Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-02
TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN STATE CONVENTION

precedent in confidence reposed in the
chief executive of our country When the
roll was called in the house of representa-
yves, in March, 1898, on the question of
the trust proposed, not a vote was record
ed III the negative; and the following day
when the roll was called the same
proposition in the, senate of the United
states every man answered aye
Polk and Mckinley.
Folks proposition was for the extension
OF slavery, regardless of humanity; McKin-
ley $ proposition was for the extension of
freedom, in the interest of humanity. BY
the measure of the difference between
these two propositions. and the difference
between the reception of one and the 9TH
er, we have better country and a better
people.
End of Mexican War.
The war with Mexico came to an end in
May, 1S4S, and an immense territory, in
Guiding In whole or in part. California,
Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Col
orado and Wyoming, was coded, to the
United States.
Apparently a great victory had been Won
for the peculiar and most unhappy insti-
tuition of American slavery.
III 1910, tutl year when men cfleu peace,
Zachary Taylor, hero of the Mexican war.
wing candidate, was elected president of
the United States. 1t was the last victo-
ry of the whig party and marked the sure
beginning of its end.
With the election of General Taylor came
the discovery of gold in California The
sturdy sons of the free territory of the
Mississippi valley focked to our new pos
session In great numbers. They We're in
tent upon their pockets. and vet they went
as valiant knights to the defense of Lib
erty.
Guided by Providence.
Thus strangely, providentialy, has this
people been led, directed melted, stimulat-
ed, through all the marvellous history from
Jamestown and Plymouth Rock until now.
kansas-Nebraska Bill.
In 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska bill was
passed, abrogating the Missouri compro-
mise of 1920. If the Wimot provlso was
the herald of the republican party, the
Kansas-Nebraska bill announced its living
presence, full grown and armed with
righteousness. The succeeding congress
met with a democratic minority in the
house of representatives, and Nathaniel P.
Banks, champion of free soil after a pro-
longed struggle. was made speaker. In
1856 the republican party met in Philadel-
phia and nominated Fremont and Dayton
Has Become a Giant.
A giant had been born and reared in a
decade.
l do not need to follow the history. My
only purpose is to remind you that the re-
publican party was not born without ira
vail and that it has not lived apart from
contest. Step by step, through many
doubts, betimes harrassed by fear, it has
fought the way in leadership of the rights
of man.
The republican party was the creation
of men determined to preserve the free
territory of the United States for free
men. In that service long years We're
spent, eliminating in the war for the life
of the union, wherein was washed out with
the blood of patriots the stain of human
slavery from our flag
Successful Though Maliened.
In all crises this party has been malign-
ed; and in every crisis it has won endur-
ing success for the people of the United
States, the people of our continent, the
people of the world.
1t is to the glory of the national repub-
lican party that as the pages of tile history
of our country have been closed, and as
Judgment was given freedom to review the
writing, the consensus of all opinion has
been that the writing was to the honor of
the nation and to the undying fame of the
captains of our hosts.
1t is my ardent hope, as it is yours, that
the republican party may always be loyal
to its birthright and faithful to it's tradi-
tions.
Not InfaIIible.
do not say--it would be folly to affirm
that the republican party has been free>of
mistakes and of all guile The party is a hu-
man agency composed of fallible men. The
wisest among are as children, and not
far can men of the strongest vision see.
But to one who loves his country and
would contribute what in his weak
strength he may to the honor of its name
and the opportunity of its people, there is
high satisfaction in the knowledge that
the merit of accomplishment has dug
timely graves and buried from our com
mon sight the weaknesses and failures Of
our struggle.
The Landmarks.
We look upon the landmarks of our his
tory and pronounce, them good; and we do
this without contentious partisan division.
Therein, if I mistake not, is the best Of
speech in behalf of the republican party.
These landmarks stand for liberty, for
equality of opportunity, and for humanity.
Through all the long years of political
strife, through all those terrible years of
civil war, down to the present hour, inclu
sive of the time when our young men an
swered the call to arms in the same spirit
as the fathers, there has been inspiration
in the battle cry of freedom. The struggle
was TO save the union-to save 1t as a her
| itage to free labor and to free men. With
| the accomplishment Of that end, the strug-
gle has been and now is to keep the way
open for men-to enlarge and protect their
opportunity.
The Same Party.
| They tell us the republican party has de-
parted from the faith of the fathers. l do
not believe this is true. 1t is for you,
uniting with your brethren of other states,
| to prove that 1t is not true.
| We may always go to the past for en-
couragement; we must always look In the
| face of the present to see our duty. What
has been is a part of our strength, and
what we do is our contribution to the fu-
| ture.
Following the election of 1896 which
1.-the country won at the polls the greatest
4 moral victory in It's history-there was
much jubilant feeling among republicans
| in congress. Enthusiasts on the floor of
the house predicted that the democratic
party was dead. After much Of this the