The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-09
BRYAN'S BLAST.
Says the Platform of'96 IL Better Now
Than Then.

Chicago, January 7-Th1third annual
was held at the fremont house tonight.
William J. Bryan was the guest of
honor. The banquet hall was turned into
sea of bunting caught up with festoons
of smilax. Life-size portraits of jackson
and the guest OF the evening were hung
at the opposite ends Of the halls these
being the only portraits used In the dec
orations Mayor Carter Harrison acted
as presiding officer and at the table with
him and Colonel Bryan were Congress
men Lsntz of Ohio and Henrichsen Of ILL.
nois Mayor Maybury OF Detroit. Mayo
Rosen OF Milwaukee, Mayor Taggart Of
indianapolis, William +. Mcknight Of
Grand Rapids Michigan, Mayor Ladd Of
Kewanee. Illinois, Captain W. p. Black
of Chicago and National Committeeman
Thomas Gahan Of Illinois.
The exercises of the evening were
opened with short address by Mayor
Harrison. The mayor introduced Con-
gresham W. IL. Henrichsen who spoke
in response to the toast "Party Fealty. !"
Congressman J,entz explained to his
hearers "What makes a president great;
Captain W. p. Black responded to the
toast 1.-The Soldiery of the Republic.
Then the three visiting mayors, Maybury
of Detroit, Taggart of Indianapolis and
I4add of Kewanee, Illinois. made brief
speeches. W. f. Mcknight of Michigan
spoke on 1.-THE Young Democracy, and
the address of MIR. Bryan closed the even
ing. MIR. Bryan said:
"The Democracy of the nation Is still
defending leffersonian principles with
jackson. urage and has no thought
of departing from the principles
enunoiated at Chicago in 1896. That
platform will live in history and the hour
of its adoption will be remem bered at the
hour when the money changers were
driven from the Democratic temple.
There will be no turning back. The plat
form will he added to as new conditions
force new issues into the arena of poll
tics, but nothing will be subtIacted from
1t. Events have indicated every position
taken by the platform. Arbitration was
advocsted in that platform and arbitra :
ton Is stronger today than 1t was In 1898.
"That platform denounced government
by injunction and the sentiment against
government by injunction is increasing
That platform denounced the trusts aud
declared them to be menace; that
menace is greater today than evsr before.
That platform warned the people that q
conspiracy was on foot to give to the ma
tional banks a monopoly of the issue and
supply of paper money; that conspiracy
is now known to everyone.
THAT platform de nounced information
al bimetallism as a delusion and a snare
and its condemnation has been justified.
THAT platform pointed to independent
free coinage as the only means of restor-
ing the double standard, who doubts 1t
pows
"That platform named 10 to as the
proper ratio and that ratio stands today
AS the only ratio at which bimetallisIn is
possible.
"Other platforms have been forgotten
but that platform is fresh in the memory
of friends and foe because it was clear
and positive upon every publ question.
To those who believe in equality before
the law the Chicago platform Is still
an inspiration: 1t is terror only to those
who seek to use the government for per-
sonal and private ends.
1.-The Chicago platform was good when
1t was adopted; it grows better with sge.
1t was strong in 1896; 1t Is stronger
now.
"But enough of old issues; what OF
the new questions? Our party cannot
ignore the issues raised by the war. 1t