Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-07-11
HON. JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS
DEMOCRATIC LEADER, SOUNDS The KEYNOTE OF
THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN,
Wonderful Unanimy
rupion in Public Life Rdicues Republican


Hon. John Sharp Williams, temporary
chairman of the National Democratic
convention, sounded the keynote OF the
coming campaign in mastery speech
OF which Il e following is a part:
This is an appropriate place and time
for democratic convention. The place
is St. Louis, the chief city OF the most
popuous state carved out of the Louisi-
ana Territory acquired by the Father Of
Democracy. The time is the centennial
anniversary celebration of the acquisition
of that terrtory-a vast area of contigu.
GUS territory whose possession Was
necessary fer self.defense, and which
was fitted in climate and soil for home.
making by the sons and daughters of the
Republic-the anniversary of real, and
not pseudo expansion-an expansion OF
our population, our industrial life and
our free institutions over uninhabited
lands or lands sparsely settled by say
ages whose tribal independence we rec
ognized by treating with them, or settled
on spots by white men easily and willing
ly assimilated; not a so-called expansion
by mere superimposed force OF our flag
and our military authorities.
The democratic party afterward gath
cred the country to further expansion OF
this real, free character in the acquisition
of Florida, the admission of Texas as a
state and the acquisition from Mexico of
a magnificent Far West, tit to be ma lie
states in the Union and governed under
the Constitution.
The most important quadrennial event
in the world is the election by the
American people of their Chief Execu-
tive. Before the great election takes
place, at which all men are supposed to
arrive at choice by ways of honesty
and intelligence-would to God they
did-at least two minor elections OF a
different character are held. There
have always been two great parties,
which since the first National political
conventions have elected delegates to
conventions for the purpose of selecting
candidate and promulgating platform.
One of these parties has gone through
its party election OF delegates, has select
ed candidate and announced plat.
form. 1t was one of the quietest and
'most unanimous occasions" that the
muses. Ct 'histo.y have ever recorded.
Everything seemed to have been fixed
beforehand. There are some conven.
fences about a convention OF that sort.
One OF them is that the temporary chair
man knows six or nine months before
hand that he is going to be temporary
chairman. He also knows what he is
wanted to say, compared with what he
wants to say. can appreciate that,
can assure you. The permanent chair
man also knows what is expected of him
for half a year beforehand. The platform
comes ready written-no discussion
about it-and is perhaps revised by the
candidate himself, who has also been
agreed upon.
The address Of the temporary chairman
of the Republican National convention
was in one sense historical. 1t deal,
much in history, at any rate, most of il
ancient history and more of it bad his
tory. There was labored argument te
prove that the party of Roosevelt must
by something like evolutionary process
act as the party OF Lincoln and McKn.
ley. This was necessary in order to dis
guise the palpable fact that it is not sc
acting. Not without reason, then, thi.
labored argument by this great and in
genious lawyer. 1t was to draw away
attention from Rooseveltism and it,
volcanic eruptive and reckless character
by dwelling upon the fact that, at some
period OF its history, the republi' IN party
has been "a party which did the things,
and did them safely. The orator HOPED
to have the country lose sight Of thu
fact that it is now in both Of it's execu
tive branches party of passivity, O
nor. action, of obstruction to reform
progress; in word, party whose only
sacred precept is the shibboleth which
makes them known, one of them to thu
other; shibboleth drawn from thu
gamblers tables, "stand pat" a precep
born of cowardice and fear to move.
I shall not pay undue attention to thu
temporary chairman OF the republican
convention. After interrogating, in the
light OF reason, a few utterances, 1 shall
pass on to the authoritative voice OF his