The Commoner
i
NOVEMBER, 1916
ii
I
of a convention that will place before this coun
try the democratic nominee, and I assume that
every delegate' in this convention is herb bo
causo ho desires that nominee elected.
It is that wo may advance the cause of our
candidate that I present this resolution. There
are questions of which a court takes judicial no
t.ce, and there are subjects upon which wo can
a. sume that the American people are informed.
There is not a delegate in this convention who
does not know that an effort is being made right
now to sell, the democratic party. into bondage
to the predatory interests of this country. . It
is the most brazen, the most insolent, the most
impudent attempt, that has been made in the
history of American jiolitics to dominate a con
vention, stifle the honest sentiment of a party
and make the nominee the bond-slave of the
men who exploit the country.
I need not tell you that J. Pierpont Morgan,
Thomas F. Ryan, and August Belmont are
threo of the men who are connected with the
great money trust now under investigation, and
that they are despotic in their rule of the busi
ness of the country and merciless in their com
mand of their slaves.
Some one has said that we have no right to
demand the withdrawal of delegates who come
hero from a sovereign state.
I reply that if these men are willing to insult
six and a half million of democrats by coming
here we ought to be willing to speak out against
them and let them know we resent the insult.
I, for one, am not willing that Thomas F.
Ryan and August Belmont shall come here with
their paid attorneys and seek secret counsel with
the managers of our party. No sense of po
liteness or courtesy to such men will keep me
from protecting my party from the disgrace that
they bring upon it.
I can not speak for you. You have your own
responsibility, but if this is to be a convention
run by these men; if our nominee is to be their
representative and tool, I pray you to give us,
who represent constituencies that do not want
this, a chance togo on record with our protest
against it. If -any of you are willing to nomin
ate a candidate . who represents these men or
who is under obligation to these men, do it and
take the responsibility. I refuse to take that
responsibility.
It is not necessary for the gentleman from
Virginia to deliver a eulogy upon his state. My
father was born -in Virginia and no, one has
greater reverence for that great commonwealth
than I. I know, too, the sentiment of the people
of Virginia. They have not only supported me '
in three campaigns, but in the last campaign
they refused to allow their leading men to go to
the convention, except under, instructions to vote
for my nomination. Neither is it necessary for
me to defend my reputation as a democrat. My
reputation would not be worth defending if -it
were necessary to defend it against a charge
made against me by any friend of Thomas F..
Ryan.
The resolution Is not only sober and serious,
but it is necessary. We plant ourselves upon' the
Bible doctrine, "If thy right hand offend thee,
cut it off." The party needs to cut off those cor
rupting influences to save itself.
(From Baltimore Convention Speech on Mor-gan-Ryan-Belmont
Resolution.)
ON CHANGING TO WILSON'
The delegates "for whom I speak stand ready
to carry out the. instructions given, in the spirit
in which they "were given and upon the condi
tions under which they were given; but these
delegates: will not participate in: the-Homination-
any man whose nomination depends upon,
the vote of the New York delegation. Speaking
for myself and those who join me, we, therefore,
withhold our vote from Mr. Clark as long as
New York's vote is recorded for him, and I
hereby notify the chairman and this convention
that I desire recognition to withdraw these votes
from any candidates to whom New York's votes
are thrown. The position that we take In re
gard to Mr. Clark we will take in regard to any
oilier candidate whose name is now, or may
come before the convention. We sliall not be
Parties to the nomination of any man, no matter
who he may be or from what section of the
country he comes, who will not, when elected,
je absolutely free to carry out the anti-Morgan-wyan-Belmont
resolution and make his admin
istration roflect the wishes and hopes of thoso
who boliovo in a government of tho people, by
the people, and for tho people
Now, I am prepared to announce my vote,
w th tho understanding that I stand ready to
withdraw my vote from tho candidate for whom
I now cast it if Mr. Murphy casts tho ninety
votes of New York for him. I cast my vote for
Nebraska's second choice Qovornor Wilson.
(From Baltimore Convention Speech.)
TILE VALEDICTORY
Mr. Chairman and members of the conven
tion: You have been so generous with mo in the
allowance of time that I had nor expected to
trespass upon your patience again, but tho com
pliment that has been paid me by the gentleman
froffi tho District of Columbia justifies, I hope,
a word in the form of a valedictory.
For sixteen years I have been a fighting man.
Performing what I regarded as a public duty I
have not feared to speak out on every public
question before tho people of tho nation for set
tlement, and I have not hesitated to arouse tho
hostility of individuals where I felt it my duty
to do so in behalf of my country.
I have never advocated a man except with
gladness and I have never opposed a man except
In sadness. If I have any enemies in this coun
try, those who are my enemies have a monopoly
of hatred. Thero is not one single human being
for whom I feel ill-will; nor is there one Amer
ican citizen in my own party or in any other
whom I would oppose for anything unless I be
lieved that in not opposing him I was surrend
ering the interests of my country, which I hold
above any person.
I recognize that a man who fights must carry
scars and I decided long before this campaign
commenced that I had been in so many battles
and had alienated so many persons that my
party ought to have tho leadership of someone
who had not thus offended and who might,
therefore, lead with greator hope of victory.
