The Irish standard., 1904-07-16

charge up to the Lord.
Gentlemen of the convention, be
yond the exciting passions of war and
the distracting panics of peace; be-
yOnd the reach of disasters dread ap.
peal and the. dead past's dying wall,
we meet in the clear and rational calm
of seasoned common sense, to reason
together for the well being Of our
country and our party. No man here
can have his exact way. No leader
can take us along the narrow ledge
of his unquestioned logic No section
should swerve us from the course that
leads to union and fellowship.
mo faction can divide us into weak
ened parts and leave us on the field
of battle in front Of the enemy. No
man is greater than his party and no
party is greater than its principles.
There is no principle :hich does not
rest upon condition, and there is no
condition which may not change.
There is no creed set down in black
and white to which we are forever
strapped, as to a corpse. There is no
platform which can last forever, I'M
less it be made of abstract things in
capable of demonstration.
"The world is moving in it's majes-
tic course and every dreary detail of
its toll works out some mighty
change. Civilization is night and day
working with its countless hands and
its influence runs ahead to where we
cannot see or hear. A political party
is an agency in the hands of these
material and multiplied forces and if
1T ceases to interpret events with in
telligence it will be deserted.
''The recent past is filled with a
record of our disagreements. Many of
us would change that past if it We're
within our power-most of us would
net-but whether we would or not the
point is, it is past. If we intend to
settle here the question as to who
we are foredoomed to failure. For if
we did not settle it then, how can we
succeed now? If you tell me l was
wrong and | tell you you were wrong
and we halt there to thrash it out that
is the end. But if you tell me right or
wrong, we meet again, after n short,
G. Or i'm, nj No
tar. and that we must clasp hands in
a natural alliance of Democratic faith
and find some common ground upon
which we each may stand with honor,
l say it does not matter who was
wrong; the point is we are together
again.
THE science of sensible government
is founded on compromise. The in
tegrity of party existence rests on the
homely rule Of meeting each other
half way. A platform is not a photo
graph Of party faith-it is a composite
sketch of party compromise. A policy
is an approximation, not precise plan.
1t is better to give up some untimely
doctrine and occasionally succeed than
to hold them all faithfully and always
fail, for if we could become master Of
a few things we might become ruler
over many. To plan success in disre-
gard of principle is mere intrigue; to
plan failure by holding to an outlawed
issue is mere folly. Winning is not
wicked, strategy is not sin. 1t is
far better for the country to relight
the fires Of Democratic hope by sue
cess coming from concession than it is
to put out what is left by failure
fastened to Il formula.
Gentlemen Of the convention, we
come together in the historic valley of
the Mississippi Mt time when un-
counted millions are making patriot
ic pilgrimage to a shrine erected by
Democratic wisdom and foresight.
Surely, as you gather here, with the
present breaking upon your enrap-
tured vision and the past filling your
hearts with songs Of praise and joy;
surely as you contemplate the COM
monwealths filled with happy homes
that stretch out in bewildering success
sion to the southern seas and recall
with unaffected pride that your party
gave this kingdom Of wealth and cour-
age to the worlds advancing reach;
surely here, close to the Quiclened
pulse of the great southwestern giant
rs he comes to strike hands across the
years with the spirit of the old domin-
ion; here, swept by the thrilling and
ennoblins memories of long ago and
inspired by spectacle which makes
these memories dearer and nobler
still, surely you are urged by every
impulse and entreated by every recol-
lection to forever sink the differences
that distract and causes that con-
fuse, and, gathering afresh from this
exhaustless headwater Of our hope the
spirit Of fifty years of ascending party
faith resolve to restore our party to
it's place Of power and pride in the
hearts ana affections of our country
men.
"The state Of New York, hearkening
to the demand from every quarter Of
the country, comes to you united upon
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