The record-union., 1899-04-14
WILLIAM ]. BRYAN
At NIL WAukEE.
Guest Of the Evening at a Banquet
of the Jefferson Club
Given in Honor Of the Birthday Of the
Founder Of Democracy.

Affirms That the Next Campaign
Will Be Fought Out Along the
Same Lines as Those in 1896,
and That Those Who Gave Alle-
glance to the Chicago Platform
Are United in Determination
That No Steps Then Taken Shall
Be Retraced.
MILWAUKEE, (Wis.), April 13.-The
Jefferson Club Of Milwaukee observed
the national day of the founder of De-
mocracy in a most fitting manner at
banquet at the Plankington House to-
night, which was attended by over 3ou
guests. Colonel w J. Bryan of Ne
braska was the guest of honor, and
delivered the principal address.
The banquet hall was beautifully dec
GRATED with the national colors.
Colonel Bryan spoke on Democracy
He said in part:
I'VE are now near enough to the next
campaign to be able to form some idea
of the lines along which the contest
will be fought, and I am taking no
risk when l say that those who III lSJo
gave their allegiance to the chicago
platform are united to-day in the de-
termination that no steps taken IN 10
shall be retraced. The platform ap-
piled to the conditions then existing
the principles which had been Demo-
cratic in the beginning of the Govern
<l.ar1
ment Suggestions that we ABANDON
the money question sometimes come
from those who deserted the party IN
SO, but those suggestions are not sup
ported by evidence tending to sho"
that the organization in '96 was wrong,
but was predicated upon the theory
that the issue upon which the party
once lost can never be revived; anu
what seems most strange, this argu-
ment is made by those who have fol-
lowed different course in the past
I'm 1888 Mr. Cleveland was defeated
on the tariff issue, and yet the tarllI
was made the main issue in 1857, ana
Mr.. Cleveland was elected. M. 1af-
rison was defeated largely on account
of the Mckinley BILL and four years
later the author of the bill was nom
mated on a platform reaffirmlng the
belief in protection, and was success
full. Thus it is seen that in two IN
stances recently a losing issue IN "he
campaign became a winning issue IN
the campaign following
THE test ought to be not Whether
the issue has been presented peIore'
but whether the position taken is right
If the gold standard was unmer1ted III
1896. it is unmerited now. If its mann
tenance was a detriment to the inter-
ests of the people of this country then'
it is a detriment now. II in 1870 IL
was so hurtful that the RepuDncanS
promised to put forth their best eHor-
to substitute international blmetalhsm
for it. and after the election was sun
so hurtful that the President sent d
commission to Europe to secure 1or-
eign aid in abandoning it, what mas
happened since then TO make the
American people accept 1t as piess-
ing? If increased discovery or Sold III
Alaska has been of any advantage TO
the United States, it is but another, evil
dence that the Quantitative theory OF
money is correct. If a large Dalance
of trade in favor of the United States
gives any relief because of the money
thus brought into the country, 1t Is an
additional argument in favor OF the
quantitative theory of money.
.'Bimetallists have contended tnat
times will be made better by the re-
turn of the double standard. and py
the increased supply of standard money
thus furnished for the business OF me
country. While it is unnecessary 10
discuss the question of ratio until some
other ratio is proposed. it may not De
out of place to suggest that 10 to L, pc
ing the ratio at which the present Soio
and silver coin circulate, it is the nat
ural ratio at which the mirts should
be reopened To increase the ratio nv
increasing the size of the dollar Woulu
necessitate the recoinage OF our pres
ent silver dollars into a less nu'Aoef oi
dollars, and the increase OF tn9 rdtio
made throughout the world Would re-
suit in a large decrease In the Voiuiiie
of standard money, and since the value
of dollar depends on the NUMBER VI
dollars. such a change would necessarily
increase the purchasing power OF
dollar and increase the burden OF depls--
1t would be equivalent to TRANSFER
by legislation of a vast amount OF
wealth from the producing classes 10
the money-owning classes
s'The attempt of the Republican party
TO retire the greenbacks and substitute
for them national issues Will give u
that question a greater prominence than
it enjoyed in 1896. During the war the
rational bank note never became more
valuable than the greenback because II
was redaemable in the greenback. The
national bank note is good only because
the National Government STANDS as an
indorser Of the bank. If the value OF
the bank note is dependent upon the
Government, how can it be any better
than the Government S own paper, and
why should the Government give banks
a bonus to induce them to issue bank
notes which are in no respect superior
and III some respects inferior to the
greenbacks issued by the Government,
and for which the people pay no bonus?
1.-The trusts are now absorbing an in
creasing share of public attention be-
cause of their rapid growth during the
last two years. We had sugar trust
and an oil trust some years ago. We
now have a biscuit trust, and match
trust, and a meat trust, in fact
trust in almost everything that is used.
The milk trust reaches the infant as he
enters the world; the ice trust cools him
in the summer: the coal trust Keeps him
warm in the winter. while the coffin
trust waits to receive him when life's