The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-14
McCombs Opens Convention,
Sees Wilson Reelected.
Calls Chicago G.. o. p. Session
"BOard of Directors"
HOT SHOT FOR REPUBLICANS
Pays "Tribute" to Sage of Sag
amore Hill Also.
In Conclusion: elephant Is
Dead: Moose Is Dead."

Coliseum. st. Louis. June IT,
In calling the Democratic national
convention to order at noon today
Chairman William F. McCombs of the
Democratic National committee spoke
as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen of the con-
vention: We are in an atmosphere of
victory. We have no feeling of guess
but a spirit of certainty We meet to
celebrate the marvellous achievements
of the Democratic party since il came
into power and to place a milestone
upon the path of its future success
Over two thousand years ago. an
old slave related the fable of the frog
VINO wanted to grow to the size of an
elephant. Such was the ambition of
his soul that his body swelIed to mar
velous 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 notice
the wisdom of Aesop. 1t took over
two thousand years for his prophecy
to come true. Only last week the
frog og-elephant-or the eIephant-froE
exploded. The Republican party
for years succeeded in deceiving the
country. NOW II Is successfully de-
ceiving itself In its platform it offers
pulchritudinous promise-but with
vacuous intent. 1t promises the coun-
try in the main what the Democratic
party has already done or is in the
process of doing. saving always, the
bogus god Protection 1t has
cloaked it's iniquity with a judicial
robe but the cloven hoof of special in
terest still protrudes
People Wards of G. o. p.
The board of directors has sat in
| Chicago and again resolved that they
are the country. They have adopted
| the doctrine of REORGANIZATION and pre-
destination, but have made 1t appIi-
cable only to themselves.
The rest of the people are their
wards-for profit
ambition is a noble tribute br,t
/ when it is adulterated with greed, a
cataclysm is inevitable. We have re-
Gently witnessed the painful spectacle
of two great American parties at Chi
cago putting self in place of ideals.
! -glorification in place of national
honor; Republicanism and Progress
/ siveism so-cal1ed, in place of our only
| ism -Americanism.
We have witnessed the drab spec
| tacle of two groups of men trading
principles like competitors in a 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 in
evitable-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 haven, in principle. Their
leader has abandoned them with gross
cruelty.
Reunion for Self.
The gentleman from oyster Bay. In
a recent letter to Chicago, quoted
Abraham Lincoln as saying May not
all, having common interest re-
unite in common effort to save our
common country Ladies and gentle
men, l beg to call your attention to
the word re-unite.' The words save
the country have been the disguise Of
the opposition for years. There NAV
be political war today in this coun-
try, but that war only exists between
quote the words of Lincolne In the
hope of re-uniting Americans? No
Americans are reunited as never be-
) fore. He meant by re-uniting that two
factions of his party should re-uuite
These two factions or parts of them
hoped to join for observation-disclosures ert-
Leaders of these two factions-fac-
tions powerless as entities-hoped To
join hands, however stained and how
ever divided on irreconcilabie prfucf-
! pies. for the insidious purpose of over
| throwing a third entity, which has for
! the past four years stood united in 4
common cause; whose shibboleth is one
for all and all for one; equal rights
and special privileges to none; whose
chief tenet of faith is that Annericz
is American and Americans are Amer
lea.
This is a crucial hour in the his-
tory of the world 1t is an hour when
every man should take stock of him
self and his principles. This is an
hour when every one should see
whether in his inner consciousness he
squares with the ideals of 1875 and
. 1.-THE later periods of dramatic episode,
when this country resoIutely rnaintain-
ed peace with honor.
: Maintained the Ideal.
t TIE Democratic party, II the face
, | of scandaIous and vicious attacks. has
ma irtained this great American ideal
n While for peace it has steadily and
4 surely worked for sound and power
full preparedness It mas maintained
a solemn calm dignity in the face Of
: circumstances which might havz
!. draw it into the vortex Of a world
destruction. Though vfIiifiei by self
: seekers. it has maintained friendly re-
: / 1ations throughout the world; it tas
been true to the spirit of America
s Ladies and gentlemen of this great
convention the eIeDf1ant is dead fhf