The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-07-23
MANLY WORDS.
WILLIAM j. BRYAN'S GREAT
SPEECH AT SALEM.
His Voice Husky with Emotion az He
Talks TO His Old Friends and Ut
ters Sentiments of True Patriot
ism aud no Sham.

william J. Bryan, received an immense
ovation from friends and neighbors here
yesterday. Hundreds of Republicans were
in the party, and they were as enthusias'
tic as Democrats or Populists. Mr.. Bryan
made magnificent address. He didn't
read 1t from manuscript, but talked plain
ly and with great feeling. Mr.. Brayn said
"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men, Fellow Citizens;
"I have no disposition to talk politics
today. l shall leave the discussion OF
party questions TO those who shall follow.
Returning to the scenes which surround
my early home, the memories of other
days crowd out all thoughts of subjects
upon which we may differ. l remember
with such grateful appreciation the kind
Iy feeling which has abounded regardless
OF church and party lines, that I shall not
say one word to divide upon my subject
those who are assembled here today. This
is the home OF my birth, my boyhood
and my early manhood. Three blocks
south first saw the light Of the day. A
mile to the northwest lived until was
twenty three, and shall never cease to
be grateful to the parents who took me
TO the farm and there allowed me to de-
velop the physical strength that is needed
in the campaigns which we have to pass
through. 1t wes in this courthouse that
1 first gained the smibtion to be lawyer.
1t was in this courthouse that l made
the first political speech I ever tried to
make. 1t was in the fair grounds near
here that spoke for the first time on the
4th of July. 1t was to this city and to
the parental roof thai brought her who
had promised to share life's joy and sor-
rows with me.
And all of these happy associations
arise today before me and leave me no de-
sire to think of other things. l cannot for
get Salem. cannot forget those whose
kindly faces smiled upon me before for
tune smiled. / cannot forget this spot
near by the silence of the dead where the
ashes of the father, whose upright life has
teen an inspiration and whose counsels
fingered in my ears when he was gone;
the spot where rest the ashes Of mother,
as tender and true, as patient, as gentle
as loving as God in his infinite love ever
gave to man. cannot forget this home
nor these people. And l can say no more
today than to express in words which, If
not elaborate, will be sincere, the deep
and heartfelt thanks of these tokens, thesC
manifestations of good will.
There is an ideal plane in politics, and
1 believe we stand upon it here today.
We differ In opinion. We differ as to party
policies. But we meet today, recognizing
those differences, and yet each feeling a
charity towards the other. We are all Inn
bued with the same spirit. We all possess
the same ambition. We are all living to
carry out the same great purpose. We
want government of the people, by the
people, and for the people, and though
we differ as to the means of carrying 1t
out, we can differ as honest citizens,
differing in judgment and agreeing in
purpose. l thank the Republicans who
assembled here. 1 thank the Prohibi-
tionists. thank the Populists as much
as do the Democrats, because, at last,
my friends, when these questions which
arise from time to time upon the surface
and disturb thought and agitate the
people, have passed away, we all agree in
these great fundamental principles which
underlie our form OF government.
1--WE believe that all men were created
equal, not that they are equal in talents
or in virtues or in merits, but we agree in
this, that wherever government comes
in contact with the citizens or wherever
the citizen touches government all must
stand equal before the law. We agree
that government can be no respeoter of
persons, and that its strength, its match
less strength, must be the protector of the
fortunes OF the great and the possessions
of the poor and that it shall stand an i'm
partial arbiter between all of its citizens.
We must agree on this. We agree that
there are unalienable rights, the rights
which government did not give, rights |
which government cannot take away |
We all agree that governments are in
stituted among men to secure and to
preserve these rights and we agree that
derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed. We
know no divine right Of kings. The
people gathered here and in assemblaRes
like this all over this broad land are the
sovereign source of all power These citi-
zens are the substantial foundation upon
which rest our form of government.
And while our citiznes appreciate the
or citizenship and strive
each in his own way and according to his
best judgment to bring civilization to
higher grounds, and make the govern
ment each year more fit expression of
the virtue of the people as long as this is
desired by all we can agree in the funda-
mental principles, though we may differ
In those minor points which separate u.s.
It was here that received my first in
struotion in Democracy. do not use 1t
rs party name. l mean it in the broader
sense of that Democracy that recognizes
the brotherhood of Man.
g 1t was here that learned the truth
of the poets language honor and fame
from no condition rise. The clothes do
not make the man and all can contribute
10 the nations greatness. 1t matters not