Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-09-14
LETTER FROM BRYAN.
Formal Acceptance Of the Demo-
cratic Presidential Nomi-
nation.

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 9. William Jen-
nings Bryan, presidential nominee of the
Democratic party, made public the fol
lowing letter this morning:
stephen NJ. White and Others, Members
of the Notification Committee of the Demo-
cratic National observation-disclosures
accept the nomination rendered by you on
behalf of the Democratic party and III so
doing desire to assure you that / fully APP
preciate the high honor which such nomi-
nation confers and the grave responsible
tiles which accompany an election to the
am l impressed with the magnitude of the
power vested by the constitution in the
chief executive of the nation and with the
enormous influence which he can WELD for
the benefit or injury of the people that |
wish to enter the office, if elected, free
from every personal desire except the desire
to prove worthy the CONFIDENCE fa1 81 my eoun
when unbiased by selfish considerations
and in order that | may not be tempted to
use the patronage Of the office to advance
any personal ambition | hereby announce
with all the emphasis Which words can eX-
press, my fixed determination not, under
any circumstances, to be candidate Tor
reelection if this campaign results IN my
election l have carefully considered the
platform adopted by the Democratic ma
tional convention and unqualihedly endorse
each plank thereof.
Our institutions rest upon the proposition
that all men, being created equal, are en-
titled to equal consideration at the hands
of the government. Because all men are
created equal it follows that no citizen has
natural right to injure any other, citizen
The main purpose OF government being to
protect all citizens in the enjoyment of
life, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness,
this purpose must lead the government
first, to avoid acts of affirmative injustice
and second, to restrain each citizen from
trespassing upon the rights OF any other
citizen.
A Democratic form of government is con-
ducive to the highest civilization because
it opens before each individual the greatest
opportunities for development and stimu-
lates to the highest endeavor by insuring
to each the full enjoyment of all the re-
wards of toll except such contribution as
is necessary to support the government
which protects him. Democracy is indif-
dividual rather than with his ancestors.
Democracy ignores differences in wealth.
neither riches or poverty can be invoked in
behalf OF or against any citizen ~ DemG moe
of each individual to worship God accord
ing to the dictates of his own conscience, it
welcomes all to common brotherhood ana
guarantees equal treatment to all no mat
ter in what church. or through what forms
they commune with their Creator.
Having discussed portions of the platform
at the time of its adoption and again when
your letter of notification was formally de-
livered it will not be necessary at this time
to touch upon all the subject embraced in
the party's declaration.
A Dual Government
Honest differences of opinion have ever
existed and ever will exist as to the most
effective means of securing domestic tran
guilty, but no citizen fails to recognize
at all times and under all circumstances
the absolute necessity for the prompt and
vigorous enforcement of law and the pres
ervation of the public peace. In gov
eminent like ours law is but the crystall1-
Zation of the will Of the people; without
it the citizen is neither secure in the en-
joyment of life and liberty nor protected
in the pursuit Of happiness. Without obedi-
ence to law government is impossible. The
Democratic party is pledged to defend the
constitution and enforce the law OF the
United States and it is also pledged to re-
spect and preserve the dual scneme OF
the republic. The name, United States, was
happily chosen. 1t combines the idea of
national strength with the idea of local
seIf-government and suggests ian indissolu
BILE union of indestructfble states. Our
revolution fathers, fearing the tendencies
toward Capitalization as well as the dam
gers of disintegration, guarded against both
and national safety as we'll as domestic Sc
curfty is to be found in the careful observ-
ance OF the limitations which they impose
1t viii be noticed that While the United
States guarantees to every state RepuD-
ican form of government and IS empowered
is not authorized to Interfere in the do
nestle affairs of any state except upon
application of the Legislature of the state
or upon the application of tine executive
when the Legislature cannot be convened
This provision rests upon the sound the
DRY that the people OF the state, acting
are, because of their more intimate ac
quaintance with local conditions better
qualified than the President to judge of
the necessity for federal assistance. Those
who framed our constitution wisely deter
mined to make broad an application of
the principles of local self government as
not dispute the correctness of the position
taken by them without expressing a dis
trust Of the people themselves.
Since governments exist for the prOtec-
ton of the rights of the people and not
for their spolTation no expenditure of public
money cam be justified unless tnat expendi-
ture is necessary for the honest, economical
and efficient administration of the govern
ment. In determining what appropriations
are necessary the interest of those who pay
the taxes should be consulted rather than
the wishes Of those who receive or disburse
public moneys.
The Nations Bonded Debt.
An innneas@ in the bonded debt of the
United States at this time is entirely with
out excuse. The issue Of Understanding
bonds within the last few years has been
defended on the ground that they were
necessary to- secure gold with Which to re-
deem United States notes and treasury
notes, but this necessity was imaginary
rather than real. Instead of exercising the
legal right vested in the United States to
redeem IT'S coin in either gold OF silver the
executive branch of the government has
followed! a precedent established by a
former administration and surrendered the
option to- the holder Of the obligations
This administrative policy. leaves the. gov
eminent at the mercy of those who find a
pecuniany profit in bond issues. The fact
chat the dealers in money and securities
have been able to deplete OR protect the
treasury according to their changing whims
shows how dangerous it is; to permit them
to exercise a controlling influence of the
treasury department. The government Of
the United States when administered in
the interests of the people is to establish
the enforcement Of financial policy, not
without the aid of syndicates but in spite
of amy opposition which syndicates may
present. To assert that the government
is dependent upon the good will or assist
aimee of any portion of the people other
than a constitutional majority is to assert
that we have. a government in form but
without vital force.
The position taken by the platform
against the issue of paper money by ma
tional banks is supported by the highest
Democratic authority, well as demanded
by the interests of the people The present
attempt of the national banks to force
the retirement of United States notes and
treasury notes in order to secure q basis
for larger issue of their own notes illus
trates the danger which arises from per-
hitting them to issue their paper as cir