Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1896-08-26
his eloquence may have been reduced, two
things for which he stands remain unal-

things for which he stands remain unal-
tered
On this platform he defended the most
revolutionary plank of the Chicago con-
vention in speech less vehement, but not
less earnest, than that l.. which he sup.
ported its adoption. On this platform he
defended the Populistic programme of
overthrowing the integrity of the supreme
court. If there be any fruit which has
grown for the benefit of all mankind out
OF the establishment of our republic, it has
been the demonstration that it is possible
by the organization Of an independent
tribunal to safeguard the rights of every
citizen and protect those natural privileges
against any invasion from whatever source
or however powerful might be the antag-
onizing elements
The very existence of that power presup-
poses the existence Of an independent tri-
bunal Yet we have this Populist conven-
tiOn, because Populist measure was con-
demned as unconstitutional, proposing
not to amend the constitution in the ordi
nary way prescribed by that instrument
itself, but proposing to pack the court, to
reOrganize 1t The used the language of the
platform ITSELF SO that it will pronounce
those laws to be constitutional which the
constitution itself condemns-a proposal
DO make the courts of law instruments Of
lawlessness to violate that sacred pact be-
tween the states on which the security of
this nation rests, to profane the temple
erected for it's protection by the hands of
false priests, who though sworn to defend
it, will be appointed to destroy it.
In the time to which must confine my
self tonight can do nothing but examine
! that one question which Mr. Bryan him
self declares to be the overshadowing issue
of this campaign. l am little puzzled
when l read this speech to decide just what
Mr.. Bryan himself imagines will be the
fruit Of a change in the standard Of value
throughout this country i do not believe
that any man can follow wholly with the
speech, because if he dissents from one set
Of conclusions he has got to read but few
paragraphs and he will find another Of a
different variety But / assume that 1t Is
fair in a discussion of this character, indie
pendently of what Mr.. Bryan may say or
what Mr. Bryan may think himself he
stands for, to examine the inevitable eco
nomic effects of a debasement of the coin
age, of a change in the standard by which
existing debts are to be measured in a baser
measure of value.
A Test of Prosperity.
Now, l will imagine that Mr.. Bryan
himself may believe that in some way or
other he is going to benefit the toilers of
this country. He says he is, but he de-
clines to show us how. For my part l am
willing to state here that if Mr.. Bryan
could show me that by any means known
to heaven or known on earth, any means
revealed to the comprehension of man,
wages could be increased, l will be ready
to support him here and now. / do not
make this statement through any pre-
tense of special affection for the man who
works with mis- hands. Such a pretense
made in the heat of presidential canvass
| would merely insult and discredit the in
telligence to which it is addressed. / repeat
that would support any measure calcu-
| lated to increase the rate of wages because
| know of no test of prosperity absolutely
infallible except the rate of wages paid to
| laborers. Where the rate of wages is high,
there must be prosperity. Where the rate
| of wages is low, there must necessarily be
distress.
If, then, Mr.. Bryan can show me that
| by the enforcement of any portion of his
programme wages will be increased in this
country, will not only support him, but
| I will recognize him as the wisest orator
| that ever opened his mouth on platform
since the beginning of the world. 1 will
be ready to confess that the rhetoric which
do not now understand is really the Ian
puage of inspiration. l would regard his
| administration of the presidency as the
| kindling of great light before the foot
steps of man, showing him broad path
way to endless happiness and measurelcss
prosperity. But in searching through his
speech, in reading through the whole reams
| of Populistic literature with which this
| country has been flooded for four years, i
have never yet found one syllable which
showed me how a Populist expected to in
crease the rate of wages.
Now in order to understand the sig
| nificance of the remark that wages Is the
only test of prosperity, we have but to con.
| slider for moment just what is meant by
| the term wages. Wages, as l suppose ev-
| erybody here understands, is that part OF
| the laborer's product which is given to
himself in compensation for his toll Ii,
for instance, I be engaged in the manu-
facture of chairs, and If l can make five
chairs every day worth $50, and the rate
of my wages Is 81 day, what l actually
get ia one chair out Of the five which
make The other four chairs the other
| four-ffths of my product, are devoted tc
the payment of all the other labor that has
been expended in preparing the elements
out of which the chair was made To the
man who felled the tree in the forest, the
person who sawed it in the mill, the car
rier who transported it, the workman who
prepared its component parts, and the pro
fit on the capital which set all this labor in
motion.
1t is plain, however, that l could not
take one chair home with me at night and
ATTEMPT to settle my bills with it, for the