The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-10
And Caused Widest DemOnstra-
tfOn of the Week.
M'KINLEY'S WATERLOO
Could Already Hear the Waves
Beating on st. Helena.
At This Reference the Crowd
Yelled With Delight.


day which set the entire audience afire
with enthusiasm and started a presi-
Dental boom for the young Nebraskan:
Mr.. Bryan said:
MY Chairman and Gentlemen Of the
Convention: It would be presumptous
indeed, to present myself against the
distinguished gentlemen to whom you
have listened, if this were but a meas
uring of ability but this is not a contest
of persons. The hum blest citizen in all
the land when clad in the armOr of
righteous cause, is stronger than all the
host of errors they can bring. l come
to speak to you in defense Of a cause
as holy as the cause of liberty. the
cause Of humanity. Loud applause-1
when this debate is concluded,
motion viii be made to lay upon the
table the resolution offered in common
datiOn of the administration and also
the resolution in condemnation of the
administration. I shall object to bring
ing this question down to the level of
persons. The individual is but an
atom; he is born, he acts, he dies but
principles are eternal and this has been
a contest of principle. Never before in
the history of this country has there
been witnessed such a contest as that
through which we have passed. Never
before in the history of American poll
tics has great issue been fought out
as has this issue, by voters themselves.
"On the 4th of March, 1895, 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 paramount
issue of the hour; asserting also the
right of the ma Ority of the Democratic
party to control the position of the par
ty on this paramount issue; concluding
with the request that all believers in
free coinage of silver then in the Dem
ocratic party should organize and take
charge of. and control the policy of the
Democratic party. Three months later
at Memphis an organiza tion was per-
fected, the silver Democra Is went forth
openly and boldly and courageOusly
procIaiming their belief and declaring
that if successful, they would crystal
ize in a platform the declaration which
they had made; and then began the
conflict with a zeal, approaching the
zeal which inspired the crusaders who
followed Peter the Hermit.
Our silver Democrats went forth
from victory unto victory until they
are assembling now, not to discuss, not
| to debate, but to enter upon the judg-
! ment rendered by the plain people of
this country. CApplause.1 In this con-
l. test, brother has been arTaigued against
| brother. and father against son. The
/ warmest ties of love and acquaintance
/ and association have been disregarded.
| Old leaders have been cast aside when
| they refused to give expression to SEN
| timents of those whom they would lead,
! and new leaders have sprung up to give
direction to this cause of truth.
! LCheers.l This contest has been
| waged, and We have assembled here
under as binding, as solemn instruc-
! tions as We're ever fastened upon rep
! resentatives of a 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 position where he could thwart the
will of the Democratic party. [Cheers.1
| I say it was not a question of persons;
| it was a question of principle and it is
not with gladness my friends, that we
! find ourselves brought into conflict with
| those who are now arrayed on the
| other side. The gentlemen who just
| preceded me Gov. RusselD spoke of the
| old state of Massa chusetts. Let me as
| sure him that not one person in all this
| convention entertains the least hostil-
! ity to the state of Massachusetts. ZAP
/ plausel But we stand here, represent
| ing people who are equals before the
| law of the largest citizens in the state
| of Massachusetts, [Applause.l When
| you come before US and tell us we shall
| disturb your business interests we reply
| that you have disturbed our business
! interests by your course. [Great ap-
| plause and cheering.l
I'VE say to you that you have made
too limited in it's application the defni-
| ton of business men. The man who is
| employed for wages is as much a bust
! ness man as his employer. LCOntinued
! cheering.l The attorney in a country
| town is as much a business man as the
| corporation counsel in a great metrop-
| oils. The merchant at a cross road
| store is as much business man as the
| merchant of New York. The farmer
| who goes forth in the morning and
| trails all day, begins in spring and
| tolls all day, begins in spring and
! brain and muscle to the national re-
sources of this country creates wealth,
| is as much a business man as the man
1 who goes upon the board of trade and
bets upon the price of grain"
| The sentiments of the speaker were
cheered again and again and the gal
| leries seemed to be a mass of white be-
cause of the handkerchiefs waving.
| Cheers were renewed again and again,
4 and it was some minutes before Mr..
Bryan could be heard.
! He proceeded as follows: "The miners
| who go a thousand feet into the earth
or climb 1000 feet upon cliffs and bring
forth from their hiding place precious
metals to be poured into the channels
or trade are as much business men as
/ the few financial magnateS who, in g
back room, corner the money of the
world"
| The free silver delegates at this point
broke forth in tremendous cheers. Or
der was finally restored and Mr.. Bryan
| continued: I'VE come to speak for this
broader class of business men. All