Our people are too much on-the alert 10 &C
cept political deliverances they 90 not un-
derstand; and the enthusiasm OF the DEM,
I ocratic rank and file does not thrive on
mystery.
1.-The democratic harmony of which we
hear so much cannot be effectively con-
structed by mathema teal rule nor by
| formal agreement on the part of those who
have been divided, that there shall be har-
mony- 1t grows up naturally when true
| democratic principles are plainly an
nounced, when democratic purposes are
honestly declared and when as a result of
| these confidence and enthusiasm stir the
democratic blood. 1t was such harmony
as this. growing out of such conditions
with the battle cry of "Tilden and Reform
gave us the democratic victory of 1876