Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-13
ADDRESS TO WOMEN
Mr.. Bryan sp,aks to a Unique Po-
itical Audience.
TALKS TO TEE WIVES AND MOTHERS
Why They Are Interested in the
Present Campaign.
GOLD STANDARD DENOUNCED

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, October 13.-Per- |
haps the most unique feature of Mr.. 4
Bryan's visit to Minneapolis was his adj |
dress last night at the Lyceum Theater. to |
an audience made up exclusively of women |
and presided over by a woman. There |
were 1000 women present, and Mrs. Frank |
WALSH presided. When Mr.. Bryan arrived, /
about 10 o'clock, the ladies arose en- masse,
waved their handkerchiefs and flags, clap
ped their hands and called his name-in |
fact, did everything men might have done
except give three cheers and a tiger. Mr.
Bryan said: ......,.
Ladies': This is a novel experience. not
only new In that I am unaccustomed to
addressing an audience of ladies. entirely.
but also new in that I have to compete
against another boy orator. daughter
and applause). I believe this Is the hrSt
political meeting where candidate has I'D
dressed his remarks to ladies entirely in
the discussion of an economic question.
and yet 1 offer no apology. On the con-
trary, 1 deem 1t not only great privilege
but a great honor. My experience teaches
me that the mother and the wife are i'm
portant parts of the family. (Applause).
In fact, 1 would rather have the wife on
my side in the beginning of a campaign
than to have the husband, If I could only
have one. Applause).
And 1 will tell you why Because If I
have the wife. l am almost sure to have
the husband before the campaign is over;
and II I only have the husband 1 am
never sure of him. daughter and ap-
plause) ia 20, j
"a lady who was canvassing down in
Nebraska the other day gave utterance to
one Of the best things which 1 think this
campaign has enjoyed She was CANVASS
ing and called at our house to get some
literature on the silver question to circulate
as she went from place to place, and while
there she said that she had a brother who
a m wit fpN1
She said she could understand how a man
could be gold man who had gold. but she.
could only pity the gold man who was
without gold applause and laughter).
And you know, my friends that that Is
the condition in which a large majority Of
| the gold men are-gold men without gold.
and when you find the gold man without
| gold you can ind one whom you can con-
| vert. because while the geld standard Is a.
| good thing for few in this country.
| the gold standard is bad thing for
the great mass of the people, and the
reason why our cause grows from day
| to day is found in the fact that the
| guments in behalf of bimetallsm appeal to
the heads and hearts Of the American peo-
pie and the gold standard only appeals to
| the heartless (Applause)
| THE reason why the mothers are taking
| such an interest in this campaign. the reaj
| son why the wives are feeling deeper in
| terest than they usually feel Is because
| they are becoming acquainted with the gold
| standard They know that instead Of it
| being a just measure of deferred payments
! the gold standard has become measure
| of deferred hopes, and hope deferred max
| eth the heart sick.
This money question is not too deep to
| be understood by American citizen +,
every great political question is first a great
| economic question and every great econ onic
| question Is at last a great moral question.
| Questions are not settled until the right
| and wrong of the question are determined.
| Questions are not settled until people grasp
the fundamental principle. and when those
| principles are fully comprehended then the
| people settle the question and they settle
it for a generation. The people are study
| ing this question. studying 1t as they have
| not studied it before; aye. studying 1t as
they have not studied any question before
| in your lifetime or mine; and study leads
to understanding. But to study you must
commence at the bottom and study up.
First Great Principle. ..ns
Now, what is the first great principle?
| 1t Is the value of a dollar depends on the
number of dollars. You can make dollars
dearer or cheaper by changing the quanti-
ty. Now, this is simple proposition. 1t Is
fundamental, and when you have studied
it and when you have understood it. you
understand the money question. Suppose
that we were walled in and had enough
wheat in the Enclosure to last year,
and taking supply and demand into con-
sideration. wheat was worth a dollar a
bIshel; and suppose that the wheat was
gathered into two great piles and one wo-
man owned one pile and another woman
ow ned another pile, and suppose that the
owner of this pile of wheat should read in
the papers that the pile of wheat had been
destroyed by fire. and that the people, In
stead of having both piles for their years
supply, must all be fed from this pile. Now,
what would be the result? Every buShel of
wheat in this pile would rise in value.
Why? Because the demand for wheat re-
NAMED the same and the supply of wheat
|
thing you learn? That the lady who owns
this pile of wheat will profit by the rise in
wheat And what is the third? She will be
glad that 1t was the other pile of wheat
| that burned instead of hers. (Applause.)
Now. that is a simple question. Let me
| apply 1t to silver. We have about four Bill
liens Of silver money and about four bill
liens of gold money in the world. Suppose
we destroy one pile and make the other
pile do the service of both. What is the
result? The demand for money remains the
same and the supply of money is cut In
two The result must be that the value OF
each dollar will rise. The people who own
the money or who own contracts payable
in dollars. profit by the rise, and they are
glad Of the rise. Applause and laughter.
What the Gold Standard Means,
1.-THE gold standard means dearer money
and dearer money means cheaper property
and cheaper property means hard times
hard times means more people out Of work
pie destitute; more people destitute means
more people desperate; more people desper
ate means more criminals.
ut has been said that woman is the con
science Of the human race. and indorst
the proposition. 1 believe that women car
grasp the great principles Of justice ant
can detect right from wrong probably
with more clearness. more quickly. thar
men. because they not surrounded by
so many of the Influences which may pre-
| vent an understanding Of the truth of thes,
questions. And l want TO appeal to 20,
, | women, you women who are Interested IL
your sons and your daughters, l want YOU
i to look well before you pass your influ
r ence on the side of a gold standard, which
4 | may mean more wealth for the few, blu
t | which must mean more poverty and mis-
| cry for the many. (Applause)
And remember this: You can't live TO
yourselves alone; you can't control tn
destinies of those you love; If you coul,
provide against all contingencies Of tn
$ future. If you could leave them none,
e and be sure in the remotest generation
that money would protect them from wan
and injury, you might feel Indifferent, but
my friends, you can't do 1t. There is onl
one thing that is sure to be left them
= leave them good government; that instea
: | Of giving fayOrS to the few will nrotec