Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-20
FREE SILVER THE SLOGAN
Jacksonisn Club Picnic a Boom for Bryan
and the Chicago Platform.
NEW ISSUES MUST TAKE SECOND PLACE
Bryan and Champ Clark Declare that
the Platform Must he Main
tanned Intact IL the Party
il to Succeed.

The second annual picnic OF the Jacksonian
club OF Omaha that was held at Syndicate
park yesterday afternoon and evening was
distinctively a boost for Bryan and the Chi
cago platform. The old issue OF 16 to 1
was nearly the exclusive theme OF Bryan
and Congressman Champ Clark Of Missouri,
who were the orators Of the occasion. An
thrust, anti-eXpansion, anti-injunction and
all the other oppositive principles that have
been proclaimed by the fusion parties were
alluded to only incidentally and silver was
the dominating subject of attention. Both
speakers declared emphatically that the free
and unlimited coinage of the white metal
is the main issue in the pending campaign
and that to abandon one single tenet Of the
Chicago platform would be to abandon 1t
all.
In point OF attendance and enthusiasm the
picnic was a success that went far to COM
pensate for the disappointment OF a year
ago, when the initial out-of-door celebration
OF the organization was discouraged by pour
ing rain. The jefferson club Of Lancaster
county, fully 300 strong, came up to swell
the crowd and fully 5000 people visited the
park during the day and evening. Both
the orators of the day we're heard by tre-
mendous audiences and each received a
greeting that was enthusiastic and compli-
mentary. A short program of races and ath-
letic events filled the interval between the
speeches and all the accomplishments of
circus day, even to a Paris by Gaslight'
fakir, we're present to contribute to the en-
tertainment Of the picnickers.
Parade of the StnIyyarts.
The program of the day began shortly
before noon with the arrival Of the Lam
caster county democrats, who filled a special
train of six coaches on the Elkhorn road.
The special pulled into the Webster street
depot at II 80, and its arrival was enthu-
siastically cheered by a crowd of several
hundred people who had congregated on the
platform. w. j. Bryan was one OF the first
visitors to step from the train, and he was
received by a committee of The local organi-
zation. He stopped to exchange greetings
with a number OF his Douglas county
friends who crowded around him, and then
the entire party formed into line for the
march down town.
The women of the Lincoln party were con-
Quoted to motor trains that were waiting at
the depot to take them directly to the
grounds. Then the procession moved up
Webster street to Sixteenth, on Sixteenth
to Douglas, thence to Farnam and Thir-
teenth streets, where a long string of spe-
cial trains were ready to carry them the
remainder of the trip. The parade was
headed by Hagenow's band of Lincoln, the
Jefferson club followed, and the Jacksonians
brought up the rear. Mr.. Bryan marched
In the front rank of the Jacksonians. He
was apparently in exceptionally good spirits
and smilingly acknowledged such express
sions Of good Will as were extended to him
along the line Of march. lie did not accom-
pany the remainder of the party to the park,
but remained at a hotel for lunch.
BY the time the party arrived at the park
1t waa after Nom and tho hundredS NJ
lunch baskets that accompanied 1t monopo-
liked the exclusive attention of the crowd.
During the lunch hour the pretty slopes
under the trees were a lively scene. The
crowd separated into family groups and the
hastily improvised spreads occupied the en-
tire central portion of the resort. An hour
or two of rest and general recreation re-
manned before it was time for the speak
ing to begin, and during the afternoon new
arrivals constantly swelled the crowd.
Soon after 3 o'clock Ed P. Smith called
the crowd to order and after a selection by
the Musical Union band Congressman Clark
was introduced to make the principal speech
OF the afternoon. He was given a cordial
greeting and after the applause had sub
sided he spoke In substance as follows:
Congressman ClnrIS's Speech.
Beyond all eavil we were light in 1896.
The Chicago platform was a second Declar-
alton of Independence. On that great day
we laid aside forever the weight that had
30 easily and so Professionally beset us-the
good Lord, good devil policy of eastern
democrats-and taking control OF the party
gave to the work a declaration Of our po-
htical faith, upon which we made the most
astounding campaign witnessed among men
sipce the world began.
believe now and have always believed
that Bryan was elected on a fair count Of
the ballots, but IL he was defeated it was
by methods fsobidden in morals,
most corrupt In politics and ut
By unprecedented coercion of voters,
by wholesale use OF Doodle and by such de-
bauohery OF the suffrage as made honest
men everywhere stand aghast,
But nevertheless and Notwithstanding all
the odds we fought, thank God there we're
$500. 900 American freeman who could not
be bribed or bullied into voting for the re-
publican candidates and our peerless young
before cast for a candidate for the presi-
dency and stands forth the foremost states
man of the age.
II we stand courageously and unfalteringly
by the great principles enunciated in 1896
we viii win a decisive victory for truth
and right and representative government
and will earn not only the approval of our
own consciences, but the plaudits of the
lovers OF liberty to the remotest generations;
but IL we abandon these principles, II we
'NEf
practicers OF eXpediency TO obscure these
issues or shunt them to the rear We will
not only lose, but will be Damned to ever
lasting fame"
Want the Chicago Platforms.
The people understand precisely what they
want. They want the Chicago platform
and they intend TO have 1t, unchanged, I'M
diluted, unimpaired. They will break of
short, as you can break a piece of glass
the necks OF those who try TO play then
false, They are not in a frame Of mine
to be fooled with.
Those supple, self-seeking demagogues II
the party who are stealing the livery o.
heaven TO serve the devil and who, yelling
free silver at the tops OF their voices, ar,
maneuvering and plotting secretly and in
cessantly to sidetrack free silver and tc
supplant 1t with expansion and the anti
trust issue, the masses of the democrats
the plain people, as Lincoln ~denominatet
em-the common people, as Bryan afec