The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-25
REPLIES
TO QUESTIONS
Tells His Stand on Various
Issues.
PUTS POSERS TO
THE REPUBLICANS
Addresses Throngs In Maryland
and Delaware.

d1lu OCI00 Oh Cs
Wilmington, Del, Oct. 24-The first
of Mr. Bryan's night meetings in this
city was held in a big tent, and while
the meeting began much earlier. Mr..
Bryan did not appear until o'clock
He had a long and busy day, and found
it necessary to take an unusually pro-
longed rest after his arrival in this
city The tent was crowded to suffo-
cation, and there were far more people
on the outside and in its immediate
vicinity than there were on the inside
of the canvas.
The great crowd yelled itself hoarse
when Mr.. Bryan entered and some time
was required to secure quiet
Mr.. Bryan took cognizance of a series
of questions propounded to him by
John P. Nields of this city These ques-
tions were as follows:
l. Will he, if elected president, as
commanders n-chief, Immediately with
draw the army from the Philippines?
2. How soon does he contemplate
that a stable form of government can
be given to the Philippine islands?
8. How soon after a stable form of
government is established does he pro-
pose that congress shall declare the in
dependence of these islands?
4. How soon after a stable form of
government is established and indie
pendenCe is declared does he propose
that the American protectorate over the
Philippine islands shall continue?
>. VIII he pay the obligations of this
government in silver or gold if elected
PRESIDENT
Mr. Bryan read the questions, and
replied as ne proceeded to each of the
inquiries. He said in effect that he
would get the army out of the Philip
pines as soon as possible and, with ref
erence to the payment OF the national
debt, that he would obey the law.
Introducing the subject, Mr.. Bryan
said:
IF I were to permit a Republican in
each town to select the subject which
was to discuss, / am afraid that
everywhere some Republican would
avail himself of the opportunity in
order to Prevent my doing the thing
Republicans don't want done. And
when I heard that so3le questions We're
to be asked, / suggested that it was
only proper that the Republican com
mittee should back the questions 50
that there would be a responsible party
known in the transaction. I have not
heard yet whether the Republican COM
mittee was willing to ask these ques-
tiOnS on its responsibility or not, but I
thought that I would make an excep-
ton of this case and answer the five
questions and then ask some.''
Replies to Each Question.
He then took up the questions and
replied to them seriatin.
As a reply to the first question he
quoted from his speech of acceptance,
saying:
4 stated that if elected president I
would Immediately convene congress in
extraordinary session and would ask
congress to declare the nations policy
to establish a stable government in the
Philippine islands as we are now es-
tablishing a stable government in
Cuba; TO declare our purpose to give
independence to the Filipinos as we
have promised TO give independence to
the Cubans; to declare our purpose to
give protection to the FiIipinos, as we
have promised to give protection to the
CubanS. and as we have for sVenty-five
years given protection to the govern
ments of South and Central America"
On the second question he said:
mo one has attempted to fix the
number of hours or days or weeks or
months necessary, but I viii say this
that ] believe that we could estab liSh
a. stable government in the Philippine
islands in less time than the Repub-
HcaE party has established one in
Cuba, and that 1 think I can promise
you that our officials would not en-
bezzle as Republican officers have eme
bezzled Cuban money
To the third question he answered
that in his speech of acceptance, it
was proposed to give them independ-
enCe as soon as their stable govern
ment is established He said:
THE phrase and as soon means i'm
mediately' in our language. I don't
know what it means in Republican"
Answering the fourth question he
said;
IF the questioner had read my
speech he would have seen that there
was no limit on the prOtectorate and
we believe that this nation can assert
the doctrine that when this nation
helps a republic to stand on it's feet
the ground wherein it stands is holy
ground, and that no king shall ever
set his foot on it
On the fifth question, relative to pay
ing the obligations of this government
in silver or gold, if elected president, he
said:
Il want the Republicans who want
this question answered to first find out
what the law requires. and then want
them to know that If elected president
l will enforce that law just as | will
enforce the law against the trusts and
put striped clothes on big thieves as
well as little thieves. If you ask me
to cOnstrue a point in law, L reply that
1 shall not construe a law until it be-
comes my duty to enforce it,
Quizzes the Republicans.
Having replied TO the questions. Mr..
Bryan then prOpOunded some of his
own. He said:
Now 1 want to ask five questions.
and when l ask these questions. l
want some responsible man to answer
them. It is hardly fair for a man who
has no responsibility to place his
responsibility against that of one who
has responsibility placed upon him by
a party, and 1 want your party leaders
TO answer the questions that 1 am 60
ing to ask"
Mr.. Bryan then quoted from the
presidents message of Dec ). 1898
recommending the increase of the
army to 100, coo men and asked if the
Republican party through any one
authorized to speak will declare that
the Republican success this fall means