The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1904-02-26
THE ALLIGATOR SPEECH.
A Life Long Democrat Can Stand
Democracy no Longer.

Macon, Mo-, on February 3, was
a nominating speech made by J.
w. Magcc Of Putnum county, n
lifelong Democrat until four years
ago. He Is n farmer. benevolent
In appearance, but possessing a
powerful voice and n splendid
command Of language. In start
ing out to place his candidate be-
fore the convention, Mr.. Magce
said:
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen
OF the Convention For the first
time In my life | have attended as
n delegate and participated IN n
republican congressional con-
vcntion. Tho reason OF that is I
have always been n democrat.
People change the same M seasons.
At the democratic convention Mt
Kansas City we thought we would
do better than we had done at
Chicago. still had some hope,
but when the platform was pub
lishcd. and we began to look over
1t, hoping to find a ray Of sun
shine, the horizon was still dark.
THAT platform comprised and
adopted all the worst fenturcs Of
populism, the worst features of
nnarchism, OF grecnbackism, and
every other unfortunate ism under
the sun, and had not one scintilla
of common sense or rcai democracy
In II. IL reminded me OF an old
alligator down In the swamps of
Florida. You will find them lying
here and there In bayous, looking
like an old moss-grown log, their
upper jaw-works thrown back and
the under one charged with saliva,
so that everything which touches
II sticks. There II lies, with large
tears running down it, scaly
cheeks gathering In the flies and
snakes and lizards and toads and
the vcrmin travelling, and when
the trap Is full. down comes the
upper story and the loathsomc
mass IL captured-adoptcd II you
pleasc-likc the stun In the last
national democratic platform.
tChcers.)
mir. Chairman, II was more
Than my soul could bear. lust
had To move out. Coming ON
down to state matters We found
just rs bad-or worse. II
am glad to say that | observed no
'"publican going around with a
iigniiicd sum- Neither has any
'epublican been hanging around
lobbies at jefferson City with
me pocket filled with Doodle and
other with baking powder.
The truth is that the gang OF land
has brought this state into
greater disrepute among the hon
ut people of the nation than all
he depredations OF the james and I
onnger gang. No republican
enator In his official capacity Mt
'eiierson City has ever sold /
legislation in one thousand dollar
hunks. (Applause.) No rcpub- ,
lean representative or senator l
there has stood on his con- I
titutional dignity, or on his l
'rivilcgc, In order to shield some {
Infamous scandal. |
"Mr. Chairman and gentlemen q
Il the convention, am proud /
o-day to tell you that | have quit q
raining with the gang. | am t
lad that ] am once more among I
.onest people. And | want to tell v
on that am not the only one in a
grand old county that v
epresent to-day in this conven- n
on Every man up there Is c
landing for the same principles |
o. There are none of the other,
ind left. Up in our county we \
for Roosevelt to the last man. U
why. even u women are for
i'm, and IL some youth who was =
should try to spark one of our s,
iris, she would unite the bulldog
} quick that he wouldn't have
me to use the gait in getting out. +,
he very birds In the forests are "
" Roosevelt; the ROSTERS are u
orking overtime to crow for him d