Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1899 — FIRST GUN IS FIRED. [ARTICLE]

FIRST GUN IS FIRED.

I SIGNIFICANT WORDS SPOKEN AT MILWAUKEE. Practical Opening *f th* 1000 Cannaisn— Brjran aad Marriaoa B*eak Anti-Trust Irone to Be Proatiaaat ia Next National Political Struggle. Democrats of the Central West In particular and of the nation in general find an Immense amount of material for mental digestion, as a result of the Jefferson Day banquet and celebration at Milwaukee. The opinion of the most far-seeing men who attended ia that the Democracy of the Central West is taking the bit between its teeth early in the battle that is to be waged in 1900 with a firmness and determination, leaving no room for doubt that the anti-trust issue will be paramount in the campaign, and that the issues raised by the Spanish and Philippine wars will have prominent places in the party platform. In his address Mr. Bryan reaffirmed the Chicago platform without denying the demand and the desirability of contemplation of the anti-trust and war issues. In his address Mayor Harrison, of Chicago, adhered to his text, “Corruption in Politics Dangerous to Free Government,” advancing the thought that the next battle of the Democracy for national supremacy should be one against trusts and in behalf of the rights of the plain people, the general lines of the Chicago platform being indorsed. All honors were accorded both Mr. Bryan and Mayor Harrison at the banquet The Chicago Mayor spoke in part as follows: That political corruption exists in this nation no man will venture to dispute. In all this broad land there is not a municipality in which at some time its citizens have not been forced to grapple with the lust for gain of great corporations seeking to debauch the government established by the people for their protection. Councils have been corrupted and executives terrorised that the stockholders of great monopolies might receive greater dividends upon their watered stocks. State Legislatures have proved traitors in this Insidious warfare upon the people's rights and have deliberately bartered to a few the property of those they have been chosen to represent. Even the ermine has not been free from corruption’s polluting tonch, and In Instances which, thank God, are but rare, the canker has attacked the last safeguard of popular rights. The great trusts'of to-day, springing up like mushrooms in a night, could not exist but for the corrupt practices at work to save them from the people’s righteous wrath. They feed and foster the corruption upon which they fatten, without which they cannot live. The people, recognizing that unless the vast and increasing power of wealth is curbed, the nation will inevitably be on the downward grade, are crying for relief.

A republic's first need Is purity of the ballot. Its second need is the absolute incorruptibility of those intrusted by it with the reins of government. The trusts and monopolies, conscienceless as they are, corrupt the one and debauch the other. They are the hotbeds that breed .a mass of corruption which is to-day the greatest danger threatening the permanency of our free institutions. The sober second thought of the nation will assert Itself against the exotic theory of Imperialism. Even its warmest advocates will not long hold out against the expressed will of the people. But there is need to open the nation's eyes to the danger of corruption In political circles. It Is a gangrene that eats beneath the surface. Those who foster It proceed stealthily in their work, with voices never raised above a whisper, with signals to convey what their tongues dare not express. Where, then, shall the work of reform begin? The answer is evident: At the very foundation of our political system, in the village and municipal government*. Let our young men, the hope and future bulwark of the republic, regard service in municipal politics as the highest proof they can give of their patriotism. Let them work tn the primary districts and in the wards, remembering that ward politics forms the foundation upon which rests the entire structure of the national government. Ward politics is ignoble only in so far as those who labor In that field of activity make it Ignoble. It lies In the power of the young Democracy of the nation. If it will but aet to work in the first trenches, to carry forward the crusade for purity in politics nntll corruption shall have been driven from high places, until honesty shall control In every department of the municipal, the state and national government. Stalwart young Democracy need not look far for an incentive. The example is set for it in the person of our national leader. Two years ago the party made Its fight under a leader with private life so stainless, with personal character so blameless, the people followed him and follow him still with as much seal as the crusaders displayed for the paladins of old. Ours Is the party of the people. Unless we serve the people honestly and fairly we are faithless to our trust. Duty requires us to strike the first blow at corruption within our party ranks. Let the word go forth that the Democracy will not tolerate a man, no matter how profuse his professed devotion to the party creed, who does not place obligation to the public above any and every personal consideration, if Democracy means anything. It means the honest service of the people. No man can be a Democrat whose Integrity is not above suspicion. He who seeks public office for private gain is a traitor to everything for which Democracy stands, and for him there should be no place within th» party ranks. It should be the duty of every true Democrat to scourge him from the temple of the party faith. In 1000 a bitter struggle awaits us. The old fight must be made again—a fight along the Iliics laid down In the platform of the last Democratic convention for the rights of the plain people; a fight against corruption and all its awful menace to the republic; a fight against the trusts that seek to make of thia nation, founded upon the theory of the absolute equality of all men, a serfdom submissive to the power and the arrogance of wealth; a fight for everything that will 11ft the people higher; a fight against everything that will restrain the republic In the onward march of its triumphant destiny. If we remain true to the theory and the practice of what Democracy means and stands for, there is no need to doubt the successful issue of the combat. Mr. Brynw’s Speech. Mr. Bryan's speech is given herewith In part: We are now near enough to the next campaign to be able to form some Idee of the lines along which the contest will be fought, and I am taking no risk when I aay that those who in 18»8 gave their allegiance to the Chicago platform are as united to-day In the determination that no step taken in 1806 shall be retraced. in 1888 Mr. Cleveland was defeated on the tariff issue, and yet the tariff was made the main Issue in 1882, and Mr. Cleveland wan elected. In 1883 Mr. Harrison was defeated largely on account of the McKinley bill, and four years later the author of the bill was nominated upon a platform reaffirming the belief In protection and was successful. Thue It la seen that la two Instances recently a losing Issue In one campaign became a winIf Its maintenance was a detriaaeat to the

