Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-19

HON. l.. ". HURST.
number Of prOm. nent central Hi
Eoi- GemCcrats were in attendance.
The speakers took "a roseate
view of the political situation. both as
regards the national and state cam
paigns. Harmony was urged and hope
expressed that the democracy was on
the eve Of g~cat victory. Mr.. Hurst
spoke as fCllow.:
Mr.. President and thc Members of
the Mandan CluE-When | received the
initiation Of your committee TO adj
dress You on this occasion. was loath
to accept the same. for the reason
that my time seemed to be 50 fully &C.
cupied by pressing professional en-
gagcments. But when / re-rcad your
invitation and noted the object Of
of your organization was to promote
harmony within the democratic party.
and to assist in getting together all
the elements which were opposed to
the present policies of the republican
party, | thought that the objects Cf
your organization were to he COM
mCnacti and should he aide! by every
sincere wei wiShcr Of the democratic
party. and felt that if i'm my humble
way | could assist in any manner
Whatever in making successful your
organization. aud in assisting in the
attainment of the aims and ends Of
your organization. as expressed in
your invitation to me. that | would be
doing less than my duty as Il loyal
member Of the democratic party
should decline your invitation.
AS | take il. the principal aim of
your organization is to bring about Il
spirit of amity and friendship among
the members 81 our party. and GER
tainly such an object as this should
he commenced ny all. Certainly wis
dom should dictate that all memories
of any discurd in the past between
members Of orr party should he for
gotten. Such Il spirit has in all ages
and at all times been commented.
| remcmI or having read i'm Thucy-
diGies that Il brazcn monument was
erected by the Thebaus. To celebrate
their victory over the MacedouianS.
but it was regarded as a memcnto of
civil disc0rd, and he trophy was abuI-
ished. because IL was not fitting that
any record should remain of the con-
tlict between Greek and Greek.
No Wiser Leader.
In our own party we can follow no
wiser leader than he who founded our
great party. and who first proclaimed
the true principles Of democratic
faith. MIR. Morse. in his life of JEFF |
fcrson. in &uGlyzing and discussing
his character. SAYS: Jefferson set
forth a broad faith or religion in
statesmans hip. making .pccial meas
ures only single blocks in the wide |
pavement of his road" He believed in
compromise and concession as being |
necessary to the proper government of
the people.
~ indicating the doctrine which !
controlled jefferson. | quote from his /
letter to John Dickinson, written from |
Washington in July. 1901. jefferson |
says: Il hope the good sense and pat
riutism of the friends Of free govern
ment Of every shade will spare us the |
painful aud deplorable spectacle IF !
brethren sacrificing TO small passion /
the great and iumcrtal and immut-
able rights Of men
My fricuC;S. i il not time that we of /
the democratic faith should consider
whether or not We have been sacri-
ticinG To small passions the great and
immortal and immutable rights of
men? \ brief decade age. and a demo-
cratic party WIS in control If cur gov
ernmcnt. and il seemed as though for
years To come the administration of
its affairs would be guided by demo-
cratic principles. Then arose dis
sensions in our ranks over the ques-
ton as TO the wisdom of the doctrine
of the free and unlimited coinage of
silver N the ratio of Is To /.
Now. | am not here tonight To dis
cuSS the wisdom of that COctrinc In /
two great national campaigns the pcu-
pie Of this country have rendered an
adverse verdict upon this question
What I want To say tonight. however,
* that ! for one am unalterably OPP
pose! to the reopening of that ques-
tion AT this time. and 50 | learned /
" it'll deep regret that that eminent |
member OF our party. who has led the /
national democracy in the two last /
campaigns, has declared that the first }