The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-14
Gold Standard as Wick
ed as Ever.
Colonel Touches Upon Imperi.
alism and Trusts.

Milwaukee,. Wis, April 13. The Jefier-
SON club of Milwaukee observed the natal
dsy of the founder Of Democracy by u
banquet at the Plankinton tonight. Col.
william J. Bryan of Nebraska was the
guest Of honor and delivered the principal
address. The banquet hall was beautiful
" decorated. He spoke on Democracy.
and said In part:
1--WE arc now near enoash to the next
campaign to be able to form some idea Of
the lines along which the contest will be
fought and am taking no risk when /
say that those who in 1895 gave their
allegiance to the Chicago platform. are
as united today In tbs determination that
no step taken In 1896 shall bo retraced.
That platform applied to the condition
then a1istipg, the principles which had
been Democratic from the beginning ct
the government Suggestions that we
abandon tho money question sometimes
come from those who deserted the party
in 1885, but these suggestions are not
supported by evidence tending to show
that the position In 1898 was wrongs but
was PREDICTED upon the theory that the
| Issue upon which the party once lost can
| never 90 revivsd. and what sesms most
strange, this argument is made BY those
who have followed o different course in
the past; -. .,,,... :, =. -. v,.tbs, .,s
issue has been presented before. but
whether the position taken is right. II
the gold standard was unmeritsd In 1896,
| IL is unmerited now. II its maintenance
was q detriment . to the interests Of the
people Of this country then. 1t Is detri-
inent now. II in 1896 1t was so hurtful
| that the Republicans promised to put
| forth their best efforts to substitute inter-
national bi-metallism for 1t and after the
| election was still so hurtful that the
| President sent commission to Europe to
secure foreign aid In abandoning II, what
| has happened since then to make the
American people accept 1t as blessing,
\ The trusts are now absorbing an In
oreasng share Of public attention because
Of their rapid growth during the last two
years. VS. had aosugar trust and an oil
trust; some years ago. We now have
biscuit trust and a match trust and n
meat trust, in fact a trust in almost every
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 ntful dream is
over. Tho people are teginning to see
what the principle of monopoly really
means and yet the principle Of monopoly
so plainly illustrated by the industrial
trusts, does not differ at all from the
principle of monopoly which underlies
both the gold standard and the paper
money trusts.
| The Democratic party is prepared to
face the future and meet new issues with
out abandoning the old. The Republican
party has demanded that the standing
army be increased to 100000 men. II citi-
zens born In the United States are igno-
rant of the burdens OF standing army,
they can receive instructions from those
born in European countries Many
Europeans who ara now worthy citizens
of this great republic left their Europea
homes because of the burdens imposed by
the enormous military establishments. A
great army may be a good thing for rail
road companies which will carry them
from place to place. and for the large con
tractors who will furnish food anc
raimsut for the soldiers. but 1t is dis
tressing burden upon the plain people OF
the country and especially upon the labor
ing men and the farmers upon whom an
unfair share Of the load has fallen.
| Upon the subject of Imperialism neeo
only to add a word The idea OF forciblt
conquest and of colonization after the
plan adopted by European countries can
not receivs the support of the people OF
this country when the principles involved
are clearly understood. In spite Of the
prom scs made 20 the people of lndis
forty years ago, the people of India today
complain thar the Offices are filled by tht
younger sons of the English.
The policy of Imperialism is defended
on the ground that 1t Is for the good o
the people governed, but We have never
recognized the right Of any nation to be
nevolently assimilate another nation.
EX-SENATOR John l.. Mitchell Of Wiscon
sin devoted his entire address to ar
eulogy Of Thomas jefferson. John +
Doherty of La Crosse. answered to the
sentiment: 1.-The Young democracy"
Thomas l. Clsary Of Plattsville: Party
rison of Chicago. to Corruption In
Politics." Mayor David s. Rose of Mil
waukes TO "Imperlslism, Judge Hiram
iW. Sayward OF Hartford, to "Shal
Trnsts and Corporations RULE" Howard
S. Taylor of Chicago read an original
poem on Jefferson.