The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-08-01
MCGINNIS' FINE SPEECH
Before the Democratic State Con-
vention at Cedar Rapids Last
Thursday a Masterful One.

Hon, v. R. McGinnis, of Leon, the
democratic nominee for congress
fre m the Eighth district, vas tenn
porary chairman of the democratic
state convention held at Cedar Rap
ic;s last Thursday, and his address,
1es1rded as the keynote Of the caill-
Daign in Iowa, was one of The great
est ever listened to by state con-
v:n ton. When ne concluded many
of tie delegates crowded to the plat
form to shake hands with him aud
congratulate him on his speech, ant:
the democratic leaders OF the STATE
pronounce it one of the EGest and
most logical presentations of the
issues of the campaign they ever
listened to. Leon is proud OF hcr
distinguished citizen, and hopes 10
ne able to celebrate his election as
member of congress neAt NoVem-
ber, for that is where V. K. McGln-
mis- belongs, for he has always been
a fearless champion OF the rights OF
the people as against the greed OF
corporation bosses and the money
kings of the country. The Report
er prints Mr.. McGinnis' magniti-
cent speech verbatim, and it is we'll
worth careful perusal.. Mr.. Nc
Ginnis said:
While I appreciate and am CRATE
full beyond expression for the privi-
lege and honor of participating in
the deliberations of this convention
as your temporary chairman, yet l
feel the corresponding weight OF
duty and responsibility resting upon
me as such, and fear that I may be
unequal to the task.
We live in great age. The
onward march of progress is advanc-
ing with force and step never be-
fore attained. The last century has
seen more of growth and develop
ment in the industrial and COM
mercial world than all of the eight
cen hundred years of the Christian
era that had gone before.
The battle of the ages has been
the struggle beween the many upon
the one hand to secure and main
tain to themselves their inalienable
rights of life, and liberty, and prop
erty, and happiness as against the
wrongs and encrochments of the few
upon the other in their effort to
take and appropriate to themselves
that which belongs to others. The
struggle now, is one for industrial
and commercial freedom, between
the people upon the one hand and
the favored few upon the other, with
the question of self-government in
cidentally involved by way OF return
engagement.
n The present age has been devoted
almost exclusively to industrial and
commercial life The genius of the
age and the energy Of the people have
been largely directed to the founding
of industries, the development of re-
sources and the production of wealth.
Our civil and social affairs have been
neglected. We have forgotten that
our way to peace and happiness lies
as much in the civil and social devel-
opment as in the Industrial and COM
mercial growth of the nation, and
that the way to prosperity lies as
much in the wise distribution as in
the active production of wealth.
The great economic, civil and
social problems of the age are the
equal and just distribution of wealth
and the protection and security of
Individual, civil and social rights.
"While the making Of material
improvements, the founding of in
dustries and the development of re-
sources are all necessary to our
physical comfort and material well
fare, yet there is something higher
than material wealth, something
nobler than physical grandeur and
greatness These cannot satisfy the
the yearnings of the human soul or
fulfill the hopes and aspirations of
our intellectual and spiritual being.
Towering over and above all these
with a splendid magnificence that
trandsccnds the power of words to
picture are the maintenance of pub
lie honor, the carrying forward of
progressive ideas, the upbuilding of
our civil and social institutions, and
the creating of nobler manhood and
womanhood."
"A wise and frugal government
that will protect it's citizens in the
free exercise of their faculties and
the acquisition and enjoyment of the
fruits of their own industry make
them secure in their person, honor
and home, which will restrain it's
citizens from injuring one another,
leaving them otherwise free to regu-
late their own pursuits of industry,
and not take from the mouth of labor
the bread that it has earned, is still
essential to the happiness and pros
perity of the people and necessary
to close the circle Of their felicities.
l congratulate the gathered hosts
of democracy assembled here to for
mulate and adopt the Statee Plat
form, ratify and name the candidates
and perfect the organization of the
party it represents, on the work
already done by the National Con-
vention in the framing of it's Nation
al Platform and the selection of
standard bearers. The hope of the
long years of patient effort upon
the part of the democratic party
for democratic government is about
to be realized and the people to en-
joy the benefits thereof.
Fundamentals.
Eternal vigilance is the price of
human liberty" The Declaration of
Rights of the new State of Arizona
contains in it's preamble the follow
ing essential of free government:--
- In