The record-union., 1896-08-28
Candidate Bryan Makes His Fourth Speech
at Erie, Pennsylvania.
Principles of the Chicago Platform
Must Triumph.
An Absolute Necessity to the Welfare
of the Nation = Appeals to the
People to Not Only Vote for Silver
President, But to Elect to Congress
Only Those Who Will be in Favor
of Free Coinage.

of Free Coinage.
ERIE Pa), Aug. 21.-William J.
Bryan made his fourth and last speech
in Erie this morning, and shortly after
left for Buffalo, where his headquarters
will be for the rest of the week. The
hard work of yesterday did not show to
any great extent on the candidate
when he appeared on the Reed House
balcony this forenoon and addressed a
large crowd gathered there. His voice
was somewhat hoarse, but otherwise he
appeared to be in good condition.
The three speeches delivered by Mr..
Bryan in Erie last night showed his
versatility as an orator. He talked
money to all his audiences, but couched
the same ideas in different phraseology
at each place. In the course of his spicy
| speech at st. Patrick's Auditorium Mr..
Bryan said:
I'VE have got to take action. 1t is
| either bimetallism or a gold standard,
and it's future is in the hands of fate.
| There is no other issue but money. 1t
| comes first. All others are minor af-
| fairs. They may be settled at any time,
| but the question of money must be set
| tied now. What are we going to do? I
| do not know what the people think
| about it, but l do know if they want to
| help themselves they will go to the polls
| and vote for silver. l do not know what
| your politics are, nor do / care. 1 speak
| to you as citizens of a great country,
| not as members of a party. Parties are
| useful, of course, but they are instru-
| ments, not men. There is no reason
| why you should worship any party.
The Republican party had great op-
portunities at st. Louis, but they We're
slaves to gold, and had to bow their
| heads to the organized syndicates, and
you must remember tht these same syn
| dicates protect the treasury. The Re-
publican party tells you to hope and
wait. But how long will you have to
wait? Do not let the Republicans be-
guile you about the future. The future
| is written in blood, crushed out of you
! by gold. (Applause) 1t is not for
amusement that we are engaged in this
contest. 1t is for you. 1t is going to
bewar, andi if welose this time we are go
| ing right along and keep up the war un-
| til we win.
But, my friends, we will not have to
keep it up long. (Applause) Agitation
of this question causes trouble, and
trouble causes agitation. People do not
get agitated for nothing There must
be something back of it ALL Perhaps it
is because farmer who owned a farm
which was worth twenty years ago 3d.
GOO, this year mortgages it for $500,
and if he tries to sell it he will find that
| ba orb, foy 70 80
the mortgage
| The audience addressed by Mr. BRYAN
from the balcony of the Reed House
numbered 2,0G0. He made one of his
short speeches, and gained considerable
applause for eulogistic reference to Hon.
Joseph Sibley, the Democratic candi-
date for Congress in this district He
was preceded by several local speakers,
and followed by Mr.. Sibley
| After the speech Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan
held a reception in the Reed House,
which was attended by nearly all those
who composed the audience in front of
the balcony. The Lake Shore train in
which Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan travelled to
Buffalo left Erie at 1888 D. M
| Mr.. Bryan, wearing on the lapel of his
coat the gold embroidered badge of the
| Randall Club of Pittsburg," came out
| on the balcony of the hotel parlor at
| half-past 10 o'clock. He began his
speech with the remark that he had had
| several opportunities last evening of
| speaking on the issues of the campaign.
and that he desired this morning to
| leave one parting word.
This he said, lis a peculiar cam
paign. The people are engaged in this
| fight because they believe that the tri-
umph of the principles presented by the
Chicago platform is an absolute neces-
sity to the welfare of our nation. 1t is
not merely an attempt to secure the
Presidency or to divide the offices among
the few people. Offices cut no figure in
this campaign. (Cheers) l believe my
experience has been rather an unusual
one. The people who have come to me
! have come with suggestions as to what
can be done to win the cause No one
has come to ask me for an office in case
L am elected. L have not discussed pat
ronage with anybody. / shall not dis
| cuss patronage with anybody during
| this campaign. The man who in the
middle of a great battle stops to nego-
tiate as to what position he shall assume
when the battle is closed is unworthy to
| flOlQ any pOSltlOU III the ldnu- Ia voice IN
| the crowd, Peace on earth and good
will to men.')
Nor are we satisfied with securing
! the Presidency. The President alone is
powerless to secure legislation. He does
not express his approval until the Sem
ate and House have Joined in a meas
ure, and / appeal to you, if you are in
| terested in the success of our cause
/ to secure the Senate and the House as
well as the Presidency for this reform.
| (Cheers) The Senate is practically Sc
cured. We have no fear but that the
Senate which convenes on the 4th of
March next year will be in favor of the
/ free and unlimited coinage of gold and
silver at the present legal ratio of 16
to l, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent of any foreign nation. But it is
| necessary that we shall have the House
also, and / beg of you in every Con-
gressional District in this land to see
to it that no man shall receive a ma
/ jority of votes, if you can help it, un-
| less he goes there to vote for the
money of the Constitution from the first
day he takes his seat to the last day
that he occupies a place in the House
(Cheers.)