Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-08-30
Bryan,s Speech to rrishmen.


William Jennings Bryan, Mr.. Stevenson
and others made speeches on August Is, at
sunnyside Park, Chicago, Illinois, on the
occasion Of the annual meeting Of the
United Irish Societies Of Cook county The.
meeting was presided over by Rev r. L.
Reynolds, and the attendance was large
notwithstanding. stormy weather. Mr
Bryan's speech Vas the first Of the series,
but before he was heard the assembly,at the
suggestion Of Judge H. Y Cannon, adopted
an address denoupcing Great Britain and
''imperialism and militaryisnl. .
Mr.. Bryan said in part
II do not want you to think that my
happiness depends upon any public office
within the gift OF the people OF this colin-
try. have higher ambition tllan to he
President flireat applause] ] hope you
will credit me with the ambition that is
within the reach of every citizen Of this
land, an ambition which al can obtain,
and which to my mind is a higher ambition
than that for any office. and that is an
ambition TO do what / can to make this
nation so great and 50 good that to be a
simple citizen will be greater than to be a
king in any other land. IGreat appiausel-
Il am not here to flatleF your pride by
telling you what the defendants Of Erin
have accomplished.
Il am not going to dwell upon the work
of the sons of Erin, because it would
take all the afternoon and leave me no
time to speak of what the daughters of
Erin have also done. Laughter and APP
plause] The work of the lrishmen in the
development of this country is too we'll
known to need detailed description. The
people of your race have given to the
world the highest examples of oratOry;
they have been distinguished in poetry
and in music, in business and in states
manship; you have had millions who have
taught the world how to live, and you
have had an Emmett who taught the world
how to die. [Cheers and applause1
A voice-s'Your name should be
O'Brien." Laughter and applausel.
Mr.. Bryan-''My friend has tried to
ngratiate me into your favor by suggesting
that my name is O'Brien and not Bryan.
If the gentleman knew as much about it as
do, he would know that Bryan is the
original name and 'O'Brien a derivation
etilu " iiC1
became King he put on the %, and the
O'Briens' are the defendants of the King,
while the 'Bryans' are the common people,
and never get stuck up about a relative
being king LReuewed laughter and
applause]
''I'he object Of my speech is practical
one. l want to use this occasion TO point
to great lesson. l believe the fact that
this nation has here the representatives of
all the races of Europe gives peculiar
advantage among the nations The fact
that the best blood of all the civilized races
mingles here in the development of the
American character enables this nation to
learn upon every question the light Of uni
versal history and avoid the dangers from
which other nations have suffered Zap
plause].
HWhen anyone tells me that we want to
initiate an Anglo7Saxon civilization / tell
him that an American civilization is higher
than any otler-no matter what it is.
GGreat applause] I do not mean to say
one word against an Anglo-Saxon have
not word to say against the Celt the
Latin, the Greek or the Teuton But do
believe that the American, in whom are
combined the virtues Of them all, is the
greatest citizen the world has ever known.
lGreat applausel