The Irish standard., 1897-09-18
SPEAKS TO A TREMENDOUS CROWD
OF THE WORKINGMEN.
DISCUSSES QUESTIONS OF INTEREST.
LABOR ORGANIZATION IS TEACHING:
THE PEOPLE TO THINK.
oDIoUS GOVERNMENT BY INJUNCTION. 4"
MAIN PURPOSE OF TIE WRIT is TO
PREVENT TRIAL by JURY.

On Labor Day, III ST. Louis, one of the
largest crowds ever assembled in Con-
cordia Park greeted William j.. Bryan.
The occasion was sufficient to inspire
any orator and Mr.. Bryan rose to it with
that magnetic force that has made him
one of the foremost public speakers of
the day. He spoke, in part. as follows:
l propose to submit certain PROPOSE
tions which are SO automatic that they
cannot be controverted, although there
are many people who dispute them. In
the first place. as the production Of
wealth comes before it's distribution, the
prosperity of q nation must be derived
primarily from Its wealth producers.
This truth is so exiomatic that elabora-
tion would be unnecessary but for the
fact that ther are many people who i'm
agine that prosperity of Il nation comes
down to the masses from the few who
generally seek, and too often secure,
special consideration at the hands OF
legislators. Within the last year l have
had occasion to read pamphlet written
by distinguished New York banker.
and in that pamphlet found the asser-
tion that the prosperity of the farmers
and laborers depends upon the prosper
ity of the business men. So long as one
entertains such an idea he is certain
to entertain erroneous views upon social
and political questions. The merchant,
the teacher. the lawyer, the physician,
the minister, In fact, all of the literary,
professional and commercial class, will
find upon investigation rnat they rest
upon those whose brain and muscle con-
vert the natural resources of the coun
try into material wealth.
AS a lawyer l belong to one of the
non-producing classes Lawyers don't
produce wealth, but a lawyer certainly
takes Il narrow view of his own inter
est if he does not realize that his well
fare depends upon the welfare of the
great masses of the people, and unless
that lawyer is counsel for some great
trust and corporation he is interested in
all those things which tend to the gem
ertll welfare Of the people, because a
lawyer can make more money among
those who are doing well than among
people who arc not financially blessed
And what is true of the lawyer is true
of the physician. He not only desires
to have patients, but he wants patients
+, who can pay. So also is 1t with mer-
chants and with the trading classes.
They depend for their support on the
great wealth producing professions.
Even the work of the minister can be
, carried on better among people who are
prosperous than among those who arc
hungry and destitute.
Not only must any real prosperity
! begin with those who toll, but the ma
, tons progress toward Il higher civiliza-
tion must be measured by the progress
made by the producing classes Under
every form Of government 1t has been
possible to point to a few persons pos
scsscd of means and of refinement, but
it is the average progress, not the pro-
grcss of the few, that must always be
considered The well to do are short
sighted indeed If they imagine that they
can separate themselves from the great
mass of the people with whom they live.
, The Creator has so tied us together that
it is impossible for one to build surely
or permanently upon the fortunes OF
others. Mental discipline, moral train
ing, habits of industry and economy, all
have their part in improving the general
condition of our people. and yet the in
nucnce of legislation must not be over
looked under any system of government,
and under any kind of legislation there
will be individual differences, due to
causes entirely beyond the sphere Of
( legislation.
! But, it has been true in the past and
is true today, that the instrlmcntaltics
, of government are often employed to
give some people an advantage over the
rest. The object Of universal suffrage
is to enable each individual to protect
! himself from injury at the hands OF
! others, and an intelligent exercise of the
right of suffrage is the only means by
| which political evils can be remedicd
and political wrongs redresscd. Those
who are numerically too weak or natur-
ally too Indifferent to secure a remedy
through the ballot are impotent to Sc
cure relief in any other way.
Without attempting to enter into de
tails ] suggest that under the very best
conditions that could exist majority O
the people would be too busy attending
| to their everyday affairs either to hang
about legislative halls themselves ol
send representatives, except their elect
ed ones, to look after their interest II
legislative matters. For example. Il
10000, 900 people tried to secure an ad
vantage amounting to 3100,000,000 owe