Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-17
MIR BRYAN AT KANSAS CITY Thousands Cheered His Appear
 ance on the Balcony. HE SPEAKS AT SOME LENGTH Says the Platform Is the Most Splendid Pre- sentation of Party Politics Ever Adopted
 by Convention.

Kansas City, July 16.-After a long journey through Illinois and Missouri William J. Bryan reached Kansas City at 6:30 D. m. At Warrensburg Senator Cockrell and two reception committees boarded MT. Bryan's train. A great cheer went up from the crowd at the union station here when the train ar rived. The party went to the Coates house, where they had dinner.
 At g o'clock Mr. Bryan appeared on the balcony of the hotel and after an introduction by Senator Cockrell ad- dressed the multitude assembled out side. The cheering when he appeared was vigorous and long continued. When quiet had been restored Mir. Bryan spoke The multitude in front of the Coates house crowded the streets and sidewalks and overfiowed into side streets. Their number cannot be given with accuracy, but there were many thousands. It was the m5st enthusiastic and best attended meeting addressed by MT. Bryan since his nomination, and he went farther into political discussion than he has done in previous speeches. He said in part:
 "I said to the committee that I would not make a political speech, but in the presence of so many interested people I am afraid that l shall be compelled to break my promise for just few mo- ments.
 We are coming upon memorable campaign. The platforms have been adopted, the great parties have placed their candidates in the field and in a lit tie while you as citizens will be called upon to decide the issues involved. The platform adopted at Chicago is in my humble judgment one of the most splen- did presentations of party politics ever adopted by national convention in the United States.
 "Tt presents those issues which, in the judgment of the delegates, are para mount in this campaign. It is demo- cratic platform in every sentence, word and syllable (applause), a democratic platform that carries us back to the days of it's illustrious founder, Thomas Jeffer- son, and to its most courageous defender Andrew Jackson. It is pervaded with the spirit of the declaration of independence, it presents those fundamental doctrines upon which all true governments must rest. From time to time new questions arise, but the principles of the democrats are true in all times. We simply apply to the new conditions the principles which are as eternal as the hills. And in this line our platform has declared that the paramount public question is the restora ton of the gold and silver coin age of the constitution. Great ap- plause.)
 "All other questions must stand back until this great question is solved. There are times, such as the time to which we are now passing, when the &C., tien of this nation upon it's financial peH- cy may determine the welfare of the peo- pie not only of this nation, but of the world Not only now, but for years to come. We have reached a crisis in our monetary legislation. There are those
 who would bind us to the gold stand ard, but while there are those who would fasten an European yoke upon the neck of American freedmen there are others who say that this nation shall govern itself and make it's on laws. speaking with emphasis upon this sL ,eet l beg you not to think that we who believe in free coinage of silver al 16 to 1 lack char ity for those who differ. It is not a cam paign in which we should use bitter words. I have every respect for the opinion of those who differ from us.
 There are men, there are great men, there are good men who do not agree to the restoration of silver. Let us not speak of them in terms of denunciation."
 Mr. Bryan then spoke in terms of re- gret of Ex-Governor Russell of Massa- chusetts, whose character he eulogized. He added:
 q believe from the bottom of my heart; I believe, and the belief touches every fiber in my being, that until we restore silver to it's equal place by the side of gold, to the place that it occupied for so many years, so many centuries and so many ages, there can be no last ing prosperity brought back to the homes of those who toll. They tell us that they want confidence restored. We tell them that confidence must have substantial basis upon which to rest, and that so long as you legislate value out of property there is nothing substan- tial on which confidence can rest. If they tell us they want an honest dollar, we tell them that we have every desire for an honest dollar but when they at tempt to define an honest dollar we beg them to give us a dollar which is as kind to the man who produces wealth as it is to the man who holds it in investment. A dollar which increases in value Is an honest dollar.
 q want you to study this question for yourselves and want to suggest two things for you to think about. They tell you that the gold standard Is the stand ard of civilization; that is their argu- ment If they tell you that, let me sug- gest an answer that is complete: If the gold standard is the standard of civfliza- ton. why is it that the United States, the leader in the civilization of the world, has never declared for a gold standard? (Applause) If the gold standard is the standard of civilization, why is 1t that no national party in the history of the United States has ever declared that the gold standard IS d SOou tuiH5 <ahu II the republicans attempt to admit that double standard is better than single standard and tell us that this nation is impotent to secure it without the aid of other nations, we hurl back defiance and tell them that this nation is great enough to legislate for it's own people without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation on earth. (Applause.) Which course will they take? They dare not take either course. They dare not meet the Issue on the money question, because there is no ground upon which they can stand. If they had declared for the gold standard they might have ad- vocated it, but having declared against the gold standard, they dare not ask the verdict of their countrymen upon this proposition"
 MT Bryan, in closing, referred to his companion on the national ticket, say ing: "There are sections in this country where 1t has required more heroism to stand out for the rights of the masses of the people than in the west and ask you not to forget that brave man who stands upon the ticket with me and who, I