The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-18
SECOND BATTLE.
Bryan Fires the First Gun In His
Second Battle.
Reform Press Bureau,
ST. Paul, Aug. Ii. 1000.

81. Iaul, aug. -, 1000.
The most important political event OF
the past week was the great speech de-
livcred in Indianapolis by w. J. Bryan
on the occasion when he was formally
notified OF his nomination for the prcsi-
dcncy. 1t was strong card for the
reform parties. Like all of Bryan's
speeches it was rcplctc with the lofty
sentiments of the highest patriotism. 1t
illustrates as well as any Of the many
other great speeches by him the clear
head and the big heart OF the man He
never blundcrs. During these four
years since he became the recognized
leader he never has said anything for
which he or his friends have had to
apologize. Or which they might have
wished to have left unsaid. Some OF
the imperialist organs arc finding fault
with his indianapolis speech, of course.
but it is for what he did not say rather
than for what he did say. They pre-
tend to beittlc it, but it is causing
them very much worry just the same.
The leading Republican organ OF Min
ncsota has been thrown into fit by it.
and dcvotes several columns to an effort
to show that the speech is OF no inn
portancc anyhow. The Sioux Falls
Daily Press hit the nail squarely OH the
head when it predicted some days in adj
vance exactly how the speech would be
received by the G. o. P. press. This
is what the paper says:
"The speech Of acceptance OF Mr..
Bryan is due in day or two. Then
will the distressed Republican editors
lave something to write about Alas,
it will not be fresh and new, for il is
morally certain they viii go over the
same old story again. finding the same
faults and making the same spccious
criticisms.
"If Mr.. Bryan says anything at all
about finances the Republican editors
will dcnounce him for trying to debase
the currency OF the banks, etc They
will rave and storm and fumc about
| impending national disaster and til.
like stuff.
"Ii Mr.. Bryan hits the trusts some
pretty hard blows these trust defenders
will wriggle and squirm and say Bryan
is insinccrc and that he didn't have
sense enough to know two years before
the trust era began that the trusts would
now be in control Of the government.
They will say the trusts are good thing
and that anyway the Republican party
is the original trust-smaslling party.
'If Mr.. Bryan bears down heavily on
the principles Of free government and
reminds the people that ours is nation
in which the people are sovcreigns. and
that it is contrary to the spirit OF our
institutions for our government to be
doing the very things that brought on
the revolt which ended in American in
dcpendence-if Mr.. Bryan hits imperial
ism few body blows, the impcriais,
editors will shout in chorus that he has
abandoned free silver and is fighting a
phantom.
eve have no sort Of expectation that
Bryan will please any of the Hanna
editors in his speech of acceptance
Neither will Mr.. Stevenson"
On the one hand we have expansion
by means OF war of criminal aggres.
sion and conquest. and on the otle,
hand we have humiliating contraction
for the benefit OF Great Britain The
modus vivendi 10 which Mr.. McKinle,
has consented in the Alaskan boundar,
dispute makes magnificent land gil
to England. The remarkable explana
ton offered for the administration b,
. Senator Scott of West Virginia is this
, Instead OF having coded to Grea
, Britain territory as large as the state o
Rhode Island, not one inch has beef
surrendered to that country. On tn