The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-27

has piled up to 32o.ooO.oo of dollars.
Let us, therefore, stand by the tarln.
II made II possible to keep the army in
the field and the Nations life. 1t has
paid. in debt. in interest and in pensions
since its adoption, 5000 OF dollars, De-
sides providing sufficient revenue TO carry
on the mighty affairs OF mighty republic.
1t has given security 10 capltai, IL mas
strengthened the arm OF labor, IL mas oe-
veloped the resources of the land. IL has
diversified our industries. II has hghted the
fires OF industry in a thousand valleys anu
upon thousand hills. II has made US the
wealthiest and the happiest nation OF ms.
tory. We will not turn our BACKS upon IL
The "Free and Unlimited"
VIII the issue be the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at the ratio or
Is to /. without waiting for the aid
or consent of any other nation? 1.-The d.
vine ratio?" The creation OF the peerless
leader?'' The deiic vision of the boy Ora
tor of the Platter
Six million Democrats swore by it. Will
they do 1t again? They avowed. with un-
speakabIe vehemence, that the gold stand
ard would forever fasten the chains of
slavery upon US and that 16 to 1 was the
only road out OF the wilderness. They pro-
claimed. with a fervor before unknown
that this was the be-all and the end-all, the
first and the last. the alpha and omega OF
political existence, personal salvation and
national perpetuity- They exhausted the
Of the gold standard. and they searched all
dictionaries IN order to amplify their vo-
cabulary Of lugabrious terms that they
might fitly portray the unspeakable destiny
of our people unless they chose TO adopt
10 to L" VIII they do it again? If not,
why not? If 1t was right then, isn't ii right
now? Then, why don't they have the cour-
age Of their convictions and reaffirm the
sanctity Of Is to l? Everybody knows that
they win not do it. and everybody KNOWS 81 hss
cause they know they cannot win Win II.
II they thought they could they would re.
affirm the Kansas City platform and start
another crusade-another period Of frenzy
IN favor of the free and unlimited.
They said that 1t was not the tarin that
was causing our trouble, but II was Iney
said that it was the money question .nat
was the fruitful mother OF all our woes,
not succeed under the gold standard, but
we did. In spite of their dismal forebod-
tngs and gloomy predictions we have gone
on from victory to conquest and from con-
quest TO triumph. We have constantly
climbed new hilltops and dragged them up
after us
more money with which to do the business
OF the country and that the only plan Dy
which we could get more money was by the
Mr.. Bryan was making his prophetic ut
terances. which were his main stock In
s asion w sas i0ss Snes or e Sill cir Ser
capita To-day it is 1885, 692, l6s,
or $30.I per capita. an increase OF $S6l.2SI,
child in the land. Then the total wealth of
the Nation was eighty billions of dollars,
now 1t Is one hundred billions. Then the
sfm 1u 10000. an increase Of $50, 900 900. Since
that day we have coined $6C4, $50 in gold.
or a greater sum than for any like period
I'm our history. Since that day we have
coined $40. 739, l3S In silver, or as great
sum as IN any other equal period In our
sS Thsn 81 SEQ Iodag the Yellow
tide rolls toward us from every country
in the world. What is the astounding re-
suit? We to-day have a stock of gold in
the country. including bullion in the treas
ury, the sum held &s assets of the govern
ment. and the sum in circulation. amount
nation ever held at any one time in all
the history of the world. AT that time We
were selling our bonds at per cent, while
to-day. because Of our unlimited credit and
our high financial standing among the ma
tions of the world. practically all OF our
obiigations are drawing but per cent.
and they stand at premium in every
money market of the world. And all this
was done Notwithstanding the prophecies
that il ecud be- done snS oSep ths
malignant opposition OF the Democratic
party.
Imperialism and Militarfsm.
VIII they again raise the question of i'm
perialism and militarism? These were de-
clared the paramount issues in the Demo-
cratic platform of 1900. Will their coming
convention reaffirm that plank? AT that
time we were in the midst of war for the
suppression OF an insurrection against our
authority and for the maintenance of our
sovereignty over the Philippines. Then
we had 81. 900 soldiers In those islands. and
they carried the flag to victory. as our
soldiers have ever done. That conflict is
over; peace reigns, and to-day we have
1900 soldiers in the Philippines. Any
miitarism in that? Then we had a total
of 10000 of our boys in the army. now the
number does not exceed 5000, scattered
throughout ali the States and Territories,
in Guam, Porto Rico, in Alaska, in the
Sandwich islands and in the Philippines.
A reassertfon of that idiocy would deserv-
eddy call down upon them the Kissing and
scorn Of the world
And imperialism, the paramount issue
but four short years ago. will they dare
to reaf1rm that plank in their platform
Was there any earthly excuse for its in
sertion then? 1t simply illustrates the fact,
II after all these years 1t needs additional
illustration. that the Democratic party will
resort to any subterfuge IN order TO win.
their platform OF 1896. But they could not
wrest themselves from the clutches of the
peerless leader" They knew. even then,
or Job. but they were compelled TO demand
II because they were compelled to nominate
Bryan again. and Bryan could not be d.
palliate. TO modify the dose as much as
possible. and so they concluded to try to
form and make some other issue the chief
question of the campaign. They went down
on search through the old curiosity shop
OF the Democratic party hunting for a
DOGGY, and they found there the skeleton
of Imperialism covered with the dust and
cobwebs of thirty years and they brought
II forth TO terrify. If possible. the Ameri-
can people That same issue had done duty
for them before. They had charged i'm
perialism upon Abraham Lincoln. the kind
Hest memory OF our race They had
charged Imperialism upon Ulysses S.
land. and whose soul went UP to heaven
from the heights of Mt. Gregor breathing
forth that sublime benediction to the Amer
ican people. Let us have peace" They
charged IL upon William Mckinley: they
said that he was a blood-thirsty monster:
that he longed for personal power: that
he had dyed his hand red in the fresh gore
OF his fellow-men: that he sought to over
throw the Republic and erect upon its
ruins an empire of which he should be the
crowned and throned head. William Nc
KinIey. the noblest. the gentlest, the most
charitable character OF our day. whose
kindly life spans and arches all the clouds
OF war" And when the black angel
masked and voiceless, entered his chamber
20 summon him from the scene of his Ia
bors she found him fully prepared and not
afraid 10 go. She touched with her great
cold finger his pulsing heart and 1t stood
still and when he was cold In death. a
Nation laid its richest trophies at his bier
and his winding shroud was the pure. white
love OF all the world. And yet they said
ne was n malignant monster of guilt