The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-09-08
SPEECH OF JOSEPH W. FOLK
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN
William Bryan Addresses 5000 People in Open Air Meet
ing-Cook Has Message for His Friends
Calls Forth Their Loyalty in Support
Of Entire Ticket


Instead Of the people protecting them,
the people roN need protection from
their avarice. Unjust monopolies can
not be suppressed with one hand,
while the other is feeding them with
the milk u protection, on which they
grow fat and powerful ut the peoples
expense. The Democratic party stands
for protection TO all, not to some priv
ileged class to the detriment of anoth-
er. The Democratic party has ever
advocated freedom OF religion, freedom
of the press. freedom of speech, free
dom OF the person. that no people
should tie governed without their con-
sent. and that the rights of one man
extend to where the rights of another
man begin.
The Democratic party holds that the
constitution framed by our forefathers
must be the rudder to guide the ship
Of state. and no, the shifting whims
and impulses OF chief executive. At
this time the warning words of Wash
ington in his farewell address come to
us with new meaning:
1T is IMPORTANT THAT THE
HABITS OF THINKING IN A
FREE COUNTRY SHOULD INSPIRE
CAUTION IN THOSE ENTRUSTED
WITH ITS ADMINISTRATION TO
CONFINE THEMSELVES WITHIN
THEIR RESPECTIVE CoNSTITU-
TIoNAL SPHERES. AVOIDING. IN
THE EXERCISE OF THE POWERS
OF ONE DEPARTMENT, TO EN-
CROACH UPoN ANOTHER"
The nominee O! the Democratic par
ty for president, Judge Alton B. Par
ker, OF New York, represents the idea
Of constitutional government, so neces-
sary to the preservation of free institu-
tons. and he and Henry G. Davis, the
nominee for vice-president, should re-
ceive the support of every lover of the
constitution. and every believer in the
principles advocated by Washington,
Jefferson and Jackson.
STATE QUESTIONS.
But Missourians are especially in
terested in state matters just now.
The Democracy of Missouri has
honored NE with leadership in this
campaign. While l am not arbitrary,
and am always glad to receive sugges-
tons from Others. do not propose to
be dictated to by Intermediates. This
campaign Is going to be run on the
ideas and for the principles set forth
in the jefferson City platform. This is
going to be done regardless of what
others may say. think or do.
THE CONVENTION AND THE TICK
EFT.
The Jefferson City convention was
essentially convention of the people.
1t was the greatest state convention
ever held in Missouri, and represented
the free and untrammelled will Of the
rank and file OF the party. There was
no dictation to it by any boss as to
what it should do. The people were
supreme there. Each of the candidates
nominated won his nomination fairly
and honorably. There was no alliance,
expressed or implied, between myself
and any Of the candidates nominated.
None Of them owe their nominations
to me, and certainly do not owe mine
to any of them. All of us owe our
nominations to the Democratic party.
said early in the campaign that I
would not attempt to dictate the ticket.
have been fighting bossism, and l
did not propose to take the place Of
those who had been dethroned. I
thought the people had just as much
right to name the other nominees for
state Offices as they had to select the
nominee for governor. This position
was maintained to the end. The ticket
nominated represents, not my choice,
nor the choice Of any individual, but
the united viii and wisdom of the
Democratic party Of Missouri. Every
nomipee on the ticket is pledged to
support the platform, declaring unre-
lenting warfare against corruptionists
and repudiating their support. Every
nominee on the ticket has assured me
he will loyalty aid me in carrying out
the policies I have advocated. Ger
tainly candidates on the opposition
ticket are under no such obligation.
As the head OF the ticket I hope to
see the entire Democratic ticket elect
ed. and shall support 1t, as does every
nominee Of that convention. 1t lie time
now to remind Democrats that the NOM
mating convention is over, and discus
sions that would have been proper be-
fore the convention are out Of place at
this time. Let dissessions cease. The
time has now come for Democrats to
rally to the support Of the ticket, and
present q united front to the opposi-
ton. Let all good Democrats forget
personal Differences. and remember
only the good Of the party and the
welfare Of the state. We want all Of
the decent elements Of the party unit
ed, but we do not want harmony with
the corrupt elements, and we must not