Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-08-17
BRYAN'S PLAIN TALK
Discusses Paramount Questions Of
the Democratic Platform.
EVILS OF REPUBLICAN POLICIES.
Rights of the People I'm United States
and Acquired Neutrality-suspicious.
gers of imperialism and Mill
tarfsm-The True Republic.

In response to the tender of the nom
ination for the presidency by the mott
fcation committee of the democracy, at
Indianapolis, Wednesday, August 8,
William J. Bryan said:
Mr.. Chairman and Members Of the Noti-
fication Committee: I shall, at an early
day, and in more formal manner, accept
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. to
submit a few observations 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 campaigno
When I 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 DELHI
erately chosen to give to organized wealth
predominating influence in the affairs OF
the government, but do assert that on
the important issues of the day the repub-
ncan 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.
is of inferior Importance. Man is the mas
ger, money the servant; but upon all i'm
portant questions to-day. 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,'' and the
doctrine of Lincoln that this should be a
government "of the people, by the people
and for the people, are being disregarded
and the instrumentalities of government
are being used to advance the interests of
those who are in position to secure fayors
from the government
The Desire of Democracy.
The democratic party is not making war
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 slim
illus 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 a civiliza-
ton in which every member of society
will share according to his merits.
No one has right to expect from So
cfety more than fair compensation for
the service which he renders to society.
If he secures more, it is at the expense
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 in the absence of necessary
legislation, trespass upon the rights of an
other. the democratic party says: Thou
shalt not
Republican ExcuseS---,
Against arrayed comparatively
small, but politically and financially pow
erful, number who really profit by repub-
lican policies; but with them associated
large number who, because of their at
tachment to their party name, are giving
their support to doctrines antagonistic to
the former teachings of their own party.
Republicans WING used to advocate bimet-
alism, now try to convince themselves
that the gold standard is good; republicans
pho We're formerly attached to the green
Pack are now seeking excuse for CIV
Ing national banks control of the nations
paper money; republicans who used to
boast that the republican party was pay
Ing off the national debt, are now looking
Tor reasons to support a perpetual and in
creasing debt; republicans who formerly
abhorred trust, now beguile themselves
with the delusion that there 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, congra tulated the country upon
the small expense of our standing army
are now making light of the objections
which are urged against a large increase
In the permanent military establishment:
republicans who gloried in independ-
ence when the nation was less powerful.
now look with favor upon foreign al
lance; republicans who three years ago
condemned "forcible annexation as i'm
moral and even criminal now sure
that it is both immoral and criminal to
oppose forcible annexation. That PARTISAN
ship has already blinded many to present
dangers is certain; how large portion
ol the republican party can be drawn over
TO the new policies remains to be seen.
For a time republican leaders were in
clined to deny to opponents the right to
criticise the Philippine policy of the ad-
ministration. but upon Investigation they
FOUND mat both Lincoln and Clay assert
ed and exercised the right to criticise a
president during the progress of the Mex
lean war.
Instead of meeting the issue boldly and
submitting a clear and positive plan for
dealing with the Philippine question. the
republican convention adopted pla tform
the larger part of which was devoted to
boasting and decentralization.
In attempting to press economic ques-
tons upon the country to the exclusion
of those which involve the very structure
of government. the republican lead
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
the arena of politics. When the: president.
supported by practically unanimous
vote of the house and senate, entered
upon war with Spain for the purpose of
aiding the struggling patriots of Cuba,
the country. without regard to party. APP
plauded. Although the democrats recog-
uized that the administration would neces-
sarily gain political advantage from
the conduct of a war which, in the very
nature of the case. must soon end in
complete victory, they We'd with the
publicans in the support which they gave
to the president. When the war was
over and the republican leaders began to
suggest the propriety of colonial policy.
opposition at once manifested itself.
When the president finally laid before the
senate treaty which recognized the in
dependence of Cuba, but provided for the
cession of the Philippine islands to the
United States, the menace of imperialism
became SO apparent that many preferred