The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-01-14
BRYAN DEFINES DEMOCRACY.
Separation of Gold and Silver Fac
tious Necessary and Desirable.

tions Necessary and Desirable.
W. ]. Bryan spoke as follows:
| AS we are assembled on this occasion to
do honor to the memory of Andrew Jackson,
| we may properly discuss the relations which
| should exist between the Democrats who
| indorsed the Chicago platform and the So
| called Democrats who aided in the election
| Of Il Republican President The Democrats
who controlled the Chicago convention earn
! ed tt-,ir right to the party organization and
| to the party name by whatever rule sAeir
claims may be measured. A democracy is
government In which the people rule. In
other words, 1t is a government such as Lin
coin described: "a government of the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the people," and
Delnoclat in the broadcast sense is one
who believes In this form Of government.
When 1 say .'beieyes'' in this form Of gov
ernment L mean actual, sincere, heartfelt
belief, not formal and enforced submission
10 that form OF government. Measured by
this definition, those who supported the Chi
cagO platform are Democrats, because they
assert the right of the people to govern
themselves and the right of the American
people to legislate for themselves upon all
questions, regardless of the wishes of those
who live in other lands
In technical sense democracy is outlined
and defined by the Democratic party The
Democratic party of the United States in
national convention assembled according to
custom, adopted a platform which received
the sanction of nearly twO-thirds of a very
large proportion of the Democrats Of the
nation That convention had right to de-
fine democracy in a party sense and we
have a right to declare that those who re-
fused to support the platform are not Demo-
cratS.
The right to the party organization be-
longs to the majority and the right to the
party must also belong to the majority
There should be no difficulty in understand
ing the relations which should exist between
the democrats who remained in the party
and those persons who went out of the
OF persons who agree upon an important
question or questions and who unite to give
eHect to their ideas. The money question
became the paramount issue of the day
The Democrats in convention took q Dosi-
non upon the question and made a gallant |
nght in defense of the platform adopted
III the money question was now considered |
settled another issue could be taken I'D and |
a new alignment made. But the money |
question is not settled. The contest for |
the restoration Of the money of the Consti- |
tuition Will go on with renewed vigor. The |
people who advocated free silver before the |
election advocate it now. The election has |
decided the Presidency for four years. and |
It has determined the complexion of Con- |
gress for two years. but it has not over |
thrown the convictions of those who be- |
lieve that the gold standard is a conspiracy
against the welfare of the producing masses, |
nor has 1t changed the convictions Of those
who believe that trusts must be abolished
and corporations made to obey the law.
This campaign has shown the impossiblity |
Of keeping bimetallists and gold standard
advocates in the same political organiza-
tionS. and 1t will be a more difficult task in |
the future than it has been this year. To |
use a common illustration. q hen is ALWAYS
disturbed If she has in her brood a few
iucks which insist upon padding in the
water, while the chickens are content to
scratch upon the land, The Democratic
party Will in like manner be Ill at ease If It |
las a few web-foOted members who insist
lpon crossing the ocean for their ideas
while the great majority Of the party are
Wiling to find their political food upon
American soil
Not only is this separation between the
,old standard Democrats and free silver |
Democrats necessity, but it ought to be
desirable to both sides. If the gold stand
hink they are. we ought not to care to |
filiate with them; and if those who sup
orted the Chicago platform are half as ]
aC as the goldbugS say they are, they are
pt to contaminate all who associate with
hem.
We ale engaged now in just such q con- Z
est as that through which Andrew Jackson
assed. and we do well on this occasion to
AXE encouragement from his devotion to t
be cause Of the people. He gained his
reatest victory in his fight against the ma
onal bank. +
We have the same fight on hand today.
he national bank Is seeking to force re-
remeGt of the greenbacks and then mon | I
police the issue of paper money. The Re- 6
ublicans during the campaign just closed
voded this subject and refused to declare
either for or against the retire Z
ent Of the greenbacks. But when they
,me to apply their ideas to legislation they a
uSt disclose their views. n
y statement issued by the Treasury De-
near the close of December o
'owed an available cash balance, Including il
'id reserve, OF more than 100000. OF -
is sum abo1t so 090.o09 was in greenbacks [