The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-08
| BRY AN.
Democratic Leader at
Chicago.
PLAT OF PARTY
Principles of 1896 Stronger
Than Ever He Says.

Chicago, Jan. THE third annual
Banquet of the Andrew Jackson League
was held at the fremont House, to-
hight. William ]. Bryan was the guest
cf honor
Mayor Carter Harrison acted as pre-
Biding officer.
The principal address of the evening
was made by William Jennings Bryan.
He said in substance:
The democracy of the nation is still
defending Jeffersonian principles with
5acksonian courage, and has no
thought of departing from the princi-
pies enunciated at Chicago in 1896.
That platform will live in history
and the hour of it's adoption will be
remembered as the hour when the
money changers were driven from the
democratic temple. There will be no
turning back. The platform will be
added to as new conditions force new
issues into the arena of politics, but
nothing will be substracted from IT..
Events have indicated every position
taken by the platform. Arbitration
was advocated in that platform, and
arbitration is stronger today than it
was in 1895.
That platform denounced govern
nent by injunction, and the sentiment
against government by injunction is in
Increasing. That platform denounced the
trusts and declared them to be a
menace; that menace is greater today
than before. That platform warned
the people that a conspiracy was on
foot to give to the national banks a
monopoly of the issue and supply of
paper money; that conspiracy is now
known to every one.
That platform denounced information
al bimetaJlism as a delusion and a
snare, and its condemnation has been
Justified. That platform pointed to
independent free coinage as the only
means of restoring the double stand
ard. who doubts it now? That platform
named 10 to ! as the proper ratio, and
that ratio stands today as the only ra-
ito at which binletallisn is possible
M Other platforms have been forgotten,
but that platform is fresh in the mem
u DRY of friend and foe, because it was
clear and positive upon every public
question. TO those who believe in
z equality before the law, the Chicago
platform is still an inspiration; it is a
terror only to those who seek to use
Nj the government for personal and pri-
E Vate ends.
1t has been attacked at two points,
but the attacks win not harm it. Some
who opposed the platform in 1895 have
promised to return to the party on con-
diti0n that the party will drop the
money question and confine the fight
to the trusts. The offer will not be
accepted What confidence would the
people have in our sincerity if we
( should declare against trusts in gen
eral. but enter into treaty of peace
with the greatest of all trusts-the
money trust?
The gold democrats had a chance to
crush out the trusts during Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration, but they did not
do 1t. The gold republicans are having
their opportunity now but they are
not improving it. The trusts will fall
when the gold standard is overthrown
and not until then. The gold standard
means falling prices and falling prices
will create trusts more rapidly than any
gold standard party can destroy them,
The second point of attack is the
ratio. Why insist upon 16 to 1? they ask.
reply first, because it is the best ratio
and second because its opponents have
no other ratio to offer. No free coinage
law can be enacted until a ratio is
agreed upon, because the ratio is a part
of the law.
The Chicago platform was good when
1t was adopted; it grows better with
age. 1t was strong in 1896; it is stronger
now.
But enough of old issues; what of the
new questions? Our party cannot ig-
more the issues raised by the war. IT
must speak out against militarsm now
or forever hold its peace. A large stand
ing army Is not only an expense to the
people, but it is a menace to the nation,
and the democratic party will be a unit
in opposing it.
A 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.
The imperialists do not desire to
clothe the F'ilipinos with all the rights
and privileges of American citizenship;
they want to exercise sovereignty over
an alien race and they expect to rule
the new subjects upon a theory entirely
al variance with constitutional govern
ment. Victoria is queen of Great Brit
ain and empress of India; shall we
change the title Of our executive and
call him the president of the United
States and emperor of the Philippines?
The democratic party stood for the
money of the constitution in 1896, il
stands for the government of the con-
stitution now. 1t opposed an English
financial policy in 1896; it opposes an
English colonial policy now. Those who
in 1896 were in favor of turning the
American people over to the greed OF
foreign financiers and domestic trusts
may now be willing to turn the Fill
pinos over to the tender mercies OF
military governors and carpet-bag Of
ficials.
We are told that the Fllipinos are
not capable of government that
has a familiar ring. Only two years
ago I heard the same argument made
against a very respectable minority Of
the people of this country. The money
loanerss who coerced borrowers. did il
upon that theory; the employers who
coerced their employees did It for the
same reason Self-government increases
with participation in government The
Filipinos are not far enough advanced
TO share in the government of the pao-
pie of the United States, but they are
competent to govern themselves 1t !.
not fair to compare them with our owr
citizens because the American people
have been educating themselves in tht
science of government for nearly three
centuries, and while we have much tC
learn, we have already made great
Improvement The Filipinos will moi