The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-14
Mccombs, Address.

) McCombs' Address.
, ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 14.-National
Chairman McCombs in opening the
convention said: I'VE are in an at
mosphere of victory. We have no
feeling Of guess, but spirit of Ger.
tainty. We meet to celebrate the
marvellous achievements of the demo
cratic party since it came into power,
and to place milestone upon the
path OF Its future success. Over 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. In
deed, it went SO far as to predict
that a frog upon reaching the size
OF an elephant would burst. / COM
mend to your notice the wisdom of
this. 1t took over 1000 years for the
prophecy to come true. Only last week
the frog elephant or the elephant-frog
years succeeded in decelving the
country. Now it is successfully de-
ceiving itself. In its platform i.
offers promises but with vacuous in
tent 1t promises the country in the
main what the democratic party has
already done or is in the process of
doing, saving always the bogus God
! protection. It has cioaked its iniquity
with judicial robe, but the cloven
/ hoof of special interest still protrudes.
! The board of directors has sat In
, Chicago and again resolved that they
are the country. They have adopted
the doctrine of REORGANIZATION and
predestination, but have made it APP
plicable only to themselves.
The rest of the people are their
wards-for profit.
! Ambition is noble attribute, but
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:
self glorification in place of national
honor; republicanism and progress
sivism SO called, in place of our only
ISM Americanism.
I'VE 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 awag.' 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
eyitsble-'divided they fall We are
proud in the thought that united We
stand. We welcome the pent up
Americanism of real republicans in
dividually to our ranks, offering them
haven in principle. Their leader
has abandoned them with rash
cruelty.
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 everyone should see
whether in his inner consciousness he
squares with the ideals of 1875 and the
later period of dramatic episode
When this country reso'utely main
| tanned peace with the world. Demo-
cracy in the face of scandalous 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 solemn. calm dig
nifty in the face Of circumstances
which might have drawn it into the
vortex of a world destruction. Though
yillified by self seekers. 1T has main
| tanned friendly relations throughout
/ the world; 1t has been true to the
/ spirit of America; 1t has been true
| to the great principles of Washing
] ton. jefferson, Madison and Jackson;
| it has allowed no selfish interest to
blind it to the fundamentals OF Its
faith and the country has found that
! it's confidence has been we'll bestowed.
The democratic party has proven it
self a party of principle, party OF
conservative ability, party of per-
| Torrance. 1t has proven that ideas;
( :, Uni fo6
America.
Ladies and gentlemen of this gr cat
convention the elephant is dead, the
" Dose is dead. Long live the Ameri-
can eagle"
| TBy George Martin, United Press
Staff Correspondent
| ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 14.-Sleep Is
selling on the democratic convention
hotel market here at about 81 wink
Sans room, sans bath. sans privacy
and sans quiet, hundreds Of dele
| gates and visitors today arose from
their troubled cots in sample rooms.
Railways, Hobbies and like spots, feel
/ ing heavy in the head and light In
| the pocketbook.
| In order to fill its contract and pro-
vide st. Louis with 100000 worth OF
! entertainment, the democrats nave
had to pad out their hours OF actual
convention work into three days OF
! fIub-dub and speech-making.
| In the meantime, delegates and al
ternates and several thousand visitors
are here paying double prices for en-
ltertainment and the necessities of life
and wearing themselves to fragile
killing time.
| There's nothing to argue over. VIII
son and Marshall will be renominated
on the first ballot when the time
| comes, but hotel and shop keepers
must "get theirs first"
The democrats had show to put
on and St Louis offered them hun
bred thousand dollars to spread it out
over three days and it is now being
| spread
! To lie down on an uncertain col
-