The record-union., 1896-09-24
He Defends the Planks in the Chicago
Platform
Which DenOunces Federal Interference
and the United States Supreme
Court for Its Action on the Income
Tax, Asserting That the Stand
Taken is Not as Emphatic as the
Republican Party Took in Its Plat
form in 1860.

| BROOKLYN, Sept. 23-William J.
| Bryan, the Democratic candidate for
President, delivered three speeches to-
night, the first in the Academy of Mu
sic, next to an overflow meeting outside
and later addressed large gathering of
laboring men in the upper part of the
city.
A solid mass Of humanity packed the
Academy of Music 1t was early
crowded, and fully an hour before the
| beginning of the meeting the doors were
closed and thousands turned away. The
| streets surrounding the Academy were
blocked with a disappointed throng,
who struggled and fought to gain admit
| tance to see the Democratic standard
| bearer. When Chairman Bell took his
| seat on the speakers stand at s o'clock
! there was jammed into the hall over
1900 people. There was a fair sprink-
ling of ladies present.
At sos o'clock Mr. Bell appealed for
order, and introduced Judge Gaynor of
| this city as Chairman. Judge Gaynor
was cheered to the echo.
| Just before the opening of the meet
ing Mr.. Bryan was escorted to the the
| ater and remained in an anteroom un-
til his turn to speak.
| After preliminary remarks in which
| Judge GaynOr said that in this cam
paign the Democratic party would not
be wanting for leaders, Senator Patrick
IL. McCarren was introduced and read
a resolution, which was adopted, pledg-
ing the Democrats of Kings County to
an earnest and uncompromising support
! of Bryan and Sewa1l.
| Then Mr.. Bryan came. The Secretary
had just said: Il have a list Of Vice
Presidents Of the meeting, Of which I
will read a few; but he never read
them Mr.. Bryan had become tired Of
waiting for the preliminaries to end,
! and with Bernard J. York had entered
the stage from the rear and walked
calmly down the narrow aisle formed by
the sitting and standing people. The
audience seemed to rise as one man. In
an instant men and women were shout
ing with all the power of their lungs,
and as nearly everybody was armed
| with small American flag, these were
waved In the air until the whole audi
torium appeared to be Kaleidoscope of
red, white and blue. Those who did not
the enthusiasm, and rose and cheered
with their more emotional neighbors
| 1t was a stirring scene
| Judge Gaynor finally asked for quiet.
and obtained it after the cheering had
lasted five minutes Judge Gaynor saw
that it was no use to make a formal
speech The crowd wanted to hear Bry-
an, and Bryan alone so the introduction
| Tins hraf- yra =
the formal parts of the meeting. and I
VIII introduce to you our great leader,
Mr.. Bryan"
That was all the Judge said and his
words We're drowned in the roar that
again rose from every part Of the house.
ana as the band played Rally Round
the Flag" the people had a new incen-
i've 10 snout. When quiet was restored
MT Bryan spoke as follows:
esteem it great honor to be per-
mitted to defend the great issues which
are presented in this campaign, and 1 am
giad TO be permitted to present that
cause 10 the people of Brooklyn 1 only
Wlsh that that distinguished divine
whose name has added even to the fame
Oh your great city, Henry Ward Beecher
'appiause) were with US to-day, that he
--S-AN SooA IldiHplCH the cause or the
people in their great fight. Before adj
dressing myself to the money question,
desire to say something in regard to
the pianks of our platform which have
peen assailed by the enemy 1 only
speak of them because persons high in
the Republican party have called at
tentlon to them and sought to twist
them into meaning never intended and
| 70 give them an interpretat ton which
they will not bear"
Mr.. Bryan then read the plank de-
nounclng Federal interference. and de-
clareu IL mild in tone when viewed by
the slde OF the plank of the inviolability
Oh state rights in the Lincoln platform
OF iooo- Continuing Mr. Bryan said:
NOW, my friends. if our platform is
wrong l want these Republicans to re-
pudiate Abraham Lincoln applause }
because If you take Abraham Lincoln
from the Republican party YOU have
taken from 1t it's most sacred memory.
Applause)
Now, let me call your attention to
another thing they complain Of. They
say we criticise the Supreme Court. Let
me read you what we say on that SUBJ
Ject, and the speaker quoted the plank
In the Chicago platform denouncing the
supreme Court for it's action on the in
come tax law
Mr. Bryan continued: What criti-
cism is there? 1 call attention to the
fact that the court overruled the de-
cisions of hundred years. We declare
that Congress ought to use all the legis-
lational power that remains Let them
insist that. having taken part. we dare
not use what they left. We demand that
Congress shall use such power as may
come by the reversal by the court as it
may hereafter be constituted Has no
court hereafter a right to reverse the
decision Of this court? If not, what
right had this court to reverse the courts
) for 100 years before it? applause }
This court changes from time to time;
Judges die or resign and new Judges
take their places. Is it not possible, my
friends. that future Judges may adhere
to the precedents of a hundred years,
instead of adhering to a decision rem
dered by majority of one. and that
lone changed his mind in two months?