The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-06-07
THE OUTLOOK
OF Democracy Discussed by William
Jennings Bryan.
The Insular Decisions of Supreme
Court Strike at Our Consti-
tutional Liberty.

Kansas City, Mo-, June 5.-Hon. |
Vim. J. Bryan addressed the jackson |
County Democratic Club tonight, tax
ing for his subject THE Outlook. "
The Auditorium, holding I, 800, was
packed. Mr. BRYAN was especially Sc.
we're in his arraignment of the Suprme
Court because of its decision i'll the
insular cases. He said in part:
Il believe we have the best Govern
ment ever conceived by man, and that
it will remain the best Government
if the Supreme Court will leave it
alone. In discussing the outlook for our
party | will say that the two things
which we must advocate are organiza-
ton and principles We were we'll or
ganized in 1896, and had the confidence
of our supporters. | believe that our
stand in 1896 saved the Democratic
party from absolute annihilation. We
were well organized in 1900 and our
supporters believed us to be honest.
There were men purporting to be
Democrats who did not support us dur
ing those two campaigns. Now these
men are suggesting a reorganization.
These sO-called reorganizers, who did
not represent 20 per cent. of our Demo
cratic voters in 1896, and who repre-
sented a smaller percentage of our
number in 1900, would now dominate
the party. A man who supported the
Republican party in 1896 must have a
big change of heart before he tries to
lead the Democratic party. The party
must convert the men who have been
opposing it, and it must not be con-
verified by them
EFFECT ON ELECTION.
''If the Supreme Court decision on
our insular possessions, by which nine
men by majority of one decided to
convert this republic into an empire,
had been given before the election, the
result would have been different. The
American people have not voted on i'm.
perialism. We charged it, but they
denied it. Since the election the peo-
pie have learned that our charge was
} right.
1--WE should not resort to expedi-
ency. Only principles will win My
philosophy is that l can afford to be
in minority, but | canont afford to be
wrong.
THE Supreme Court does not decide
the question. AS Abraham Lincoln
said of the question in the bred Scott
case, That decision was law in that
case.
1T takes mole than five Supreme
Court Judges to annul the Constitu-
ton of the United States. Ny obiec-
tion to that decision is that you can
not carry out the logic of it without
destroying the liberties of the people
affected by it. Justice Brown says
that the Porto Ricans can trust Con
gress. We would not like to trust Con
gress without our Constitution. | dc
not object to imperialism because an
Emperor is necessarily bad, but be-
E cause he denies the people their only
source of power.
I CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY.
"The decision of the Supreme Court
strikes at constitutional liberty. Jus
tice Brown says that perhaps the Porte
Ricans will have liberty of speech
liberty of the press and other liberties
that we enjoy. | don't believe in per
haps' rights. Other nations have trieC
the doctrine of Imperialism and non,
:, has escaped There is no reason VIII.
JulS udGlOu SuOulu DOG NC per pbJudl
The wages of sin is death in a nation
as in an individual, but when nation
is good it lives. If we abandon the De
claration of Independence and the Cor
+ stitution, we shall die. We must appea
to the conscience of the people. l wan
this to be world power, but a powe
for good, not evil | don't want it to b
great because its drum beat can b.
heard around the world, but because it
" civilization can be felt everywhere.
\. THE time will come when the Ameri
10 can people will become aroused AM
is right the wrongs of Republican doc
r trine. If were the only opponent c
j. Republicanism in the United States
should be glad to have the fact write
~ on my tombstone"