The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-24
BRYAN SPEAKS
At LINCOLN /.
Discusses the Living Issues Of.
the Day.
The CAUSE OF B|META[L|SM
Has Lost None of Its Justice
Nor Its Adherents.
THE FIGHT FOR MONTEREY REFORM
Will Continue Unab ated Until Question
Has Been Rightly Settled.
SPOKE OF THE FOREIGN POLICY
Does Not Advocate Return of the Phil
ippines to Spain, Nor Does He
Favor Permanent Retention.
Give Them Freedom.
Will Continue Unab ated Until Question
Has Been Rightly Settled.
SPOKE OF THE FOREIGN POLICY


J. Bryan returned to Lincoln this after
noon and was tonight rendered a reception
at the Oliver Theatre by the Woman's BIZ
metallic Club. The house was crowded and
Colonel Bryan received an ovation. He was
introduced by Governor Holcombe, who
formally welcomed him home and compli-
mented him for his patriotism in enlisting
in the army.
After thanking his neighbors for their
cordial welcome and complimenting the
members of his regiment and Colonel Vif-
auain, In whose charge he left them, he JUS
titled his resignation as follows:
'I had five months of peace in the army
and resigned in order to take part in
fight l am as much interested in the peo-
pie of the United States as am in the peo-
Pile of Cuba and unless l am mistaken in
judging, we are called upon to meet more
important problems in the United States
lust now than will confront our army IN
Cuba.
Fight Will Go On
"some of these problems were under dis
cussion before hostilities began; others
have been thrust upon us as a result of
the war; Let me improve this. my first op
pOTtuHlty, " dSouiS 5Oo eheae my NSeAA AoA
the reforms advocated few months ago
has not in the least abated. Vital questions
cannot be killed or buried and were
dealing with vital questions when the call
to arms resounded through the land.
'srhe American people have not accepted
the gold standard as final. 1t has wrought
more injustice to our country in the last
twenty-five years than Spain has wrought
in all her colonies, and opposition to it will
grow until the gold and silver coinage of
the constitution is fully restored. The
trusts which now flourish in defiance of
law are not more mercless than Weyler
was and the new trust-the paper money
trust which Is seeking to obtain control of
all the paper money ofDthe nation-is
greater menace to the countrys welfare
than any foreign foe.
-.sThere are, however two new questions
which demand immediate attention and
congress is asked to act upon them at once.
The president recommends that the regular
army be permanently increased to 100000
men. This question must be met now, or
not at ALL"
Subject of Imperialism
Taking up the subject of Imperialism Mr..
BRYAN said that the president has misnter-
pretcd the sentiment of the people. They
are opposed to giving the Philippines back
to Spain, but they have not as yet declared
in favor of embarking upon colonial
policy. So great a change, he said, could
not be undertaken without more investiga-
ton and deliberation than the people had
yet given to the subject The principal part
of Mr.. Bryan's speech was devoted to the
Philippine question.
In this connection he referred to Pres-
dent McKinley's inquiry: who will haul
down the fiag?" and replied:
1.-THE flag is national emblem and is obe-
dient to the national will. 1t was made for
the people, not the people for the flag.
When the American people want the flag
raised, they raise it; when they want 1t
hauled down they haul ii down. The flag
was raised upon Canadian soil during the
war of 1872 and it was hauled down when
peace was restored. The flag was planted
upon Chapultepec during the war with
Mexico and 1t was hauled down when the
war was over. The morning papers an
nounce that General Lee ordered the flag
hauled down in Cuba yesterday because II
was raised too soon. The flag will be raised
in Cuba again on January l, but the presi-
dent declares in his message that it will be
hauled down as soon as a stable govern
ment is established. Who will deny to the
people the right to haul the flag down in
the Philippines if they so desire, when
stable government is established there?
Significance of the Flag
"Our flag stands for an indissoluble union
of indestructable states. Every state is
represented by star and every territory
sees in the constitution star of hope that
will some day take its place in the constel-
lation. What is there in the flag to awaken
the zeal or reflect the aspirations of vassal
colonies which are too good to be cast
away but not good enough to be admitted
to the sisterhood of states? Shall we keep
the Philippines and amend our flag? Shall
we add new star-the blood star, Mars
to Indicate that we have entered upon a
career of conquest? Or shall we borrow the
yellow. which In 1896 was the badge of
gold, and green and paint Saturn and his
rings to suggest carpet-bag government
with its schemes of spoliation? Or shall we
adorn our flag with a milky way composed
of a multitude of minor stars representing
remote and insignificant dependencies?
Mote times better haul down the stars
and stripes and substitute the flag of an
Independent republic than to surrender the
doctrines that give glory to old glory. 1t