The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-31
BRYAN is A CANDIDATE.
He So Declared Himself at Salt Lake
Last W eek

William J. Bryan is a candidate-not
receptive-but an avowed candidate for
a denomination at the hands of the all
lied forces for president in 1900. Mr..
Bryan so expressed himself to a Kansan
last week in Salt Lake City.
Mr.. Bryan does not take exactly the
same view of the future as is held by the
elements of that faction of politics in
Kansas. Many Kansans believe that
other objects will supersede free silver
IN Importance in the campaign of 1900
Mr. Bryan does not He said:
In my opinion the question of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver will be
the paramount issue in the next national
campaign. True it is that we will have
increased antitrust agitation and anti
corporation fights. all of WHICH will be-
come an important part of the next great
contest, but I believe that nothing, either
in the present in the future can take
the place of free silver as a campaign
principle and a public demand by the peo-
pie of the west within the next four
years.
Think of it today. The conditions are
appalling. The financial system of the
present administration Is working con-
slant hardship upon the people While
the money changers on Wall street are
active the laboring people of the west
are idle The interests of the west are
Just important to the people who have
suffered unparalleled deprivation and
hardship to build up this section of the
United States as the interests of the peo-
pie of the east are to them 1t is time
that this government was doing some
thing for the people of the west. The
operation of protective tariff has made
mfIlionaires from Maine to Delaware.
The operation of the dangerous financial
system has increased their wealth and
builded up the east alone. When we of
the west assert our independence and
have the temerity to ask for beneficial
legislation then capitalists and moneyed
men of the all-important east hold up
their hands in horror and denounce US as
being engaged in an attempt to destroy
and undermine the government.
I do not intend to array the east
against the west or the west against the
east. But. the interests of the west are
just as important to our people as those
of the east are to the people of the east.
They have taken important and precau-
tionary measures to protect themselves;
to accumulate wealth; to profit at the
expense of the struggling pioneers who
have redeemed this arid country from
the sage brush and buffalo grass and
why under the same rule may we not en-
gage in campaigns based upon demands
which mean benefits and prosperity to
our own people
1T is indeed poor rule which will not
operate both ways If the east proposes
20 control the profits of investment and
development then we may just as well re-
sign ourselves to the dictates of Wall
street If. however, we propose to make
of this government what was intended by
its founders, dealing out justice and
equality to all alike then We must assert
ourselves; act in unity; combine our for
ces and marching forward in the line of
battle. attain victory over the combined
elements of plutocracy and inordinate
wealth such will assure the 1ong-sur-
fering people of the west some measure
Of prompt relief from the oppressive con-
ditions which have been forced upon
them