Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-15
THE MEANING
OF BRYANISM.
Free Silver a Cloak For
Socialism.
PLANNING A REVOLUTION.
Absolute Change In the Form
of Government.


nIar Vote, the Extension OF the Presi-
Dental Term and tho 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 300 lawyers have organ
lied sound money lawyers organiza.
ton. 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 the prop
osition to open the minis 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 the 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.
1.-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
a 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 q stepping
stone to an irredeemable paper currency,
and that Bryan himself is ON record as
favoring for the permanent currency of
this country issues of paper money with
nothing but the faith of the government
back of it.
1.-THE question which lawyers have
discussed here is this: Precisely what
is the programme of the leaders of this
new agitation? 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, Coudert, 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 sim
gle clear statement of the manner in
which the remedies which he proposes
shall be formulated into law, excepting,
of course. the opening of the minis 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
fluences Of the time. He has, it 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 sug-
gested that he approves the passage of
law limiting the power of the courts
to 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 the legal
formula which will be necessary to
bring about the 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 clearness and ex-
plioitness of a judicial opinion. 1t pro-
posed simply to prevent the extension Of
slavery into any territory of the 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
ately calls for may be effected. 1t has
been impossible until within few days
to get what lawyers regard as clear
and satisfactory statement of the pur-
poses of the Popocratic party, in case it
be successful
"They have at last obtained some in
timation, set forth with the explicitness
and clearness of judicial treatment by
Judge Clark Of North Carolina, esteem
ed by many to be the ablest member of
the Populist party, and last spring a
favorite candidate for the presidential
nomination of that party of a large
number Of Populists. It is thought by
lawyers here to be the real propaganda
of the ADLER men who are behind Bryan,
and it is welcomed as a tangible, con.
else and definite statement of principles
and the legal manner in which they are
to be set forth as law if the Popocratic
party gains complete control Of the gov
eminent.
"Those lawyers here who have read
this statement of principles and of pro
posed legislation or change of the or
ganic law do not hesitate to say that il
simply contemplates absolute revolution
in the American form of government
Some of the purposes are entertained by
many persons who would shrink viii
horror from associating with this revo
lutionary party, as, for instance, TIT
election of senators by popular vote, TIT
extension of the presidential term to 81,