Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-29
SHERMAN SPEAKS IN CHICAGO
Candidate for Vice President Ad-
dresses Hamilton Club.
BEGINS TOUR OF TWO WEEKS
Time VIII he spent in Illinois, Ohio
and Indiann-senator smith and
ConEressman LonEwOrth
Also speak.

CHICAGO, Sept @-Opening the repuo-
lican campaign in Conk county, before the
Hamilton club here tonight, James s. Sher-
man, vice presidential nominee OF the re-
publicaq party, began a speech-making
tour, which in the next two weeks is to
take him through Illinois Indiana and
Ohio. other speakers were Congressman
Nicholas Longworth and Senator william
Alden Smith. Mrs. Longworth. daughter
Of the president, occupied box at the
meeting and evfnced her keen interest in
politics by frequent applause. The presence
of Mrs. Longworth caused the attendance
of a large number or women. Mr.. Sher-
man said that the paramount issue of this
campa gn related 20 a question OF MIR
Roosevelt policies. Mr. Sherman said:
our task as republicans in this cam-
paign, our duty as Americans Is to con-
vince a majority of the voters that re-
publican policies, republican enactnents,
republican administration will produce
the greatest degree of prosperity. of prog
ure Of the necessaries, the comforts. the
luXuries of life, the best plane of living,
of education, Of civilization, the surest
prospect of the highest attainment,
Our task is easier than that of our ed
versaries, because we have q premise on
which to base our argument. We have
past on which we rightfully base pre-
dtctions for the future. The only past
refer is three-quarters of a century gone;
to the history of Jefferson and Jacksoln
they appeal TO history rather than TO
memory Democracy's recent past they
either hide, decry, repudiate or attempt
to excuse. Democracy's peerless lead
er's loftiest periods deal wholly with the
expected His roseate pictures are of tie
future; are attempted X-rays. Ours are
OF the past-are things accomplished,
When democracy does explore a past
more recent than Jacksons time. It Is to
party for alleged failure to do that which
democracy never attempted to do when
the opportunity was hers.
Principles and great national policies
may change from time to time for one
of two reasons. Either an issue or ques-
tion may be solved and permanently set
as the resumption of specie payments;
such as the establishment of the gold
Panama canal, or it can be abandoned
temporarily or permanently, because II
is not at the time eXpedient or because
ment OF the latter l might mention the
free coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to
l. government ownership of railroads the
initiative and referendum and similar
policies that Mr. Bryan has advocated,
but for the time, at least, has omitted
framed. because their further advocacy
at present would be fatal to his party's
chances of success, II chance it has.
Mr.. Bryan il the Party.
These characteristics of the two great
parties. the parties which have appealed
TO the American electorate for fifty years,
are not only worthy of attention, but OF
analys Men are valued and their worth
is gauged, not alone by character. but gem
eraily by a lifelong record of accomplish
ments. Parties should be gauged the same
way. Mr.. Bryan Is bound to the traditions
and blunders of the democratic party. He
has seized its name, captured It's organiza-
ton, has written its platforms, and by
force, made himself it's candidate. He has
fathered and advocated one unwise, dan
gerous and destroying policy after anotheri
each one dying the campaign of Its birth,
and thousands of democrats refuse to yield
to his dictation or be bound to his chariot
wheels.
The democratic party, not only has a very
small record since the birth OF the repub-
! lican party, but of the record 1t has as to
| legislation and accomplishments, the one
! great law which 1t put upon our statute
books when 1t had the opportunity, was, a
! measure described by a democratic presi-
! dent as one "of perfidy and dishonor," and
! brought harm to our country and disaster
! TO our people
Comparing the various platforms OF the
] democratic party for the last half century,
/ We find that it has clung to but one policy
or principle, and that is, free trade. The
| policy has lived through all the varying
years as the one issue that has, been taken
| up and not abandoned. ! think II was
/ Henry Watterson who said that "the demo-
| nothing" and certainly in the light of hon
esty no one can dispute that statement.
| 1t is as strongly the one as II is appar-
| entity, the other.
Analyzing briefly what the democratic
party has stood for during the last thirty
| years, and what II has done or attempted
| TO do we find that II has preserved only
one doctrine, viz: a tariff for revenue only,
or free trade. and that as near a free
! trade law as Il was possible to get through
| both houses OF cangress. That. in a nut
! shell, is the democratic party record and
| the democratic character.
! No need to annalyiZe the various plat
| forms adopted by the republican party dur
ing these same years to ascertain for what
| IL has stood, We can take up the record OF
acCor1 DlishmentS. We learn not only what
! has been advocated, but what has been
done. We find that as consistently as the
! democratic party has advocated free trade
Just consistently and persistenty has
the republican party advocated protection
! Mr. Sherman here enumerated the re-
sumption OF specie payments the gold
standard, free rural delivery, the railroad
rate law, the Department OF Agriculture
the pure food law, the meat inspection law
and many other accomplishments OF the
republicans as constituting a great record
and then promised his hearers that ''ir
coming years the republican party will in.
augurated postal savings bank system.
'In every department OF our govern,
ment," he added, 1.-The watchword OF re-
publican statesmen in legislative and ex
ecutve position. Is onward, upward"
nnnHnII HnIFn nv ~Na,.