The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-20

country will not change the institution
which has stood the tests Of a century
for institutions based upon the fantastic
dreams of populist agitators-that the
American nation will never consent to
substitute for the republic of Washing
tong of Jefferson and of Jackson the
republic of an Altgeld n Tillman or a
Bryan. Whatever change may have
come over his manner as a candidate,
however much the vehemcnce OF his cO-
quencc may have been reduced two
things for which he stands remain I'M
altered. On this platform he defended
the most revolutionary plank of the Chi
cago convention in speeches vehement,
but not less earnest than that in which
he supported their adoption ON this
platform he defended the popuistic pro
gram of overthrowing the integrity of
the supreme court. If there be any
fruit which has grown for the benefit of
all mankind out of the establishment of
our republic. it has been the demonstra-
ton that it is possible. by the organizing
of an independent tribunal to safeguard
the rights of every citizen and protect
those natural privileges against any i'll
vasion from whatever source or how
ever powerful might be the antaGonizins
elements.
THE very existence of that power pre-
supposcs the existence of an independent
tribunal, vet we have seen this conVen-
ton. because populst measure was con
demncd as unconstitutional, proposing,
not to amend the constitution in the or
binary way prescribed by the instrument
i'H'ii' "u' PROPOSING 10 lack 'hs court
~ 'ii,,' !. W III pronounce thoSe L!NH ~
~! ~ Eullstl'ulloilul when tile CONSTITUTION
ltsell conuelilnS' II pro'osdl 70 MAKE lhe
courts Oh laM instruments OF laWltSsloSS'
to ylOlatp the sacred cOmDDct hpTNNppu
the states upon WIlch the surety OF inns
lil'ion rests; TO protane the temple erect
ca Ior tS protection by the hahdS or laiSe
priests VINO, though sworn to defend II,
were appointed TO destroy II.
"In tbe time to which 7 must couine
myself tonight | can do nothing but OK.
anime that one question which Mr. Bry-
an himself declares TO he the oyershodoW-
ing issne of This comnnipn I am ~ LITTLE
puzZed when | read this speech to de-
eide lust what Mr.. BRYAN imopinps will
be TIE fruit of n change i'm the standard
of value throughout this country. DO
not believe that any man can follow
wholly with the speech. because if he dis
SCENTS from one set of conclusions he has
got to read but few paragraphs and he
will find another. If Mr.. BRYAN could
show me that by any means known to-
heaven or earth wages could be ncreas-
ed. will be ready to support him because
| know of no one evidence of prosperity
absolutely infallible except the rate of
wages paid to laborers. when we call to
mind how Mr.. Bryan expects to increase
the wages of labor we find ourselves lost
in a maze of contradictions No man can
fell how. when or where the wages of
workingmen are to be increased but any
one who examines the scheme can see
that the inevitable tendency. the inCylta-
bic consequence of debasement in the
standard of coin must be a reduction in
the rate of wages-and that is the CON
spiracy in which the populists arc en-
gagged. Now Mr.. Bryan tells us that ne
wishes TO cheaper the dollar. that he
wants to increase the volume of money;
| do not believe any man who ever Ilyeu
could quite understand populist notion
of what money is. further than that ne
believes, it a desirable thing to get ana
he is not very particular about the mraiis