The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-21
Possibility Of Return to Posi-
ton Occupied In 1926.
SO DECLARES Mr.. BRYAN
he Speaks at a Democratic Picnic at Chicago
Referring IN Vigorous Terms to Mr..
Cleveland Last Administration
Amid AnnIause.
Amid applause.
lBy the Associated Press. !

Chicago, July 1S-Wilham ]. Bryan was
the principal speaker at the picnic of the
local Democracy this afternoon. Mr..
Bryan referred in vigorous terms to the
last administration of Grover Cleveland,
declaring that it had been a mill stone
around the neck of the party that elect
ed him, and making other references
equally uncomplmentary to the former
President.
The picnic was attended by several
thousand local Democrats and Mr.. Bry-
ans address was frequently interrupted
by vigorous applause.
The subject of Mr. Bryan's speech was:
The Democratic Ideal" He said in part:
The distinguishing feature of any party
that deserves to be known as a Demo-
cratic party is its faith in the people. its
desire to advance the welfare of the peo-
pie, and its willingness to have the peo-
pie control their own affairs A Demo-
cratic party seeks to administer the gov
eminent according to democratic princi-
Piles. and its ideal of a free government is
a government in which every department,
legislative, executive and judicial, is adj
ministered according to the doctrine of
to none.
Never before in the history of the coun-
try has there been greater need for a.
Democratic party with truly Democratic
ideal. The aristocracy which Hamilton
led against the Democracy of Jefferson's
day and the plutocracy which Nick Bddle
led against the Democracy of Jackson's
day, have combined to assault the Democ-
racy Of the present day and these assaults
are supported by a metropolitan press
more subservlent to capital more widely
read than the papers of 1900 of 1882.
In 1895 the Republican party, under
the leadership of Mark Hanna, became the
open ally of organized wealth and a vic
tory 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-all these things,
were resorted to with an audacity never
known In this country before. AS re-
suit of that election Mammon was en-
throned. the mauufacturers were permit
ted to write the tariff schedule without re-
gard to the interests of the consumers.
the fnanciers were allowed to dictate the
-p0lcy of Ahe Treasury sssisheNt regard 20
the interests of the country at large, and
bankrupt rivals, stife competition and ex
tort without limit. When the Spanish
War occurred the syndicates in complete
possession of the United States reached
out for new fields to conquer, and they
are now using the American army and
a carpet bag government to exploit the
inhabitants of the Philippine Islands.
whose reverence for our institutions has
thus been converted into hatred for Our
flag. Surely If there was ever time
when the preaching OF the Democratic
gospel ought to be opportune, now Is the
time.
I'VE are handicapped just now by the
fact that the last Democratic administra-
ton we had was more subservient to cor
porate dictation than any Republican adj
ministration that had preceded it, and the
record of that administration has been a
mill stone about the party's neck ever
since. The odium which Mr.. 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
blanks that were most severely criticised.
ssThe greatest menace that the party has
to meet today is not the probability, but
the possibility of the party's return to the
position that it occupied from 1892 to 1896
This danger is not so imminent as the cor
poration controlled papers make it appear,
but so far as it threatens it paralyzes the
energies of the party and nullifies its
promises. Such return will indicate a
degradation Of the party's ideal and a per-
version of its purpose
IF the Democratic party will stand
erect, face the future with confidence. de-
fend the rights of the people and protect
their interests wherever attacked, whether
the attack comes from the financiers, the
monopolsts, the tariff barons or from the
imperlalists, it can look with confidence
for revolution OF sentiment that viii
give US a victory worth having. and this
victory when it comes will not end. as the
victory of 1892, in the Decentralization of
the party. but in the building up of a
Democratic organization which will deal
aggressively with all of the evils of gov
eminent and find it's bulwark in the af-
lection and confidence of the masses