Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-20
Bryan Speech Of Acceptance.


and enthusiastic audience and one of
the largest public halls in the country,
the speech of William J. Bryan, the
alleged Democratic candidate for Pres-
dent. in Madison Square Garden, New
York. Wednesday night, was failure
and a disappointment. 1t was lacking
in what was considered the Speakers
browning merit = oratory. No one
looked for a calm, logical and con-
vincing discussion of living issues by
Mr.. Bryan. His chief fame was result
tant.from his alleged gift of oratory, and
his nomination was secured by reason
Of a single speech In the Chicago
convention, the ''impassioned elo-
quenoe" of which swept from the
minds of majority of the delegates
what little reason they possessed, and
induced them to elevate TO the leader
ship of a great party young aud com
paratively unknown man, with practi-
cally no experience in the public affairs
Of the nation, and no recommendation
save silrery and smoothly swinging
tongue.
Mr.. Bryan's speech, we are informed
by his chief and almost sole newspaper
organ in New York City, was "a calm,
logical and forcible presentation of the
Democratic argument, without attempt
at oratorical display" 1t is no won
der, therefore, that it was disappoint-
ment. The people in attendance did
not go there to hear ga calm, logical
and forcible presentation of the Demo-
cratic argument" but they did go
there to enjoy an 'oratorical display. I"
For had not the silver idol been her.
aided far and wide as 1.-THE Boy Orator
of the Platte,'' and credited with a
forensic genies unheard of since the
days of Patrick Henry?
Before the speech was over. W are
further informed, half the great crowd
had departed. Their idol had been
shattered. and was no longer an orator.
AS they expected him to be this and
nothing more, it would not have been
any compensation had his speech really
been "a calm and logical argument, Z"
for this was not what they wanted.
They painted for oratory and failed to
get it, Whether this was due merely
to the strained condition Of Mr..
Bryan's vocal organs, or to the fact
thatsall forceful and eloquent quota
tions from the speeches of able men
had to be given due credit, instead
of being bodily appropriated, since the
exposure of the plagiarisms of his
famous speech at the Chicago conyen.
tion, will probably never be known.
But it is not disputed that his initial
appearance before an eastern audience
was fiat failure, and that his evanes
cent reputation as a great orator van
ished in single night.
Mr.. Bryan's address was mainly de
voted to the question of free silye
coinage, and was more of a defense o
his pet theory than an argument il
favor Of it. He advanced the senseles
proposition of Legislation necessary
to restore silver to its ancient position
by the side of gold," when it is know
to all who care to see the truth that sill
ver's ancient position that is. ii
position prior to the Coinage law O
lS73--was one of superior value Il
gold, as far as the intrinsic worth O
the gold and the silver dollar was con
ceraed. No amount of legislation cal
restore that condition. Ii was depend
emit then upon, the unerring law of sun
ply and demand, and will be to the en-
of time.
Another of the propositions advance
by Mr.. Bryan was as follows:
We contend that free and unlimitet
coinage by tho United States alon
will raise the bullion value of silye
to its coinage value and thus make sill
yer bullion worth $l.29 per ounce i
gold throughout the world. This pron
osition is in keeping with natural laws
not in defiance of them.
The best known law of commerce i
the law of supply and demand. W
recognize this law and build our argu
ment upon it. We Apply this law t
money when we say that reduction !
the volume of money will raise the pu,
chasing power Of the dollar. We ais
apply the law OF supply and demand I
silver when we say that new demau
for silver created by law will raise til
price Of silver bullion.
1t is not necessary to look very In
back for plain facts that utterly reur
diate the soundness of this argument
At the time Of the passage of II
Sherman Silver Purchase law, in Jul
1890, which opened steady and pr,
titable market for the product of Ii
silver mines, the value of the bullic
in silver dollar was SO cents. I
the time the law was repealed, Octoht
1893 then it had fallen to 5Gla cent
Now it is but IS cents. How can Ii
free coinage of the metal tend to i,
crease the value of silver bullion, vino
its value steadily decroasod in Ii
face of regular and liberal purchase
by the government
No other remedy for existing fina,
cial troubles than the free coinage
silver was proposed by Mr.. Bryan. Z
his mind, this is a papacea for all nj
tional evils In the presentation
such an issue, it is no wonder that or
tory failed and his speech was elisar
pointment. And, stripped Of his rep
tation as an orator, what else has Wi
liam j. Bryan to commend him to Il
people of the country as a candidate Il