The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-17
Bryan's Speech al
The Dollar Dinner,

this banquet and the one given last
Thursday night at the Metropolitan
Opera house. \ Democrat has the
right to pay as much as he pleases for
dinner. The amount paid merely de-
terinines whether the rank and file or |
the party or only the leaders shalt |
meet around the board. The political
character Of a banquet, however. Is de- |
termined not by its cost. but by the |
sentiments which are woven into its
post prandial oratDly. Those who ac-
ceptcd the party creed as set forth in |
the last national platform have right !
to meet and renew their vows to Jef-
ferson and encourage each other in the |
effort to apply the principles of JEFF
ferson to present conditions, to the
end that justice in government and
equality before the law may be re-
stored to the people. Your presence
here does not indicate personal hostil-
ity toward those who left the party in
1896 \ party is an association formed
for the purpose of giving force and eff
feet To the political principles held in
common. When vital differences in
principles arise separation is not only
necessary but desirable.
q
THE members of the Republican
party cannot complain because certain
Republicans left the party rather than
accept the st. Louis platform. Neither
can members Of the Democratic party
complain because gold Democrats left
the Democratic party rather than ac-
cept the Chicago platform. The silver
Republicans organized party and
gave il a namc which distinguished IL
from the regular Republican party,
and silver Republicans, true to their
organization, are not attempting to
control the policy or write the plat
form of the Republican party. They
openly joined with the Democrats in
! 1886, and their sympathy for the be-
| levers i'm the Chicago platform is as
| open today as II was then. The Gold
! Democrats organized a separate and
! distinct party but instead of calling
themselves Gold Democrats they de-
sCribed themselves as National Demo-
Gratis, and in Nebraska and some 9TH
er states had their electors placed up
! on the ticket as Democrats with moth
| ing to distinguish them from the elect
OrS who represented the regular Demo-
cratic party. I charged during the
campaign Of 1896, and still charge, that
| the Gold Democrats tried TO practice q
fraud upon the voters. The right to
| hold on opinion ana defend it is one
thing; the right to practice fraud is
quite a different thing. The Demo-
Gratis who supported the Chicago plat
| form are not opposed to harmony, but
they are opposed to surrendering vital
principles in order to insure nominal
harmony between those whose political
views are ST. antagonistic as to render
Before there can be harmonious CO.
operation between Chicago platform
Democrats and the Democrats who
voted for Palmer and Buckner or for
the Republican candidate there must
he a change of conviction upon the one
side or the other.
EITHER Chicago platform Democrats
must abandon their convictions or the
Democrats who deserted the party
must abandon the views they enter.
tanned in 1896. \ man cannot be a
political higamist. He cannot be we'd
ed to the name of one party and the
principles Of another party. All that
we contend for is that those who de-
serted us in 1896 shall divorce them
| SciVe5 either from our party name or
from the political principles of oppos-
ing parties. Democrats are not dis
mayed when they hear the Chicago
platform denounced this year by those
who denounced it in 1896 It was sat
isfactory then to those who supported
II. and it is equally satisfactory to
them now. 1t was an inspiration To
those who believed in equality of the
law and menace to those only who
used the instrumentalities of govern
ment for private gain It was writ
ten by the voters, and it cannot be nm
written until the voters speak again
to their chosen representatives. In
fact, events have vindicated that plat
form rather than condemned it.
/. O.
t Let me recall a few of the blanks
? The platform declared in favor of the
= arbitration Of differences between cor
: porationS engaged in interstate com.
merce and their employees. win any
one doubt that the doctrine of arbitra
tion is a growing one? Every largo
strike which occurs, interruptinS bust
= ness, bringing loss to the employers
2 suffering to the strikers and inconven,
' ienoe to the public generally. strength
: ems the demand for arbitration.
: The Chicago platform contains z
=. plank denouncing government by i'm
: junction. The sentiment against gov
= erAment by injunction is growing. TIL,
u people are in favor of trial by Jury
n and events have made still more OBJ
v noNious this disguised effort to den,
= to man accused OF a crime the righ
8 of trial by jury.
The Chicago platform declared II
favor Of the income tax, and event.
have shown the necessity for such ;
tax When the war broke out an,
: we needed more revenue we could no
e collect it from incomes. We wey,
IS compelled TO resort to stamp duties
Z At present our Federal taxes are q
2, collected that the poor contribute NOR
= than their share 70 the support of tn
"a government The present methods .
70 taxation collect what is in effect
graded income tax, heaviest upon tn
poor. Several of the European ma
u tiOns have a graded income tax, heav
o lest upon the rich. W hen, in 1894, III
l. Democratic party favored an incom
= tax, with an exemption on incomes un
g der 81 600, ii was accused of being com
T. munstic and sociallstic. If 1t is com
n munistic or socialstic to endeavor I
in equalize taxation by eXempting fror
:, the burdens Of q direct income to
law those who are already overbur
dened by internal revenue taxes an
10 import duties, what language shall W
O. use 10 describe a system which col
ID lects from the poor more than thci
share? The Republican. party in q
It's legislation is placir. the orde
~ ta 4 l.