The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-07-24
BRYAN SEEMS SAFE
CONTINUED from First Page

We were following the banner of the
Republican party, the gold power of
Europe, represented by its agent in the
United States, was fastening such chain
of industrial slavery upon the people
that it would take almost a generation
to strike off. (Applause.) It was a part
OF the mission of Populism to free the
people from this sectional prejudice
with which they had been imbued. Now
we can meet in a great convntion like
this, represented by some 900 delegates
from forty-five state of this Union and
the various territories, struggling and
contending for the mastery among our
selves, and when the majority has
sponken its viii, we bow to that will
with a determination to carry it into
execution at the polls. (Applause)
III any man has come to this con-
'ehtlon or occupies these galleries who
suspects that there will be a bolt, as it
- caIIed, from the action of this con-
Ventlon, let me say to him that he is
mistaken. Cloud cheering.) When every
representative and every state and ter
ritofy nan re fesrd When 'n. resa:t
shall be known and 5ispassionately con-
sldered, if any such thinker have any
suspicion that there will be bolt can
say for my friends from Texas and
Maine, that they will all bow to the will
or this convention as crystallized by the
majority expressed upon the floor. (Ap-
plauS). 1 have no doubt that in Wall
street this moment there Is a hope that
this great convention will split 10 pieces.
and that the Populst party will be alb
sorbed, principally by the Republican
party. because this is the party that
VIII be supported by Wall street this
fall. CCries of Good, that's right.'D
Il have no doubt that in this building
at this moment the minions of Wall
street can be found. (Cries of That's
right; good boy.'O They have gone to
the hotels of New York in badges with
a lie upon their lips saying they were
delegates representing some state in
the union, in this convention Appiause)
They were and are the purchase chat
tells of the British gold (Applause)
They are the minions of that power
that has enslaved our people for a
quarter Of century, that would fasten
the manacles of industrial servitude up
on us so strong that we could not force
them from our limbs. But my fellow
citizens, We have been able to discover
these creatures. The good sense, the
patriotism, and good judgment and the
honesty of delegates has caused them
TO avoid any creatures of this kind.
And when this convention has spoken
its will, when it has named the next
president of the United States CTremen-
dous cheering) and shall have put a
ticket in the field that will achieve a
great victory in November, these chea-
lures, who have prowled around like
jackals around a graveyard will go
back to their homes without any OF
the fruit of victory from their mission
in St Louis. cloud cheering)
MY fellow-citizens, let me say to you
and especially to those of you who are
not Populists, it has been a common
expression Of our enemies that the Pop
ulist party was a party Of anarchists
(Cheers). We see 1t in the public print
in the gold bug press-in that kind
of press which has gold hand around
its neck with a chain attached to it
and there held by the Rothschilds or
their agents. (Applause)- We hear it
upon the lips of ignorant partisans; we
get the expression among men who
vote the Republican ticket because their
fathers voted 1t a quarter of a century
ago; we meet it, fellow-citizens, here
and there among both of the old poiit-
ical parties.
II
1t was common thing to speak OF the
Populist party as anarchists. 1 de-
clare to you, my fellow-citizens, as l
Populism and the Populis-
tic principles, they mean a just and
en- enlightened government, where
there is justice for both person and
property; a government where every
man. woman and child can stand be-
meath the folds OF the American flag
and say that his, her or it's rights are
protected. (Cheers)
"If any man has entered this great
hall who wants to destroy
the government and TO destroy property,
who is an enemy to social order, or
who proposes to take wealth from those
who are acquiring wealth, he is not
wanted here. The Populist party, as
understand it, has nothing here for
him.
But our friends are getting over this |
now. 1t was not so common
as it used to be TO hear this talk about
anarchy and revolution. The members |
Of the other parties are beginning to |
recognize the inevitable. In the senate |
where we have the balance Of power, il |
IS no longer heard. In those states |
where We have the balance of power |
and can carry defeat by our vote, We |
are no longer assailed with those op- |
probious epithets. On the contrary, |
We are addressed in courteous lang |
lage and we hear the remark when any |
measure is under discussion |
What will our Popuiist friends have?' |
What do they think about that? Cap |
piauSe)
MY fellow-citizens. as we have the |
balance of power in the senate and have |
'orced from that great body respectful |
we may as well have the bal |
lnce of power between the Democratic |
md Republican paties in this nation. |
Il lies within our right (AppIause). Now |
what course shall we pursue? What /
shall be done? / see here in our midst |
.wo or three banners on which are the |
words Keep in the middle of the road |
and laughter and a voice: |
Keep right in the middle OF the road. , |
MY friend in the front says Keep |
n the middle OF the road. 1 say. |
Amen to that. 0aughter and cheers.) |
My friends, l only want TO keep in the
middle of the road. l only want the I
POpulist party 10 keep in the middle OF
he road. but 1 want 10 see you take ali
IF the road and force everybody else
)ut OF IL. daughter and appiaUSe) |
We never want TO get into that stupid |
attitude where we viii stand so closely /
n the middle OF the road that the pro-
,ession viii pass us. Let US keep our
position in the middle Of the road. Let
Is keep the others on their side of the
Dad Let US preserve our organiza-
ion; perfect il 50 that il viii force the
.wo old parties to 90 into the fields out
ide Of the road. daughter and cheersp
No man has never yet determined or
ieiined what the middle Of the road
means. We can inscribe il upon our
'anners, but yet ask any man in this