Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-08-31
BRYAN EXPLAINS CHANGE OF ISSUE
Speech Lest Week to His Lincoln
Neluhbors.

Nelqhbors.
Lincoln rendered handsome wei
come to Mr.. Bryan upon his return t.
his home from indianapolis. after al
absence of ten days. He reached th'
city at 3:20 P. NJ, and was met at th'
depot by large concourse of people
who escorted him to his residence. ant
who, after listening to speech Their
and shaking hands with both Mr.. ailf
Mrs. Bryan, only dispersed to meet il
the evening with many others in re
ceptiOn given in the State Capita
grounds which partook of the nature O
an official function.
Mr.. Bryan spoke at some length. HI
said: 1.-The Republican party of today
is not the representative of human
rights as it claimed to be forty years
ago. l want those who are about tt
cast their first vote, as well as those
who have voted before, to take these
Questions that press upon them for sol
Iution and ask themselves what will
be the result2" When we say that Re
publican success menances the founda
tion of our government some Republi
cans laugh and say that we are alarm
lists, but it is much easier to take the
second step in wrong direction than il
is to to ke the first step, and if today
the American people declare that we
can hold the people of Porto Rico as
subjects and exclude them from the
guarantees of the Constitution, it will
be easier to take tt e next step. II We
dare 10 exclude the people of Porto
Rico from share in the government in
which they live, we will deny our faith
in principle that hes b n fundamen
tai in this country for century and a
quarter"
'sIf we had our way about 1t we
would have in this campaign at this
time the 81 ne questions we bad in 1896;
but events have thrust into the arena
of politics new questions. The trust
question, which was considered some,
has become more important, because
the Republican party has ste cd spon-
sor by the cradle of more trusts than
come into existence n a'l the years
previous to 1896. 1t is the fault of the
party that the trust ques-
tion is OF more imports nee now than
it was four years ago.
but the ,RepublicS-a party has
brought into tn } compaign aquesiion
more important this any question
that merely involves the system of ts1-
industrial system or the f.
nanclal system. The Republican
party attack the tundaments' princi-
Piles upon which our COVE. nent rests,
and when the Republican party strikes
at the very foundation of free govern
ment, it injects into the campaign an
issue of over shadowing Importance.
'.It is not our farlt that we have to
take up new questiors from time te
time, when the Republican, tell you
to discuss questions now that We did
not discuss four years ago or six years
ago, or eight or ten years ago, tel
them that they have raised questions
of such Importance that they challenge
attention, and that Democrats stand
ready to discuss every question that il
vital to the interest of the American
people.
"We know human nature, and We
know that if this natiOnr ches a poin1
where it is willing to deny the univer
sal application of the principles SET
forth in the Declaration of Indepen
dence it will not be long those prlucl
pies will not te applied in our owl
country; and want to warn those wit
toll, that whenever in this country W.
begin to negl It the principles of kelf
government here.
Those who toe-.y say that the do"a
of trade is superior to the rights of thu
Fillipinos win be saying in few year
that money is more important thai
man, and that those or,y who hav
great wea tn have sufficient at stak
to have a voice in the government
here.
"Or- contention is that our govern
ment is bnilt upon the doctrine that a
men are created equal. Destroy tha
doctrine and there is no foundatiO
upon which free government can b
built. Ii all men are created equal,
they are endowed with inalienabl
rights, if governments are institutes
among men derive thei- just power
from the consent of the goverend the
of 100000 Fillipinos than one ma
has right to claim the ownership
ant other man. The Republican part
W hich wss not W pg that a blae
man shor'd be sold for thousand do
lars now claims that Filipino can
bought for $3.50. The principle is e.
tactiy the same.
In conclusion, Mr.. Bryan ;1vjst
his h. rers to vote in November
their conscience snould dictate.
Icannot, /" be said, feel unkindly t
wards those Republican, who think
much of me that they would keep q
in Lincoln al the time, but Can fe
even more kindly of you who will gi
me leave of absence for four years al
let me AIRY out your will at Il
Inatioral capital.
| Iona Waited for.