The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-16
THE MEANING
OF BRYANISM.
Free Silver a Cloak For
Socialism.
PLANNING A REVOLUTION.
Absolute Change In the Form
Of Government.
PLANNING A REVOLUTION.

New York Lawyers Think That the Eleo-
tion of President and Senators by Pop.
ular Vote, the Extension OF the Presi-
Dental Term and the Abolition of the
Veto Power Are Part of the Popocratio
Programme.
In letter TO the Philadelphia Press,
Holland, the famous New York corre-
spondent, says 800 lawyers have organ
lied sound money lawyers organiza-
tion. These lawyers are against the
free coinage plank of the Chicago plat
form, but it is the other principles con-
tanned in the platform which cause the
lawyers even more anxiety than tho prop
osition to open the mints to free silver.
General Harrison suggested that anxiety
when in his Carnegie hall address he
began with an allusion to the supreme
court plank OF tho Chicago platform and
then devoted considerable part of his
speech to clear exposition of the ex-
treme revolutionary nature of that
plank, as he did also to the kindred
plank which denounces the interference
of the federal courts TO prevent violence
and intimidation and the use Of federal
troops to protect the mails, the lives
and property of citizens of the United
States and interstate commerce.
''The opinion prevails among the
leading members of the bar here, says
Holland, "that the free silver agitation
is really only an incident or temporary
makeshift in this campaign, which has
social and political revolution in the
true meaning of that term in view. 1t
is recalled that such free silver advo-
Gates as Bland have confessed that they
regard free silver as merely stepping
stone to an irredeemable paper currency,
and that Bryan himself is on record as
This country issues of paper money with
nothing but the faith of the government
back of il.
1.-The question which lawyers have
discussed here is this: Precisely what
is the programme of the leaders of this
new agitation2 What do they want to
do, and how do they propose TO accom-
plish their purposes? Bryan's speeches
have been read with the utmost care by
such men as Peckham, Ccudert, Seward,
Butler, Root, Fox and other leaders Of
our bar, TO discover If possible exactly
in what way he proposes to remedy the
wrongs of which he complains with so
much vague vehemence.
$50 far they have been unable to dis
cover in any Of Bryan's speeches Gin
gle clear statement of the manner in
IL .sol, L.
shall be formulated into law, excepting,
of course. tho opening of the mints by
law TO the free coinage Of silver. There
is not hint of the manner in which he
proposes TO readjust the supreme court
TO what he calls the new needs and in
fuences Of the time. he has, il is true,
declared that he would not send federal
troops into any state TO suppress disorder
unless requested by the governor or the
Legislature of that state. He has sag
gested that no approves the passage Of
a law limiting the power of the courts
Co enjoin labor organizations and trans
ferring from judge TO jury the right
Of determining contempt proceedings
But he has. either willfully or else be-
cause he has no clear idea of tho legal
formula which will bo necessary 10
bring about tho reforms he seeks, re-
Trained from suggesting the manner in
which these reforms are TO be accom-
plished.
"Ex-Judge Davis, speaking Of this
recently, said that when the Repub-
lican party began its career its purpose
was set forth with the cleaness and ex-
plicitness of judicial opinion. IL pro-
posed simply 20 prevent the extension Of
slavery into any territory of tho United
States-a purpose which would be ac-
complished by brief statute law. But
today the majority Of those, at least in
the east, who are acting with the free
silver party have not the slightest con-
ception of the manner in which the al
legged reforms which Bryan so passion.
atelv calls for may be effected Ii has