The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-09


Richardson, in his address formally noti-
| flying Mr. Bryan of his nomination for the
Presidency by the Democratic National
Convention at Kansas City, paid an elo-
quent tribute to the high character Of the
candidate. The address follows:
sIr. Richardson's Address.
'.Mr. Bryan: On the one hundred and
twenty fourth anniversary of the birth of
this Republic there assembled in Kansas
City the most intensely American Conven-
ton that ever came together in its history.
This great body was made up OF men from
every State and Territory in the Union.
They came from their respective districts
filled with unfeigned enthusiasm for the
inspiring cause which brought them to-
gether. Their seven millions OF eonstit-
uents had empowered them to frame a
platform of principles and select candi-
date for President and Vice President of
the United States in what they conceived
to be the supremest political crisis that
ever came to our country.
These delegates all realized that the
Republic is in peril. They felt that the
duty was theirs to take such action as
would rescue the State from the gulf of
Imperialism in which Ii has been plunged,
and thus preserve for themselves and pos
terity unimpaired the priceless blessings
of free government and civil liberty
''You see before you today a committee
of delegates from that Convention, and for
whom / speak, upon which is represented
each State and Territory whose duty it is
to convey to you in formal manner the
notification that the august assembly
have mentioned, acting for its members,
their constituents, and for all who love
and cherish liberty everywhere, with no
dissenting voice, chose you as the eandi-
date for President, and adopted platform
of principles upon which the campaign We
are now inaugurating shall be conducted
THE declaration of party principles
enunciated l now have the honor to pre-
sent to you. Here the duties OF our COM
mittee might with propriety end, but l beg
indulgence for few moments.
"The delegates assembled at Kansas
City did not take hasty action. Their con-
duct was characterized by the greatest
firmness and determination. In the alarm
ing condition in which the country has
been placed by the present weak and va
ciliatinz and un-American Administration
at Washington, they realized, as do our
fellow citizens generally. that change o.
men and policies is imperiously demanded
They proceeded deliberately and chose
YOU to lead in the battle for the restora-
tion of the true political faith.
-Four years ago you led the party in
the most brilliant contest ii has ever ex-
perienced. You then failed to win the goal,
| the Presidency but you did more; you won
the respect and admiration of your political
| foes and the ardent love and devotion of
| your followers. That contest was made by
| you against stupendous odds, in the face
| of hostile press, and with unhappy d.
| vision in your ranks.
II congratulate you. and the country.
! that all these unfortuitous conditions do
not confront you today. 1t is true you
I were then bitterly. sometimes wantonly.
assaiIed, and when partisan rancor ran
high occasionally coarse things were said
of you and your party. But you and they
survived them all, and were perhaps
stronger for them. We trust this cam
paign will be pitched on a higher plane.
and that it will be conducted in a manner
worthy of the great dignity which attach S
to the two most exalted offices at stake.
No Flaw of Dishonor.
TT is true that you and your party
friends have already been characterized as
dishonest and Iawless at home. and as
towards abroad. / feel sure, however, it
will stop at this or, at least, il such
byperbolic flowers of speech are used at all,
it will be in rare instances. and only then
the public are equsIed only by the rough
ness of his riding habit.
During the eyentful and exciting cam
paign of 1896 you were constantly before
the public. The eyes of the nation were
fixed upon you and your utterances as
they never were before upon public man.
Then, and at all times since, you have
been under a light as giariug as the sun
at high noon, yet no flaw Of dishonor or
cowardice is pointed out in your record
by any foe. Review and criticism have
wholly failed to injure or weaken you in
public esteem And now you are. with
absolute unanimity. by every State, Terri
tory, and district in the Union, made the
candidate of a reunited and harmonious
party. You are by all real Americans re-
garded as the best exponent of the faith
of our fathers, which was articled in the
Declaration of Independence and sealed by
the blood Of patriots. We deny that that
Declaration is back number.
I'VE solemnly affirm that by the faithful
1t Is yet venerated as the grandest charter
Of human rights and human liberty ever
devised by man. The lest Of greed and
power breaches contempt for Its superb
doctrine, but we hold it as the only guild
ing star by which our ship OF state can be
safely sailed. We know that ii has served
our purpose we'll and graciously until of
other star. the star Of imperialism, has
been selected as the guide for our course
The platform which I handed you is
a new Declaration of Independence. You
Will see il takes no step backward upon
any issue or party creed heretofore pro-
mulgated. 1t solemnly afirms that the
question OF Imperialism is the paramount
issue Of this campaign. This declaration
did not make il SO, but only gave recog-
uItiou to an admitted fact The ReDuhIi-
cans have made it the issue which in this
campaign overtops all others. They may
well endeayor to run away from II, IS they
are doing. but they cannot escape II. BY
their fruits We shall know them, was the
best philosophy nineteen hundred years
ago, and il is the best now.
imperialism consists in leyying upon
the people and collecting from them un-
equal taxes. IL consists IN levyiDg taxes
on one Territory of the United States and
not levying the same on other portions
thereof The Constitution says that all
taxes shall be uniform throughout the
United States. The power to tax is the
power to destroy. When those in power
proceed rs they have done by recent acts
of Congress TO construct a tariff wall
against one territory and thus exclude its
products from other Territories and States
Of the Union, seek TO dodge as they may,
they exercise imperial power.
No king or emperor can do more. They
cannot DO the acts and deeds which can
only be done in a kingdom or an empire
and say they are not imperialists, and
that there is no issue OF Imperialism. The
platform declares that Imperialism means
conquest abroad and oppression at home;
IL means the strong arm OF the military
and Its concomitant. a great standing
army, which has ever been fatal to all
free institutions