The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-20
BRYAN'S SECOND
DOLLAR DINNER
Talks to Workin gmen of
New York.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, April I9.-The second of
the ''one dollar" Bryan dinners that, I'M
der the auspices of the workngmen, was
held tonight at the Grand Central Pal
ace. The dinner was largely attended,
about 1900 men and women being pres
ent. Back of the speakers, painted on a
large canvas. was the following: "A sys-
TEN of political economy will yet dawn
which Will perform as we'll as promise;
which Will rain the riches of nature into
the laps of the starving poor.
Charlotte Perkins Stetson was one of
the speakers.
In his speech Colonel Bryan said:
jefferson was man OF ideas. We are apply
ing his ideas to-day TO the questions which
arse. They would not apply in his day. They
have not been applied since his day. [ thank
God that l live in a land where peace hath her
victories as well "a war. / glory that live
in land where every day presents an oppor-
tunity Tor man 10 show his love of country
and l thank God that we live in this generation
where the grandest principles are presented
that nave ever been presented to any generation
since the history OF man began. y distinguish
ed citizen Of the nation spoke not long ago Of
the strenuous life and applied his idea To a
pollcy that gives this nation an opportunity
TO, 90 forth with musket and carry its idea
by force 70 other nations. l thank God that
peace in this country gives an opportunity for
all the strenuous life of people. If we but
begin to apply 10 our daily conditions the
principles which we all accept theories which
we can not contradict. there is room enough
for work for several generations yet to come
The declaration of independence is condensed
into few sentences, the principles which
must ever underlie form of government like
ours.
Ny attention was called yesterday to the Ian
guage used by Abraham Lincoln in the eulogy
of the Declaration of Independence. This is an
opinion of the present gathering, and l want
to contribute to the spirit of the occasion
by quoting what the great Republican said OF
the work Of the greatest Democrat.
can turn to the words of Abraham Lincoln
p lnerNTA f fFNa Taaf,t
alton of Independence because I cannot con-
ceive Of words that are more beautiful or more
true. He said-hOw wisely he guessed-that
the time might come when some man party
or interest might set up the doctrine that only
rich men or only white men or only Anglo
Saxon white men are entitled to those privi-
leges-those blessings enumerated in this chart
OF our liberty. And l read these sentences to
you tonight not that YOU shall be compelled
to accept the Declaration of Independence but
that you may be compelled to- repudate both
Lincoln and Jefferson when you leave the
Declaration of Independence. Jefferson ca4ved
&rom the mountains of eternal truth the four
great pillars upon which the American Gov
that they are endowed with equal rights; that
governments instituted among men to Sc
cure and 10 preserve those rights and the gov
ernments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed.
l sometimes hear people complain because
business Is disturbed by the agitation of public
questions. There is a way to escape ii; let US
have monarchy and then there will be no
disturbance of any kind of business we can
ettIHPIy SCI anu pe happy' but history has
shown that where one or a few think for all
the people and act for the people, they so in
Jure all the people, and If enjoy the rights
Of life and liberty and the pursuit Of happiness,
our life must be a constant warfare against
wrong. Jefferson never uttered a truer saying
that when he declared that confidence is the
parent of despotism and that free government
exists in jealousy and not in confidence. II
you elect public servant and go to sleep. the
danger is that he may become more watchful
Of his own interests than of yours. The faults
or our Government are not in the people but
in those who misrepresent the virtue, the in
telligence and the wishes of the people.