The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-15
Party Platforms of Four Years
Ago and Those Of the
Present.
A CAMPAIGN OF PRINCIPLES.
Splendid Reception rendered the
Democratic Nominee at His
Boyhood Home.

CENTRALlA, ILL, July 14.-Mr. Bryan
arrived this evening. He was received
quietly, placed in the private carriage of
Captain DWIGHT and driven to the latter's
residence. Mrs. Dwight and her sister,
Mrs. Haussler, cousins of Mr. Bryan, as
sisted the candidate and his wife in the
reception given later at Captain Dwight's
house. Afterward there was meeting at
City Park where Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan
shook hands with large mum Der OF peo-
pie. A special train brought excursionists
and the Bryan Club from Nashville Wash
ington County, with band and the Sill
yer Club from Ashley. In response to
cries from the crowd, Mr.. Bryan con-
sented TO speak. Mounting an improvised
stand, be said;
Ladies and Gentlemen: do not come to
make a speech. The campaign is hardly
opened vet but coming back to Marion
County TO attend to some business which had
to be looked after before l returned to Ne
braska ! was glad to accept IN invitation TO
spend two or three hours with my relatives in
this city, and while here to meet again the
citizens whom I met before.
We are entering upon a memorable cam
palgn and the issues are being drawn for the
contest. The two parties described as the
two great parties, or the two leading parties,
have already adopted their platforms and
named their candidates. In a short time YOU
Will make your Tf-lnQS up as 10 winch platform
and which ticket you will support
I trust that the issues involved in this cam
paign Will be clearly understood and care
fully studied Parties are not made to be
worshiped People are made not for parties,
parties are made for the people, and parties
can only claim the support of the people when
they are efficient instruments in the hands of
the people for accomplishing good Those
VINO are called upon 10 vote have the right to
consider the platform utterances of the poll
Cies advocated by the various parties, as well
as the candidates who are nominated.
In this campaign believe that there will be
less OF personality and more of principle than
in any campaign which we have seen in recent
years. The people have before them two great
questions. We must not expect that any plat
form VIII contain all that you desire. No
thinking person finds in any platform N ex-
preston OF everything which he believes, nor
must we expect that any Platform viii be free
from some objection. We select our party and
our platform, not in the hope OF finding some
thing which is absOIutely in accord with our
opin ons, but which promises to use the best
legislation on the most important questions
and II Is decided on all SIDES that the most
Important ISSUE is the money question. It
matters not whether you believe in the resto-
ration OF silver or the gold standard you must
admit that the settlement OF the money ques-
once settled leaves nothing else to be decided.
On the money question the two great parties
have taken positions directly opposed to each
other. Four years ago the posi- tions taken
were almost Identical The Republican party
said the people were in favor OF bimetallism
and the Democratic party was holding TO the
to the coinage of both. Thus you see that both
parties declared IN favor OF gold and silver as
the money of our country. The four years that
have passed since that platform was written
hsve been full of momentous happenings, and
as this campaign approached the great parties
lined IN for the fray.
Upon this question the party at ST. Louis de-
cared for the maintenance of the gold stand
ard, but that platform does not say that the
gold standard is good thing, because the
platform pledged the party to get rid of the
gold standard, but declared that this change
could not be made except by international
agreement. The Democratic party met at
Chicago and adopted the platform. which Is in
direct opposition to the platform adopted at
St. Louis.
The St. Louis convention declared for the
maintenance OF the gold standard until some
thing else could be Done in the near future
But more than that, the Republican platform
dld not promise any complete monetary sys-
TEN.
The Democratic marty outlined what it de.
sired to have done and declared that tn G
silver dollar should be of full legal tender 70 T
ali debts. public and private, and that sue h
egislation should be enacted as is necessary
to the restoration of the unlimited coinage OF
silver and gold at the present ratio of 16 to .
without waiting for the aid of any other
nation. We also declared that silver dollars
should be full legal tender for all debts, public
and private, and that such legislation should
be enacted as Is necessary to prevent for the
future the demonetization of any legal tender
The Platform declared that the Government
should exercise the right to redeem its obliga-
tons in both gold and silver The issue is
paign between an American financial system
for the American people and an English fnan-
cial system Tor the English people.
Ii mistake not the patriotism OF people
who have never been appealed to in vain there
can be but one Issue in this eampain and but
one result. If they ask us what about other
questions we tell them that SO long as the
right OF seli-government is in danger there is
no other question. Why discuss questions on
which we have not the power to decide?
] want to impress upon your minds two
things; I want to ask two questions They
are questions that will be asked over and over
again in this campaign. They are questions
that Will be asked with ever increasing en-
phasis. If the gold standard is a good thing
why should we try to get rid OF it? If the
gold standard is bad thing why should we
wait until some other nations are willing to
help US let go? ~
We care not upon what issue they force the
hght- We are prepared to meet them upon
either issue or both. thank YOU friends for
the interest which you have manifested and
for the compliment which you have paid To MS
by our assent lage here to-day.
can but beg OF you that you will remember
your duty as citizens. We stard upon the
platform adopted at Chicago and do not come
70 you as suppliants to beg for your votes.
your votes are your own, and no man is asked
to do anything save as his conscience dictates.
And We beg you 10 study all the questions pre-
scented, study all the issues involved and then
let your pledge register freeman's will.
Mr.. Bryan left here for Salem at $3.50
Pm.
HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.