The record-union., 1897-07-06
Meets With a Cordial Reception at
the Southern Metropolis.
Talks Silver to Twenty Thousand People at
Fiesta Park.
In the Evening Five Hundred Peo-
pie, Irrespective of Party, At
tend a Banquet Given in Honor
of the Late Democratic Candi-
date for President.

LOS ANGELES, July 5.-The cheers
of 10000 people greeted William Jen-
ningS Bryan at Fiesta Park this at
ternoon, where he spoke for two hours
and twenty minutes, and held the close
attention of his audience, which was
very liberal in its demonstrations of ap-
proval whenever the speaker made
telling point.
Notwithstanding the fact that it had
been announced that Mr.. Bryan )
speech would be purely of a patriotic
nature, and that politics would be elm
mated, he evidently saw his opportunl-
ty to set forth in a convincing man
ner the principles that he advocates,
and he took this advantage to pre-
sent to the people of Southern Califor-
MIA the advantages to be derived there
from.
Mr.. Bryan was introduced by George
Patton of Los Angeles, and after
brief reference to sentiments connect
ed with Independence Day, he proceed
ed at once to the discussion Of the sub
jects of taxation, the income tax, BIZ
metallism and the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at 16 to 1, which have
made him famous
AT the beginning Of his speech, Mr..
Bryan said: There can be no better
use to put this great day to than to ed
ucate the public opinion than to drive
out Of your city any and every man
who attempts to defraud his Govern
ment in the non-payment of his taxes.
There is no city, no county, in the
country where there are not men who
are respected, who move in the highest
circles of society, who are looked up
to, but are robbing their neighbors by
the evasion of their proper share Of
taxation, or the avoidance of the law.
Il wish to mention one form of tax
alton now before the American people,
because this form of taxation has been
the object of a class of men who have
tried to shield themselves behind a de-
cision of the Supreme Court, and who
are the very men who would be the
first to try to evade the law of that
or any other court, if it was against
their wishes. I mention the income
tax. It is just tax No man can
denounce this tax without asserting
that those who have wealth should not
bear their share of the expenses of the
Government"
After devoting considerable time to
the arraignment Of trusts and corpora
tions, he said: ST don't want you to
think that I would ask you to do any
thing wrong against corporations. I
only say that corporations are created
by and subject to the laws, and that
the laws are created by men. All I ask
is that the power which calls corpora
tions into existence should have the
power to restrain that instrumentality.
Il say, my friends, that the people
who are endangering the nation are
not the anarchists, but those who are
threatening the safety of the Govern
ment are the great men. the rich men.
the powerful men, who think them
selves so strong, so free from all inter-
ference that they can corrupt our Gov
ernment, buy up the Legislatures, and
with safety defy the seventy millions of
people of this great nation.
But the money question is the main
issue. I'll tell you what is the best kind
of money-that which leaves the fewest
starving men. You tell me the melting
pot test is the correct test of an honest
dollar I tell you that gold can be
melted without loss, because it can be
coined without loss. 1t is a character
istic given by the law, and not a divine
attribute. Suppose all the nations of
the earth should take all Of the money
and determine that we had ninety-nine
times too many dollars, and then
dumped this money into the ocean,
Suppose, instead of contracting the cur
rency, 1t was expanded; that somebody
should find enough gold to coin 100
times as much gold as we have now.
We would have 100 times as much mon
ey. Because it could be melted with
out loss it would be honest money.
''Bimetallism is necessary. Two things
must be considered in money. as in food.
quality and quantity. There is no sat
isfaction to have you tell me the de-
sirable quartz of gold if I cannot get
any of it. There is not enough of gold
for the basis of the worlds money. If
you make dollars scarce, you make dol
lars dear. That dollar is best whose
purchasing power is the most stable"
In conclusion, Mr.. Bryan said: "The
financial classes are very influential in
politics and society. If there be any
one doubtful of this influence, let him
run for President on free silver plat
form, and he will never doubt it,"
The banquet given in this city to-
night in honor of William J. Bryan was
more of a social than political event
Something over 500 people sat down to
the tables. Bryan sat in the place of
honor, surrounded by notables from all
parts OF the country. All the wealth
and beauty and style of Southern Cali
fornia was there, and the occasion was
one of merry-malxing
After a long musical programme.
William Jennings Bryan was introduced
by Nathan J. Cole, President of the
Silver Republican Club of Los Angeles.
Mr.. Cole said that silver would be re-
stored. and those who helped to re-
store it would be called heroes. He
called Mr.. Bryan the next President of
the United States, and there was tre-
mendouS cheering.
Mr.. Bryan said he used to think that
all good was contained in the Demo-
cratic party and all bad in the Repub-
lican party, but lately he had seen so
many good Republicans that he had
changed his opinions. He wanted to
give the silver Republicans the front
rank in the battle now being waged.
Il am glad to be permitted tonight"
he said, ito be able to speak to the
middle-classes, not the poor and not
the opulent. Grover Cleveland" he
said, 'is more interested in bimetallism
than any other individual in the United
States to-day The single standard