The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-01
THE SPEECH NOMINATING BRYAN
General Weaver Made One of the
Efforts of His Life.

Oh
General Weaver was greeted with ap-
plause and said: Mr.. Chairman: l rise
before you this morning in my judgment
feeling this to be the most critical period
that has ever occurred in the pooulist
party. 1 know 1 have in my heart but
one aspiration or lingering intention-to
do nothing in this convention or to say
enc word in this presence that would
initiate against the growth ami strength
and security and purpose of the popuhst
party. 1 may say have two aspira tons
in connection with that party. The trst
is incorporated with my life work. 1t is
to preserve, untarnished, and unbroken
thep rinciples we have cortended for the
last 20 years. (Applause.) Gentlemen, l
do not want any one charge that my
second purpose is to preserve the organ
ization for present and future usefulness
in every part of this Union. You nave
all read the papers this morning. You
have read the manly dispatch from the
democratic nominee for president Hon.
William j. Bryan. (Appause) No man
could have done less and be a man. His
manly attitude concerning the action Of
this convention we must all respect and
every member of IL and every person
who reads the proceedings of this con-
vention must do the same. But my fell
low citizens, this question has reached
point where neither Mr.. Bryan
nor his personal friends have
any right whatever to say anything
in regard to what the action of this CON
vention shall be. This is a greater Uues
ton than the personality OF its caldl-
dates. and / as an individual tell you
that is the fact Last night, after l hal
read the kilograms from MI Bryan, 1
utterly refused and 1 here and low ut
terly refuse, to confer either with Mr..
Bryan or Mr. Jones as to who shall be
the nominee of this convention. cloud
applause) That is a matter hat we
have a right to determine for ourselves
1t s the relief of 7OOOO,OOO people that s
at stake. Now, then, l am here to d.
but one thing and to ask the considera-
ton and attention of this convention 20
chat one thing. l know. if know any
thing, that l am proceeding on the right
lines You know how long l fought in
that behalf Listen, now, to what l have
To say. I have borne your standard (and
1 know ! was undeserving) first 10 years
agJ, in 1880, and y years afterward. IN
solicited you made me your stlndars
bearer in 1892 1 did my best. l iii all
could do with the means at my command
10 support your principles dlioliS hiAS
people Now l stand here n this juncture
of our party's history and I 'nall pro
coed to deliver my convictions deliberate
~ upon the condition of affaI-s and l
ask that you will pardon me- although
sn extemporaneous speaker for more
than 40 years, and permit me to read
from manuscript what l have 10 say.
The Nominating Speech.
In that midnight discussion between
Brutus and Cassius concerning the con-
templated battle at Phillippi, Brutus urS-
ed that their cause was rife. the legions
brimfull at the height and ready to de-
cline. Said he:
''There IS a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to for
tune;
Omitted, all the voyages OF their life
Is bound in shadows and miseries.
And then, in dramatic climax he eXclaim
ed:
On such full sea are we now aioat, anc
we must
Take the current when Ii serves,
Or lose our ventures"
For 20 years we have been pleading witt
the people to espouse the sacred cause
which is at stake in this campaign. W.
have constantly urged through good an'
through evil report that our principles
were more important than party associa
tions; were above all considerations o
private fortune or the petty and feverisl
ambitions of men. We have thus ia
suited our action to our words mad
through five presidential campaigns
stretching from 1876 to 1892 You correctl.
estimated the purpose of old party mana
gers, and events have sustained ever.
specification in your indictment agains
them Millions of honest men within oil
party ranks were deceived, lured into am
bush and betrayed. But not single on
of your pickets has been caught mapping
or been taken by surprise. To your de
voted efforts is largely due the revival o
economic learning in this country, whic
has enabled the democratic party TO as
sumo the present admirable attitude
Your work now promises much to man
kind and is about to break forth in com
plete victory for the Industrial masse:
Though oft repulsed by the multitud
whom we would have liberated, thong
crucihed in return for our kindness, yt
through It all we have steadily conhde
p in the righteousness OF our cause and tn
final good sense of the people. We sti
believe that this nation has a mission
perform which bad men will not be pc