The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-09-30
Bryan's Defense Of the Anarchy
Plank

Plank
In recent address, Candidate
Bryan undertook to justify the anar-
chy plank in the Chicago platform
by comparing it with the anti-border
ruffian plank in the republican plat
form of 1860.
Mr.. Bryan spoke as follows:
Before addressing myself to the
money question, desire TO say some
thing in regard TO these planks of our
| platform which have been assailed by
the enemy. only speak of them be.
cause persons high in the republican
party have called attention to them and
sought TO twist them into meanings
not intended to be given them and an
Interpretation which they will not bear.
Let me read To you the plank of the
Chicago platform against which so much
has been leveled:
1--WE denounce arbitrary interference
by federal authorities in local affairs as
a violation of the constitution of the
United States, as crime against free
Institutions
That is the part they say is bad.
When did it become bad? Let me read
a plank of another platform and see
how this plank compares with the one
which / have read:
That the maintenance inviolate of
the rights OF the state, and especially
the rights of each state TO order and
control its own domestic institutions
according to Its own judgment eXclu-
slvely, Is essential to that balance of
power upon which the operation and
endurance of our political fabric de-
ponds, and we denounce the lawless
invasion by armed force of the soil of
any state OF territory, no matter under
what preteXt, as among the greatest of
crimes
"Do you know from what platform
that plank is takeng"
A voice-"From Abraham Lincoln's."
Yes, from Abraham Lincoln's. ZAP
pause loud and long, That is plank
in the platform of the republican party
of 1860, and when you compare our
plank with that you will find that ours
is mild in language compared to this
one. tApplause.) Abraham Lincoln
ran for president on that platform. He
was elected president on that platform.
Cries of $50 will you be-" and II hope
sou And in his inaugural he quoted
that plank in full and reiterated it with
his approval. Cries $50 will your
Now my friends, If our platform is
wrong, want these republicans to re-
pudiate Abraham neutrality-suspicious.
because if you take Abraham Lincoln
from the republican party you have
taken from it its most sacred memory"
Men who are above the age of fifty
years will remember the circum-
stances that called for the adoption
of that plank in the platform of the
republican party. Kansas had been
repeatedly invaded by bands of Mis-
souri, border ruffians who were de-
termined to establish slavery in that
territory, regardless of and against
the will of the people; blood had
been shed, towns had been burned,
and reign of lawlessness and terror
had been inaugurated and maintained;
state of affairs that, if not encour-
aged by the then democratic admin
istration, was at least tolerated and
no effort was made by the general
government to suppress 1T. The
republican plank that condemned
such a state of affairs is quoted by
Candidate Bryan as justification of
the Chicago plank that everybody
knows was framed as direct thrust
at President Cleveland for suppress
ing the Chicago riots and preserving
the government mails, government
property and, incidentally, large
amount of other property, both pub
lie and private, from utter destruction,
and, doubtless, preventing bloodshed
and loss of life-the most patriotic
service rendered by Mr.. Cleveland
during his entire administration, and