The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-07-24
BRYAN'S CONVENTION SPEECH
WHICH WON HIM THE NOMINATION.
AT CHICAGO.
1t Was Ina Reply 10 senator Hin and In
Defense of the Free Coinage Platform
Discussing Finance. the Income Tax
Tenure Of once Tariff and Business. "

Tenure Of once Tariff and Business
An that the imagination pictures Of Dsmosths
mes and Cicero, IN that IRE hare heard Of me gred
orators OF the English tongue, "as realized
HENRY GEORGE.
This is not contest among persons
The humblest citizen in all the land
when clad in the armor of a righteous
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 cause of humanity. cloud ap
plause shall object to bringing this
question down to level of persons.
The Individual is but an atom; he IL
born, he acts, he dies, but principles
are eternal, and this has been 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 politics has a
great issue been fought out as this is-
sue has been, by the voters themselves.
On the 4th of March 1895, 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
Democratic party TO control the
position of the party on this para
mount issue; concluding with the re
quest that all believers in free coinage
Of SILVER in the Democratic party should
organize and take charge of and con
troll the policy of the Democratic party.
Three months later at Memphis an
organization was perfected and the
silver Democrats went forth openly
and boldly and courageously proclaim
ing their belief and declaring that II
successful they would crystalline IN
platform the declaration which they
had made and then began the conflict
with zeal approaching Ihe zeal
which inspired the crusaders who fol
lowed Peter the Hermit. Our silver
Democrats went forth from victory IN
to victory until they are assembled
now not to discuss not to debate, but
to enter up the judgment rendered
by the plain people of this country.
I'm this contest brother has been
arrayed against brother and father
against father The warmest ties of
love and acquaintance and associa
tion have been cast aside when they
refused to give expression TO the sent
iments of those whom they would lead
and new leaders have sprung up TO
give directions to this cause OF truth.
CHEERS Thus has the contest been |
waged and We have assembled here |
under as binding and solemn instruc
tions as were ever fastened upon the |
Of people.
I'VE do not come as individuals. |
Why. as individuals We might have |
been glad to compliment the gentle |
man from New York. Senator Hill, |
but we know that the people for whom /
we speak would never be willing to |
put HIM in a position where be could 1
thwart the will of the Democratic |
party. Cheers | say 1t was not a
question of person it was a question |
Of principle, and ii 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
Russelll spoke of the old state of
that not one lerson in all this couyen
Libh lLC IcdEt lbEliliAN "
lie people of the state of Massachu
etts. Applause.
but we stand here representing
people who are equal before the law
1f the largest citizen in the state Of
Massach usetts. Applause. When you
:ome before us, and tell US that We
shali disturb your business interests,
We reply that you have disturbed our
business interests by your course.
We say to you that you have made
90 limited in its application the
Of business man. The man
VhJ is employed for wages is as much
business man as his employer. {
Continued cheering. The attorney
u country town is az much busi I
less man as the corporation counsel
4 a great metropolis. The merchant at /
he cross roads store IL as much a /
business man as the merchant OF New !
| ork The farmer who goes forth in a
he morning and tolls all day, begins q
q the spring and tolls all summer, I
nd by the application of brain and I
MUSCLE 10 the natural resources of this I
ountry, creates wealth. is as much a I
usiness man ass the man who goes t
pom the board of trade and bets upon !
be price of grain. - 8
The miner who climbs thousand