Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-13
al concession and mutual surrender we
agreed upon a platform.

ASLN- lAs lllGnQS. MG nGS0 AuOIS NndA
platform. We have to nominate a
ticket, and that is the work of this
convention. Had you come to this con-
vention instructed for any man to the
extent of majority, l not only WOULD
not ask you TO disregard your in
structions, would not. if could have
prevented it, permitted you to disre-
gard your instructions.
| believe in the right of the people
to rule. l believe in the right of the
people TO instruct their delegates, and
when a delegate is instructed it is
binding upon him. But, my friends,
not a majority come instructed for any
candidate.
That means that you are lett upon
your responsibility TO select a candi
date, and grave responsibility it is.
Grave is the responsibility resting
upon these delegates in this conven-
ton.
l have not come to ask anything of
this convention. Nebraska asks moth
ing but to be permitted to fight the bat
ties of democracy. Some of you have
called me a dictator. 1t was false. You
know it was false. How have | tried
to dictate? | have suggested that
thought certain things ought to be
done. Have not you exercised the
same privilege? Why have | not
right to suggest? Because l was your
candidate am | now estopped to ever
make suggestions? Why, sir, if that
condition went with a nomination for
the presidency, no one worthy to be
president would ever accept a nomina-
ton, for the right of a man to have an
opinion and to express it is more i'm
portant and more sacred than the hold
ing of an office, however high.
Opinion of 1900 Platform.
| have my opinions about the plat
form; | made suggestions. Not all of
them were received. l would like to
have seen the Kansas City platform
reaffirmed. l am not ashamed of that
platform. | believe in it now, and as
believed in it when | was running upon
it: then | was your candidate, but the
people in the democratic party did not
agree with me. and their will was SUI
preme. When they veto my sugges-
tons, | have to accept. There is no
other court to whom | can appeal. |
have not attempted to dictate about
candidates, have not asked the demo
Gratis of this nation to nominate any
particular man. | have said that there
are many in every state willing to be
president. and | have said that out of
six millions and half who voted for
me in both campaigns we ought to be
able to find at least one good man for
| have made these SuggeS-
lions only in a general way. / am here
tonight as a delegate from Nebraska.
| have not confidence enough in my
own opinion to tell you that l can
pick out the man and say that this
man must be nominated or we shall
lose. | have, | think, a reasonable
faith in my own opinions. At least !
have this faith: That l would rather
accept my own and stand by them il
| believed them right than to accept
anybody else's if | believed them
wrong. Nebraska is not here asking
for the nomination of any man. We
now have a platform on which we can
all stand Now give us a ticket be
hind which all of us can stand. You
can go into any state you please and
get him. | have not as much faith as
some have in the value of locality.
l never have been a great stickler
for nominating candidates from doubt
full states on the theory that their per
sOnal popularity would elect them. l
have had so much faith in the virtue
Of democratic principles that thought
a democrat ought to vote for a good
man from any other state before he
would vote for a bad man from his
own state | do not believe much in
his doctrine of state pride. and | have
found that when people come with a
candidate and tell us first that we
must carry certain state and that
hat man is the only one who could |
larry the state, they do not put up a |
Iond to deliver the goods if they are |
accepted. And then. anyhow, state |
hat is so uncertain that only one |
democrat in the nation can carry it |
,annot be relied upon in a great |
,risis.
Endorsement to Hearst.
Now, we have our platform. Select |
your candidate If it is the choice or
wish of this convention that the stan
lard should be placed in the hands of
he gentleman presented by California,
he man who. though he has money,
pleads the cause of the poor; the man !
Who is the best beloved. think | can
afely say, among laboring men of all
he candidates proposed. the one who
more than any other represents opposi-
ion to the trust question.
If you eastern democrats who have
-. |
ny belief in free silver; if you demo
rats are willing to take a gold plank,
am willing to let you have your way
IN that question in this man. for will
rust to his honesty on all questions.
But, my friends, do not. Nebraska
Ioes not end that. | only mention these
as illustrations.
| come here TO second the nominal
ion of man, and come to second
lis nomination not because | can as
ert to you that he is more available
han any other person who might be
7 i 1