The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-21
WERE RIGHT IN 1896.
Chicago Platform q Second Declaration Of
independence.
4 SPEECH BY THE HON. CHAMP CLARK
AT the Opening of the Democratic
Campaign in Nebrnska-Pofnted
Truths in Simple Language.

Douglass county democrats, assisted by
delegation Of about 800 members of the
Jefrersonian club OF Lancaster county,
turned out yesterday to attend the Jack
sonian club picnic at Syndicate park.
William J. Bryan and Congressman
Champ Clark were present the latter be-
ing the orator OF the day.
In the evening Mr.. Bryan addressed 5000
people. He Endorsed the income tax, at
tackled the trusts and declared silver would
be the main issue in the next campaign.
Hon Champ Clark of Missouri spoke As
follows:
Beyond all cavil, we were right in
1896. The Chicago platform was second
Declaration Of Independence. ON that great
day we laid aside forever the weight that
had 60 easily and so persistently beset us
the good Lord, good devil policy o.
Eastern democrats. and taking control of
the party gave to the world declaration
OF our political faith, upon which we made
the most astounding campaign, witnessed
among men since the world began.
II believe now, and have always be-
lieved, that Bryan was elected on fair
count OF the ballots; but, II he was de-
tented, it was by methods forbidden in
morals. most corrupt in politics and utterly
subversive of good government--by I'M
precedented coercion of voters, by whole-
sale use of Doodle, and by such deoausch-
cry of the suffrage as made honest men
everywhere stand aghast.
But nevertheless and Notwithstanding
a nd M
there were 6,500,000 American freemen
who could not be bridled. deceived or
bu,lied into voting for the republican can
didates, and our peerless young leader re-
ceived more votes than were ever before
cast for a candidate for the presidency,
and stands forth the foremost statesman
of the age.
"If we stand courageously and unfaul-
terngly by the great principles enuncated
Ia 1885, we will win a decisive victory tor
truth and right and justice and represent
alive government and will earn not only
the appr~.al OF our own conSciences, but
the plaudts of lovers OF liberty to The re-
hottest generations; but il we abandon
these principles, IL we permit time servers.
double dealers and practicers of expediency
to obscure these issues or shunt them To
the rear we Will not only lose but VIII
be damned to everlasting fame
THE people understand precisely what
they want They want the Chicago plat
form, and they Intend to have 1t, I'M
changed, undiluted unimpaired They Will
break short off. as you can break piece
OF glass, - necks of those who try TO
play them false They are not in frame
of mind to be fooled with
Those supple. self-seeking demagogues
in the party, who are stealing the livery
OF heaven to serve the devil in, and who.
yelling free silver at the tops OF their
voices, are maneuvering and plotting Sc
cretly and necessarily TO side-track free
silver, and to supplant 1t with expansion
and the anti-trust issue, the masses OF the
democrats--the plain people. as Lincoln
denompated them; the common people
as Bryan affectonately calls them-w1ll
cast into utter darkness, whore there will
be weeping, wailing aud crashing OF
teeth.
The overshadOwing issue in 1896 was
the free and unlimited coinage OF gold and
silver at the ratio OF 16 to /, without walt
ing for the consent or permission OF any
other nation under the sun, That viii bt
the paramount issue in 1900, In spite o.
all tricks, of all the tricksters, in spite o.
all the agile democratic acrobats In In,
land. In spite OF the cheap John mounte
banks who consider the getting OF Of
fees rather than the carrying out OF grea
principles to their legitimate ana logka
results. the chief end OF political partie
and organized endeayor
THE times servers would have us aban
don our position and stultify ourselves II
the eyes of mankind. in order to carr
the election on platform that means al
things to all men and nothing in particular
but we would not have even that poor cen
ISOLATION for the minute the dcmocrati
leaders desert silver the people will Gestro
them and select new leaders, faithful t
their trusts, but in the confusion OF kill
nj lenders and granting 4 a
ones the republicans VIII carry the ooun
try
Even as matter of policy TO say moth
ing OF principle, we must stand by on
guns That is our only salvation. ON
duty is clear as crystal.
''If we do not stand by silver hcnestl
and unfinchingly, party Will arise th9
will. and 1t Will draw TO 1t vast ia
jority of democrats, for the hght beiwee
monometallists and bimetalists IL an II
represslble conflict. which ran never b
settled finally till IL is settled IN he rjgf
way which Is our way--the way of tn
Chicago platform Of 1896.
THE men who made that platform, a
well as the men back OF them. had an
still have, the courage of their convic
lions. Having put their hands to tn
plow they do not propose to look back, bu
will press on to victory. What is more
they have control OF the party machiner,
in nearly every State and Territory 1
the Union, and, knowing they are right
they propose to use 1t for all 1t Is wort
In all proper ways.
THE proposition that we must supper
President McKinley's Philippine policy,
he has any, right or wrong, is the verie'
rot-a tale told by an idiot
Support the presidents policy, Ell? WI
some gentleman please tell us what tina
policy is? Has he any? II so. why doesn
he say SO? The truth is. he has none. II
is an opportunist--a political Wilkins MI
cawber, waiting for something to turn v.
He is letting things drift, and they ar
drifting to the deuce. Meantime, our sol
diers are being killed. and die OF diseas
In shoals. For what purpose? VIII any
body undertake to say? defy any expan
sionist to stand up and inform us wha
the presidents policy is. No one wi
cay; but some say. and more's the pity an
shame. some calling themselves democrat
1.-THE president is wrong; but We mus
support tho president To this complex
ion has 1t come at last--that we mus
shut up our thinkers. close our mouths an
chloroform our consciences In order
be considered patriots.
mo. II the president ID wrong, he shoul
b. set right. II he Will not cease to
wrong. be should be bounced--as he wi
b. 80 soon a. the American people can &c
. crack at him. In the interim congre'