The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-08-15
On Ills Way to New York.

The Pennsylvania Central train, bear
ing Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan, Mr. and Mrs.
Bland and other members of the party
ran into the Pittsburg depot at 6 80 p. NJ
Monday. After supper at a hotel Mr..
Bryan was escorted to the Grand Opera
House and Avenue Theater, at both of
which places meetings were held.
AT the first meeting Mr.. Bryan said:
'Mr Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen,
fellow eitizens-I thought 1t might be neces-
| sary in coming SO far toward the East to bring
few of our people to keep up the enthusiasm
while | presented the truths set forth in the
Democratic platform. loud cheering) But
after | had seen few audiences like this
wondered whether | might not take back few
people of the West daughter and cheering.l
There is no more wild Vest 1t is the wild
East tremendous cheering and laughter and
cat calls.) | am not expected to enter into dis
cussion of the issues of the campaign, because
1t is not considerable to discuss the campaign
at least for a candidate to so-until he has
been formally notified of the nomination. There
fore, l am going to leave to those who come
after me the discussion of such questions as may
be pertinent at this time, and l shall simply
thank you for this extraordinary and unex pected
manifestation of interest When left home
told them that was coming upon a campaign
in what was now considered the enemys
country. and which we hoped would be our
country before the campaign closed. Therefore
l have been more than gratified TO find that ii
was not necessary to open the campaign in the
East; 1T has already been opened there
But shall promise you this, that IN the progress
of this campaign not single private in the
ranks will stand nearer to the enemy's guns
than he in whose hands is the standard. Cheers
I'VE are prepared to defend our platform. 1t
presents, as we believe, those policies which are
for the best interests of all the people And we
are not terrified because our enemies have
sought to apply to us epithets and hard names
when they find it impossible to oppose the
position which we have taken. (Applause)
They shall not be permitted to put US in the
attitude of opponents to government, but we
shall show them that there is difference be-
tween defending a government and defending
the vicious legislation inaugurated by the gov
| ernment for private ends. Andrew Jackson
than whom there never was q drawer, truer
Democrat has expressed it well in these words:
There are no necessary evils in governments its
evils exist only in its abuses 1t is true, my
friends. that what we attack is the abuses of the
government and not the government itself
The worst enemy OF this country Is the man who
seeks uni Just legislation or defends unjust legis
lation after 1t has been obtained He is the best
friend of the government who in the first place
seeks TO prevent unjust legislation md If unjust
| legislation has been enacted, seeks to erase 1t
from the statute book. Who is the best friend
| of the government? Not the man who secures
| vicious legislation because of the pecuniary
| profit which ii brings to him, but the man who
loves his government so well that he would
make it SO good that it would deserve the love
| of every citizen in it. (Applause)
my friends in this campaign there is only
great issue II that Is settled 1t will not give
us government perfect in all its details. but
| that one question must be settled first before
other questions can be settled nation that is
not able to adopt its own financial policy is too
impotent To legislate on any question where the
people are concerned. (Cheers)
I'VE do not say that our opponents are insin-
| eere; we do not say they are less honest than
| We but when they attempt to say that the
American people must be dependent upon the
| Legislative act of some other government we
say it matters not how honest they may be- we
| dare not intrust legislation in their hands
| cloud cheering)
Il have said that in this contest We have a
repetition of the contest of 1875 and that in this
| campaign, as i'll that line will be drawn be-
| tween the patriot and the Tory, and when / say
| it. do not say tiny friends to criticse the man
| who believes that this nation Is not great
enough to legislate for its own people He be-
lieves ii honestly, and recall your attention to
the fact that In the struggle of our forefathers
| for liberty there were those who honestly be-
lieved that we ought to continue in this land the
| political supremacy OF Great Britain. loud
cheering)
I'm this they were but mistaken and if you &c
to the cemeteries you will find no monument
names of those who thought English domino
| ton should continue applause
There are people today who believe that this
nation is not strong enough to legislate for oul
| people, and there are people who honestly be
| lieve that an attempt TO do so would bring dis
honesty, but must we enter into life and death
struggle with them because we assert here that
the financial domination by foreign power is
| as dangerous to the liberties of the people as
political nomination. (Cheers)
II desire to thank you for the interest you
have shown in the very beginning of this cam
paign. have no fear that your interest will be
allowed TO de-