East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-10
SPEECH Of IGNAT|US ]. DUNN
PLACING BRYAN IN NOMINATION


at times, imperil the advance or civ
iliEation.
Every people that has left its i'm
press upon history has faced such cri
sises.
In most instances where grave dan
gers have threatened the safety OF the
state, some great character, some mas
ter mind has been found, produced az
It were by the conditions themselves
with capacity TO direct Alright the en-
ergies Of the people.
This was true OF the ancient world;
It has been true of the modern
world: 1t is true OF this republic.
We have such crisis to meet to-
day. The favor-seeking corporations
have gradually strengthened their
hold upon the government until they
now menace popular institutions.
The question is whether this gov
ernment shall be restored to the con-
troll OF the people and be administer
ed in the interests of all. or whether
II shall remain an instrument In the
hands Of the few for levying tribute
upon all the rest.
In his special message to congress
last winter President Roosevelt de-
clared, substantially. that certain
wealthy men who have become enor.
mously rich by expressing the wage
Garner, defrauding the public and
practicing all forms Of iniquity, have
banded together. and by the unlimited
us Of money endeavor to secure free
dom from restraint and to overthrow
and discredit all who honestly admin
ister the law.
That the methods by which these
men have acquired their great for
tunes can only be justified by a sys-
tenn CT morality, that would permit
every form of criminality. every form
OF violence, corruption and fraud.
For many years, and especially
during the last 12 years, these very
men have been in control OF the re-
publican party; they have financed
every campaign OF that party for a
quarter of a century.
These exploiters OF the people,
whom the president mas so scathingly
denounced, have given their enthusi-
astic support to the republican can
didates and policies. They laid their
hands upon the trust funds Of insur-
ance companies and other corpora
tions and turned the plunder over to
the republican committee. The money
thus filched from the innocent and
helpless to purchase republican VIC
tory, has not been repaid.
And where do we find these men
today? Where are the swollen for
tunes" OF which we have heard so
much? Just where we would expect
to find them-supporting the republi-
can ticket and furnishing the sinews
of war for the republican committee
as usual.
Republican Platform Scorns Roose-
vek Reforms.
The platform adopted by the late
conventin shows what the republican
party in truth represents. Although
controlled by the friends of Roosevelt
and Taft, in framing the platform ev-
cry genuine reform which Roosevelt
has advocated was scorned and
trampled beneath the iron heel of the
predatory masters OF the republican
party. The Wisconsin delegation
which favored placing a few reform
planks in the platform was denounced
with sneers as being socialistic and
democratic, and the convention. by a
vote Of eight to one, repudiated the
reforms that the present administra-
ton claims to favor.
The mask OF hypocracy and de-
ception has been torn from the face
Of those who pretend to favor the
policies Of the president, and we now
know why the system" admires Taft
Tolerates Roosevelt, and hates the
senator from Wisconsin. When COM
PEELED 10 choose between an appeal to
the manhood and conscience of the
people in defense Of its platform and
candidate, on the one hand, and the
millions that the Special interests
may be depended upon to contribute
on the other, the republican party re-
jected the people and continued its al
lance with Mammon.
If the charges made by the presi,
dent are true-and they are true-we
are indeed face TO face with a situa-
tion as grave as any in our history
How shall 1t be met? The good sense
patriotism and united action Of the
people alone can remedy present evils
To wage successful fight we mus
have a leader. The republican par.
ty, dominated by the seekers of spe.
cial privileges, cannot furnish him
Republicans who really desire reform
are powerless; the efforts Of the pres.
ident have been futile.
The democratic party must furnish
the leader which present condition.
demand, and he must be man knowr
to be free from the influences tina
control the republican party. He mus
be man Of superior intellect, soun(
judgment, positive convictions an(
moral courage-one who will meet thu
forces Of plutocracy with the nakeC
sword OF truth-one who knows M
surrender. He must have a geniuI
for statecraft he must be a man o
wide experience in public affairs; h
must have ability to formulate poll
cies and courage to defend them.
But above all, he must have faitl
in the people. He must not only be
lieve In the right OF the people t
govern; but in their capacity to d.
so. And he must be a man whom
the people know and trust.