The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-28
Continuing Mr.. Irish

which was done. Continuing Mr.. Irish
said:
'And now Mr.. Bryan IS going up and
down this country telling the laboring men
that this writ OF injunction. which is to
protect the rights OF property as the habeas
corpus protects the right of persons, is a
device OF the evil-minded TO deprive a poor
man OF the right OF trial by jury, and a
statement more lacking in truth was never
made by a public man in the United States,
whether he was running for President or
whether he was running for. constable in a
back township. IAppIause.l
AN ASSAULT.
Consider now, I'm soberness OF mind, for
q moment, what that assault means. In
der our system of government. projected
beyond the federal Constitution to the
state constitutions. we have the system Of
three coordinate branches of the govern
ment-the executive, the legislative and the
judicial. Whenever encroacEments are
made upon the independence of the ju-
dietary, then the independence and the
power and authority of one coordinate
branch or your government is undermined
and finally TO be destroyed.
What next does Mr.. Bryan propose? For
many years the Socialist organizations of
the United States wrought with the Popu-
list party to get il TO put into its platform
direct legislation in the form OF what the
Socialists call the initiative and the refer
endum, the initiative meaning the passing
OF laws directly in the ballot box
the correction of laws directly in the ballot
box-aRd the referendum meaning the
transfer of the veto power from the execu-
tive to che ballot box. Finally they sue
ceeded in getting the Populists to adopt
direct legislation and the convention at
Kansas City, running in a jocund humor
TO the adoption of every fad and every
crankism and every fanaticism that prom
ised to win vote or a fraction of vote.
FASTENED to adopt direct legislation as a
principle of Bryan Democracy.
DIRECT LEGISLATION.
Now what does direct legislation mean?
Direct legislation means the abolition of
representative government and our entire
scheme founded in the Federal Constitution
and fastened there By the fathers is a
scheme OF government that rests upon
representative institutions. and you destroy
representative institutions and you have
destroyed and disordered our entire con-
stitutional scheme OF government Mr..
Bryan talks about Imperialism and he goes
around shivering by day and by night, in
sunshine and shadow, about the approach
OF the empire. Why, Imperialism never yet
directly and Immediately destroyed we'll
established popular institutions. 1t may
have destroyed ephemeral popular insti-
tutions that were not yet planted in the
habits OF the people, but IL never yet de-
stroyed well-estabiished popular institu-
tons Immediately, but IL always came after
h1cr xrnd H. 81,
OF demagogues and intriguers. The Roman
commonwealth, founded upon popular in
stltutions, was prepared for the coming
OF caesar Tor more than a century by the
Roman demagogues through hattery of the
people. Mr.. Bryan now advocates govern
nent ownership of all the instruments of
In It's day fiattered the people and practi-
cally did control by ownership the instru-
ments OF commerce and production and
that system finally resulted in the neces-
saries and the means of life being gathered
by the government in vast magazines in
the City Of Rome and the people all coming
tnere 70 De led out of a spoon by the gov
eminent, and in that way the institutions
or he Roman commonwealth fell into
cnaos; disorder, confusion and corruption,
anu the way was made open and plain for
caesar Whenever by these experiments
the destruction OF well-ordered popular
government is brought about. there fol-
low the chaos and confusion and disorder
which are sure to come.
INVASION OF RIGHTS.
The people, enduring the invasion of
their rights of person and property in that
condition o. disorder in which the courts
have no authority to protect person and
property, in whica the arm OF the execu-
tive has been paralyzed, i'm which their
right TO representation by the majority In
representative institutions has been taken
away. finally. growing tired of the inva-
sion consequent upon disorder. all turn
their faces toward the horizon where arises
the shadow OF the man on horseback and
then empire comes because, In the confu-
sion and disorder. the people are ready 10
welcome any one that comes with sword
Keen enough and an arm strong enough to
pring order out or disorder and system cut
OF chaos. and If / were a professor-had
no connection with politics-but were
teaching class Of my students the history
OF TIE world, and / were asked by them
what Is the first step towards the destruc-
ton OF established popular institutions by
empire would answer: Study the poll
cles or Mr. Bryan, and in them, boys, you
will find the first step laid out Applause. !
Now, Mr.. Bryan goes up and down the
country talking TO the laboring people. 1t
Is an odd popularity of that voluble, vola-
tile, versatile, inexperienced young gentle
man from Nebraska that in all his public
career he has never yet been known to ut
ter one word that was lighted with hope,
one word of cheer. one word of encourage
ment, TO his countrymen. i defy any of
his followers to point to me a great big,
hearty, cheerful utterance of hope and en-
enlargement to the manhood of America
by Mr.. Bryan IGreat applause.l The
other day he stood in the city of Chicago
alongside of the Governor of New York,
and there passed in review before them a