Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-08-16
BRYAN'S PLAIN TALK
Discusses Paramount Questions of
the Democratic Platform.
EVILS OF REPUBLICAN POLICIES.
Rights of the People In United States
and Acquired TerritOries-Dan-
gers of Imperialism and Mill
tarism-The True Republic.

Indianapolis, Wednesday, August 8
William J. Bryan said:
Mr.. Chairman and Member of the Mott
ncation Committees: I shall, at an carr
the nomination which you tender, and
shall at that time discuss the various ques
tions covered by the democratic platform
1t may not be out of place, however. tt
submit a few observations at this time
upon the general character of the contes
before us, and upon the question wh1cf
is declared to be of paramount Importance
in this campaign
contest between democracy on the one hanC
and plutocracy on the other, / do not NEAR
to say that all our opponents have deltb'
erately chosen to give to organized wealth
a predominating influence in the affairs OF
the government. but I do assert that or
hcan party is dominated by those influences
which constantly tend to elevate pecuniary
considerations and ignore human rights
In 1859 Lincoln said that the republican
party believed in the man and the dollar
but that in case of conflict it believed in
the man before the dollar: This is the
proper relation which should exist between
the two. Man, the handiwork of God
comes first; money, the handiwork of man,
ter. money the servant but upon an i'm
portant questions to-day republican Iegis-
and man the ervant.
The maxim of Jefferson, equal rights to
doctrine of Lincoln hat this Should be 8
government "of the people, by the people
and for the people," are being disregarded
End the instrumentalities of government
are being used to advance the interests OF
those who are in a position to secure favors
from the
The Desire of Democracy.
The democratic party is not making wal
upon the honest acquisition of wealth; it
has no desire to discourage industry, econ
omy and thrift On the contrary, it gives
to every citizen the greatest possible stim-
illus TO honest toll, when it promises him
protection in the enjoyment of the pro-
most secure when human rights are re-
spected. Democracy strives for a civiliza-
ton in which every member of society
viii share according to his merits.
No one has a right to expect from So
ciety more than a fair compensation for
the service which he renders to society.
Of some one else. 1t is no injustice to him
TO prevent his doing injustice to another.
To him who would, either through class
legislation or in the absence of necessary
legislation, trespass upon the rights of an
shalt not"
Republican Excuses.
Against us are arrayed a comparatively
small but politically and financially pow
hcan policies; but with them are associated
a large number who, because OF their at
their support to doctrines a~ntagonistic to
the former teachings of their own party.
Republicans who used to advocate bimet-
aIsm,. now try to convince themselves
that the gold standard is good; republicans
who were formerly attached TO the green
back are now seeking an excuse for Civ
ing national banks control of the nations
paper money; republicans who used to
BOAST that the republican party was pay
ing on the national debt, are now looking
for reasons to support a perpetual and in
creasing debt; republicans who formerly
a6horred a trust, now beguile themselves
with the delusion that there are good trusts
and bad trusts, while, in their minds, the
line between the two is becoming more
ana more obScure; republicans who, in
times past, congratulated the country upon
the small expense of our standing army,
are now making light of the objections
In the permanent military establishment:
republicans who gloried in our in~depend-
now look with favor upon a foreign al
lance; republicans who three years ago
condemned "forcible annexation" as i'm
moral and even criminal are now sure
that it is both immoral and criminal to
oppose forcible annexation. That partisan
ship has already blinded many to present
hangers is certain; how large a portion
OF the republican party can be drawn over
to the new policies remains to be seen.
For a time republican leaders were in
cined TO deny to opponents the right to
c%riticise the Philippine policy of the adj
found that both Lincoln and CLAY assert
ed and exercised the right to c~riticise a
president during the progress of the Mex
Instead of meeting the issue boldly and
submitting a clear and positive plan for
dealing with the Philippine question. the
republican convention adopted a platform
the larger part of which was devoted to
Boosting and INSTRUMENTATION.
In attempting to press economic ques-
tons upon the country to the exclusion
of those which involve the very structure
ers give new evidence of their abandon
ment of the earlier ideals of the party and
of their complete subserviency to pecun-
larry considerations.
No Evasion.
But they shall not be permitted to evade
the stupendous and far-reaching issue
which they have deliberately brought into
supported by a practically unanimous
vote of the house and senate, entered
upon a wal with Spain for the purpose of
aiding the struggling patriots of Cuba,
the country, without regard to party, APP
plauded. Although the democrats recog-
nized that the administration would neces-
sarily gain a political advantage from
the conduct of a war which, in the very
complete victory. they Wed with the re.
publicans in the support which they gave
to the president. When the war was
suggest the ropriety of a colonial policy,
opposition at once manifested itself.
When the president finally laid before the
senate a treaty which recognized the in
dependence of Cuba, but provided for the
cession of the Philippine islands to the
became so apparent that many preferred
to reject the treaty and risk the ills that
might follow rather than take the chance
of correcting the errors of the treaty by
the independent action of this country.
Trust in the People.
] was among the number of those who
believed II better to ratify the treaty and
end the war, release the volunteers. re-
move the excuse for war expenditures, and
then give to the F~ilipinos the indepen-
dence which might be forced from Spain
by a new treaty.
In view of the criticism which my ac-
ton aroused in some quarters I take this
occasion to restate the reasons given at
that time. 1 thought it safer to trust the
american people to give Independence to
the Filipinos than to trust the accom-
plishment of that purpose to diplomacy
with an unfriendly nation. Lincoln en-
bodied an in the question, when
he asked: "Can aliens make treaties
easier than friends can make LAVISH I
believe that We are now in a better posi-
Imperialism than we would have been
had the treaty been rejected. With the
treaty ratified, a clean cut issue is pre-
sented between a government by consent
and a government by force, and imperial
lists must bear the responsibility for all
that happens until the question is settled.
If the treaty had been rejected, the OPP
ponentS of imperialism would have been
held responsible for any international
complications which might have arisen
before the ratification of another treaty.
have existed as to the best method of OPP
posing the colonial policy, there never was
any difference as to the great Importance
of the question and there is no difference
now as to the course to be pursued
to the F~i1ipInos.
The title of Spain being ~extinguished,
we were at liberty to deal with the Fill
pinos according to American principles.
The Bacon resolution, introduced a month
before hostilities broke out at Manila.
promised independence to the Fflipinos On
the same terms that it was promised to
the Cubans. I supported this resolution
and believe that its adoption prior to the
breaking out. of hostilities would have
prevented bIoodShed. and that ifs adop-