The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-12
BRYAN SPOKE ON THIS SUBJECT
AT CHICAGO.
sharpshooter's Park damned with
Wage Farmers to Hear the
Silver Apostle.

waiting impatiently to see the apostle
OF free silver. Every tree within hear
ing of the speakers stand was filled
with those seeking an unobstructed
view. Bryan left the Auditorium an
mex shortly before 2 o'clock. Accom-
panying in carriages were Edward Car
roll, president Of the building trades
council; j. Ryan, chairman Of the COM
mittee on speakers, and J. D. Mcfnley,
chairman Of the carpenters district
council. Behind them came carriages
containing prominent leaders Of organ
lied labor.
Bryan was cheered continuously rs
he drove rapidly through the streets.
AS his carriage neared the park, the
densely packed crowd gathered here
set up q roar that lasted 10 minutes.
Then, with a rush. the gates We're
broken down. The police were power
less to- control the crowd, and i'm "A
short time the park was a dense mass
OF crushed but still cheering humanity.
No one was seriously injured in The
jam, though one or two women tainted.
On the stand with Bryan were Judge
William Prentiss, Judge Mcconnell
and leaders of the labor unions. Bryan
began his speech at 2:35, choosing for
Bryan to Laboring Men.
He began by eXtolling the value Cf
organized labor, and showed how great
had been it's benefits to tOilers. His
discourse soon took on a political as
pect with Solomon said Bryan, II
want neither riches nor poverty; ard,
with Carlisle, rulers win new wisdom in
the conduct Of affairs" AS he urged
the benefits to be derived from the free
coinage of silver especially to the la
boring men, he was continually inter
rupted by applause.
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men, l desire to thank the building
council for tins opportunity which they
have extended to me to speak before
the people assembled here on Labor
day Labor day has become a fixed
thing among our institutions and j. is
well that it has, because on this day,
all over this nation, those who are en-
gagged in the production Of wealth meet
in order that they may communal with
each other, discuss those questions in
which they are especially interested,
and emphasize before the world that
there is nothing dishonorable in the
fact that one earns his bread by the
sweat of his face.
II am glad to stand this day in the
presence of those to whom this nation
is so largely indebted for all that it
has had for all that ii has now, for all
that it can hope to have. l am not in
dulging in idle fattery when / say to
you that no part OF the people of the
world are so important to the welfare
of mankind as those whose labor end
brain convert our natural resources in
t.. fol A
Il might quote YOU what Mr.. Car-
Isle said of these people in 1878. lie
described them as struggling masses.
who produce wealth and pay taxes TO
the country He did not praise too
highly the struggling masses, who rot
only produce wealth and pay the taxes
of the country in time of peace. but
the struggling masses have ever oeen,
and must ever be- the nations surast
protection in time of peril. applause,
and voice, Good boy, Willie.'D
LincOIn's Words.
Let me quote you what another
American has said. In speaking OF
labor and capital, Abraham Lincoln, IN
his message to congress, used these
words: Monarchy itself is sometimes
limited at as a possible refuge from the
power Of the people. In my position ]
would scarcely be justified were l to
omit to raise a warning voice against
this approach Of returning despOtism
1t is not needed nor fitting that IN
eral argument should be made in favor
of public institutions, but there is one
point with its connection not SO hack
neyed as most others, to which / ask
brief attention. 1t is the effort to place
capital on an equal footing with, if not
above, labor in the structure Of the
government. 1t is assumed that labor
is available only in connection With
capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else commanding capita
somehow, by the use of it, induces him
to labor.
And then ne ACIDS. Labor is prior
TO and independent of capital. Capital
is only the fruit of labor, and would
never have existed If labor had not
first existed. (Applause) Labor is
the superior of capital, and deserves
much higher consideration Then he
adds: No men living are more worthy
to he trusted than those who toll III
from poverty, none less inclined tC
take or touch aught what they have
not honestly earned. Let them be-
ware Of surrendering the politica
power which they already possess
which. if surrendered, viii surely be
used to close the door Of advancement
aginst such as they, and to fix new
tasks and burdens upon them, unit
all liberty shall be lost (Applause)
"These are the words of Abraham
Lincoln. They are not intended tC
arouse animosity against capital, but
they state a great truth that is al
ways to be rendered; that capital is