Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1900 — THE STATE REPUBLICANS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE STATE REPUBLICANS

Indiana State Nominating Convention Assembled at Indianapolis. 4 MR. HANLY’S ADDRESS Chairman Utters the Keynote of the Republican , State Campaign. i = . The Platform Indorses the Administration of Party In State and Nation.

Indianapolis, April 26.—The Republican state convention was called to order at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon In Tomlinson Hall by Chairman Herniy■ The largest crowd that ever greeted the opening of a similar meeting in this state was present. The platform . was filled with prominent Republicans from all over the state, Including the members of the state delegation in congress. After a prayer by the Rev. William A. Quayle, the report of the committee on rules and permanent organization was adopted, naming the Hon. J. Frank Hanly of Lafayette permanent chairman. This gentleman was escorted to the platform and addressed the convention in part as follows: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention: I am not insensible to the distinction you have conferred upon me by select- , Ing me to preside over the deliberations of this convention. It is an honor I have not sought, but I obey your wish in this, as in all other things, and accept the responsibility, feeling that your patience and forbear'T’*”’ — ■ -g ance will aid me in the proper dis-

Charge of the delicate duties of the position, and that your partiality will excuse any errors into which I may fall. We are met in the closing hours Of the world’s greatest century to write another page of Hoosier history. For in what we do here we must needs make history. I- congratulate you upon the greatness of this assemblage, in numbers, In character and in enthusiasm; and, above all, I congratulate/you upon the auspicious circumstances under which jpou have convened. When we assembled in convention In 189 G, the Democratic party was in- 1 ' trenched in power in the state and in the nation. (Sold was being exported at the rate of more than $30,000,000 a year, in excess of importations. Only 1% per cent of customs duties were being paid in gold. The gold reserve !ivas exhausted, and “endless Chain” process was in effective operation. Favorable trade balances' were cither small or had entirely ceased to exist. Farm products had dropped in ftrice beloiw the cost of production. (Confidence had disappeared from the business world. Commercial failures bad multiplied beyond precedent in either number or sum; and money was unobtainable save at exhorbitant rates of Interest. These conditions still obtained on the 4th of March, 1897, when the Republican party was restored to power. Charged with administering the government during one of tiie most trying periods in the nation’s history, the administration at Washington submits 1 Ho the loyal people of the country the Btecord of the last three years without Kbesitation or fear, confident that it will p receive their approving Judgment at jtho polls in November. Through the efforts of President McKinley and the iPrork of a Republican congress, we are living today under a new dispenjgaUori. The bonded nightmare of a {Democratic administration has passed «way f and we stand again In the broad Spue lll of better day. - r During the last year we have surpassed tba red-letter year of 1892 and

have set * new milestone upon the pathway of American prosperity and progress. Our store of gold is more than-double that of England and Germany combined, gad far in exeess -of - 41i*-t held by any other nation In the world. The gokl reserve in the treasury is more than double the amount heretofore required; while the monetary circulation of the country aggregates more than $2,000,009,000, and the per capita circulation exceeds $26.00 as against $21.15 in 1596. Money may be had for the asking at rates of interest so low as to leave hut a nominal protit to the lender after tax charges are paid. The products of American factories are finding such a market throughout the civilized world as to give those engaged in manufacturing more orders than ear. be filled. Furnaces that have not.boon lighted'for years are in full blast, day and night. This revival of prosperity is not limited to the industrial trades. The products of field and farm find a ready and profitable market. More farm mortages have been prfid. or renewed at reduced rates of interest, within the last three years, than in any other like period in American history. Commercial failures have become nominal in number and in sum. Lake, river aud railroad traffic Is enormous. Labor is employed, wages are being increased daily, and hope and confidence dominate the entire business world. * Three years have gone by and the direful prophesies of the wordy itinerent of the Flatte remain unfulfilled. His cries of impending disaster are as loud as ever, hut they are drowned amid the glad shouts of contented women and children and the joyous laughter of his wellfed countrymen. His theories have been crushed, one by one, by the stern, unyielding facts of actual experience, till lie is left without au affirmative issue for the approaching campaign. The cherished dogma of “16 to 1,” abandoned, lie sinks to the level of his party, to become an apostle of degation—a destroyer of other men’s politics, and a builder of none for himself. Happy indeed are the conditions under which we are assembled. The occasion is pregnant with hope aud purpose. It stirs to life glorious memories of a splendid past, and inspires within us a just hope of a yet more glorious and resplendent future. Think, while I recall the names of some of those whose lives run like entwined threads of silk and gold through the pages of the state’s first century of history— William Henry Harrison, Henry S. Lane, and Oliver P. Morton, the most j intrepid, stalwart spirit of a most heroic age; Schuyler Colfax, Alvin P. Hovey aud Benjamin Harrison. Stop, my countrymen, and think. Tears should mingle with these cheers. There is another, whom a Republican state convention cannot forget—one whose name and fame is linked with that of Indiana as is linked the name aud fame of Washington and Lincoln, j with that of the Union. We buried him j but a few weeks since on the banks of the broad river he loved and beside which he lived and died**’' His loss to us was great, and we are not yet comforted. Our hearts are still heavy with grief. For the first time since the hirtli of the Republican party we are to go into a political contest 'without his inspiring eloquence and wise counsel. We miss him, ah, sirs, we miss him. And yet, bj us, he is not dead. His influence lives and will live forever. His spirit pervades the hall in which we sit. From these walls there come to us echoes of his wit, reason, invective and eloquence, until for the moment we forget our loss, Prudence, honesty and economy have characterized every fiscal act of the state government, and under the j laws enacted by the late general as- I sembly, the same wise principles have I been extended to the several county j and township governments of the state.

