Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-01-04
TRUE DEMOCRACY
BRYAN REVIEWS CLEVELAND'S
EGOTISTICAL UTTERANCE.


by tho Jeffersofs Democratic Club.
The banquet was served in the dining
hall Of the Hotel Lincoln, and four
hundred persons were seated at the
tables. The walls were literally dec
GRATED with flags and bunting, large
portraits of Jefferson, Jackson and
Bryan, each in setting of national
colors. being suspended from the
walls.
1t was Bryan's first public utter
ances since the election, and on his
introduction the dining hall rang with
the vigorous hand-clapping that greet
ed him. His subject was " Principles
Live"
While Mr.. Bryan did not mention
the name Of Grover Cleveland, his re.
marks were considered to be in reply
to recent article by the former
President printed fin the Philadelphia
Saturday Evening Post" In that
article Mr.. Cleveland said:
The elimination of Democratic woe
reached when its contact with these un-
democratic forces was reached. But the
extent and persistency of our wanderings
III 1896 IS illustrated in a most astound-
ing way by the command issued on the
day of our rout and discontinue, that a
second battle should be fought on the
same field with the same false cries and
the same leadership that had brought us
to the surrounding gloom of defeat.
1t was at this utterance that Mr..
Bryan directed his remarks. He said:
"The principles for which we con-
tended in the last campaign still live,
and we who believe in them must con.
tinue to fight for them.
"An election does not change prin-
ciples; it determines only what prin-
ciples shall be for the time applied.
The believers in tariff reform did not
abandon their faith when the high
tariff doctrine was indorsed at the
polls; neither did tho protectionists
when their cause suffered loss. The
advocates of the gold standard con-
tinued the fight for monometallism for
twenty-five years in spite OF the plat
form declarations of all parties in
favor Of double standard. Shall we
who believe in bimetallism lose cour-
age because our oponents have profted
by an increased volume of money, thus
admitting the economic principle for
which we have been contending? The
defenders of trusts did not lose heart
when all parties denounced combina.
tions in restraint of trade. Shall we
give up the fight because monopoly
has triumphed by stealth d? Must we
now advocate an imperial policy be-
cause our oponents have won victory
by denying that they are imperialists'
A colonial system involves a surrender
of our theory OF government, and the
people will understand this as soon as
the system is put into operation"
Mr.. Cleveland in his article wrote:
Sincere Democrats of every condition
and in every part of the land realize that
the situation of the party needs repair.
A return from our wanderings is abso-
lutely essential,
Mr.. Bryan, along this line, said: "If
we were to consult our immediate con.
venience and comfort we would never
oppose a wrong of any kind, for all
warfare involves temporary sacrifice,
but this is our Government and must
beitransmitted unimpaired to posterity.
We have no choice, therefore, but to
stand steadfast, come what may. If
we are successful in reversing present
tendencies and in carrying the Gov
erunent back to its old foundation,
we shall rejoice in the victory and pro-
fit by the reforms secured. am con-
fident that we shall ultimately win,
but if the trend toward plutocracy can
not be checked it is still better that
we should be defeated in a righteous
undertaking than that we should join
hands with those who are ignoring the
inalienable rights of man.
"At the banquet, surrounded by
neighbors who have been my friends
for ten years, I may be pardoned for
saying word of personal nature.
Five times you have voted for me for
public Office. twice for Congress, once
for United States Senator and twice
for the Presidency, and no candidate
has received more loyal support than
you have given. Now, whether I shall
ever be a candidate for Office again is
question which must be determined by
events. No one can speak with Ger.
tainty as to the future, for ones des-
tiny is not known until his life work is
completed. l shall be content if it is
my lot to aid in the triumph of prin-
ciples while others enjoy the honors
and bear the responsibilities of Office.
The holding OF a public position should
be an incident and not the aim of the
citizen it should be not an end but
the means for the accomplishment of
purpose.