The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-09-06

At Topeka, Kansas, Thursday, Mr..
Bryan was notified of his nomination
for the presidency by the Populist
National convention held at Sioux
Falls, S. D., some months ago. Sen
ator Butler, chairman of the Populist
committee, was not present. The
| speech of notification was made by
Mr.. Patterson, of Colorado, who was
permanent chairman of the conven-
ton. Mr.. Bryan accepted the nomi-
nation. Following are extracts from
his speech of acceptance:
''lt is sometimes urged by partisan
Populists that four years more of Re-
publican misrule would so aggravate
economic conditions as to make re-
form easier. No one can afford to
aid in making matters worse in the
hope of being able to make them bet
ter afterward, for in so doing he as
sumes responsibilities which he may
not be able to remedy.
TO ATTAIN PRACTICAL RESULTS.
"No Populist, however sanguine,
believes it possible to elect Populist
President at this time, but the Popu-
list party may be able to determine
whether Democrat or Republican
will be elected. Mr.. Chairman, the
Populist convention, which your
committee represents, thought it bet
ter to share with the Democrats in
the honor of securing some of the re-
forms desired by your party than to
bear the odium of remaining neutral
in this great crisis or of giving open
or secret aid to the Repu ublican party,
which opposes all the reforms for
which the Populists contend.
''Those who labor to improve the
conditions which surround their fel-
bowman are apt to become impatient;
but they must remember that it takes
time to work out great reforms. Let
me illustrate by calling your atten-
tion to the slow growth of public
opinion in support of a proposition
to which there has been practically
no open opposition.
GROWTH OF SENTIMENT ILLUSTRATED
president johnson, in 1868, rec
commended a Constitutional amend
ment providing for the election of
United States Senators by direct
vote of the people, but his recon-
mendation met with no response.
About IL years later General Weaver,
then a member of Congress, tried to
secure the passage of resolution
submitting such an amendment, but
his efforts were futile. In 1892 the
resolution recommended by President
johnson and urged by Congressman
Weaver, finally passed the House of
Representatives, but it has not yet
reached a vote in the Senate, and
now, after eight years more of pub
lie discussion, the proposition for the
first time received the endorsement of
the National convention of one of the
great parties.
this fall we shall see this reform ac-
complished before the next Presiden-
tial election, and with it's accomplish
ment the people will find it easier to
secure any remedial legislation which
they may desire. But how halting
has been the progress! Holland has
said:
Heaven is not gained by single bound,
We build the ladder by which we rise
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And we mount to its summit round by round
"And SO it is with great social and
political movements. Great problems
are solved slowly, but struggling
humanity marches on, step by step,
content if at each nightfall it can
pitch it's tent on little higher
ground.
COOPERATION IS JUSTIFIED.
l have called attention to the issues
which brought the Democrats and
Populists together and which justified
the cooperation during the last four
years. Let me now invite your at
tention to new questions which would
Justify cooperation at this time, even
though we differed upon all economic
questions. 1t is not our fault that
these new questions have been thrust
into the arena of politics; it is not
our fault that the people have been
called upon to consider questions Of
ever increasing magnitude.
lin 1890 the tariff question was the
principal subject of discussion and
the Democratic party contended that
the masses were carrying burden
of unjust and unnecessary taxes. In
1892 the tariff question was still the
principal issue between the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties, al
though in the West and South the
money question was assuming greater
and greater proportions and the Pop
ulists were contending that our
monetary system was more RESPONSE
BILE than the tariff laws for the de-
preston in agriculture and the dis
tress existing among the wage-earn-
ers. In 1896 the whole question of
taxation became of secondary i'm
portance because of the increased
holiness of those who opposed the