The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-02
BRYAN 4 popuLrsr IN 1892.


1t is charged. and not denied, that Will
liam J. Bryan voted for Weaver for Pres
ident in 1852; in other words. that he was
a PoDulist then as he is now. The Pop
uiists came near carrying Nebraska in 1877
Grover Cleveland received 24.943 votes,
James B. Weaver. the PoDulist candidate
1914 and Benjamin Harrison 1927. Then
as row there was a. fusion between the
Democratic and Populist parties In several
States, both showing the same readiness
to sell out or to be bought that they Go
at pre- sent. In the States OF Colorado, Ida
no. Kansas, North Dakota and Wyoming
the Democrats ran no electoral tickets in
1882 and voted for the Populist electoral
tickets the result being that all these
States except Wyoming, were lost to the
Republicans. Thus eighteen electoral
votes which would otherwise have gone
to Harrison were drawn off to Weaver.
In Nebraska the Democrats ran an cleo
toral ticket. but enough Democrats voted
for Weaver to bring his vote IN to within
about 1000 of General Harrison's. Bryan
was a Populist then as he is now. That
being the case, it is worth while to in
ouire what the Populist platform in 1892
stood for. The Populist convention that
year met at Omaha, July q The preamble
to the platform declares that We meet in
the midst of a nation brought to the verge
of moral, political and material ruin" 1t
pictured a state of universal corruption,
and said: From the prolific womb of
governmental injustice we breed the two
great classes, tramps and millionaires."
This sounds like the Boy Orator. The ma
tiosaI power to create money" said the
platform, lis appropriated to enrich bond
holders almost Bryan's language. The
platform proceeded:
Silver. which has been accepted as coin
since the dawn of history. has been de-
monetized to add to the purchasing power
of gold by decreasing the value of all
forms of property as well as human labor,
and the supply of currency Is rurposely
abridged to fatten uSurerS bankrupt enter
prise and enslave industry. vast con-
spiracy against mankind mas been organ
lied two continents, and is rapidly taxi
ing possession of the world
After further attacking the money
power the platform declares that neither
of the old parties offered any relief or
form: They propose to drown the outcries
of a plundered people with the uproar of
sham battle over the tariff so that cap
talists. corporations, national banks.
rings, trusts watered stock, the demoraf-
cation Of silver and the expressions of the
usurer may all be lost sight Of" The
financial resolution follows:
We demand a national currency safe.
sound and flexible, issued by the general
government only, full legal tender for
all debts. public and private. and that,
without the use of banking corporations,
a just equitable and efficient means Of
&c
not to exceed per cent. per annum, to
be provided as set forth in the subtreasury
system; also. by payments in discharge or
its obligations for public Improvements:
silver and gold at the present legal ratio
of 10 to i. We demand that the amount of
circulating medium be speedily increased to
not less than $50 per capita.
The platform demanded the establish
ment of government savings banks, gov
eminent control of railroads and telegraph
lines 1.-The legislative system known as the
initiative and the referendum" and a con-
stitutional amendment limiting the presi-
dency to term.
Such was Popusm in 1892 as declared by
its national convention held in Mr.. Bryan's
own State, and he voted for the candidate
for President who stood upon that plat
form. The only defense now made of his
action at that time is that he voted for
Weaver in order to take the electoral vote
of the State away from Harrison, but as
the Democrats ran a straight electoral
ticket in Nebraska that year he could
have voted the straight Democratic ticket
if he had wanted to- The truth is he was
Popust then as he is now. and one of
the most extreme type.