The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-07-19
Nebraskan Orator Speaks EI0-
Quent Words TO Politicians
Of Cook County, Illinois
CLEVELAND'S REGIME is
SCORED MOST VIGOROUSLY
Speaker Takes for His Subject "The
Democratic IdeaP and Is Received
With Great Applause--The
Partys Requisites.

Chicago July 1s.-W. J. Bryan was the
principal speaker at the picnic Of the
Cook county democracy this afternoon.
Mr.. Bryan referred in vigorous terms to
the last administration Of Grover Cleve-
land, declaring that 1t had been a mill
stone around the neck of the party that
elected him. and making references
equally uncomplimentary to the former
President
The picnic was attended by several
thousand Chicago democrats, and MI
Bryans address was frequently inter-
rupted by vigorous applause.
Among the other speakers during the
day were Mayor James A. Reed of Kan
sas City jeremiah B. B. Sullivan. demo-
cratic candidate for governor of Iowa;
Congressman South Trimball of Ken
lucky, Mayor Harrison Of Chicago, Sam
uel Alschuler of Chicago and L. e. Nc
Gam of Chicago.
Preceding the addresses at the picnic
parade was held through the streets
leading to the ground.
Mr.. Bryans address, the subject OF
which was 1.-The Democratic IDEAL fol-
lows:
The Address.
"The ideal controls the life and gives 1t
not only direction, but form and con-
stancy. An ideal permanently pursued
orystaliizes into character and becomes
the vital part of the Individual II you
know a mans ideal you know the man
and can judge with reasonable accuracy
what he will do in given case.
"No one can over-estimate the value OF
an IDEAL becauscft measures the differ
epce between : yceas and failure.
IAN ideal is as important to party as
to an individual, and must In the end
determine not only the party's character,
but the partys destiny.
''The party ideal is the ideal OF those
who dominate it's councils, and control
its action: and in any party worthy to
be called democratic, the controlling force
should be a majority of the voters of
the party. As in the case OF the individ-
ual, so with the party-the character is
formed, not by few decisions, but by
multitude Of acts all in harmony with
general purpose. and all influenced by
the ideal. AS in the case of the Individual,
1t is impossible to follow one ideal apart
of the time and an opposite Ideal the rest
of the time So with the party, there
must be constant effort to apply the
same principles and the same methods
to all questions and issues.
''The distinguishing features of any
party that deserves to be known as a
democratic party Is Its faith in the people.
it's desire to advance the welfare OF the
people. and its willingness to have the
people control their own affairs. A DEM
ocratic party seeks TO administer the
government, according to democratic prin-
ciples, and it's ideal of a free government
Is government in which every depart
ment, legislative. executive and judicial is
administered according to the doctrine of
equal rights to all and special privileges
TO none
More Closely Scrutlnized.
"A party with such an ideal is more
closely scrutinized and more quickly crit
icized than a party which makes no such
pretention because the world is inclined to
measure a party by the standard which
1t sets up for itself. A party really DEM
ocratic cannot do what another might do
with impunity because its own teachings
would be turned upon its conduct and
hypocrisy added to its other sins.
Never before In the history of the
country has there been greater need for a
democratic party with a truly democratic
ideal The artistocracy which Hamilton
led against the democrats in Jefferson's s
day and the plutocracy which Nick Biddle
led against the democracy of Jackson's
day have combined to assault the democ-
racy of the present day, and these as
saults are supported by a metropolitan
press more subservient to capital, more
widely read than the papers Of 1900 or
1892
"In 1896 the republican party. under the
leadership of Mark Hanna became the
ally of organized wealth, and aid was
secured by this means, which when known
must be repugnant to every believer in
the doctrine of self-government. The pur-
chase of votes, and the coercion of en-
ployes-all these things were resorted to
with an audacity never known in this
country before. As result of that elec-
tion Mammon was enthroned, the manu-
facturers were permitted to write the
tariff schedules without regard to the in
terests to consumers. The financiers were
allowed to dictate the policy of the treas
ury without regard to the interests of the
country at large. and the trust magnates
were permitted to bankrupt rivals, stifie
competition and extort without limit.
When the Spanish war occurred the syn
dicates in complete possession Of the Uni
ted States, reached out for its new fields
to conquer, and they are now using the
American army and carpetbagger to
exploit the Inhabitants of the Philippine
Islands, whose reverence for our institu-
tions has thus been converted into hatred
for our flag.
Preaching New Doctrine.
Surely If there ever was a time when
the preaching of the democratic gospel
ought to pc cpportune. now is the tire.
And yet the time Of greatest opportunity
II also the time OF greatest danger, Tor
an opportunity unimproved is worse than
lost. The character Of our party is to
be determined by the manner in which
1t meets an opportunity and the manner
In which 1t meets an opportunity will
be determined by the ideal that DOM
mates IT, VIII our party hesitate or take
counsel for its fears? Will 1t abandon
its championship of the peoples interest
in the hope of conciliating relentless foes.
or purchasing a few offices with CAM
paign contributions that carry with them
an obligation to be made good out OF the
pockets OF the people? This gathering Of
Che democracy OF the second city Of the
Union ought to have its influence IN da-