Tonight I come with joy to surrender into the
.hands of the ono chosen .by this convention a
standard which I have carried in three cam
paigns, and I challenge my enemies to say that
it has ever been lowered in the face of tho foe.
The same belief that led me to prefer another
for the presidency rather than to be a candidate
myself, leads me to prefer another for the vice
presidency. It is not because the vice-presidency is lower
in importance than the presidency that I decline.
There is no office in this nation so low that I
would not accept it if I could serve my country
by so doing. But I believe that I can render
more service when I have not tho embarrass
ment of a nomination and the suspicion of a
selfish interest more service than I could as a
candidate, and your candidate will not be more
active in this campaign .than I shall be. My
services are at the command of tho party. I
feel relieved that .the burden of leadership is
transferred to other shoulders.
(From Baltimore Convention Speech.)
"NO ONE NEED BE A SLAVE"
And what a joy it is to meet these congenial
spirits, assembled hero from every part of this
country! One never appreciates that man Is
made in the Image of his Creator until he comes
into .contact with a heaven-born soul a man
who is not a f raid to die. An ancient proverb
says that "No one need bo a slave who has
learned how to die." The trouble with so many
men is that they do not believe in a resurrec-
tion. They do not seem to know that Truth
can not die; that no grave can confine it. I saw
-a lot of brave men. at Chicago;. fighting fortha,
-people. Wo have a lot of rave mon.herevflght-.
ing on the same side. May their tribe increase!
(From Comment on Baltimore Convention.)
PAN-AMERICA
bird ho openod tho cages and allowed tho feath
ered songsters to fly away. When asked why ha
thus squandered his money, ho replied: "I was
once a captive myself, and I find ploasuro in
sotting oven a bird at liberty?'
Tho United States onco wont through tho
struggle from which you have just oniorged;
tho American people onco by tho aid of a friend
ly powor won a victory similar to that which you
pro now celebrating, and our pooplo find grati
fication in helping to open tho door that barred
your way to tho exorclso of your political rights.
I have come to witnoss tho lowering of our
flag and tho raising of tho flag of tho Cuban
ropublic? but tho event will brlug no humiliation
to tho people of my country, for it in better that
tho stars and stripes should bo Indollbly Im
pressed upon your hearts than that thoy should
float above your heads.
(From speech delivered at Havana, Cuba, nt In
auguration of first prosidont, 1902.) ,
f-:.
UNITED STATES ATOS CUBAN INDEPEND
ENCE Let me borrow a story which has been used to
illustrate the position of the United States: A
man wended his way through the streets of C
great city. Unmindful of the merchandise ex
posed on every hand he sought out a store where
birds were kept for sale. Purchasing bird after
THE BANYAN TREE
In tho procession which escorted President
elect Palma to his home when ho returned from
oxlle, a number of Cuban ladies represented the
republics of tho western hemisphere, tho United
States being tho oldest, Cuba tho youngest of
tho group. It reminded mo of the groat banyan
tree under which our party rested for a momont
as wo passed through ltby West; for aro
not these republics much like tho banyan trco?
Free government was planted upon Amorican
soil a century and a quarter ago; it grow and
sent forth its influenco liko branches in every
direction, and these branches taking root now
support the parent trco; beneath tho influenco
of these republics, separate in tholr govornmont
and yet united in their aspirations an ever-Increasing
multitude finds shelter and protection.
Long live tho national banyan tree tho Amor
can republics!
(From the Birth of tho Cuban Republic.),
NEIGHBORS FRIENDS
The Lord has made us neighbors; Io justice
maico us friends.
(Motto suggested for Pan-American Union.)
"WHAT GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER"
The Almighty has made tho American repub
lics co-tenants of the western hemisphere; and
"What 'God has Joined together let no man put
asunder."
(From speech to Pan-American representatives.)
IN FOREIGN LANDS
LONDON PEACE SPEECH
I will not disguise the fact that I consider this
resolution (presenting tho peace treaty plan,
afterwards incorporated in tho thirty peace
treaties, providing for the investigation of ALL
disputes) a long step in the direction of peace,
nor will I disguise the fact that I am here be
cause I desiro this Interparliamentary Union to
take just as long a step as possible hi the di
rection of universal peace. We meet in a famous
hall; looking down upon us from these walla
are pictures that illustrate not only the g!cr
that Is to be won in war, but the horrors that
follow war. There is a picture of one of cue
great figures in English history (pointing to
the fresco by Maclise of the death of Nelson),
Lord Nelson is represented as dying, and around
him are. the mangled forms of others, i under
stand that war .brings out certain virtue; I an
aware that it gives opportunity for the display
of great patriotism; I am aware that the ex
ample of men who give their Uvea for their
country is inspiring; but I venture to say that
THERE IS AS MUCH INSPIRATION IN A
NOBLE LIFE AS THERE IS IN AN HEROIC
DEATH, and trust that one of the
results of this Interparliamentary Union
will be to emphasize tho doctrine that a Hfq, de
voted to the public, and over-flowing, like a
spring, with good, exerts an influence upon the
human race and upon the destiny of the yorld
as great as any death In war. And, If you will
permit 'me to mention one whose career I
watchel with interest and whose -name I revere,
I will add that in my bumble judgment, tke
i
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