The herald., 1897-07-06
EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW AND JUSTICE TO ALL
LUCID PRESENTATION TO A VAST AND
ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE
the Debtor Should Given in
the Money Metals-What True Bimetalism
OLA Magnificent Speech a
EloquentPerorati

Inc Iull text OF Mr.. BryanS speech
at Fiesta Park yesterday afternoon fol-
lows:
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen:
A. anords me great qualification to be
permitted to address so vast an audi
ence assembled on such an occasion.
realize the interest which people are
manifesting in questions of govern
ment, and it is natural that that inter-
est should lead them to commemorate
with special enthusiasm a day set
apart for the remembering of the sign
ing of the Declaration of American In
dependence. The people today are at
neart as patriotic as were the people
VINO, one hundred and twenty-one Years
ago, We're willing to offer their lives if
need be to secure the blessings of free
government. The only trouble is that
In times of quiet and of peace we be-
come so engrossed in the cares of life
and in the struggle for the almighty
dollar that we sometimes forget our re-
sponsibility as citizens and sometimes
ignore the fact that a government can
only be preserved pure by the earnest
ness and the vigilance of it's citizens.
am not going to spend all the time
today in the praise of the advantages
offered by the United States either to
those who were born here or to those
who came to find a new home among
us. If it were Thanksgiving day we
time in giving thanks for the blessings
which we enjoy. But it seems to me
that on this day, the anniversary of
the Declaration of Independence, it be-
hooves us rather to examine the princi-
pies which underly our form of govern
ment and prepare ourselves to meet
any dangers which may threaten the
existence of this form of government
IApplause.] 1 know, therefore, of no
better use to which we can put this
day than the examination of those fun
damental principles which must be ap-
piled to the settlement of every ques-
tion which arises.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS.
There are certain questions which
lie so deep down that when we reach
them we find the whole people kin.
There are questions so fundamental
that when we reach them we find the
foundation of all political faith, the
foundation of all political creed; and
while 1 shall later make application of
one of those principles to a great ques
tion now before US, want first to call
your attention to doctrines which must
be held alike by Republicans, Demo-
Gratis, Populists, people of all parties,
no matter what the party name may
be. Let me take as my text that prin-
ciple which, in my judgment, lies I'M
derneath all others; that all men are
created equal. If that doctrine is right.
If that doctrine is sound, then there is
hope for form of government like
wise. If that doctrine is unsound, then,
my friends, there can be no govern
ment of the people by the people and
for the people. The equality of all be-
fore the law is the first and greatest
of the principles which we as American
citizens have to consider; and beg
you this afternoon to lay aside what
loo or,tic oh in,
possess and take that principle and
apply it to every doctrine which you
advocate, and apply it with the
determination of surrendering and
casting from you every idea that
conflicts with the equality OF all
before the law. [Applause.] lam will
ing to make it the test of every ques-
tion presented; l am willing to abide
by it when it is used to determine
what is right and what is wrong.
In the methods Of government and
in all the details of legislation, if all
men are created equal, then no citizen
has a natural right to injure any other
citizen. You ask me who is the good
citizen? 1 say that he is the best citi-
zen in a country like this who does not
desire, either directly or indirectly, to
injure any other citizen. [Applause.1
You ask me, who is the bad citizen!
I say, he is bad citizen, no matter
what his party name, who under any
circumstances is willing, directly or in
directly, to injure his fellow-citizen.
And who is the dangerous citizen? 1t
is that citizen who believes that he has
q right superior to the rights of others
and seeks to obtain from others an
unjust advantage to the operation of
law. [Applause.l
The strength of our government is
not in a standing army; 1T is not IN a
powerful navy. The strength OF our
government is in having laws so good
that every citizen, when called upon,
will be willing to give his life If neces-
sary to preserve the blessings of that
government to the remotest posterity.
IApplause.l
I know that on occasions like this
people are sometimes inclined to speak
of the splendors of our civilization; to
speak of the magnificence of our bust
ness enterprises; to speak of the beauty
of our public buildings, but, my
friends, magnificence and beauty do
not always indicate happiness among
the people. I am reminded of the words
of Goldsmith:
eye friends of truth, ye statesmen who sur
The rich mans joys increase. the poor's decay,
IT'S yours to judge how wide the limits stand
Between a splendid and happy land"
GApplause.]
HAPPINESS DESIRED.
What we desire is the largest amount
of happiness for the American people,
and that largest amount of happiness
is only possible when we apply at all
times with conscientious and coura-
geous care these principles received
from the fathers to each new condition
as 1t arises. If, as l asserted, no citi-
zen has a natural right to injure any
other citizen, then I may affirm that
good government will neither enable
nor permit one citizen to injure an
other; and when a government avoids
acts of affirmative injustice and pre-
vents injustice as between man and
man, government has done it's full
duty All, my friends, how often gov
ernment has done injustice; how often
government, which, according to the
Declaration of independence, derives it's
largest powers from the consent of the
governed, has stepped aside from the
straight path of duty and become an
instrument through which the sweat
and toll of many has been converted
into the bread which the few are per-
mfkted to eat. How often it is that
government, organized to preserve the
1nalienable rights of the citizen, is
turned into an engine for the destruc-
tion of the rights of the many, and
for the establishment Of the privilege
of the few. s3
~ Wish that time permitted an ex-
: nkle1 4irca1nniop of the sub1ecta to