© 2006–2017
All Rights Reserved
William G. Thomas
Copyright Statement
Republicanism was ambitious in Omaha last night, the two central places of attraction being Exposition hall and Erfling's hall, where the speakers of the evening held the boards.
Both auditoriums were filled with ladies and gentlemen. The principal meeting, however, was at Exposition hall, where John L. Webster spoke, while John M. Thurston was speaking at Erfling's hall, after which they both changed places, and the oratory went on undisturbed.
When introduced by Chairman Wharton at Exposition hall, Mr. Webster said that he was out on the stump in the interest of the republican ticket of the state. Two years ago the democrats secured control of both houses of congress, and ever since that day the country had taken on a gloomy aspect. There had been great strikes, business depression and many failures. Worthy men were out of employment, and the great soup houses had become democratic dining halls. Since the republicans had gone out of power the condition of the country had been, "hell up to date."
Speaking of W.J. Bryan, Mr. Webster said that he had stolen the democratic platform, and had turned it over to the populists, though the straight democrats were going to vote the republican ticket this fall. The speaker said that he had some sympathy for Tobe Castor, Euclid Martin, J. Sterling Morton and democrats of their like, as Bryan had stolen their party and had traded it off for a senatorial boom. Mr. Bryan's free silver ideas were attacked, the speaker maintaining that if the country had free and unlimited coinage of silver, it would mean cheap labor and hard times, with gold going to a premium, as it did during the war of the rebellion. City treasuries would become empty and railways and other corporations would be receivers; it would mean a financial panic such as the world never knew.
Discussing the tariff question, Mr. Webster showed the inconsistencies of the Wilson bill, arguing the serious effect its passage had upon the country-closing up the factories and bringing general disaster.
The change of the tariff on sugar had levied upon the people of Nebraska a tax of $1,440,000 per annum, all for the benefit of the Sugar trust, which amount might much better have been given to the poor of the state to keep them from starving. In reducing expenses, the democrats had proceeded on a certain line, that of taking away the pensions from the old soldiers, an amount which aggregated $28,000,000, and this in the most prosperous country on the face of the earth.
At this point Mr. Thurston arrived, and as he walked up the aisle of the hall he was loudly cheered. This cheer continued until he stepped upon the platform.
Mr. Thurston was introduced by Chairman Martin as the next senator from Nebraska. Mr. Thurston said that he had just returned from a campaigning tour during which he had spoken in fifty counties and had met more than one-half of the people of the state. From what he had seen, he was of the opinion that the republican ticket would be elected, including six representatives in congress and the entire legislature. Two years ago, Mr. Thurston said, in this country every willing man could find employment, while today at least 2,000,000 men in the country were wandering up and down the land seeking labor and finding it not. Today there were 10,000,000 persons who were rapidly becoming paupers. These could be supported in two ways, one by opening to them the doors of the poor houses and the other by opening the doors of manufacturing establishments, which would sing sweet American music. Protection he said, opened the doors of American industries, while free trade opened the doors of the American poor houses. In all of the years of the republican party's power there was not a man from a foreign land who did not find a place to work; there was not an American factory permanently closed and shut down. It was apparent that God Almighty knew what party he could trust in America. Every strike in 1892 was by labor demanding better wages, and in almost every instance the advance was made, but today, with 2,000,000 men out of work, no man's place was secure, as there were plenty of good men who would underbid for the chance to be employed. Two years ago there were 2,000,000 men making articles to be transported and sold, but today 2,000,000 men were idle, the result of which was that train crews had been laid off, section men had been discharged, and there had been a reduction all along the line.
The United States could compete with England in the manufacture of any article known, and that was why Great Britain opposed the McKinley bill.
Upon the senatorial question, Mr. Thurston said that the next senator from Nebraska would not be a soft shelled democrat not a hard shelled pop, but he would be-("Thurston,") cried the audience in overloud voice, a man who represented the people and would not have to take fourteen hours in order to let the world know he was there.
Since the last joint debate, Mr. Thurston said that he had felt that he wished he was dead. At that time he said that W.J. Bryan's female editorial assistant was upon the stage describing the personal appearance of Mr. Bryan, who had the ambrosial locks. The lady, Mr. Thurston said, described Mr. Bryan as a man with "the front of Jove," but how she knew he could not imagine as she was looking at Mr. Bryan from the rear. (Applause.) Mr. Thurston declared that if he went to Washington as a senator he would not go there riding two horses. There never was a day when the republicans were in power that a man could not sell a dollar's worth of property for 100 cents, but then a man could not get something for nothing.
This country was large enough to take care of every ounce of silver that it had in its possession, but before being coined. Mr. Thurston said that he would have that dollar just as good as any dollar on earth.
The free silver people say, "let's open up the mines to all the world." This means, said Mr. Thurston, that 100 cents of labor or 100 cents worth of wheat for fifty cents worth of foreign silver.
Two years ago the democrats said: "Turn the republicans out and the price of wheat will go up," but it went down; two years ago the democrats said: "Turn the republicans out and the factories will open," but they closed. Two years ago the democrats said, "Turn the republicans out and the country will boom," but it bursted.
Republican victory could no more be stopped this fall than Niagara Falls could be dammed up with mosquitoes. It was a republican year, and there was going to be victory all along the line. In order to have the country thrive and prosper it was necessary to have the co-operation of the west and the great seaboard of the west. Nebraska put one star into the azure blue of the American flag and New York another, but when they got in there they helped to form one flag.
Three weeks ago Mr. Wilson, the author of the Wilson bill, was banqueted in London, but William McKinley received his ovation from the people of his own country. Mr. Wilson had received two great ovations in his life, the first when the bill passed the house. The day when the vote was taken his colleagues gathered around him and raised him bodily upon their shoulders and, amid the shouts, carried him from the chamber, but impartial history recorded the fact that W.J. Bryan carried out one of the hind quarters. He brought up the rear on that occasion, and he would bring it up next Tuesday.
© 2006–2017
All Rights Reserved
William G. Thomas
Copyright Statement