Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-21
WHAT THEY'VE PROVED
they Controlled Policy of tho Party
In isse ana They HIVE Held since
whntIhey Gained Thcn-The luz
iqu,iious stamp Tux md Why We
l1ave TO Pny It-Tho Money
Question.
tBy Telegraph to virginian- Pilot.>

(Sy Telegraph to Virginan-Pilot.)
Baltimore, Jan. 20.-Hon. w. ]. Bryan
delivered an address here tonight upon
the political questions OF the day to
an audience which filled the Music
Hall the biggest auditorium In the
city, to its fullest capacity and winch
greeted him and his remarks with the
greatest enthusiasm. The meeting was
held under the auspices OF the Mary
land Democratic Association, one OF
the free silver wings Of the Democratic
party of the State. and was not en-
couraged In any manner by the regular
organization. In fact, the latter held
strictly aloof from any participation IN
the affair. They made no effort to dis
courage it in any manner, but not one
of the Democratic leaders appeared on
the PLATFORM and an offer of stage
tickets was politely declined by the
principal members of the Democratic
State Central Committee.
With the party who came from
washington with MIR. Bryan We're
Senator Tillman. of South Carolina
CONGRESSMAN Sulzer, OF New York
Richardson, OF Tennessee; Jones, oil
Virginia, and DeArmoad. OF MISSOURI.
1t was nearly S o'clock when the party
reached the Music Hall. when the
crowd greeted him upronriously.
MIR. BRYAN'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Bryan said in part:
II want to assure you in the begin
ming that my happiness does not de-
pend upon any honor which the people
of this nation can confer; neither do
Mt, iA,,te. l,on f,i
welfare depends upon any one person.
AS in politics, as i'll the army, the gene
rails get the glory and the privateS do
the work. And, therefore. feel that
] owe it TO those who, for nearly four
years have been bearing the burden in
the heat OF the day owe 1t to them
to say that what have done Is but an
atom compared with what they have
done.
WHAT VOTERS PROVED.
''In 1896 the voters proved that they
could control the policy OF the party,
ana during the last three years they
have proven that they could hold what
they gained in 1896, in spite OF news
papers, in spite of railroads: In spite
of banks and in spite OF every influence
supposed to obtain, the plain people OF
the Democratic marty have stood and
now stand for the Chicago platform.
with an accepted proposition, that pro-
position which consider most funda-
mental in government.
"I find 1t in the Declaration Of In
dependence-if you will pardon me for
quoting anything from that old and
out-worn document, as our Republican
friends seem to think 1t.
DECLARATION OF INDEPEND-
ENCE.
"The Declaration of independence
was once n highly respected docu-
ment; it is under a cloud just now, put
have confidence that in few months
the clouds will be rolled by and that
old document will shine with all its
former brightness. That fundamental
principle is that all men are created
equal
ar do not mean to say that all men
are created equal in physical strength;
do not mean to say that all men are
created equal in mental ability. or in
moral worth, or that under any just
form Of government a man will be
equal in capacity for enjoyment. or in
the enjoyment that we have. What I
mean to say is this: That whenever
government comes into contact with
the citizen; whenever the citizen
touches the government then all must
stand equal before the law and there
must be no high, no low, no rich, no
poor. That government must be adj
.ministered according to the maxim of
Jefferson Equal rights to all and spe-
cial privileges to none.'
THE INCOME TAX.
1T am going to ask the Republicans
here to think for little while when
they go home Of the income tax, and
see if it is not in line with that doc
trine of equal rights to all and special
privileges to none.
THE STAMP TAX.
when the Spanish war broke out we
had to have more taxes, and the Re-
publican party looked around for any
old thing to put stamp on. and you
run across the stamp taxes all the time
Every time I send a telegram I have
to pay the regular rate and, in addition
thereto. l cent Is added for the benefi-
cial assimilation of the Filipino
Why Is it that the man who sends
the telegram has to pay the tax? Be-
cause the telegraph company says so.
And why was tho law so mazda that The