The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-21

tender for the payment of debts, we con-
meet ourselves with every disturbance in
Europe and make ourselves dependent on
tell me IL is sound system. 1t is false;
that system Is not sound. Tell me II is
an American system? II is lie. There is
no such american system; there Is no
American system that makes us trembe
every time there is trouble among the gold
standard countries o. the old world
Continuing on the currency question, Mr..
Bryan asserted that in 1896 all OF the lead
ing political parties demanded a double
standard, differing only in the method of
obtaining ii. Now, the Republican party in
sists upon single standard and bill is
pending in Congress which not only seeks
that end, but also endeavors TO perpetually
force upon this country the present ma
tional banking system. If the Republicans
had advocated such a measure in 1896. he
declared. Mr.. Mckinley would never have
been President.
TRUSTS AND IMPERIALISM.
After fully discussing the currency ques-
ton Mr.. Bryan took up the trusts. which
he discussed at great length, insisting that
the Republican party had no intention
whatever of interfering with such cor
porations under any circumstances. From
the trusts he passed to a discussion Of the
standing army, and declared that the pres
ence Of 100 900 soldiers in this country and
the Philippines is but q step towards mill
tarism He then discussed Imperialism, ar
guing that there was a great difference
between that and expansion. The present
policy of the administration, he asserted.
tended toward Imperialism, although its
friends and supporters endeavored TO show
that IT was expansion.
81 want trade" he said, II want to ex-
pand our trade by peaceful means. but
would not put one American boy on the
auction block, and sell him for all the
Of ha
the man who says ii will pay must be
prepared to figure with pencil how much
the boy is worth. He discussed the prob
lem of the Philippines from the point OF
commerce, civilization and religion, and
cited the result of the English govern
ment in India to snow that none OF these
would be accomplished in the Philippines.
You cannot find an argument" said he.
''for the permanent holulng of the Philip
pines that would not apply to Cuba. When
we went into the war we said that the
people of Cuba are, and OF right ought
to be free; and L challenge you to draw
a line between the rights of the Cubans
and the rights of the Filipinos. Did God
say that the Cubans were entitled TO their
freedom, but not the Filipinos? NO, my
friends, there is only one difference De-
tween Cuba and the Philippine islands. We
promised independence to Cuba; we did not
promise 1t 10 the Philippine islands But.
my friends, our promise was but the rec
ognition of a right that would have ex-
listed without the promise. We said that
Cuba should, and of right ought to be free.
and If that right, then, my friends,
1t existed in the Philippine islands with
out the necessity for the express promise.
II want" said Mr. Bryan, in conclusion,
'if can to help to restore a government
founded upon the Declaration or lndepend-
ence and administered according to the
doctrine of Jefferson, a government that
will stand. as ii did In Jackson's days, be-
tween a bank aristocracy and the people.
But, my friends, cannot tell you what
fate has decreed. I cannot tell you whether
1T is to be our lot to triumph. and in our
triumph lay the foundation again on the
old places, and raise again the ancient
landmarks which the fathers had set up.
cannot tell, but / know this, that II 1t
is fate that this Nation is to cease to be
a republic, and become an empire, IL 1t Is
destiny that this the greatest republic
of history is to extinguish its light and
the old world, II in the providence OF God
the time has come when the pendulum
should swing back towards the dark ages
of triumph of brute force, / pray to God
to eternal death with the Republic rather
than to live when its principles are gone.
How Bryan straddles Expansion.
NEW YORK, Jan. 20.-A special to the
Times from Washington says: William
]. Bryan when asked to confirm the recent
interview, accredit ed to him at Minneapolis,
said: That interview as sent out con-
tanned some things that / did not say. 1
am advocating to-day exactly what did in
the interview given out the day after l re-
signed from the army, Dec. IL, 1898. am
opposed to Imperialism. / am opposed TO
the permanent retention of the Philippines.
1 believe this government should at once
declare it's purpose to give independence to
the Filipinos on the same terms that In
dependence has been promised to the
Cubans, and L believe further that we
should protect the Filipinos from outside
interference while they work out their
destiny, just as we have protected the
South American and Central American
republics. l am not opposed to expansion.
Each proposed annexation must be settled
upon its own merits. l have tried to dis
tinguish between the peaceful extension of
the limits of a republic and the change of
republic into an Empire"