Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-17
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS
MEET IN STATE CONVENTION AT
MILWAUKEE, TODAY.
Chairman Delivers Striking Address
Arraigns Republican Administra-
tion-Hearst in Minority.

MILWAUKEE, May 1.-THE democratic
state convention, which will elect four del
egates to the national convention in St.
Louis, met today in the Pabst Theater.
Before the convention was called to order
the impression prevailed that Edward c.
Wall would easily defeat VIM r. Hearst
In securing Endorsement for the presiden-
tial nomination, and that among those cer-
tain of being chosen national delegates
were Mayor David s. Rose of Milwaukee
and Neal Brown of NASSAU.
Chairman A. F. Warden of the state GEN.
trail committee called the gathering to or
der and introduced former Representative
Owen A. Wells of Fond du Lac as tempo
rary chairman. Mr.. Wells speech in the
main was confined to an arraignment Of
the state and national republican admins
trations.
Chairman Wells Address.
They tell us democracy is old and de-
crepit, that it's ancient creed, as embodied
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Magma
Charter, the Declaration of Independence,
the Bill of Rights and the teachings Of JEFF
ferson and Jackson, is obsolete and unfit
ted for this age of passage, and that new
faith, adapted to changed conditions and
the spirit of innovation, commercialism,
socialism and imperialism enforced by mill
ltarfsm, that has taken such hold upon
the people, is essential to its future sue
cess.
In fact, there are those who pretend to
think that democracy is dead and that it's
mantle has fallen upon the shoulders OF
populism. There is another faith Of which,
at times, a similar mistaken view has been
taken. Time and again have the enemies
OF democracy, believing they have Destroy
ed 1t, sung its requiem, but, like the Chris
t1an religion, surrounded as it is in very
truth and built upon the rock Of virtue, its
faithful votaries have in time of trial
sprung forth spontaneously to its defense,
revitaiized, fully armed and armored to do
battle for the true faith Of the party of
the plain people.
Go forth and teach the people first of all
that honest government is what we seek,
without an honest. intelligent and virtuous
citizenship. Teach them that Gods man
date to man is to work; and that work was
ennobled by the Goldman, and what we de-
mand for labor Is the guaranteed natural
right of every man to obey that mandate,
without let Or hindrance by or payment of
tribute to any for the privilege.
Teach them that we have no quarrel
with wealth, that we honor the man who
through his individual honest effort has
amassed a fortune, and that. whether that
fortune be invested in individual or cor
porate enterprise, we demand that his rights
be respected and safeguarded.
Teach them that democracy recognizes
the right of both capital and labor to OF
game W1tnln the law. Out tnat II Will DrOOk
no interference by either with the right OF
those who choose to conduct their affairs
In their individual capacity, and that we
will, If need be, invoke the aid of the eighty
millions Of freemen, the entire power of
the sisterhood Of states, for the protection
Of the rights of the meanest individual
against the aggressions of organized capital
or labor
Teach them that he is the best democrat
who Is the best citizen, and that democracy
will, for the sake of obtaining accessions
to its ranks, make no concessions that in
volve the surrender of principle but will
battle with error or schiSm either without
or within the party fold, and that any at
tempt to engraft on its sturdy stock the
decaying branches of repcblicanism known
as populism and socialism will meet fate
similar to that described by Owen as the
abortive attempt to light the torch OF li5-
erty by the flames of hell and that our APP
peal is directed solely to democraeys god,
the deliberate Judgment of an Intelligent
citizenship"
Failed to Agree.
The delegates Of the first congressional
district to the democratic state convention
failed to agree in their caucus this fore
noon and, as a result, the delegates sup
porting VIM R. Hearst bolted the meeting
and organized caucus of their own.
Two separate lists of officers were elected.
The trouble started over the fifteen dele
gates from Racine county. There was
bolt In the Racine county convention and
the state central committee settled the con-
test in favor of the Wall delegates.
A report Is in circulation that the Hearst
faction will bolt the convention when the
time arrives for receiving the report Of the
credentials committee this afternoon.