The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-25
THOUSANDS HEAR
DEMOCRAT LEADERS

ural resources of the field, mine and sea,
and all other natural resources. Another
and the toll of our brains. third is
commerce. That is a source of wealth.
It may, perhaps be said that trade and
commerce do not do anything to make
but they enable man to exchange that
which he has made or produced which he
does not require for his own use for
something that he does require for his
own use. and for that reason it is a
source of comfort. source of wealth
and a source of prosperity for him.
WHAT DEMOCRATS BELIEVE
Now, we as Democrats believe that
these natural resources OF the field the
forest and the mine and the sea should
be left for the use of the citizen as far
as is possible under orderly organized
society,"
That as free and fair a field should be
afforded citizen as the interests of So
cial conditions permit. Not only that
we believe on the second proposition that
every man who has the handiwork of his
hands to offer or the toll of his brain to
sell should have a fair field and a fair
opportunity for his highest and best en-
-deavors. (Applause.)
We believe also that in the matter of
exchange and dsposing of the work of
our hands and the labor of our brains
we should have the freest and fairest
permit. We believe that it is natural
right for man to sell the product of
the soil or the. product of his toll where
1t will bring him the greatest amount of
return and the largest amount of COM
fort for himself and his family. Cap
plauSe.)
We believe that this should only be
limited by the necessities of the govern
ment and the absolute requirements Of
society: But believing this, free trade.
to be the ideal thing. But we live in a
practical world.
. We must solve political and economic
be wise in our way, other nations may
not be so wise. We. are not alone on
this earth. There is England France,
Germany. Russia, Japan, and all the rest
We cannot control them by our legis-
iation. and hence, as wise stewards of
our own welfare, we must do as Thomas
Jefferson said over century ago:
I'VE must take into account the actions
of other peoples. If other peoples, other
nations, will not permit US to exchange
our commodities with other people upon
fair basis and equal terms. then, if it is
TO our prejudice, we have the right to ex-
act fair trea tment to impose conditions
and terms against their citizens for par
ticipating in our market and in our prod
uctS.''
TRIBUTE TO WILLIAMS
But the people, the Democratic party at
least as organized in the last congress,
and don't think the Democratic party
has made better record for the last ten
years than We did under the magnificent
leadership of John Sharp Williams. Cap
plause.)
The Democratic party says:
I'VE take cognizance of things as they
are. We have protection We have sys-
tenn of taxation by tariff. Other nations
have tariff, and we must take all these
things into consideration, and under these
circumstances it is idle for us to- talk free
trade. But that does not prevent US from
saying to our own people; from saying to
the world: When you are ready to treat
us fairly in the matter of trade, We will
meet you half way, and we will modify
and change the existing tariff laws which
no longer tend to increase American in
dustry, to foster or help it, but rather to
control it, and unless an industry is back
ed by a trust, a monopoly, to exterm1nate
it; that we will so modify the law that
it will no longer afford field and a
trust and protection for combinations.
:. That is the Democratic attitude in
brief %
Now, the Republican attitude on this
question is entirely different. They con-
cede the three sources of wealth that the
: Democrats believe in: natural resource;
human toll and commerce. but they add
a fourth. They say that men can be
made wealthy by legislation They say
that you can make American people rich
and prosperous by tariff laws, by statute.
So you can but only a few (Applause),
and those few to the detriment of the
many. tApplause.)
There is not a man or woman in this
Ivast audience who will contend for a
moment that the congress and the pres1.
dent by his signature can add one kernel
to the American stock of wheat; one eaf
to the American stock of corn; one ounce
= of strength to a mans muscle, or fill an
other dinner pail for the laborer. Cap
He will not contend that soberly, but
he will contend, and they believe in it
and urge it earnestly. and great ma
jority of them honestly that if you pass
laws which give some of our people a
monopoly of the trade of supplying the
wants of the American people; if you give
fl1a,,, or hxy a IN
extortionate prices. it makes them
wealthy it makes them prosperous, and
they will share their prosperity with Their
is the philosophy of it. That is the long
and short Of it.
WASTE OF PUBLIC FUNDS
But this is only one of the issues. We
have other issues that sorely call upon
never was time in the history of this
country when public extravaganza, when
the waste of public money was so great,
time. 6Applause.)
The last congress, of which had the
honor-or. dishonor-to be member. APP
S Sf fhaf. more 'nan sSO0'000'000. Ihnk
For one year more than 100000, 600.
Not 81 for public buildings. except to
put in a few elevators and a few fire es-
capes in the old traps! Gaughter)
Not 81 for new Improvements of rivers
and harbors!
Not 81 for any internal improvement:
but 500, 100000 for an army Tin round
numbers), and upwards of $100, 600 600
for navy. And now we have new sec
rotary Of the navy who tells US publicly
on the eve OF his acceptance of office that
he proposes to see to it that the United
: States possesses the largest navy in The.
world.
NOW. we Democrats are as proud of this
country as any Republican. and we will
go just as far to sustain its honor. its
glory, its integrity and its prosperity:
but our ambition runs in a different way
We would rather see happy, contented.
prosperous people at all times and in all
places. in the tenement as well as in the
$ factory. even though We had fewer ves-
sells than England: even though our men
of-war were not in every sea; even
though we didn't carry a big club at all
times (App1ause.)
That Is our attitude The American
people have grown great and prosperous
under the traditions of the fathers which
cut out line of peace; line of peace
full conquest instead of martial conquest
That is not all. The terrible campaign
of 1896, which trust God will never per-
NIT me to forget-in that terrible cam
paign where the poison that has lately
invaded almost every municipality of this
great land the poison of municipal COR
ruption-has left our public service cor
rupted from top to bottom. (Applause.)
/ say this not In the heat of cam
paign; say 1t advisedly. peaking to you
as fellow citizen.
You know of the disclosures in the post
office department.; you know what was
reported by the special commission of the
president in regard to the Indiar, flepart-