The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-19
BRYAN MAKES SPEECH
Addresses a Large Number of
Democrats at Chicago.
Kansas City Platform the Only
Pure Doctrine.


Bryan addressed several thousand en-
thusiastic Democrats at the Chicago De-
mocracy picnic at Brands Park today.
He was received with cheers and waving
of hats when he stepped upon the plat
form After a short Introductory speech,
by Mayor Harrison, Mr.. Bryan spoke
and was frequently interrupted by APP
plause. In his address he made special
reference to the possible candidacy of
Grover Cleveland in 1908 and the latter
and his supporters We're evoriated by the
speaker. Mr.. Bryan said in part:
An ideal is as important to a party
as TO an Individual, and must in the
end determine not only the party's char
acter but the partys destiny. The party
ideal is the ideal of those who domin-
ate its councils and control its actions
and in any party worthy to be called
Democratic the controlling force should
be a majority of the voters Of the party.
"a Democratic party seeks to admin
lister the government according to DEM
ocratic principles and its ideals of free
government is a government in which
every department legislative, executive
and judicial, is administered according
to the doctrine of equal rights to all and
especial privileges TO none.
a party with busch an ideal is more
closely scrutinized and more quickly
criticised than a party which makes no
pretension, because the world is inclined
to measure a party by the standard
which it sets up for itself. A party real
" Democratic can not do what another
party might do with impunity because
its own teachings will be turned upon
its conduct and hypocrisy added to its
other sins.
Never before i nthe history of the
country has there been greater need for
a Democratic party with a truly Demo
cratic ideal. The aristocracy which
Hamilton led against the Democracy of
Jefferson's day, and the plutocracy which
Nick Biddle led against the Democracy
of Jacksons day have combined to as
sault the Democracy of the present day
and these assaults are supported by
metropolitan press more subservient to
capital and more widely read than the
papers of 1900 or 1882. In 1898 the Repub-
Hanna, became the open ally of organ
lied wealth, and a victory was secured
by the use of means which, when known,
must be repugnant to every believer in
the doctrine of self government The
purchase of votes and the coercion of
employes-ail these things were resorted
to with an audacity never known in
this country before. AS result of that
election Mammon was enthroned, the
manufacturers were permitted to write
the tariff schedules without regard to the
interests of the consumers; the financiers
were allowed to dictate the policy of the
treasury without regard TO the interests
of the country at large, and the trust
magnates were permitted to bankrupt
rivals. stiie competition and extort with
out limit. When the Spanish war occur
red the syndicates in complete possession
of the United States reached out anew
for new fields to conquer, and they are
now using the American army and a
carpet-bag government to exploit the in
habitants of the Philippines, whose rev.
erence for cur institutions has thus been
converted into hatred for our flag"
Surely if there ever was a time when
the preaching of the democratic gospel
ought to be opportune. now is the time.
The character of our party is to be de-
terrnined by the manner IN which it meets
an opportunity will be determined by the
ideal that dominates it. VIII our party
hesitate or take counsel of its fears?
viii it abandon its championship of the
people for a few offices and campaign con-
tributions that carry with them obliga-
ton TO be made good out of the pockets
of the people? The Democratic party
must appeal to the Democrats sentiment
of the country and the sentiment is far
wider than the party. Wherever the
question has been submitted in such a
way that it could be acted upon indie
pendently there has always been an over
whelming majority in favor of that
which was Democratic and our party can
appeal successfully to this Democratic
spirit if we but convince the people Of
our earnestness and of our fidelity to
those principles
we are handicapped Just now by the
fact that the last Democratic admins
tration that we had was more subservent
to corporate dictation than any Repubh-
can administration that had proceeded il
and the record Of that administration has
been a milestone about the partys neck
ever since The influence eXerted by Wall
street over the administrations policy
the use Of patronage 10 erwsrd those
who betrayed their constituents and the
employment Of the most reprehensible
Of Republican methods. made the admin
istration a stanch in the nostrils Of the
people and kept in the Republican party.
many who were disguised at that party's
course The odium which Nj Cleveland's
second administration brought upon the
party which elected him did more TO de-
feat the party than any one plank of the
Chicago platform or even than all the
planks that We're most severely criticized
But for the reputation Of he admins
. tration it would have been impossible to
make any campaign at all and even the
reputation. thorough and complete as il
was. could not completely disinfect the
party.
The greatest menace that the party has
( to meet today is. not the probability. but
the possibility OF the pSrty's return TO
I the position that II occupied from 1892 10
/ 1886 This danger Is not 81 imminent as
/ the orporstion-oontrol,ed rspers make
/ il appear. but in SO far as it threatens.
( il Qaralyses the energy Of the party ard
/ utilities its promises Such return
would indicate a deyrs dation OF the par
4 tvs ideals and a preversion OF its pur-
! pose
If the Democratic partv win stand