The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-06
GREETED BY SONG
Bryan's Nashville Meeting Open
ed With" Home, Sweet HOme.''
Largest Political Crowd Ever
Assembled In Nashville.
THE TOMB OF JACKSON
Bryan Alludes to the Nearness
of the Hermitage.
We're Fighting the Battle
Jackson Fought.

Nashville. Tenn. Oct 6.-The greatest
crowd that ever turned out to a polit-
ical meeting met here last evening and
cheered the Democratic presidential
nominee to the echo. At the Hay
market five acres of ground within the
enclosure was half filed with people
who cheered him wildly. A choir of
80 voices, all males. sang the opening
song, Home, Sweet Home" The can
dloate was then introduced by Senator
Bate as the next president of the Unit
ed States. He was cheered and ap-
plauded throughout his speech, and
many times was stopped by the en-
thusiasm of his listeners.
Mr.. Bryan began his speech by refer
ring to the evident growth of the free
silver sentiment here since his first
visit a year ago.
He said; 4 beg to thank the men
who have opened this meeting with our
campaign song, our battle hymn, it
might be called, for in this fight for
the defense of the homes of the land.
the humble home as well a S the palatial
home, we might well take as our bat
tie hymn the most beautiful of all
songs, Home. Sweet Home Our
warfare is in one sense aggressive.
IN another it is defensive. It is ag-
gressive in the sense that we are ask
ing for remedial action 1t is agrees
sive in the sense that we are insisting
III
defensive in the sense that we are fight
ing for our homes and our people from
the invasion of a foreign financial pol
icy
LAS I listened to the acclamations of
the people could believe 1 was in a
city so near to that sacred spot the
Hermitage. CApplause.) I can under
stand why the people Of this state, and
especially of this portion Of the state,
should feel such deep interest in this
cause, because, my friends, We are
fighting today the battle that Andrew
Jackson fought when he was in office.
We find arrayed against US the same
combinations. the same aggregation of
wealth, with the same abuse that was
used against him. We meet the same
Intolerance that he met. We suffer
from the same abuse; every name is
applied today to the advocates of free
coinage that was applied to Old Hick-
DRY when he fought for the American
people. 1t is the lot of those who have
espOused our cause to be denounced
and abused by those who favor the gold
standard 1t has been the lot of those
who have defended the cause of the
common people to be abused by those
who doubt the capacity of the people
for self government and would deny TO
them the right of eating the bread
which they earn.
In declaring in favor Of bimetallism,
we are standing upon ancient ground
The free coinage of silver is no expert
ment. 1t is indorsed by the history of
the human race 1t has the sanction
of all the great statesmen Of this ma
ton from the beginning of our insti-
buttons. If YOU read the records Of
time you viii find that the neWspap ers
which are so quick to grasp upon any
item of news and so ready to spread it
before the public, did not understand
and explain that the law of 1873 de-
monetized silver. closed the minis to the
coinage Of the white metal and left US
with gold only as our standard money
ing to undo what was done in the dark
ours has been an open warfare ours
has been a fight in which we have had
to meet an enemy that fought from
ambush. an enemy that always fought
behind some false pretense- The gold
standard never fought an open fight in
this country. The gold standard never
fought a battle which was submitted
to the people. The gold standard has
made every step in its progress by IN
derhand means and has not for a mo
ment tried to obtain the consent Of the
people.
But in this campaign at least we
have the issue before the people and
we will have a chance in this election
to cast our ballots for the maintenance
of the gold standard or for the restOra-
ton of the money of the constitution.
cannot doubt what the result VIII be
when the American people are called
upon to decide this question Our op-
pOnents say we do not need any more
hnanciers themselves acknowledge our
need of more money. Our hnanciers
rejoice at the lot of money coming
back here from abroad. Why should
we want a single dollar to come from
any other country if we have plenty?
We don't want too much in this coun-
try; we want just enough.
MY friends, whenever we admit that
we ought to have any money come
from abroad, we admit there is not
enough here now. Then I assert it is
better to let this country get out Of our
own mountains the money than to go
around and borrow money to be paid
afterward with interest. (Applause.)
But they ask US if we are going to get
gold for this money even if there is
more. 1t is very easy to answer You
cannot get money unless you have
something to sell, but it is just as true
that every producer of wealth has
something to sell. When a man asks
you how you are going to get any of
the money unless you have something
to sell, let me give you question to
ask him. Suppose have something to
sell. How am I going to get anything
for it until 1 find somebody with mon
ey to buy what I have to sell. Money
is the creature of law. You must first
create money before you can distribute
it. and if you stop its creation, you
stop its distribution. Whenever you
legislate down the quantity of money,
YOU legislate up the value Of the dollar,
and when you legislate up the value of
the dollar you legislate down the value
Of those things which exchange for
dollars. And the Greet of the financial
suffered