The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1899-07-12

listened to the subsequent flow of ora
tory. Many ladies graced the event
with their presence, table being re-
served for them,
On the stage was placed the table OF
honor, the speakers thanking Colonel
Bryan on the right and left. Among
the notables noticed on the platform
were Congressman John ]. Lentz, DIR.
Norton, John Blacker, Colonel James
Kilbourne and w. w. Durbin.
After the discussion of the menu,
President Frank II. Gale of the Demo-
cratic club introduced the toastmaster
of the evening, Hon. Allen w. Thur
man. In few words the latter intro
duced the first speaker of the evening,
Christopher T. Callahan of Massachu-
sets, who responded in an able manner
to the toast, THE Issues"
Party and Principles" was the
theme assigned to Judge James p. Tar
win of Kentucky, and the speaker fairly
electrified his hearers by the manner
in which he handled his topic. George
Fred Williams, the silver champion of
the old Bay state, discussed THE East
ern Democrats" in his usual eloquent
style.
When Colonel Bryan arose to answer
the toast Democracy" the guests arose
and fairly shook the rafters with long
continued cheering. 1t was some min
utes before the eloquent NeDraskan
could begin his address, which proved
to be one of the greatest efforts of his
life. Statesmen in attendance pro-
nouncer it n masterpiece, which the
banqueters literally punctuated with
appla,se. Mr.. Bryan spoke as follows:
snvor Not Dead.
congratulate the club upon having
declared in emphatic terms that there
shall be no retreat from the position
taken by the Democratic party in 1896.
The Chicago platform applied Jeffer-
Bonian principles to the questions then
before the country. Every plank In
that platform was Democratic plank,
and not one plank could.be taken from
the platform without injury to the
party's chances of success. Some
silver plank should be dropped or
amended, but as rule those who
threaten to get of the platform are
really the persons who never were on
the platform. Those who aided in the
adoption of the Chicago platform are
still true to it's principles, and n multi-
tude of those who were opposed to Its
adoption. have been converted to II
y
the party was compelled to choose be-
tween the people who desire justice in
government and equality before the
| law and the aggregations of wealth
| ties of government for private gain
| and the party, true to the party name
| chose the side of the people. AS n de.
fender of the rights of the plain people
| 1t finds no competition from the Re.
publican party. In contest for the
favor of the privilege classes 1t would
stand no chance of rivaling the Repub'
lican party. The war brought into
bold relief the necessity for an income
tax, so that we may reasonably eXpeci
popular support in our effort to secure
| an amendment to the constitution spe-
officially authorizing such a tax.
The money question is neither dead
| nor sleeping. Can the gold standard
| he regarded as satisfactory when a
| sion to Europe to secure aid in getting
rid of 1t? In letter written to Lord
| Aldenham Nov. %, 1898, two years
after the presidential election and two
| weeks after the last congressional
| election, Secretary OF State Hay de.
clared that the president and major
ity OF the cabinet still believed in the
! great deSirRbility of an international
agreement. Every argument made in
favor of an international agreement is
a condemnation of the gold standard
The failure of the commission to Sc,
cure foreign aid in the restoration OF
bimetallism is conclusive proof that
we must act alone II VIC expect relief
from monometallism. While the re.
fusal of our opponents to suggest any
other ratio is evidence that l6 to ] IL
the only ratio at which bimetnllism
Is possible. If our opponents say that
the increased production of gold has
made times better they admit the cor.
rectness of the quantitiYe theory OF
money. whereas in 1896 they denied it.
II little more gold, unexpectedly dis
covered in the Klondike, has made
conditions better, how much greater
would be the advantage If silver from