The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-19
BRYAN BUBBLE PRICKED.
BY the Pointed Logic of Eloquent
BOurke Cochran.

ing strains OF Inat national song still ring
ing in our ears, who doubt the issue of
this campaign. (Applause) Stripped of all
verbal disguise, 1t is an issue of common hon
esty; an issue between the honest discharge
and the dishonest reputation of public and
private obligations. 1t is a question as to
whether the powers of this government shall
the citizen to dishonesty. On this question,
honest men cannot differ. 1t is one of morals
and of justice. 1t involves the existence of
social order. 1t is the contest for civilization
itself. Democratic convention may
nounce the Democratic faith, but Democracy
remains faithful to Democratic principles.
Democratic leaders may betray a convention
to the Populists, but they cannot seduce the
footsteps of Democratic voters from the path
way of honor and of justice. candidate
bearing the mandate of Democratic con-
vention may in this hall open a canvass
levelled against the foundations of social or
der but he holds the Democratic masses
confronting him, organized for the defense.
Fellow Democrats, let us not disguise from
ourselves the fact that we bear in this con-
test serious and grave and solemn bur
den of duty. We must raise our hands
against the nominee of 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
well that the success of our opposition Will
mean our own exclusion from public life,
but we Will be consoled and gratified by the
reflection that it will prove that the American
people cannot be divided into parties on
question of simple morals or of common
honesty
delivered here one week ago to md true
statement of the issue involved in this can
vass. Indeed, l believe it is doubtful if the
candidate himself quite understands the ma
ture of the faith which he processes. / say
this not in criticism of his ability, but IN
Justice to his morality. | believe that II ne
himself understood the inevitable consequen-
ces of the doctrines which he breaches, that
his own hands would be the very first to
tear down the platform on which ne STANDS
We all must remember that lurid rhetoric.
which glowed as fercely in the Western
skies as that sunlight which, through the past
week. foretold the torrid heat OF the ensuing
day and here upon this platform we hnd
that same rhetoric as mild, as insip1d as the
waters of stagnant pool. He is candidate
who was swept into the nomination Dy
wave of popular enthusiasm, awakened py ap-
peals to prejudice and greed. He is can
didate who, declaring that this was revo.
lutionary movement, no sooner found hl1nsen
face to face with the American feeling, than
he realized that this soil is not propltlous
to revolution; that the people OF this country
will not change the institutions Whicn nave
stood the tests and experiences OF century
for institutions based upon the fantastc
dreams of Populist agitators; that the Anerl-
can nation will never consent TO sQpSutute
for the republic of Washington, OF Jenerson
and of Jackson the republic of an Altgeid,
Tillman a Bryan -:
Whatever change may have come over ms
manner as q cadidate, however much the We
hemence of his eloquence may have been re-
duced two things for which he STANDS re-
main unaltered. On this platform ne de-
tended
Chicago convention, in words less venement,
but not less earnest than those in when he
supported its adoption. On this platform
he defended the Populistic programme OF
overthrowing the integrity OF the supreme
court If there be any fruit whlch is grown
for the benefit of all mankind out OF the es-
tablishment Of our republic, IT mas Deeh tne
demonstration that 1t is possible, by the or
ganization of an Independent tribunal, 10
safeguard the rights of every citizen and pro-
tect those natural privileges against any in
nT
powerful might be the antagoniZing elements.
The very existence of that power presup-
poses the existence of an independent tribu-
nal vet we have this Populist convention,
because a Populist measure was condemned
as unconstitutional proposing not to amend
the constitution in the ordinary way pre-
scribed by that instrument itself but pro-
| posing to pack the court so that 1t will pro
nounce those laws to be constitutional which
the constitution itself condemns; proposal
to make the courts OF law
INSTRUMENTS OF LAWLEsSNESs;
to violate that sacred pact between the states
on which the security OF this nation rests
to profane the temple erected for its protec-
ton by the hands of false priests who,
though sworn to defend it, will be appointed
to destroy it.
In the time to which I must confine my
self tonight, l do nothing but examine
that question which Mr.. Bryan himself
declares to be the overshadowing issue of
this campaign. / am little puzzled when
read this speech to decide just what Mr..
Bryan himself imagines will be the fruit Of
change in the standard of value throughout
this country. l do not believe that any man
can follow wholly the speech; because, if he
dissents from set of conclusions, he has
but to read a few paragraphs and he will
find another. If Mr.. Bryan could show me
that by any means known to heaven or on
earth, wages could be increased | would be
ready to support him, because / know of no
test of prosperity absolutely infallible except
the rate of wages raid to laborers.
When come to find how Mr. Bryan ex-
poets to increase the wages of labor, we find
ourselves lost in maze of contradictiin No
man can tell how or where or when the wages
of the workingmen are to be increased, but
any who examines the scheme can see
that the inevitable tendency, the inevitable
consequence OF debaSement in the standard
of value must be a reduction in the rate OF
wages, and that is the conspiracy in which
the Populists engaged.
Now, Mr.. Bryan tells US that he wants to
cheaper the dollar; that he wants to increase
the volume of money. I do not believe any
man who ever lived could quite understand
a Populists notion of what money is further
than that he believes it is a desirable thing
to get, and that he is not very particular
about the means by which he can get his
hands on it. Nothing is more common than
the mistake that money and property are
Identical. They are not There may be a
very large volume OF circulating medium and
very great poverty. The issue of paper money
simply is no more increase of wealth than
the issue by an individual of his promissory
note would show an increase of his property.
is no proof OF an increase in property, but
may be a strong proof of decrease in wealth.
1t is not the volume of money, but the activity
of money that counts.
The basis of sound trade is sound money
(applause); money which is intrinsically val
liable; money which, like the gold coinage of
this country, the government cannot affect if
1t tried to. can take a ten dollar gold piece
and can defy all the powers of all the gov
ernments of this earth to take five cents of
value from it Having earned it by the sweat
OF my brow. having earned it by the exercise
of my brain, having earned 1t by the ex-
change of my commodities. I can go to the
uttermost ends of the earth. and wherever |
present it, its value will be unquestioned and
unchallenged That gold dollar this meet
ing the Democratic party. the honest masses
divisions demand shall be paid to the laborer
when he earns 1t, and that power on earth
shall cheat him of the sweat of his brow
1t is perfectly clear that the purpose of the
Populists is to put up the prices of certain
commodities. Mr.. Bryan's language is that
he is going to improve the condition Of the
people of this country. l do not suppose he
upon this platform or upon this floor al
though he has shown his capacity to empty
them. II he Is going to work any change in |
the conditions of men he must increase the |
material possession of some part Of the COM
munty.
Now. il he got possession OF the govern |
ment tomorrow he would not create one
ernmental power in the world. No power
ever yet exercised by tyrant or by constitu- |
uonai monarch can cause barren field to be- |
come fruitful, can cause two blades Of grass
to grow where one grew before can bring
together the stones that compose this build