The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-16

citizenship and strive each in his own
way and according to his best judg
ment to bring civilization to higher
ground and make the government each
( year a more fit expression OF the virtue
| of the people as long as this is desired
| by all, We can agree in the fundamental
/ principles, though We may differ in
/ these minor points which separate US.
1T was here I received my first In
/ struetions in Democracy do not use
I it as party name. 1 mean it in a
/ broader sense, that Democracy that
/ recognizes the brotherhood of man. 1t
I was here that I learned the truth of
! the language Honor and fame from
/ no condition rise, the clothes do not
( make the man, and we all but contrib
| ute to the nations greatness, all who
/ have the good of the country at heart,
/ it matters not what their station of life,
| what their ancestry, what their sur
/ rOundfngs, all these stand upon COM
mon ground and all are citizens Gap
/ plaUse-) It was here too, that learn
| ed that principle. which must 60 hand
/ in hand with a broad Democracy, the
/ freedom of conscience; that every man
! has right to worship God according
I to the dictates Of his own conscience,
and that no government like ours can
/ attempt to dictate how man shall
/ serve or worship his God .(Great ap-
I plause-)
+ These are the basic principles upon
/ which have been reared the greatest
/ nation known to history. l am be-
( lever in the progress of the race.
/ Talk not to me about crises through
/ which we cannot pass. Tell me not of
: dangers that viii not be overthrow, OBJ
stacles too great to be overcome. We
/ know none such 4 brave. a heroic,
! a patriotic people. will be ready to
meet every emergency as it arises. Each
( generation is capable of self-gOvern-
| ment, and I believe each generation
| will be more capable under our insti-
/ tutiOns than the generation which went
/ before Abraham Lincoln, in that great
/ est of his speeches, said we had an un-
/ finished work. Every generati re-
/ ceives from the preceding generation
] an unfinished work.
The works of a man are imperfect.
/ We shall labor on from age to age; we
shall not reach perfection, but if we do
| our duty we shall leave the world bet
ter than it was when we entered it,
and every generation will enjoy the
! blessings beQueathed from the genera
| ton passed. My friends, with such
| gathering here, and not here alone, but
! throughout the entire land, from the
! Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the
! lakes to the gulf. a people such as
| these, a nation may look with absolute
confidence for that wisdom, that intel
4 1igence, that patriotism and that cOur-
age to meet every hour of danger. Gap
plause-)
But I must not talk to you Permit
me again and again to thank you for
/ what you have done for me, for the
words that you have spoken, and the
kindly expressions I see in every face.
We know not now what may be the re-
! suit of this campaign. We shall go
forth and do our duty we see it.
But what shall be the result cannot be
known until the votes are counted.
/ But no matter what the results, Wheth
| er this campaign results in my cleo
ton or my defeat, time cannot rob me
of the delightful recollection of the con-
! fdence and love of these, the citizens of
my boyhOOd days. 1 thank you"
Several times during the speech Mr..
Bryan showed by the huskiness of his
! voice tina the was deeply moved. There
were many of the former neighbors and
friends who frequently applied their
handkerchief to their eyes. When the
applause following had ended, Mrs.
Bryan was introduced and came for
ward amid loud cheers and bowed
Francis NJ YOungblOOd of Carbonate
also delivered an address, speaking in
/ favor of free silver. He was frequent
" Interrupted by applause. especially
in that portion where ne euIOgized Mr..
Bryan. When he had ceased to talk.
the crowd cheered. the band played,
and the meeting was adjourned
It threatened rain at the night meet
ing and the crowd was not as large as
it otherwise would have been. The
bands were out, however, and there was
a display of fireworks. L. NJ. Kagy,
who presided, upon calling the meet
ing to order, announced that the Ne
braska Populists had indOrsed Bryan
for president This caused great an
plause. Mr.. Bryan in the course of mis-
remarks said:
we have come upon times of great
agitation and there are some who are
quick to condemn the agitatOrS, but my
friends. agitation is the only means in
a country like ours through which re-
dress can be obtained. They say those
who preach reform are stirring up dis
content. I remind you that discomfort
lies at the foundation of all progress.
Those who are entirely satisfied never
desire anything better. If our fore
fathers had been content we would to-
day be under British rule. applause
and cheering)
1T is only because they were not sat
fsfied at all that they became free and
independent, that we have the govern
ment which we have today. And so,
when a question is raised we ought not
to denOunce the man who raises it as
an agitator. We should simply inquire,
Is the proposition which he presents a
right One?'
Let me beg of you to give careful
and just consideration to the issues of
this campaign. Take our condition as
it is. take the remedies proposed and
see if the remedies are real remedies
and if they Will improve the condition
of the body polite. Every reform that
is good every reform that will better
the condition of the masses is reform
that should receive the support of every
voter of this country Let me just say
one word. I believe it was said of
Lincoln, or Lincoln is quoted as saying,
when a man asked him whether he
thought the Lord was on his side, he
said he was more anxious to be on the
Lord s side. (Applause.)
That was simply one way of ex-
pressing a great truth, and that is that
right will prevail My friends, if there
is one truth taught by six thousand
years of human history. it is that truth
is omnipotent and truth alone will pre-
vail You may impede its progress,
you may delay its course, but after
awhile truth will show its irresistible
power, and those who stand in its way
will be crushed beneath it. You ask
me if these reforms which we advocate
will be accomplished. If they are
wrong we ought not to desire their ac-