Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-08-24
BOURKE COCKR4N'S ANSWER
TO BRYAN.

The following short extracts from
the great speech OF Mr.. Cochran in
answer to Bryan's speech in New
York viii show what an old time
goldastandard Democrat thinks Of a
Populist candidate and the platform
on where he stands.
MRs.Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men, Fellow Democrats, all. With
the inspiring strains Of that national
song still ringing III our ears, who can
doubt the issue of this campaign? 1t
is question as to whether the
powers Of this Government shall be
used to protect honest industry or to
tempt the citizen to dishonesty. On
this question honest men cannot diff
fer. 1t is one of morals and of justice.
A Democratic convention may re-
nounce the Democratic faith, but the
Democracy remains faithful to Dem
ocratic principles. Democratic lead
ers may betray convention to the
Populists, but they cannot seduce the
footsteps of Democratic voters from
the pathway of honor and of jnstice.
A candidate bearing the mandate of
a Democratic convention may, in this
hall open canvass ileveled against
the foundations of social order, and
he beholds the Democratic masses
confronting him organized for the de-
Tense.
Fellow Democrats, let us not dis
guise from ourselves the fact that we
bear in this contest serious and
grave and solemn burden of duty.
We must raise our hands against the
nominee of our party and we must do
it to preserve the future of that party
itself. We must oppose the nominee
of the Chicago convention, and we
know full we'll that the success of our
opposition will mean our own exclu-
sion from public life, but we will be
consoled and gratif1ed by the refec-
ton that it will prove that the Amer
lean people cannot be divided into
parties on question of simple NOR
ais or of common honesty,
We would look in vain through the
speech delivered here one week ago
to find true statement of the issue
involved in this canvass. Indeed, I
believe it is doubtful if the candidate
himself quite understands the nature
of the faith he possesses. I say this
not in criticism of his ability, but in
justice to his morality.
L believe that if he himself under
stood the inevitable consequences of
the doctrines which he breaches, his
own hands would be the very first to
tear down the platform on which he
stands.
He is a candidate who was swept
into the nomination by a wave Of
popular enthusiasm, awakened by ap-
peals to prejudice and greed. He is a
candidate who on his trip home and
in the initial steps eastward declared
that this was revolutionary move
ment and no sooner found himself
face to face with the American feel
ing than he realized that this soil is
not propitious to revolution.
The people of this country will not
change the institutions which have
stood the tests and experiences of a
century for institutions based upon
the fantastic dreams of Populist agi
tators-the American Nation will
never consent to substitute for the
Republic of Washington, of Jefferson
and of Jackson the Republic of an
Altgeid, a Tlllman or a Bryan.
Now, my friends, I have said there
was one statement Of great signifc
ance in Mr.. BryaD's speech. There is
an other portion of it which is free
from any obscurity and that may be
comprised within the two initial par
agraphs where he talks logically,
consistently, plainly the language of
revolution.
Whatever change may have come |
over his manner as a candidate two
things for which he stands remain un
altered. On this platform he defends
the most revolutionary plank of the
Chicago convention. On this plat
form he defended the Populistic pro-
gramme of overthrowing the integri-
ty of the Supreme Court. If there be
any fruit which has grown for the
benefit of all mankind out of the es
Establishment of our republic, it has
been the demonstration that it is pos
sible by the organization of an indie
pendent tribunal to safeguard the
rights of every citizen and protect
those natural privileges against any
invasion from whatever source or
however powerful might be the an
tagonizing element.
In the time to which I must confine