The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-09

Chicago, Jan. s.-The third annual
dinner Of the Andrew jackson league
was held at the fremont house last
night, ana William j. Bryan was the
guest of nonor Life-size portraits Of
jackson and of the gueet OF the eve
ming were hung at opposite ends of the
hail. Mayor Larter Harrison was the
presiding officer. The address of Mr.
Bryan closed the evening. 1t was de-
voted to advocacy of the Chicago plat
form and denunciaton of imperialism.
In the course of it the speaker said:
The Democracy of the nation is still
defending Jeffersonian principles with
JacksUnian courage, and has no
thought of departing from the prin-
ciples cnunciated at Chicago in 1896.
That platform will live in history, and
the hour of its adoption will be remem-
hered as the hour when the money
changers were driven from the Demo
cratic temple. There will be no turn
Ing back The platform viii be added
to as new conditions force new issues
into the arena Of politics, but nothing
will be subtraCted from ii. Events
have vludicated every position taken
10y the platform. Arbitration was ad-
Nocated i'm that platform, and arbitra-
tion is strcnger today than it was in
1895
That platform denounced govern
mcnt by injunction, and the sentiment
against government by injunction is in
creasing. That platform denounced
the trustG. and declared them to be a
menace: that menace Is greater today
than ever before. That platform
warned the people that q conspiracy
was on foot to give to the National
banks a monopoly Of the issue and
supply of paper money; that conspir-
arH IL now known to every one.
That platform denounced interna-
tional bimetGllsm as a deluson and
snare, and its condemnation has been
justified. That platform pointed to in
dependent free coinage as the only
means of restoring the double stand
ard. Who doubts 1t now? That plat
form named lG to / as the proper ratio,
ana that ratio stands today as the
only ratio at which bimetallism is pos
sihlo
Why insist upon l6 to /. they ask.
reply, first because ii is the best ratio,
and, second. because its opponents have
no other ratio to offer. No free-coin-
age law can be enacted until a ratio
is agreed upon, because the ratio iS
part of the law Suppose we had
ma GiOrity in CONGRESS favorable to BIZ
metallism but differing as to the ratio.
Some would favor 16 to /, some "a to
/, some 32 to |. and some even higher
ratios; how could we make progress
undcr such conditions? Affirmative re-
lief is necessary. and those who favor
remedial legislation must secure ma
jority in both house and senate for
some definite proposition The Chicago
platform was good when 1t was adopt
ed; il grows better with age. 1t was
strong in 1896; 1t is stronger now.
\ word in regard to Imperialism.
Those who advocate the annexation of
the Philippines call themselves eXpan-
SiOnists, but they are really imperial
lists. The word expansion would de-
scribe the acquisition of territory to be
populated by homogeneous people, and
to be carved into states like those now
in existence. An empire suggests va
riety in race ana diversity in govern
mcnt.
After speaking'of the policy of edu-
eating the Filipinos up to self govern
ment. in6concluding his speech Colonel
Bryan said:
When the desire to steal becomes un-
COntrOllaDle in an individual he Is de-
clared to be a kleptOmaniac, and is
sent to an asylum; when the desire to
grab land becomes uncomfortable in a
nation we are told that the currents
of destiny are flowing through the
hearts Of men," and that the American
people are entering upon their mani
fest mission.
Shame upOn a logic which locks up
the petty offender and enthrOnes. grand
larceny! Have the people returned to
the worship of golden calf? Have
they made unto themselves new COM
mandment consistent with the spirit
of conquest and the lust for empire?
Is Thou shalt not steal upon a small
scale" to be substituted for the law Of
Moses?
Awake, q ancient law-giver. awake!
Break forth from thine unmarked
sepulchre and speed thee back to the
cloud-cruwned summit of Mount Sinai;
commune once more with the God Of
our fathers and proclaim again the
words engraven upon the tables of
stone-the law that was. the law that
is today--the law that neither individ-
ual nor nation can violate with i'm
punity.