Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-22
BRYAN SPEAKS OUT
ANNOUNCES PLATFORM FOR
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
1T is ADOPTED AT LINCOLN
Both Democratic and Populist State
Conventions Endorse the Nebras-
kan and Adopt His Declaration of
Principles-Trusts and Imperial
ism Opposed, Free Silver Favored.

Lincoln, March 20.-In effect Wi
liam j. Bryan announced last night t
: the democratic party and TO the natio
at large the platform which he con
siders best for the demCcrati
party and practically the on
upon which he desires to STAN
II nominated at the Kansas City con
) Ventlon. The platform which wa
/, adopted by the Nebraska democrac,
with the greatest enthusiasm reafirm
the chicago Platform and is PRACTICABLE
a creation of Bryan The platform
adopted by the populist conventio,
was substantially the same as tina
ADOPTED by the democrats. B0th con
FentlonS were enthusiastic for Bryar
to the last degree and every men ,ioI
OF his name was greeted with cheer,
and delighted approval Instruction;
were given both delegations to slanC
Tor Bryan in the Kansas City anC
Sioux Falls conventions.
After organization the chairman an
pointed a committee on resolutions
whose report, in part as follows. was
adopted amid great enthusiasm. We
the democrats of Nebraska, do hereby
reaffirm and endorse. in whole and il
part, in letter and in spirit. the Mat.
form adopted by the democratic ma
tional convention held in Chicago in
1896. We favor amendments to the
federal constitution specially authoriz-
| ing an income tax and providing fol-
the election of United States senator's
by direct vote of the people. We op-
| pose government by injunction and
| blacklist, favor arbitration as a means
OF settling disputes between corpora
tons and employees. We observe with
| approval the support given by demo
Gratis throughout the country 10 the
movement looking toward municipag
ownership and municipal franchises.
| We favor the principle of the initiative
and referendum wherever it can be ap-
| piled. We are in favor of liberal pen
| sions to deserving soldiers and their
| dependents; we believe that the names
upon the pension rolGs should not be
arbitrarily dropped; we believe,
that the fact of the enlist
ment and service should be
| deemed conclusive evidence against
disease and disability before enlist
ment. We are in favor of the imme-
| date construction and fortification OF
| the Nicarauga canal by the United
States. We condemn the Dingley tar
| If law as a trust-bree&iHg extortiOn
inviting measure, skillfuIy devised for
| the purpose of giving to the few IA
vOrs they do not deserve and placing
upon the many the burdens they
should not bear. We pledge ourselves
| to wage unceasing warfare against all
! trusts, the money trust, Industrial
| trust, international land grabbing
trust. Instead of the system which
would chain our nation to the gold
standard and compel it to participate
| IN all disturbances which come to
European nations, We demand an
American financial system made by
the American people for themselves,
| to be secured by the immediate resto-
ration of the free and unlimited coin
age of gold and silver at the present
! legal ratio of 16 to l without waiting
| for the aid and consent of any other
nation. Instead Of the system favored
| by the republican party, under which
! national banks are to be permitted to
issue and control the volume Of paper
| money for their own profit, we reit-
crate our demand for that financial
| system which recognizes the govern
ment's sovereign right to issue all
money, whether coin or paper, and we
| demand the retention of greenbacks
as they now exist and the retirement
Of national bank notes as rapidly as
! greenbacks can be substituted for
them.
We condemn the national admins
| tration for its failure to enforce the
present law against trusts or recon-
mend a more effective law. We favor
a state constitution which will pro-
hibit the organization of a monopoly
within the state and also prevent a
monopoly organized elsewhere from
doing business within the state: but
we further believe that congress
should supplement the efforts of the
state by legislation which will require
every corporation before engaging in
| interstate commerce. to show that il
! has no water in it's stock. that it has
neither attempted in the past. nor is
now attempting, to moG0polize any
branch of business or the products OF
any article of merchandise. We con
denim the Porto Rico tariff bill. recent
~ passed by the republican house as q
bold and open violation OF the nation
organized law, and fiagant breach
of good faith. We assert that the con
stitution follows the flag and denounct
the doctrine that the executive or con
gress, created and limited by the con
stitution, can exercise lawful authori,
ty beyond that constitution or in VIC
lation of it. Believing that a nation
cannot long endure half republic anC
half empire we oppose vars for con
quest and colonial POSSESSIONS ",
favor the immediate declaration o
the nations purpose to give the Fill
pinos, first, a stable form o
government, second, Independence
third, protection from outside interior
ence We favor the expansion of trad,
by every legitimate and peaceful
means, but are opposed to purchasin!
trade at the lannon's mouth with hu
man blood. We oppose miitarism.
imnnsas nnnr, the neOnle nnnocnscar p,