Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-08
White Metal Not Mentioned in W. j.
Bryan's Speech.
IMPERIALISM his MAIN TOPIC
He Draws Contrast Between This
and Expansion.
TAKES SHOT AT THE TRUSTS

Mr.. Chairman and Members of the Notifi-
cation Committee:
shall at early day. and In more
formal manner accept the nomination
which You tender. and 1 shall at that time
discuss the various questions covered by
the democratic platform. 1t may not be
out OF place. however. to submit a few OBJ
seryations at this time upon the general
character of the contest before us. and
upon the question which is declared to be
OF paramount Importance in this CAM
paign.
When 1 say that the contest of 1900 is a
contest between democracy on the one
hand and plutocracy on the other do not
mean to say that all our opponents have
deliberately chosen to give to organized
wealth a predominating influence in the
affairs OF the government. but do assert
that on the important issues of the day the
republican party is dominated by those in
fuences which constantly tend to elevate
pecuniary considerations and ignore human
rights.
In $50 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.
Is of inferior Importance. Man is the mas
ter, money the servant, but upon all i'm
portant questions today republican legis-
lation tends to make money the master and
man the servant.
The maxim OF Jefferson: Equal rights
to all and special privileges to none" anu
the doctrine OF Lincoln that this should be
a government "of the people, by the peo-
pie and for the people" are being disre-
garded and the instrumentalities of govern
ment are being used to advance the inter
ests Of those who are in a position TO Sc
cure favors from the government.
The democratic party Is not making war
upon the honest acquisition of wealth: it
has no desire To discourage industry econ
"my and thrift. On the contrary 1t gives
to every citizen the greatest possible slim
ulus TO honest toll, when it promises him
protection in the enjoyment of the pro-
ceeds Of his labor. Property rights are
most secure when human rights are re-
speCted- Democracy strives for civiliza
zion in which every member of society will
share according to his merits.
Rights of the Citizen.
y" one has a right to expect from So
ciety more than a fair compensation for
the service which ne renders to society
If he secures more 1t is at the expense of
some one else 1t is injustice to him
to prevent his doing injustice to another
To him who would. either through class
legislation In the absence of necessary
legislation. trespass upon the rights of an
other. the democratic party saws: Thou
shalt not
Against US are arrayed a comparatively
small. but politically and financially power
ful number who really profit by republic
can policies. but with them are associated
large number who. because of their at
tachment to the party name are giving
their support TO doctrines antagoniStic to
the former teachings of their own party
Republicans who used to advocate bimetal-
ism now try to convince themselves that
the gold standard Is good republicans who
Were formerly attached TO the greenback
lrir,ur
tional banks control of the nations paper
money. republicans who used TO boast that
the republican party was paying of the
national debt. are now looking for reasons
TO support perpetual and increasing debt !;
republicans who formerly abhorred a trust
now beguile themselves with the uelusion
that there are good trusts and bad trusts
while. In their minds. the line between the
two Is becoming more and more obscure !;
republicans who. in times past, congratu-
lated the country upon the small expense
of our standing army, are now making light
OF the objections which are urged against
large Increase in the permanent military
establishment: republicans who gloried in
our independence when the nation was less
powerful. now look with favor upon for
e!gn alliance; republicans who three years
condemned ''fOrcib,e annexation" i'm
moral and even criminal, are now sure that
II Is both immoral and criminal to oppose
fOrcibla annexation That partisanship has
already blinded many to present dangers
is certain; how large portion of the re-
new policies remains to be seen.
For a time republican leaders were In
ciined to deny to opponents the right to
cr.ticise the Philippine policy of the ad-
ministration. but upon investigation they
found that both Lincoln and Clay asserted
and exercised the right to crijicise a Presi-
dent during the progress of the Mexican
Instead Of meeting the issue boldly and
submitting a Gear and positive plan for
dealing with the Philippine question the
iFf41 Hon tod
the larger part of which was devoted to
b"aStins and RECOMMENDATION.
In attempting to press economic questions
upon the country to the exclusion of those
which Involve the very structure of our
government. the republican leaders give
new evidence Of their abandonment Of the
earlier ideals Of the party and of their COM
plet" subserviency to pecuniary considera-
lions.
Must Face the Issue.
But they shall not be permitted to evade
the stupendous and far-reaching issue
which they have deliberately brought into
the arena of politics. When the President
supported by a practically unanimous vote
o' the House and Senate, entered upon a
war with Spain for the purpose of aiding
the struggling patriots of Cuba, the coun-
Try. without regard TO party, applauded
Although the democrats recognized that the
administration would necessarily gain a
political advantage from the conduct o. a
war which in the very nature OF the case
Wed with the republicans in the support
which they gave to the President When
the war was over and the republican lead
erS began To suggest the propriety Of a
colonial policy. opposition at once manifest
81 itself When the President finally laid
before the Senate a treaty which recognized
the Independence of Cuba but provided for
The c'sssiOn % the Philippine Islands to the
nitrd States, the menace of Imperialism
became 80 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.
was among the number Of those who be-
h"Ned 1t better TO ratify the treaty and
end the war, release the volunteers, remove
the excuse for war expenditures and then
give 10 the Fiiipinos the Independence which
might be forced from Spain by a new
treaty.
In view of the criticism which my action
aroused in soma quarters. l take this oc-
casion To rcstate the reasons given at that
time. thought II safer TO trust the Amert-
can people to give independence to the
Ftipinos than to trust the ACCOMPLISHING Mt
or that purpose to diplomacy with an un-
friendly nation Lincoln embodied an arsu-
ment In the question. when he asked; Can
aliens make treaties easier than friends can