latocoato tkmlAli xf O*_ _ i pnraM g*M atal*»rerc*i* el«cri*MA istib* natural ratio at which the mtato ShmtM he rasgehtk To twwm the ratte Nr tug th* slue of the tttror SoUar wo*M ***** sit ate the recetuage of eur praMht allrar **fclara law * less number es hto an* th* lacreroe of the ratio mate threaghuut th* w«tM wmM t trait tai a large Sierra** I* the votauue of suadard sbmm*, an* otac* the value of a dollar its**Sa «*•* *** *■«** her of doliara such • chaage would nuuSfl ly Increase the paichnsiag puwer at a dallar aad lucrwue the burden of debt*. It wuuM - ba equivalent to a transfer by ItglntaWaa at a vast ****** of wealth from the preSuring classes to the moaey owning il*rar*. The trusts are now absorbing an In r rare lag share of public atteoria* because of their rapid growth during the teat two year*. W» h*d a sugar trust aad an *U trust name years agu. We now have a btarett treat, and a match trust, aad a meat treat In fact, a trust 1* almost everything that la used. The people ate beginning w see what the principle of monopoly really menu*, and yet the principle of monopoly, so plainly Riustrated by the ludsstrial treat*, doe* art differ at all from th* principle at meanpaly which anderiiea both the <oM standard an* the paper money trust*. The Democratic party ts prepared to fare the future and meet new taanea wlthuat abandoning th* old. Vpo* th* subject of Imperialism I need only add a word. The ideas of forcible easequeot and of coioutanUon after th* plan adopted by European countries cannot receive the sapport of the peopte *f this conntry when the principles Involved are cteariy understood. In 183 J Abraham Lincoln ora* invited to attend a Jegersoa banquet glran by the Republican* of Boston. Than* where memories re* back to ante-bellum day* remember that the dectararioa of Independence formed a large part of Republican speeches In the early day*. It was mad* a Brt of the first platform «a which Abraham ncoln ran. That Lincoln was wedded to the fundamental doctrine set forth In that declaration no one will dispute. Ia expressing regret that be could not attend th* Benton banquet above referred to, Mr. Unrein used these words in regard to Theaaaa Jefferson: "All honor to Jefferson; to a ma* who In the concrete presence of a struggle for national independence by a single people had the coolness, forecast and capacity to introduce into a merely rerelutioaaiy document an abstract truth applicable to all me* and all time*, and so to embalm tt there that to-day and in ail coming days It shall be a rebuke and a stumbling Mock to the harbingers of reappearing tyranny and oppte* sion.”

Proclaaaatiow to Fillpim**. And yet the leaders of the Repubilcua party are attempting to deny these truth*, written for all men and for all time*. They are attempting to repudiate the doctrine of equal rights and of self-goveramewt given to us by the forefathers. Not only are they Imitating the monarchies of the old world In their policies, but they are copytag the language of monarchs in carrying out thetr policies. In the proclamation recently lasued to the Filipinos we find these words: “The commission desire* to aamue the people of the Philippine Islands es the cordial good will and fraternal feeling which I* entertained for them by'the President of th* United State* and by the American people. The aim and object of the American Government. apart from the fulfillment es th* solemn obligation it ha* assumed toward the family of nations by its acceptance of *overeignty over the Philippine 1 aland*. I* the well-being, prosperity and protection of th* Philippine people and their elevaU*u and advancement to a position among th* moat civilined peoples of the world.” Compare this with the language used by the Queen in her precinmauou to tie people of India in 1838, when she uald: “We had ourselves bound to the natives es our Indian territory by the name obligation* of duty which bind us tn our other «*bjecta.” And “tn their prosperity will be oar strength, la their contentment our security, and in their gratitude our beat reward.” Evil Kenulta Shown. It wUI be noticed that benevoleae* breathes through both decUratlou*. And then a* to their participatloa in government the proclamation to the Filipino* saya: “There shall be guaranteed to the Philippine people an honest and effective civil service, in which to the thltent extent to which It is practicable native* shall be employed." The Queen’s proclamation read: “And It is our further will that m* fhr an may be our subject*, of whatever rape *r creed, he freely and impartially admitted to offices la our service the dutie* es which, they may be qualified by their education, ability and Integrity duly to discharge. And yet. in spite of these promtae* madeto the people of India forty year* ag*. thupeople of India today complain that the offlees are filled by the younger so** *f Brithb aristocracy, while the tax** are paid by Unpeople of India. The policy of imperialtan* Is always defended on the ground that It Im for the good of the people governed, but we have never recognised the right of any nation to benevolently assimilate another nation. j