Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-14
NJ COMBS MAKES FINE
OPENING ADDRESS.
Says the Republicans Would
Make the People Their
Wards---FOr Profit

St. Louis, June 14.-National Chair
man McCombs, in opening the conven.
tion said:
we are in an atmosphere of vic
tory. We have no feeling Of guess.
but a spirit of certainty. We meet TO
celebrate the marvellous achievements
of the democratic party since it came
into power and to place a milestone up
on the path of its further success.
cover 1000 years ago, an old slave
related the fable of the frog who
wanted to grow to the size of an
elephant Such was the ambition of
his soul that his body swelled to a
marvellous proportion. Indeed, Aesop
went so far as to predict that the frog,
upon reaching the size of the elephant,
would burst. l commend to your no.
tice the wisdom of Aesop. 1t took over
1000 years for his prophecy to come
true. Only last week the frog-elephant
or the elephant-f t-frog-exploded The
republican party for years succeeded in
deeeiving the country. Now it is sue
cessfully deeeiving itself. In its plat
form it offers pulchritudenous promise
but with vacuOus intent. 1t promises
the country, in the main, what the
democratic party has already done or
is in the process of doing, saving al
ways the bogus gOd-protectiOn 1t
has cloaked its iniquity with a judicial
robe, but the cloven hoof of special
interest still protrudes
"Wards-for Profit"
''The board of directors has sat in
Chicago and again resolved that they
are the country. They have adopted
the doctrine of fore-ordination and
predestination but have made it ap-
plicable only to themselves.
"The rest of the people are their
wards-for profit.
"Ambition is a noble attribute, but
when it is adulterated with greed, a
cataclysm is inevitable. We have
recently witnessed a painful spectacle
of two great American parties at Chi
cago, putting self in place of ideals;
self Qualification in place Of national
honor; republieanism and prOgressivism
so-ealled, in place of our only "P ism
-Americanism.
owe have witnessed the drab spec
tacle of two groups of men, trading
principles like competitors in fish
market, in the hope that some com
promise would win public support
They have not come tOgether-they
have fallen out over the 'swag. For
the sake of victory, many Of these men,
essentially opposite in principle, have
been willing to become friends with
false masks. The result is inevitable
- divided they fall We are proud
in the thought that united we stand.
We welcome the pent up Americanism
of the real progressives individually to
our ranks, offering them a haven, in
principle. Their leader has abandoned
them with Grass cruelty.
"This is a crucial hour in the history
of the world. 1t is an hour when every
man should take stock of himself and
his principles. This is an hour when
everyone should see whether in his in
ner consciousness he squares with the
ideals of l776 and the later periods of
dramatic episode, when this country
resolutely maintained peace with honor.
Democracy Maintains Ideal.
''The democratic party, in the face
of seandalous and vicious attacks has
maintained this great American ideal
While for peace, it has steadily and
surely worked for sound and powerful
preparedness. 1t has maintained a sol
emn, calm dignity in the face of cir
eumstances which might have drawn it
into the vortex of a world destruction
Though villified by self seekers it has
maintained friendly relations through
out the world; it has been true to the
spirit of America; it has been true to
the great principles Of Washington,
Jefferson, Madison and Jackson; 1t has
allowed no selfish interest to blind It
10 the fundamentals of its faith and
the country has found that its CON
fidence has been well bestowed. The
democratic party has proven itself a
partv of principle, party of construc-
tive ability, a party of performance
II has proven that ideals can be real
ized United we stand for America.
'Iadies and gentlemen of this great
convention, the elephant is dead, the
moose is dead. Long live the American
eagle. "