Since the inauguration of Gov. Mount, the state debt lias been reduced SI,TIG,OOO, and we are given the gratifying assurance that before the 1 expiration of his term of office, there will be a further reduction of at least 1 $400,000, making an aggregate reduction of the principal of the state debt in four years, of $2,116,000; thereby saving to the tax payers of the state an annual interest charge of $60,000, or SIOO a day. This has been done by requiring a high standard of official service and by the- practice of strict aiul intelligent economy in every department of the state government. He lias earned the gratitude of his party by his adherence to principles of sound and honest .government, and at the end of his term, he will retire from official life with the respect and confidence of the people of the entire state, without regard to their party affiliations. Upon his. administration we may safely go to the people and ask a continuance of our trust. He has demonstrated that high and faithful service to the country is the best service that can be rendered to the party, and that good government is the surest guarantee to the continuance of political power. Gentlemen of the Convention, the administration at Washington has kept faith with the people of the republic. Ten days after the inauguration of tiff* president, the congress, convened in extraordinary session, was considering the enactment of a new tariff measure; 90 days later the Dlnghty law received the president’s approval; the pledge made to the American workingman was redeemed; and the Wilson law, child of “perfidy and dishonor,” the bastard offspring of an unholy liaison, was wiped from the statute hooks of the nation. In 1898, the Dingley law was rapidly replenishing the depleted treasury left to us by a Democratic administration. The revenue created by its pro-

visi-vis would have been adequate to the needs of the government, but for the unexpected if ml extraordinary expenditures Incident to the conduct of a foreign war. This mew condition was promptly met by a revenue men save framed and passed in the face of bitter and partisan opposition waged by the minority in congress. Under it the revenues -of the government have been more than sufficient to defray the expenses of the war with Spain and in the Philippines. A surplus again appears in the treasury, sufficient in sum to promise an early aud substantial reduction of the special taxes levied under the provisions of the law, thus assuring relief to a generous and patriotic people. ■ -T— - Other measures are still pending and are receiving best thought of the president, his constitutional advisers and of congress. Many of the questions involved are delicate and difficult of solution. Haste, or inconsiderate action, in such matters would work irreparable injury to the country. All men and all parties admit the evils of centralized industrial and com-* mercial authority*. Conscious of its duties in the premises, the Republican party is seriously considering whether we ought pot to choose centralization of governmental authority. This means a constitutional amendment giving tlie congress full power to deal with the entire trust question. This question is bci/ig considered with the fairness, candoj and patriotism which have always characterized the actions of the Republican party. Finite mind has not yet discovered a sure aud safe solution of the problem. The American people, however, will ultimately find a solution, and when found, it will come through the patriotism and intelligence of the Republican party. Its experience in legislation and business affairs, and its capacity to do things by safe'and conservative methods are guarantees that it will find a just, and adequate remedy for the evils complained of. In addition to these questions of domestic concern, there have been pressing for solution problems of first importance to us and to the helpless people of distant lands. Peoples, the responsibility for whose care and wellbeing, is devolved upon us as part and parcel of the heritage of victory, By war and by treaty, we have acquired territory in the islands of the sea. It is now too late to discuss the propriety of expansion. We have already expanded. The opportunity of the antiexpansionist is past. As members of the Republican party we may often differ upon the details of legislation effecting this question, but upon the great, fundamental principles which underlie it all—never. Upon these our hearts and our minds are aS one. Some of the members of the Indiana delegation differed on the measure, but the moment it became the law, our differences, and theirs ended, ffnd thtf Democrat who consoles himself with the thought that this act of the administration will not have the endorsement of Indiana Republicans, does not know us.

J. FRANK HANLY.