The Jamesburg record., 1897-01-09
Mr.. Bryan's Lecture at Atlanta

SUBJECT OF the lecture lately delivered nv
VIM. J. Bryan, before an audience of
4'ooo persons. at the Grand Opera House
Atlanta, Ga. The address was a discus.
SION OF Governmental questions.
Government. said he, is what the peo.
pie want-good or bad, as they dictate
Ihey can remedy abuses if they seriously
undertake to do so. Often they are in.
different. 1t has been said that tile man
who neglects to take part in controlling
government is worse than the men who
govern badly. He quoted literally from
Jefferson anu Jackson. He touched on
the leading issues of the campaign, but
In non-partisan way. The aim. said
he, OF advocates of different money sys.
TENS is to secure the one which is the
best for the greatest number of citizens.
Men differ as to which system will ac-
complish that, but all agree that the sys-
tenn which will give unit of value of
the least possible fiuctuation is the best.
In the end the people of this country.
y
and eventually the people of the world,
| will select that system under which the
unit OF value is most stable. In reaching
that decision selfishness must be taken
into account. Selfishness is here to stay,
but it is not wholly dsadvantageous, for
it is the manifestation of the instinct OF
self preservation.
Government should not avoid abuses,
but should protect the weaker aga inst
the strong. A government substitutes
law for force, and right for might. Gov
ernments must restrain. jefferson said
that one of the most important duties OF
government was to restrain one set of cit
izens from injuring the other.
Trusts were denounced as the means OF
doing an injury to ones fellow citizens.
Mr.. Bryan remarked that he did not
think any party openly defended Trusts.
They are permitted to exist because the
people are Indifferent. They could be
abolished by legislation or by public opin.
ion. Newspapers form public opinion,
but they are not to be expected to do ii
all. Every individual citizen should ex-
ercise his influence, take a position, aud
let it be known. Public opinion is Sd
potent that it can crush out any abuse,
even Trusts or the use of money in poll
ties. The use of money by political par
ties is the most pernicious influence in
politics. And the party is young, in
deed. which does not use money to ad-
vance its ends. But it should be remem-
bered that if the use OF money is per-
mitted the citizens will themselves be
pundered to recoup the expenditures.
Unjust taxation was treated at some
length. The speaker declared unjust
taxation tc he larceny. 1t is taking
money from one mans pocket and put
ting it In the pocket of another man.
The chief cause of the discomfort in this
country is favortism in one form or
another under the Government. This
favoritism may be manifested by unjust
taxation in different forms.
Mr.. BRYAN found good results in the
recent campaign. 1t set the people 10
thinking, habit which they Will Keep
up. Jefferson sal d that public Officials
who are not watched are wolves. Mr..
Bryan thinks that hereafter public OH
cials will be more closely watched. Good
government consists in jealousy and not
confidence. Over-confidence encourages
abuse of confience.
In concluding the lecturer remarked
significantly that the Latin poets salo
we plant trees, the fruit of which we oo
not ex pect to pluck. We are laying the
foundations now for those who come
after US. A part o. the foundation work
was gotten under way in the recent cam
palgn. The superstructure will be ouil'
mol