The Jersey City news., 1906-02-03
Municipal Ownership Is All
That Remains to the
Democrats of Their Plat
form
SENATOR MINTURA's SPEECH
IN AN ADDRESS, AT THE MEET
ING OF THE DEMOCRATIC
LEAGUE AT ACHTEL- -STET-
TER's IN NEWARK HE SHOWS
UP REPUBLICAN LARCENY.

At meeting of the Democratic
League at Achtel-Stetters' Newark, Sem
ator Minturn said:-
After the very fiattering introduction
which | have just heard he said, Il feel
that may not be an unbecoming subject
for sketch in some coming issue of Nc
Clure's Magazine"
He described his pleasure at seeing
vigorous young men taking interest in
politics with the intention of cleansing
them even after the defeats that have
been encountered, so great as to make
the party seem almost lifeless, and the
subject of ridicule in that it has only
seven representa- tives in the two Houses
of the Legislature
During the agitation for the last
great reform in England" he stated,
Gladstone charged Disraeli with finding
the Liberals in bathing and then stealing
and masquerading in their clothes. But
we, the future hope Of the democracy of
this old commonwealth, have not the ex-
cuse that we possess SO much life as is
necessary to take bath ike the Liber
ais of England We are absolutely
asleep and like Sampson in the lap of
the traitorous Delilah our hair has been
shorn, our strength has departed, our
clothing has been stolen, our arms taken
from US by faction of the enemy"
'.How are we to do it?" he asked re-
ferring to the renewal of strength in
the party. That's the practical aues-
ton. You here have men of the right
calibre to solve the question. You have
practical, legal minds among you that
will be able to answer the questions.
none for the past. Blackguard none for
what you may think have been their
shortcomings. Extend the hand of fell
lowship. Invite all to join with you,
and two years from now when you go to
the State convention in TreAton the old
veterans will go to you and ask What
are your wishesY You must then be
ready to grasp things. Do not yilify the
- Al, TlN thoy4,
Do not criticise too harshly those who
have borne their share of the battles in
the past, even if you think they have
made mistakes. There will rest the fu-
ture of Democracy, and you must be
ready to deal with the crisis at that
time.
when Grover Cleveland laid aside the
reins of office we were broken, dis
united party When Bryan came upon
the scene it was by peculiar conditions,
but he led the party almost to victory
Two weeks before the election promi-
nent Republican told me Bryan would be
elected unless something was done.
Something was done and fund of ten
million dollars was raised. but Bryan
lost by only 100000 votes. Then came
the Cuban war which made an idol of
Roosevelt, then McKinley's death ana
then the election Of Roosevelt. but he
was a popular idol and was idolized be-
cause there was no Democratic doctrine
of consequence that he did not make use
of any apply TO his administration. The
figure of Roosevelt eclipses everything
and everybody and has made him essen
tally the man of the people. He is pop
ular because he has planted himself up
on Democratic principles and doctrines,
and when you dtsseyer Roosevelt from
them he becomes unpopular and Re-
publican.
"When you come to take the manage
ment of the party you will be laughed
at and told you cannot run the party
without money. That is true, you cam
not run yourself without money But
allow no man to tell you that you cam
not run your party without the unscrup-
ulous and corrupt use of money.
would rather have a good moral, clean
cut candidate upon an honest popular is
sue than all the moneys Of the banks and
insurance companies in support Of man
with stain upon his escuteheon.
There are men in both parties who
look upon man as purchasable; and upon
every election as commercial propo-
sition, which can be carried by the cor
rupt use of money. These men are hon
orable gentlemen in every other walk Of
life. They would scorn to steal dol
lar. They 50 to church and occupy front