Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-08


Chicago. Sept. S.-The crowd gathered
at Sharpshooters' park, the spot Sc
lected for yesterdays labor picnic. very
slowly. At ] O'Clock there were prob
ably not to exceed 1000 people around
the speakers stand. many of whom
were ladies'. After that time there was
n steady stream Of people flowing into
the grounds, and the available places
We're soon occupied by an expectant
throhS. At o'clock a mighty shout
went up from the outskirts of the
crowd. and there was great rush for
the carriage occupied by Bryan, which
had just then arrived within the inclos-
ure of the park. Hundreds of people
pressed forward seeking to shake Bry-
an by the hand, and the passage of the
carriage through the crowd was some
what slow in consequence. He finally
reached the speakers stand. where he
was received with prolonged applause.
Docs Not Discuss the Silver Question.
On the stage We're seated Judge Nc
Council, Judge Prentiss, and a large
number of representatives of the
trades unions Of Chicago. At 2:2O
Bryan began his speech, being intro
duced by Edward Carroll, president of
the Building Trades council, in a
brief and appropriate address. Bry-
an devoted his speech to 'non-parti-
san politics." He said nothing about
silver, hut much about the relations
of the common people" to govern
mcnt of any kind, their importance
as the producers. and protested
against what he termed. the effort
to place capital on an equal footing
with, If no: above, labor in the struc-
ture Of government. II is assumed
that labor is available only in connection
with capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else commanding capital
somewhat by the use of it induces him
to labor. Labor is prior to and indie
pendent Of capital. Capital is only
the fruit Of labor and could never
have existed If labor had not first
existed. TAprlause.l Labor is the
superior Of capital and deserves much
higher consideration The above was
quoted from Abraham Lincoln.
Citizens Should he vigirant.
lie called attention to the fact that the
balio- i absolutely free in this country by
law, and urged his hearers to vote their
sentiments regardless of what any one
might do to intimidate them, and closed
rs follows: My friends, in this world
people have Just about as much of good as
they deserve. At least the best way to Sc
cure anything that is desirable is first to
deserve that thing. Ii the people of this
country want good laws they themselves
must secure them. II the people want to
repeal bad laws they alone have the power
To do ii. The citizen that is indifferent is
citizen who is apt To- be misrulcd. Tho
citizen who il watrhful. the citizen who is
ON the alert to riIisr the government what
IL ough, to lie il the citizen who has tho
best chance ol living under good laws and
wise and bcnciicicnt institutions.
Bryan took the $50 train on the
burlington road for Lincoln, Neb..
stopping at Aurora. Ills. for a twenty
minute speech. There were apout 400
people at the Chicago station to see his
departure. hut no demonstration.
The Programme Today nj Lincoln.
Lincoln, Ncb., sep S--rhc Bryan party
will reach here al IL u. III. today, most of
the members of tho silver notification
comm 'tcc, IL is Supposed. being ON tho
same train. At the station "a parade will
In formed and the march begun to the
Bryan residence, mile distant. March
ing clubs will b. numerous and many
bands of the city and from over the state
will help swell the crowd and the chorus
OF noise. The notification proper will &C.
cur mt the state capitol grounds in tho
afternoon. After leaving Chicago ycstcr-
day Bryan spoke at Piano. kewance,
Mendoza, and other places in Illinois, but
declined TO speak at Burlington, Ia, ow-
ing to hoarscncss.