Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-20

terly Grafton Which Nominated Him.
AL that the imagination pictures of Demos
themes and Cicero all that lCc hare heard of the
great orators Of the English tongue 1CdS realized.
Henry George.
The delegates sat as II enchanted. 1t lCds a dis
play Of el0ptence pure and undefled. Henry
Clay himself could not hare created so great a
f,lrOre. limos j. Cummings.
Following is the speech delivered by
William j. Bryan in the Democratic
national convention at Chicago that
made him famous and that nominated
him for the presidency:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Convention.-I would be presumptuous
indeed to present myself against the dis
tinguishod gentleman to whom you have
listened if this were but measuring of
ability, but this is not a contest among
persons. The humblest citizen in all the
land when clad in the armor of right
eouS cause is stronger than all the whole
hosts of error that they can bring. l
come to speak to you in defense of
cause as holy as the cause of liberty-the
the cause of humanity.
When this debate is concluded, mo-
tion will be made to lay upon the table
the resolution offered in commendation
of the administration, and also the res
oution in condemnation of the admin
istration. | shall object to bringing this
question down to level of persons
The individual is an atomic is born
he acts, he dies-but principles are eter-
nal, and this has been Il contest of prin-
ciplc.
Never before in the history of this
country has there been witnessed such
contest as that through which we have
passed. Never before in the history of
American politics has great issue been
fought out as this issue has been by the
voters themselves. On the 4th of March,
1898, a few Democrats, most of them
members of congress- issued an address
to the Democrats OF the nation, asserting
that the money question was the para
mount issue of the hour, asserting also
the right of majority of the Demo
cratic party to control the position of
uhN l''ti " VA WINS INi bliIphllb loSNAts SbI-
cluding with the request that all bcliev
ers in free coinage of silver in the Demo
cratic party should organize and take
charge of and control the policy of the
Democratic party.
Three months later, at Memphis, an
organization was perfected and the sill
yer Democrats went fourth openly and
boldly and courageOusly proclaiming
their belief and declaring that if success
full they would crystalline in II platform
the declaration which they had made,
and then began the conflict with zeal
approaching the zeal which inspired the
crusaders who followed Peter the Her
nit. Our silver Democrats went forth
from victory unto victory until they are
assembled now, not to discuss, not to
debate, but to enter the Judgment rem
dercd by the plain people of this coun-
try.
In this contest brother has been ar
rayed against brother and father against
son. The warmcst ties of love and ac-
quaintance and association have been
disrcgarded Old leaders have been
cast aside when they refused to give ex-
preston to the sentiments of those
whom they would lead, and new leaders
have sprung up to give direction to this
cause of truth.
Thus has the contest been waged, and
we have assembled here under as bind
ing and solemn instructions as were ever
fastened upon the representatives of Il
people. We do not come as individuals.
Why, as individuals we might have been
glad to compliment the gentleman from
| New York Senator HID. But we know
that the people for whom we speak
would never be willing to put him in Il
position whore he could thwart the will
of the Democratic party. | say it was
not question of persons; it was Il ques-
ton of principle, and it is not with glad
ness, my friends, that we find ourselves
brought into conflict with those who are
now arrayed on the other side.
The gentleman who just preceded
| Governor RusselD spoke of the old state
of Massachusetts. Let me assure him
that not one person in all this conven-
tion entertains the least hostility to the
people of the state of Massachusetts
But we stand here representing people
who are the equals before the law of the
largest citizens in the state of Massa
chusetts. When you come before Il:
and tell us that we shall disturb youl
business interests, we reply that yor
have disturbed our business interests by
your course.
We say to you that you have made
too limited in its application the deiini
tion of the business man. The maj
who is employed for wages is as much ;
business man as his employer. The at
torney in country town is as much {
business man as the corporation counse
in great metropolis. The merchan
at the crossroads store is as much
business man as the merchant of New
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