The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-19
FIRST CONVENTION Of
INDEPENDENCE PARTY
Thousands Witness Birth of the
Organization in Chicago.
HEARST'S KEYNOTE SPEECH
He Arraigns Both Old Parties, One as
Trusts Hamdmaiden, Other as
Built by Political JackGaWs-
Tells of Offer of $780, 600.

Trusts HaHdmaiden, Other as
Built by Political Jackdaws-
Tells of Offer of 100000.
Chicago.-Amid loud and enthusi-
astic cheering and with it's members
showing every sign of loyalty to their
new standard of political faith, the
first National Convention of the In
dependence party was opened at 8
o'clock p. m. in Orchestra Hall.
The convention adjourned for the
day, after listening to.'the speech of
W. R. Hearst as temporary chairman,
in which he said that when he was
running for Governor of New York
an emissary from one of the biggest
men in Wall Street offered him a
$1,000 contribution to his cam
paign fund if his views were reason
able in regard to honest business.
He said that he had refused the offer.
The main floor of the hall, in which
have been held some of the largest
gatherings in this city, were filled by
the delegates. There we're no alter
mates. The galleries were overcrowd-
ed with a throng which applauded
vigorously whatever met their ap-
prevail.
Secretary Charles A. Walsh, of
Iowa, of the provisional national COM
mittee, read the call for the conven-
ton. The reading vas punctuated
with cries of Hearst" and Bryan"
fNl10u-o1 hNy cfnrroc NF nhnnrc and
Kisses.
At the conclusion of the invocation
by Father O'Callahan, of Chicago,
Milton w. Howard, of Alabama, an
nounced the names of the temporary
officers. His mention of the name of
Hearst was greeted with loud cheer
ing, and as the New Yorker assembled
the rostrum the band struck up THE
Star Spangled Banner" Then there
was more cheering and applause led
by the New York delegation.
When quiet was finally restored Mr..
Hearst began his address as tenn
porary chairman of the convention.
MI. Hearst explained at length the
object Of the independence party, say
ing: "a new party is necessary to
plSSSl We IAS liz co hS La
theirs framed it," and ito represent
the typical American citizens that
constitute the people in their struggle
with t%yrannical monopolies which
constitute the trusts"
The old parties are no longer equal
to this task, he said, for they have
become unfaithful to the principles
which inspired them and unworthy of
the patriots who founded them.
He denounced the Republican lead
ers as political attorneys of the trusts
and monopolies and the Democratic
vanguard as a Falstaff army, led by a
knight arrayed in a motley of modi-
fed professions and compromised
principles, of altered opinions and
retracted statements. Continuing, he
said:
Assuming that Mr.. Bryan himself
Is all that his most ardent admirers
| claim him to be, a great lawyer, an
enlightened statesman, an inspired
patriot, still a man is known by the
company he keeps, and no decent
Democrat can tolerate his free COM
panions.
mo honest citizen can let down
the bars of Office to such an Ali Ba-
ba's band of boodlers and braves. No
prudent citizen will support a combi-
nation to which Taggart supplies a
candidate and Parker a platform, for
which Ryan will pay the freight and
the people will pay the penalty.
Back of both parties and under
writing each are those Captain Kids
of industry, those h~ighwaymen of
high finance, who realize that to
plumber safely the peoples purse
they must first possess the peoples
government.
81 urge our party to take a broad
and liberal stand toward the legiti-
mate business enterprises of the
country, but to distinguish between
honest business everywhere and those
criminal concerns which plumber
through political pull and pay for po-
litical protection.
Reforms must be made as the
country develops and the people pro-
gress, but these reforms should be
carried out by those in authority
without spite or prejudice, without
egotism or sensationalism, without a
brass band or a big stick.
I'VE all want prosperity, and, what
Is more, we want prosperity for all.
l urge our party therefore to be in
diligently and courageously con-
structive - not merely obstructive
like the Republican party or destruc-
tive like the Democratic party.
THE Republican platform says
nothing and means nothing. The
Democratic platform contains some
good and original things, but. as has
been said, the original things are not
good and the good things are not
original.
"Our party is not a party of fac
tons or sections or cliques or classes.
We have no warning wings to pacify,
no contradictory declarations to
modify, no corrupt bosses to satisfy.
Let us act boldly and speak plain
ly. Let us make a platform so clean
and so sincere that every citizen will
understand our position and have
confidence in our intention. Let us
nominate candidates from among the
many men here present whose lives
and deeds are a guarantee Of the gen.
u~ineness of their attitude-a pledge
of the sincerity Of III professions.