The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-08-21
MR.. BRYAN'S GRAFTON.
Extracts from His Magnificent Argu-
ment mt New York.
An Earnest Appeal in Behalf of the
Democratic Platform and the Com
mon Interests of the People.

have made the following extracts
from Bryan's great speech Of accept
ance, delivered at Madison Square
Garden, New York City,on Wednes-
day night of last week. on the Occa-
sion of his being notified of his NOM
fnatiOn as the Democratic candidate
iOP President, an account of which
appeared in our columns last week.
Mr.. Bryan, in reply to Gov. stones
notification speech, spoke in part as
foIlows:-
Mr.. Chairman, Gentlemen of the
Committee, and FelLOW-citizenS Il
shall at future day and in formal
letter accept the nomination which
is now rendered by the Notification
Committee, and | shall at that time
touch upon the issues presented by
the platform. 1t is fitting, however,
that at this time, in the presence of
those here assembled, l speak at
some length in regard to the cam
paign upon which we are now enter
ing. We do not underestimate the
forces arrayed against us, nor are we
unmindful of the Importance of the
struggle in which we are engaged
but, relying for success upon the
righteousness of our cause, we shall
defend with all possible vigor the
positions taken by our party. We
are not surprised that some of our
opponents, in the absence of better
argument, resort to abusive epithets,
but they may rest assured that no
language, however violent, no in
vectives, however vehement, will
lead us to depart single hairs
breadth from the course marked out
by the National Convention. The
citizen, either public or private, who
assails the character and questions
the patriotism of the delegates as
sembled in the Chicago Convention,
assails the character and questions
the patriotism of the millions who
have arrayed themselves under the
banner there raised.
X
We are content to have the CO.
operation of those who desire to have
the Government administered with
out fear or favor. 1t is not the wish
of the general public that trusts
should spring into existence and
override the weaker members of So
ciety; it is not the wish of the gem
eral public that these trusts should
destroy competition and then col
lect such tax as they will from those
who are at their mercy; nor is it the
fault of the general public tn at the
instrumentalities of government
have been so often prOstituted to
purposes of private gain.
The commandment, "Thou shalt
or TO-
and reiterated in the legislation of
all nations, is no respecter of per-
sons. 1t must be applied to the great
as well as the small; to the strong as
we'll as the weak to the corporate
person created by law as we'll as to
the person of flesh and blood created
by the Almighty. No government is
worthy of the name which is not
able to protect from every arm up
lifted for his injury the humblest
citizen who lives beneath the flag.
1t follows as a necessary conclusion
that vicious legislation must be rem
edied by the people who suffer from
the effects of such legislation, and
not by those who enjoy its benefits.
\
The Chicago platform has been
condemned by some because it dis
sents from an opinion rendered by
the Supreme Court declaring the in
come tax law unconstitutional. Our
critics even go so far as to apply the
name Anarchist to those who stand
upon that plank of the platform. 1t
must be remembered that we eX-
pressly recognize the binding force
ofthat decision so long as it stands as
a part of the law Of the land. There
is in the platform no suggestion Of
an attempt to dispute the authority
of the Supreme Court. The party is
simply pledged to use "all the con-
stitutional power which remains
after that decision or which may
come from its reversal by the court
as it may hereafter be constituted"
While the money question over
shadows all other questions of inn
portance, L desire it distinctly under
stood that I shall offer no apology
for the income tax plank of the Chi
cago platform. The last income tax
law sought to apportion the burdens
of government more equitably
among those who enjoy the protec
ton of the Government. At present
the expenses of the Federal Govern
ment, collected through internal
revenue taxes and import duties,
are especially burdensome upon the
poorer classes of society. A law
which collects from some citizens
more than their share, of the taxes,
and collects from other citizens less
than their share is simply an indi-
rect means of transferring one mans
property to another mans pocket,
and while the process may be quite
satisfactory to the men who escape
Just taxation, it can never be salts
factory to those who are overbur-
dened.
Now let me ask you to consider
the paramount question of this cam
paign-the money question. 1t is
scarcely necessary to defend the
principle of bimetallism. No ma
tional party during the entire his
tory Of United States has ever de-
clared against it, and no party in
this campaign has had the temerity
to oppose it. Three parties-the
Democratic, Populist, and Silver
parties-have not only declared for