The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-07-18
BRYANs GREAT SPEECH.
The Effort That Made Him the Dem
ocratic Nominee for President

The Effort That Made Him the DEM
ocratic Nominee for President.
In the Democratic National Convention |
last week, William J. Bryan, of Nebraska,
''The Boy Orator of the Platte, was Que Of |
the speakers put forward by the silver men TO |
sustain the majority report on the platform. !
He followed Senator David b. Hill. OF New.
York, and below is his speech in full:
MA CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE |
CoxvEHTIoS-I would be presumptuons, in-
deed, to present myself against the distin-
guished gentleman TO whom you have lis
tened, if this were but measuring Of ability, |
but this is not contest among persons. The
humblest citizen in all the land when clad in the
armor of righteous cause is stronger than all
the whole hosts oferror that they can bring.
come to speak to you in defence of cause as
holy as the cause of liberty, the cause of
humanity. [Loud applause.
''When this debate is concluded motion
will be made to lay upon the table the resol-
utions offered in commendation of the Ad-
ministration, and also the resolution in con-
demnation of the Administration. | shall
object to bringing this question down to a
level OF persons. The individual is an atom;
he is born, be acts, he dies, but principles
are eternal, and this has been contest of
principle.
''Nevsr before in the history of this coun-
| try has there been witnessed such a contest
as that through which we have passed. Never
before in the history of American politics has
a great issue been fought out as this issue has
been by the voters themselves. On the 4th
of March, 1895, few Democrats, most of
them members of Congress- issued an address
to the Democrats of the nation asserting that
the money question was the paramount issue
| of the hour, asserting also the right of u ma
| iOrity of the Democratic party to control the
position of the party on this paramount issue,
concluding with the request that all believers
| in free coinage of silver in the Democratic
party should organize and take charge of and
control the policy of the Democratic party.
''Three months later, at Memphis, an or
ganization was perfected and the silver Dem
ocrats went forth openly and boldly and
courageously proclaiming their belief and
declaring that if successful they would crys-
talize in a platform the declaration which
they had made; and then began the conflict
with a zeal approaching the zeal which in-
spired the Crusaders who followed Peter the
Hermit. Our silver Democrats went forth
from victory unto victory until they are as
sembled now, not 10 discuss, not to debate,
but to enter the judgment rendered by the
plain people of this country. GApplause.]
SIN this contest brother has been arrayed
against brother and father against fatner
| The warmest ties of love and acquaintance
and association have been disregarded. Old
| leaders have been cast aside when they re-
| fused to give expression to the sentiments of
those whom they would lead, and new lead
ers have sprung up TO give direction TO this
cause of truth [Cheers.
''Thus has the contest been waged, and we
have assembled here under as binding and
solemn instructions as were ever fastened ups
on the representatives of people We do
not come as individuals. Why, as individuals
we might have been glad to compliment the
gentleman from New York (Senator Hill.
But we knew that the people for whom we
speak would never be willing to put him in
| position to thwart the will of the Democratic
party. Cheers. Isay it was nota question
of persons; it was a question of principle,
and it is not with gladness, my friends, that
we find ourselves brought into conflict with
those who are now arrayed on the other side.
''The gentleman who just preceded (Gov.
Russell) spoke of the old State of Massachu-
setts Let me assure him that not one per-
son in all this Convention entertains the
least hostility to the people of the State of
Massachusetts, Applause. But we stand
here representing people who are the equals be-
fore the law ofthe largest citizens in the State
Massachusetts,. Applause. When you come
before us and tell us that we shall disturb
your business interests. we reply that you
have disturbed our business interests by your
course. Great applause and cheering.
s'We say to you that you have made too
limited in Its application the definition of the
business man. The man who is employed
for wages is as much business man as his
employer. The attorney in country town
is as much a business man as the Corporation
Counsel in a great metropolis. The mer-
chant at the crossroads store is as much a
business man as the merchant of New York.
The farmer who goes forth in the morning
and tolls all day, begins in the spring and
tolls all summer, and by the application Of
brain and muscle to the natural resources of
this country creates wealth, is as much bus
mess man as the man who goes upon the
Board of Trade and bets upon the price of
grain. The miners who go a thousand feet
into the earth or climb 1000 feet upon the
cliffs and bring forth from their hiding places
the precious metals TO be poured in the chan
nels of trade are as much business men as the
few financial magnates who in back room
corner the money of the world.
''We come to speak for this broader class
of business men. All, my friends, we say
not one word against those who live npon the
Atlantic coast; bu: those hardy pioneers who
braved all the dangers of the wilderness, who
have made the desert to blossom as the rose
those pioneers away out there, rearing their
children near to natures heart, where they
can mingle their voices with the voices of the
birds; out there where they have erected
schoolhOuses for the education of their young
and churches where they praise their Creator
and cemeteries where sleep the ashes of their
dead, are as deserving of the consideration Of
this party as any people in this country.
Great applause.
at is for these that we speak, We do not
10 &C
conquest. We are fighting in the defence of
our homes, our families, and posterity. Loud
applause. We have petitioned, and our
petitions have been scorned. We have en-
treated, and our entreaties have been disre-
garded. We have begged and they have
Knocked, and our calamity came. We beg no
longer We entreat no more. We petition
no more. We defy them. [Great applause
and confusion in the silver delegations.
''The gentleman from Wisconsin has said
he fears Robspierre. My friend, in this land
of the free you need fear no tyrant who will
spring up from among the people. What we
need is an Andrew jackson to stand as Jack
son stood against the encroachments of ag-
grandized wealth. lGreat applause.
'They tell us that this platform was made
to catch votes. We reply 10 them that chang
ing conditions make new issues; that the prin-
ciples upon which rest Democracy are as ever
lasting as the hills, but that they must be ap-
applied TO new conditions as they arise. Con-
ditions have arisen, and we are attempting to
meet those conditions. They tell us that the
income tax eught not TO be brought in here.
That is a new idea. They crticise us for our
criticism of the Supreme Court of the United
States. My friends, we have not criticised,
we have simply called attention to what you
know. If you want criticisms, read the dis
senting opinions of the Court. That will give
you criticisms. [Applause.] They say we
passed an unconstitutional law | deny it,
the income tax was not Unconstitutional when
it was passed 1t was not unconstitutional
when il went before the Supreme Court for
the first time. 1t did not become unconstitu.i
tional until one Judge changed his mind, and
we cannot be expected to know when Judge |
will change his mind. [Applanse, and voice,
hit 'em again.
1sThe income tax is a just law. 1t simply |
intends to put the burdens ofgovernmentj justly |
upon the backs of the people. am in favor |
ofan income tax, Applause.l When find