The Irish standard., 1905-01-14
Points Out the Way in Which the Party Can
Be Rehabilitated and Victories Won
in the Future
We Can Now Put Past Theories and Factions
in Waste Basket and Write New
and Brave Platform.

anu lAAC 1Cl1 anu tlCLOIy
which has crowned our modern Demo-
cracy was when one brave and splend-
i'd leader spurned the suggestions Of
expediency, defied the timid leaders
and the timeserving politicians, dared
the doubts Of his own Cabinet, and
consented to be buried for time with
the brave body Of tariff reform in order
to share it's full and inevitable resur-
rection. And the Democratic party
owes it's deepest debt for it's dearest
triumph and it's noblest lesson Of
success to the definite policy, the un-
fettered conviction, the direct Ian
guage and the bold Andrew Jackson
courage. of the tariff message sent to
the Fifty-first Congress by Grover
Cleveland, of New York.
'9The people Of this country know
what they want. They are more and
more reading and thinking people.
They cannot be rallied by makeshifts
or held by compromises, but they are
ready now and always to follow a
straight platform and brave leader
to he triumph Of their rights. They
followed Grover Cleveland so under a
straight, sincere declaration for tariff
reform-Indiana, Illinois, Michigan
and the rest. They will follow now
any man who carries that banner, not
as holiday bunting, but as a battle
flag.
1.-TWO thirds of the people Of this
country believe in their hearts that the
tariff is an organized system of rob-
berry. They will follow any party that
will say so, as Cleveland did in definite
terms, and fight for reform in honest
and persistent loyalty.
'Two-t thirds or three-fourths Of the
people of this country are against the
trust system and radically opposed to
the criminal trusts. They will follow
any man or party that will fight the
trusts as William Randolph Hurst
fights them-not with words and
theories, but with publicity and in
junction.
"First and above all things the peo-
pie want definite democracy. They
want platform that means some
thing. They are weary Of platitudes
and straddles. They want platform
expressed in sentences and not in par
agraphs. They want explicit declara-
tions, and they do not want cumbrous
platitudes. They do not want too
many issues, but with all their hearts
and with all their ballots they would
like to see vital issues single-shotted
and central truths made brief and
clear.
"a platform is not blanket. It is
battle flag. 1t is not a symphony.
1t is bugle call.
1.-The people want a platform that
will embody their principles without
useless words. If the tariff is robbery,
say so, and let it 60 at that. If the
criminal trust is an iniquity, say so,
and challange the peoples ballots for
vindication. Go to the hustings for
your elaboration and explanat ton.
Sprinkle your argument in pamphlets,
and reason in literature, but illuminate
your cardinal creeds in sentences, and
give us platform that every Amer
ican voter can paste in his hat.
II. Reform the robber tariff,
'2. Regulate the criminal trusts.
"3. Equalize the taxation If it takes
an income tax to do it.
"a. Shorten the hours and improve
the surroundings Of labor.
IS. Keep infant children out Of the
factories.
't6. Arbitrate the wrangles of labor
and capital.
~. And put in stripes any man who
buys or bullies an American ballot.
go to the country in seven ringing
sentences, and If the country does not
sustain you, then there is no merit in
honesty and no virtue in the people.
"The Republican party is the spawn
of Federalism. It was born Of an
idea and organization that was always
set to monarchy and not. to liberty. II