Evening star., 1900-03-20
Mr.. BRYAN'SNEW PLATFORM
Enunoiated at the Nebraska State Demo
cratic Convention.
1t Rcamrms the Chicago Declaration
and Adds Protest Against Trusts
and Imperialism.

dispatch from Lincoln. Neb.. last night
says: In effect William Jennings Bryan
announced tonight to the democratic party
and to the nation at large the platform
which he considers best for the democratic
party, and practically upon which he de-
sires to stand if nominated at the Kansas
City convention.
The platform, which was adopted by the
Nebraska democracy with the greatest en-
thusiasm. reafirms the Chicago platform,
declares for ''16 to l." opposes a large
standing army, denounces the action of the
republican party on the Porto Rico tariff
bill. declares against the trusts and I'M
perialism'' and favors the choice OF United
States senators by popular vote.
The platform is practically the creation of
Mr. Bryan. He did not write 1t personally.
but he was consulted concerning it. and be-
lore 1t was read to the convention he had
approved of 1t throughout
Ihe platform adopted by the populist
convention was substantially the same as
that adopted by the democrats. 1t differs
somewhat in form, but conflicts in no essen
tial point.
Both conventions today were enthusiastic
Tor Mr. Bryan to the last degree, and
every mention of his name was greeted
with cheers of delight and approval. In
sructlons We're given both delegations to
stand for Mr.. Bryan in the Kansas City
and Sioux Falls conventions.
While the convention was in the midst of
hot row over the choice of alternates to
the delegates at large Mr.. Bryan appeared
in the hall. This put stop to all busi-
ness, and the delegates went wild as he
mounted the platform.
Mr.. Bryan's speech dealt almost entirely
with the three questions which he has been
discussing in various parts of the country
money, trusts and Imperialism. He charged
the republican party with practicing a de-
iiberate fraud upon the voters in 1896. by
hn hnn of f,,sr H.
metallism, when the leaders neither ex-
pected nor desired the restoration of the
double standard, either by indep ndent ac-
tion or by international agreemen He said
that the republicans were opposed to the
free coinage of silver at any ratio or under
any conditions, and pointed to the fact that
the Secretary of the Treasury and the
leading republican papers were talking in
favor of the gold standard at the very time
that the commission was in Europe irving
to get rid of it, He said that the ratio of
10 TO was the only ratio that was dis
cussed, and the only ratio for which any
considerable number Of people We're work
ing.
He denounced the currency feature of the
hnanclal bill, and said that the republican
party had never in a campaign advocated
the retirement of the greenbacks and that
1t would not be able to defend that bill be-
fore the country. He said that a national
bank currency secured by government
bonds could not be permanent settlement
OF the currency question unless we had a
permanent and increasing national debt
On the trust question he reiterated his
condemnation of the republican party.
Taking up the Philippine question, Mr.
Bryan referred first to the Porto Rico bill
and said:
The desire to impose import duties on
goods coming from Porto Rico compelled
the republican party to disclose its impe-
rfalistic tendencies. This bill has aroused
storm of protest from the republicans in
public and private life. But why should
any republican be surprised?
imperialism means that the people
brought under the flag are not to share in
the guarantees Of the Constitution. 1t is
amazing that the republicans have con-
templated the permanent acquisition of the
Phil1ppine Islands without stopping to con-
slder the future status of the Filipinos
The only settlement of the Philippine
question consistent with American interests
and American principles is the settlement
proposed by the democrats in the Senate
before war broke out in the Philippine Is
lands, namely, a declaration of the nations
purpose to give the Filipinos independence
as soon as a stable government is estab-
hshed. When that declaration is made hos
tiiities will cease and it will be easy to es-
tablish stable government. To independ-
ence should be added protection from out
side interference. Not protectorate, such
as european countries exercise for the
spoliation of the protected, but protection
such as this nation has exercised over the
republics OF Central and South America"