Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-09-21
SENTIMENTS OF BRYAN.
Eloquent Speech Against the Trust by
the Nebraskan.

Eloquent Speech Against the Trust by
the Nebraskan.
81 think that one of the finest thing
ever spoken against the trust was de
livered by William J. Bryan" said an
old Democrat at the headquarters Oi
the Democratic Congressional Com
mittee yesterday afternoon. Here is
a copy of it," he said to the reporter
"Read it," 1t follows:
"When God made man as the climax
of creation he looked upon his work
and said that it was good, and yet when
God finished his work the tallest man
was not much taller than the shortest.
and the strongest men was not much
stronger than the weakest. That was
Gods plan. We looked upon his work
and said that it was not quite as good
as it might be, and SO we male ficti
tiOus person, called a corporation, that
is in come instances hundred times,
a thousand times, q million times
stronger than the God made man. Then
we started this man.made giant out
among the God-made men. When God
made man he placed limit to the exis-
tence, so that if be was bad man he
could not do harm long; but when we
made our man-made.. man we raised
the limit as to age. In some States
corporation is given perpetual life.
when God made man be breathed
into him soul, and warned him that
in the next world he would be held ac-
cOuntable for the deeds done in the
flesh; but when we made our man-made
man we did not give him soul, and
if he can avoid punishment in this
world he need not worry about the
hereafter.
"My contention is that the Govern
ment that created must retain control,
and that the man-made man must be |
admonished: Remember now thy |
Creator in the days of thy YOUTH and |
throughout thy entire life.
"Let me call your attention again to |
this distinction. We are not dealing |
with the natural man; we are not deal
ing with natural rights. We are deal !
ing with the man-made man and arti
fetal privileges.
"What Government gives the Gov
ernment can take away. What the
Government creates it can control, and
l insist that both the State government
and the Federal Government must pro-
tect the God-made man from the man.
made man.
II have faith that these questions
will be settled, and settled right, but
want to protest against this doctrine
that the trust is natural Outgrowth
of natural laws. 1t is not true. The
trust is the natural outgrowth of un-
natural conditions created by man
made laws. There are some who would
defend everything, good or bad, on the
ground that it is destiny and that you
cannot enquire into it. The fact that
it is proves that it had come to stay,
had the argument most frequently
made in defence of vicious system is
not that it is right and ought to stay,
but that it has come to stay whether
you like it or not. l say that that is
the argument that is usually advanced
in behalf of an error-it is here, it has
come to stay-what are you going to
do about it?
II believe that, in civilized society,
the question is not what is, but what
ought to be, and that every PROPOSE
tion must be arraigned at the bar Of
reason. If you can prove that thing i
is good, let it stay; but if you cannot
prove that it is good, you cannot hide ,
behind the assertion that it is here and
that you cannot get rid of it. 1 believe
that the American people can get rid
of anything that they do not want-and I
that they ought to get rid of every ,
thing that is not good. Ibelieve that
it is the duty of every citizen to give
to his countrymen the benefit of his ,
and his judgment, and cast
his influence. be it small or great, upon
the right side of every question that j
arises. In the determination of ques-
tions we snould find out what will II
make our people great and good and
strong rather than what will make Ii
them rich. A good name Is rather to {
be chosen than great riches.'" Ia