Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-07-21
CHICAGO AUDITORIUM AFFAIR !
GREAT SUCCESS.
Ex-GovERNoRWILDLY CHEERED
MR. BRYAN WAS PRESENT AND DE-
LIvERED HIS SPEECH.
Half the Members of the Democratic
National Committee Present-Bry-
ans Speech Aroused Great
Enthusfasm Among
His Hearers.

CHICAGO. July 2o.-Four thousand peo-
pie crowded into the Auditorium tonight,
despite the sweltering heat, to attend the
political meeting given under the auspices
of the Chicago platform Democrats. 1t
was from first to last a silver meeting, an
Altgeld meeting, an antitrust and anti
expansion meeting. All of the speakers
save Ex-Governor Stone. of Missouri, who
was III. and talked for less than two min
utes, declared in favor of Is to / and
against the war in the Philippine islands
The speech of Mr.. Bryan evoked great
enthusiasm among his hearers, especially
when he declared that the American gov
eminent should pursue in Luzon the same
policy as was pursued in Cuba The Phil
fppines, he said, came into our hands by
accident of war and, being there, they
should have been treated on American
principles and not on those practiced by
European governments. The policy of the
United States, he claimed, should have
been to create a republic in the Philip
pines and say to all the world, ''hands of
and let that republic live" His audience
was in sympathy with his suggestions re-
garding the Philippines, and punctuated
his speech with cheers
The meeting was largely made up of the
local adherents of the Chicago platform and
The meeting, therefore. partook somewhat
of the nature of a personal tribute to him
Many Of the speakers alluded to him in
Mandatory terms and at every mention of
his name the audience shouted approval.
Mr.. Altgeld did not occupy a seat on the
platform, but throughout the meeting re-
mained in the rear part of an upper box
and only made his appearance at the front
of the box when the demand of the audi
ence TO hear from him became too loud
for Chairman Clarence S. Darrow to sub
due.
About one-haif of the members of the ma
tional committee occupied seats on the
platform, the balance of them failing to
put in an appearance.
Chairman Darrow made short address
defining the objects of the meeting and
urging his hearers to stand firmly by the
principles enunciated in the Chicago plat
form of 1896 He introduced the first
speaker, Judge James P. Tarvin, of Ken
lucky, who began:
For the first time since the close of the
civil war, a great national political organ
ization stands free from the domination of
the organized money power of the land.
The Democratic party in 1896 declared and
accomplished its independence. and there
by parted company with the Clevelands,
the Whitneys. the Belmonts and other
representatives of capital 1t is our desire
that the Democratic party shall retain its
Independence, and stand as the representa-
tive and agent of the laborers and the pro-
ducers of the nation. If this is to be, the
voters must control the organization, not
the organization the voters"
In conclusion, Mr.. Tarvin said:
But you can win, and you will win.
The common people have the numbers.
YOn h9Ua ht1ndradS yyhpr1
ganized wealth can buy or intimidate one.
The weakness of McKinleyism, the cow
ardice of Algerism cannot stay you; the
brutality of Hannaism cannot crush you;
the corruption of Crokerlsm cannot over
whelm you: individual thought, and IN
dividual freedom, the subsection of party
to principle will give to you the govern
ment that Jefferson dreamed of, that Jack
son fought for. that Lincoln prayed and
died for, and that Bryan lives and contends
for;
words and examples of men than whom the
world holds none greater You have be-
fore you the courage, the brain, the vigor
of Charles A. Towne, of George Fred Will
lam Jennings Bryan And here in Chicago
there lives in your sight an example of
self-denial never equaled, in the person OF
the patriot, the scholar. the humanitarian,
and. best of all, the American, John p.
Aitgeld."
The mention OF the name of Altgeld by
Mr.. Tarvin, produced great demonstra-
tIon, men standing upon their chairs and
cheering wildly.
The next speaker was James F. Brown Of
New York, who spoke as follows:
-- Il am not here to make. a speech. but,
as chairman of the Chicago platform DEM
ocracy, l desire TO assure the Democrats of
Chicago that the Democratic masses of the
state Of New York are true to the Chicago
platform and to William Jennings Bryan"
Senator Tillman, Of South Carolina, came
next and was greeted with great applause.
He said:
dressing Chicago audience was the night
before the election in 1896, and they were
just as well and roared just as loudly as
You surrendered to the dictates of the men
whe had you employed. If any of you are
ployes. You went TO the polls and voted for
your own slavery" = -.
Senator Tillman talked at some length,
concluding follows:
I'VE will fight this battle in 1900 and in
1904 and in 1905 and a long time in the
future-sitnply because we are now indus
trial slaves living here year in and year
out, with nothing more than a bare COM
petence, nothing more than bare living,
and we have sworn by the Almighty God
that we will fight along that line until the
men of the West are aroused to their in
terests. We cannot afford to give up the
Chicago platform. II It was right in 1896,
It is right in 1899, and 1t will be right next
year"
George Frederick Williams spoke at con-
siderable length denouncing trusts and the
policy of the administration in the Phil
ippines. His remarks concerning what he
termed the war of aggression" in the ISL
ands We're greeted with cheers. He con-
cluded with an earnest appeal to the Dem
ocrats of Illinois TO make up their differ
epces and support the Chicago platform.
At the conclusion of the address of Mr.
Williams there were loud calls for AItgeld,
so long continued~that the ex-governor,
who was sitting in the rear of a box, was
compelled to come to the front and make
a short address.