The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-09-24


the building announced the arrival of
the, Bryan party. The noise grew louder
and nearer, gradually deepening into Il
mufiied roar and eventually bursting into
Il, torrent of sound the volume of which
shook the building as the candidate
walked down the aisle After six min
utes cheering, Mr.. Bryan raised his
hands. Without delay he stepped to the
front of the stage and said:
"Mr. Chairman. Ladies and Gentle
men-I esteem the privilege to be per-
mitted to defend the cause which has
been espoused in this campaign; and |
am glad to be permitted to present the
cause to the people of Brooklyn. | only
wish that that distinguished divine.
whose name has added even to the fame
of your great city, Henry Ward Beecher,
was here today. Were he with us today
he would champion the cause of the
people. Any man would. whose SYM
thies were on the side of humanity. my
friends. We have commenced a warfare
against the gold standard which will not
cease until victory is won. Before ad-
dressing myself to the money question
| desire to say something in regard to
our platform. | only speak of them be-
cause persons have called attention to
them and sought to twist them into
meanings not intended to be given them.
1--WE denounce arbitrary interference
by federal authorities in local affairs as
violation of the constitution of the
United States, as crime against free
institutions
"That is the part which they say is
bad. When did that become so? Let
me read plank of another platform and
see how this plank which | read, COM
pares to the one | have just read.
THAT the maintenance in violation
of the right of the states, and especially
the right of each state, to control its own
domestic affairs according to its own
judgment exclusively, is essential to that
balance of power upon which the opera
ton and endurance of our political fa-
brio depends, and we denOunce the law
less invasion by armed force of the soil
of any state or territory, no matter un-
der what preteXt. as among the great,
est of crimes (Applause.)
$50 you know from what platform
that is taken? CA voice: From Abra-
ham Lincoln's.O Yes, from Abraham
Lincoln's. That is plank in the plat
form of the republican party in 1860.
Abraham Lincoln ran for president on
that platform. He was elected on that
platform, and in his inaugural address
he quoted that plank in full and re-
iterated his approval. (Cries of so will
you.O Now, my friends, if our platform
is wrong | want these republicans to re-
pudiate Abraham Lincoln.
"And now let me call your attention
to another thing they say, in regard to
the income tax: | call attention to the
fact that the court overruled the de-
cisiOn of 100 years ago. 1t is fact.
Has no court hereafter no right to re-
verse the decision of the higher court !
This court changes from time to time;
judges die or resign and new judges
take their places. Is it not possible,
my friends, that future judges may ad-
here to the precedents of 100 years
standing instead of adhering to a de-
cision rendered by a majority of one,
and that one changed his mind. loud
applause) When did our opponents find
that decision of the supreme court was
so sacred? Why, this decision would
not have been regarded but for the fact
that men who had to pay the income
tax doubted the decision and asked that
court to overturn a former decision. ZAP
plause.) Every time lawyer goes into
court and asks for reversal of the de-
cision of the court. and it is Il frequent
thing-every time he does, he attacks
the correctness of the decision which
he desires TO have reversed. Let me
read you what the republican platform
says about the decisions of the supreme
court of 1860:
"'That we condemn the recent reopen
ing of the African slave trade under
cover of our national flag, aided by per-
versions of judicial power
"That is what the platform said. 1t
declared that the decision of the court
was a perversion of judicial power.
There is no language in our platform
that is as harsh as that republican plat
form. And they called upon congress in
that platform to take prompt and eff
cient measures for the total and final
suppression of that terrible traffic My
friends, on these two questions we have
not taken as emphatic stand as the re-
publican party took on the platform that
elected Lincoln.
"Let me quote you from Lincoln's in
augural address. This is an extract
from a public speech l read you, from Il
state paper: L do not forget the posi-
ton assumed by some on questions that
are to be decided by the supreme court
nor do | deny that such decisions must
be binding. While they are entitled to
all respects ] quote again, at the same
time the candid citizen must confess that
if the policy of the government upon vi
tai questions is to be liked by the decls-
ions of the supreme court, in ordinary
litigation by parties in personal action,
the people will have ceased to be their
own rulers, having to that extent re-
signed their government into the hands
of the enemy's tribunal
"Our platform is not as harsh as the
language of Abraham Lincoln. We do
not criticize the court as he criticized it
and when he uttered those words he was