The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-23

tenance of the gold standard. you can
rely upon my doing It the very hrst
possible opportunity given me. Zap
plause.) Now, my position on puDuc
questions in known, and don't use the
words sound money when / mean gold,
either. (Applause.) And / don't use
the word honest money when talk
about the dollar that is the most dis
honest dollar this country ever saw, a
gold dollar which keeps growing greater
All the time (Great applause-)
My platform sets forth certain poll
cies, and it states that the money
question is the paramount Issue, and
then two other parties, to neither OF
which I belong, two other parties IN
national conventions declared the
money question is paramount and they
nominated me, and every man VINO IS
supporting me is willing to say so and
to say why he does it In that respect
have the advantage over some
daughter and applause.) There is one
party-no, it is not, but claims to be
that deserts one party to elect another
7 am toe dignifed to nominate one
ticket for the purpose of voting for an
other ticket I am too dignified to
practice deception upon the American
people" Great applause)
The nominee then attacked the FIN
ancial plank Of the Republican party
He said the Republicans were arguing
that free coinage Of silver was simply
he said, their platform declared for in
ternatfonal bimetallism. UprOarfOus
applause followed when he asked if in
ternatiOnal bimetallism would not help
the mine owner just as much as indie
pendent bimetallism- And would not
International bimetallism" he added,
help the debtor class just as much as
independent bimetalIism? ?" He insisted
that the American people were free and
independent and capable of making
their own laws Of finance. Continuing
he said:
No political party ever went before
the country on a gold standard plat
form. In 1888 the Republican party
denounced the Democratic party for its
Efforts to demOnetize silver. In 1892
the Republican party declared that the
American people from tradition and in
tereSt were in favor of bimetallism.
Have traditions changed in four years?
And yet the party which four years
ago declared that both tradition and in
terest endeared bimetallism to the
American people now tells you that
while the people love the bimetallism
OF tradition and interest. we cannot
have the love unless other nations help
US. applause
Our record is clear. The Democratic
party never declared for a gold stand
ard and no man in office ever agitated
a gold standard If he was elected until
he betrayed the people who elected him.
(ApplauSe.) deny the right OF any
public servant to secure office upon a
platform and then abandon the plat
form. My friends, l was reared il a
different school of Democracy. Gap
plauSe) When find that my con-
science will not permit me to carry out
the platform on which I was elected
viii resign and let some other man have
the office (Applause.) That, my friends.
that is the record of the Democratic
party, and I sand here, not only as the
regular nominee of the Democratic
party, but I stand here representing the
principles that have been Democratic
from the time there was q Democratic
party. The boilers who are seeking to
elect a Republican president without
the courage to bear the odium to call
themselves Republicans, say they are
true Democrats. (Hisses.) Did they
measure themselves by the standard set
up by Thomas Jefferson? Thomas JEFF
ferson says that the people called him
a maniac. They call US lunatics. Now
what's the difference? Laughter)
And why did they call him maniac?
Because he was opposed to farming out
the issue OF money to private corpora
tons. He said that the bank issues
were more dangerous than standing
armies, and they called him a maniac.
They call US lunatics and then they say
they are Democrats. (Hisses.)
viii they measure themselves by the
standard set up by Andrew jackson?
The greatest fight that Jackson ever
had was against the national banks of
his day. There is not an influence that
tried to defeat Jackson that is not to-
day arrayed against the Democratic
ticket (Iisses and groans) My friends,
our opponents tell you that 1 am very
radical I am a conservative man.
The gold bugs think I am radical, so
the papers say; I have Joined with the
Populists Of Texas, who think 1 am not
radical enough. applause and laugh
ter.) Ny friends, I am a conservative
man. I am a believer in law and or
der. I believe in the enforcement of
law. I do not believe that any man
whether he be small or great, should
not defy the law.
IF I would say that I am in favor of
enforcing law against the small, I
would be a good man. 1t is when say
that I am in favor of enforcing law
against the great that become a dan
gerOus man"
The nominee then asserted that the
financial question could not be settled
until 1t was settled right and that fin
ancial disturbances would continue to
disturb the country just as long as the
government maintained a sold stand
ard. After a bitter condemnation OF
the bankers who negotiated the recent
bond issues, Mr.. Bryan concluded his
remarks with a reference to Prince Bis
marck's letter. The mention of the
name of the German statesman was
loudly cheered.
Mr.. Bryan did not attempt to speak
from the academy balcony to the crowd
in the street, but drove direct to the
down town open air meeting Here
arrived at about 10:45, but the noise and
confusion was so great that he spoke
only a few words and then returned to
his hotel. The weather had grown
quite cold and an attempt to make
speech would have been disastrous to
his vocal organs.