Evening star., 1899-04-14

BRYAN AND BELMONT
They Extol Thomas Jefferson From
Differing Standpoints.
ADDRESSES At Two BANQUETS
Silver Men at Milwaukee and Gold
Advocates in New York.
PROPHETS OF DEMOCRACY
PROPHETS OF DEMOCRACY

The Jefferson Club of Milwaukee observed
the natal day of the founder OF democracy
by banquet at the Plankinton House last
night, attended by over 800 guests Col.
VIM. ]. Bryan of Nebraska was the guest
of honor and delivered the principal ad-
dress. Delegations of democrats were in
attendance from many towns throughout
the state and nearly all the democrats from
the state legislature were present.
Mr.. Bryan began with discussion of his
favorite topic, the remonetizatien of silver
at ratio of 10 10 l with gold. He said on
this subject:
I'VE are near enough to the next cam
pagn to be able to form some idea of the
lines along which the contest will be fought,
| and l am taking no risk when l say that
those who, in 1895, gave their allegiance to
the Chicago platform, are as united today
in the determination that no step taken in
1896 shall be retraced. That platform APP
piled to the conditions then existing, the
principles of which have been democratic
from the beginning of the government.
Suggestions that We abandon the money
question sometimes come from those who
| deserted the party in 1896. but those sug-
gestfons are not supported by evidence
tending to show that the position in 1896
was W1OnS, out was upon
theory that the issue upon which the party
once lost can never be revived, and what
seems most strange. this argument is made
by those who have followed a different
course in the past.
Instances of the Past.
IN 1888 Mr.. Cleveland was defeated on
the tariff issue, and yet the tariff was made
the main issue in 1892, and Mr.. Cleveland
was elected. In 1892 MIR Harrison was de-
yl,,Ia
bill, and four years later the author Of the
bill was nominated upon a platform re-
affirming the belief in protection, and was
successful. Thus IL is seen that in two in
stances recently a losing issue in one cam
paign became winning issue in the cam
paing following
The test ought to be not whether the
issue has been presented before, but wheth-
er the position taken is right. If the gold
standard was unmerited in 1896, 1t is un-
merited now. If its maintenance was
| detriment to the interests of the people Of
this country then, 1t is a detriment now.
If. in 1876. 1t was so hurtful that the re-
publicans promised to put forth their best
effort to substitute international bimetal-
iism for It, and after the election was still
so hurtful that the President sent COM
mission to Europe to secure foreign aid In
abandoning it, what has happened since
then to make the American people accept
it as a blessing?
IF an increased discovery Of gold in
Alaska has been of any advantage to the
United States. it is but another evidence
that the cumulative theory Of money is
correct. If large balance of trade in
favor of the United States gives any relief
because of the money thus brought into the
country, 1t is an additional argument In
favor of the quantitative theory of money"
Mr.. Bryan argued from analogy that as
the increase of gold money was good
thing the addition OF silver to the cur
rency of the country would be better And
a silver pould ha PoiOad a
a ratio of 16 to i than at a higher ratio,
the Chicago platform ratio was the thing
the people wanted.
The Question of the Trusts.
He next paid his respects to the trusts
as follows:
THE trusts are now absorbing an in
creasing share of public attention, because
of their rapid growth during the last two
years. We had a sugar trust and an oil
trust some years ago We now have bis
cult trust and a match trust, and a meat
trust-in fact, trust in almost everything
that is used. The milk trust 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
llfes htful dream is over. The people are
beginning to what the principle of mo-
nopoly really means, and yet the principle
of monopoly. so plainly illustrated by the
industrial trusts, does not Qlner at all
from the principle Of monopoly which un-
derlies both the gold standard and the
paper money trusts"
Quotes Lincoln on Jefferson.
Mr.. Bryan then directed his remarks to
the so-called subject Of imperialism, saying:
Upon the subject of Imperialism l need
only add a word. The idea of forcible con-
quest and of colonization after the plan
adopted by European countries cannot
ceive the support of the people of this
country when the principles involved are
clearly understood. In 1859 Abraham Lin
coin was invited to attend a Jefferson BAN
quet given by the republicans of Boston.
Those whose memories run back 10 ante
of Independence forms a large part of re-
publican speeches in the early days. 1t was
made part of the first platform on which
Lincoln ran. That Lincoln was welded to
the fundamental doctrines set forth in that
declaration no one will dispute In express
ing regret that he could not attend the Bos-
ton banquet, Mr.. Lincoln used these words
in regard to Thomas jefferson:
" All honor to jefferson: to g. man who
in the concrete pressure of struggle for
national Independence by a single people
had the coolneSs, forecast and capacity to
ument abstract truth applicable to all
men and all times, and so to embam 1t
there that today and in all coming days 1t
shall be a rebuke and a stumbling block to
the harbingers of tyranny and oppres-
sion "
Question of imperialism.
He compared the recent proclamation to
the Filipinos with the language used by the
queen in her proclamation to the people of