The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-25


conscience. The people have remedy
within their power. namely. the ballot and
with IL they can and Will right every wrong
and remedy every grievance.
MUST HAVE A CHARACTER.
1.-The Democratic party must have con-
trolling purpose. unchanged by victory or
defeat: It must stand for that purpose at
all times and everywhere, unmoved by
threats OF disaster and uninfuenced by
promise of temporary gain. 1t must have
a character. for character is as essential
in party as it is in an individual No one
will trust an unstable man, or one so with
out principle that his position upon any
moral question cannot be guessed in ad-
vance. Neither will the people trust a party
that is willing to write into its platform
to-day anything that promises TO catch
few votes or strike out OF its platform
tomorrow anything that will ALLEVIATE a
few votes. Even If il desired 10 do so our
party could not compete with the Repub-
lican party in the use of money in cam
paigns or in the deception or coercion OF
voters, because large campaign funds can
only be secured in return for the promise
of favoritism, and our people are not in
position TO coerce. Our party must have
principles and proclaim them; IL must stand
by them and defend them, relying upon its
faith in the righteousness OF those prlncl-
pies and upon its faith in the Intelligence
and patriotism of the people.
THE struggle between human rights on
the one side and greed on the other is an
amending one. Our party must take part
in the struggle, but that struggle cannot
be permanently settled by this generation
tell what issues we may have TO meet; we
can only determine TO meet them IN Dem
ocratic spirit, TO apply to them Democratic
principles and to take the peoples SIDE al
ways. In 1892 the paramount issue was Tar
If reform and the Democratic party boldly
asserted its demand for tariff for reVe-
nue. only. II fought the campaign ana IL
won, but its majority was so narrow tnat
a few senator's disloyal TO the party on this
subject, defeated the verdict or the people
rendered at the polls. But the failure OF
the party TO do all that il promised would
not have been so disastrous but for the
fact that the Wilson bill, unsatisfactory
il was TO tariff reformers, had 10 bear
the sins of a Republican financial system.
which was supported by our administration
against the protest of an overwhelming ma
jority of the voters of the party.
The defeat of 1894 was more disastrous
than any that the party has experienced
since, and ii was due TO the fact that the
administration deserted the people on the
money question. In 1896 the money ques-
ton had forged TO the front, made par
amount not by the action of the majority
of the Democratic party, but by the at
tempt of minority of the party 10 aid the
Republican party TO chain the country 10
an approaching dollar. Without abandon
ing it's position on the tariff question the
party met this issue and took the side OF
many formerly conspicuous in its councils.
the Democratic party polled a million
more votes than ii had ever polled before,
and would have won but for the lndefen-
sible methods of the Republican party,
whose leaders held all the protecuonist
Republicans by declaring the tarin issue
to be paramount Modified the wrath OF
most of the free silver Republicans by
promising interna tional bimetallism, and
won all the advocates of the gold standard
oy revealing 10 them the secret purpose OF
n
system. But even then we would have
won but for the fact that borrowers were
coerced and employees intimidated.
CAUSE OF DEFEAT IN 1900.
I'm 1860 the action of the Republican
party in turning a war. commenced for
humanity, into a war Of conquest COM
PEELED the consideration OF another ques-
tion-a question so far-reaching in its con-
sequences that our party rightfully de-
clared it to be the paramount issue. With
out abandoning its position on the tariff
question or on the money question it again
espoused the peoples side of a great issue
That il did not win that year was due to
a conjunction of causes. any one of which
would have been insufficient to have ac-
complished defeat. The administration
having carried brief and successful
war fell heir to the enthusiasm which
usually attends a victorious conflict; an
unexpected increase in the supply OF new
gold and unexpected influx of European
gold, due to large crops here and a famine
abroad, increased prices, relieved the
stress of hard times and gave TO the peo-
/ pie the benefits that always flow from a
/ growing volume of money. While the ad-
/ vantages which followed a larger volume
| of money vindicated the principle con-
! tended for by bimetallists they were APP
/ propriated by the party in power. and those
who were influenced by conditions, without
attempting to realize the conditions, gave
the Republican party credit for an in
creasing prosperity.
THE protected manufacturers, of course,
stood by the administration which had
! given them Dingley law. Trust promoters
| and trust magnates, recognizing in the
| Democratic party an inveterate foe, and
| numbering among their stockholders
many of the most influential Re-
publicans, threw all their strength
| their support purchased immunity from
| punishment. The Republicans were great
| ~ aided by another influence, namely. the
| influence of the fnanciers. who, not yet
| having completed their schemes, were will
| ing to risk trusts Imperialism or anything
else rather than forego the advantage
! which they expected from gold standard
and a bank currency. In spite Of all these
! obstacles the campaign of 1900 only showed
| a net change of 10000 votes in favor OF the
| Republicans out or total vote OF ovel
| thirteen millions. And what is the situa-
! ton to-day? Since the election of 1900 i'm
! perialsm is more openly aVOwed and i'm.
perldnSIlc more DOiuly entered
upon because the administration can point
| to that election as an apparent indOrse
| ment, although the party leaders at thai
| time vehemently denied imperialistic in
| tent Those who expect to make profit
! out of a colonial system favor il on the
| ground that IL will pay; those who thinl
that il opened up the Philippines 10 prose
lyting insist that il is providential, while
those who are simply seeking some rea
son for supporting their partys policy fal
back upon the doctrine that circumstance:
| got us into trouble and that we must stay
in until circumstances get US out
TRUSTS SAID TO FLOURISH.
Since the election of 1900 the trusts have
grown and fourished under the Republican
administration. as might have been expect
ed. Almost two years have elapsed sine,
the last presidential election. and no legis
lative attempt has been made to interior,
with them, and the executive efforts. in
stead OF being directed toward the enforce
ment of criminal statutes, are confined L
the equity side of the court and these eff
forts have not in the least retarded tn
formation Of new combines.
Since the election, the financiers ar
SEEKING TO carry their advantage "A littl
farther and are planning an asset cur
rency, a system of branch banks and tn
redemption OF the silver dollar. Recogniz
ing the enormous iniquity of the bill the,
did not dare press il during the campaign
| but having secured a favora bic report Il
! the House, postponed its consideration un
I'll December.
Since the election a Republican Con
/ gress has turned deaf ear to the laborer'
/ cry foT relief from government by injunc
I a nd n has