The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-21
BRYAN ON IMPERIALISM
THE COLONEL TALKS TO DEMOCRATS
OF CHATTANOOGA.
He Does Not Think the People VIII
Yield TO "Crimina1 Aggression
His Reply to Mr.. Belmont.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, March 20.-Hon.
w. J. Bryan was the guest of the Bryan
Birthday Anniversary Club, a Democratic
association of this city, to-day, and was
rendered an ovation by the Democracy of
the Third congressional district. general
reception was rendered Mr.. Bryan and Gov
ernor Benton McMillin, of this State, at the
Southern Hotel during the afternoon, where
the people met and were shaken hands with
by the distinguished visitors.
At o'clock this evening Mr.. Bryan ad
dressed audience of 5000 people ut the
City Auditorium Governor McMillin, Con-
gresham John a. Moon and other distin-
guished Democrats of Tennessee occupying
the rostrum with the speaker. In his Audi
forum speech Mr.. Bryan discussed the is
sues before the public, among other things
the income tax, the money questions, trusts,
the standing army and Imperialism, follow
ing the lines similar to those of his recent
speeches. Speaking OF Imperialism, Mr..
Bryan said: Our Nation is tempted to de-
part from its standard of morality and
adopt a policy of criminal aggression But
will it yield? If / mistake not the sentiment
| OF the American people, they will spurn the
bride Of Imperialism and, by resisting temp
tation, win such victory as has not been
won since the battle of Yorktown. The
| forcible annexation of the Philippine islands
| is not necessary to make the United States
a world power. For over ten decades cur
Nation has been world power. During its
brief existence il has exerted upon the hu-
man race an influence more potent for sood
than all the other nations Of the earth COM
Dlned, and IL has eXerted that Influence
without sword or Calling gun. Mexico
| and the republics of Central and South
America testify to the benign influence of
our institutions, while Europe and Asia give
evidence of the working of the leaven Of
self-government. In the growth of Democ-
| racy we observe the triumphant march of
| an fdea-an idea that would be weighed
| down rather than aided by the armor and
weapons proffered by Imperialism
AT the banquet tonight Mr.. Bryan re-
| spending to the toast Democracy" took
| up Democracy along Jeffersonian lines and
| Democratic idea was the growing one and
| would ultimately prevail over the pluto
cratic Ideas embodied in Republican poll
cles. lie attempted to show how broad were
| the principles, and how enduring and why
they appealed to the common people. JET
fersons idea was not that the few should
| be robbed for the benefit of the many or
that the many should be robbed for the
| benefit of the few, but that each should be
protected in the enjoyment of the fruits of
! his own toll and thus encouraged to put
/ forth his best endeavors. Mr. Bryan said
that no harm had been dpne by that wealth
| which was acquired as the legiti-
mate reward of a mans own labors, but
| that wealth acquired in violation of the
| law and through the perversion of the in
| strumentalitieS of government sometimes
| become menace to the government itself.
| Democracy, he said, is a protection to ev-
| cry toiler, whether he labors with his head
or with his hands 1t is only a menace to
| those who seek to appropriate unto them
| selves the proceeds of the labors of Others
| without giving adequate service in return.
| He thanked the club for the honor 1t did
him in celebrating his birthday, but dis
| claimed the possession of any special merit
/ insisting that the friendly feeling which
/ they manifested toward him was due en-
| tirely to his advocacy of principles in
| which they believed. He said that men
| were apt to overestimate their personal fol-
lowing that. as matter of fact, the So
| called personal following of public official
| was largely made up of those i'm Office or
| those expecting office. He suggested that a
| man out of Office, no matter how popular
| would find how small his personal following
| was If he should change his opinion upon
| important publt questions. The fact that
| q public man converts his best friends into
| bitter enemies by change of front upon
| an important public question shows that
| his popularity is due to the ideas which he
! supports rather than to his own merits.