Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-22

at Washington he became impressed
with the vastness of the problems
confronting the people and he has
never since been able to cease to pom
der upon and discuss them.
DEGREES skeDticism.
The speaker also diverged to sptak
of skepticism, telling of his own eX-
perience in passing through a stage
of unbelief and ending by saying that
to his mind it requires more faith to
accept the doctrines of atheism than
to accept the doctrines of sany relig7
ion he ever heard about.
Only a man with high ideal can
be useful citizen, the speaker ar
.gued, for the really useful citizen is
engaged in trying to see how much
he can do for others rather than try
ing to see how much he can get 9th
ers to do for him. Mans obligation
TO society was described as a debt in
CURED in the natural process of our
birth and development, debt too
repay no matter how hard we may
try.
No man, said Mr.. Bryan, should
have more of this worlds goods than
he can use to the best advantage.
He should have only so much food as
will enable him to reach the highest
physical development and to do the
most work He should have only so
much clothing as viii protect him and
at the same time enable him to have
the freest bodily activity. And he
should have only so much money as
he can get honestly, returning full
and just equivalent for it.
Appeals for Clean Politics.
The climax of the address came
when the speaker treated of political
ideals He spoke of the manner in
which the standard of political hon
esty had been lowered. citing the case
of Delaware, where votes are public
~ sold. The fact that the democratic
party had adopted republican tactics
i'm that state was deeply deploTed, the
speaker holding that ii is poor policy
to fight his satanic ajesty with fire,
conscience being the only effective
weapon to use against him. The
showing that Americans have made
in the past in war and peace was at
tributed to the purity of the Ameri-
can conscience. In this connection
Mr. Bryan took occasion to say few
words against the building up of a
large army and navy, and then he
spoke of the democratic spirit that
prevails in the United States. meaning
thereby the spirit that tends toward
placing the government in the hands
of the people rather than in those of
few. This was illustrated by stating
that nine-tenths of the people are in
favor of the election of United. States
senator's by direct vote and that the
initiative and referendum are growing
in favor.
Right to Make Mistakes.
The people, Mr.. Bryan said, have
right to make mistakes. If they make
mistakes they will eventually find it
out and rectify them, but if they are
not allowed to express their will free
" they will not be able to rectify
their own mistakes or those of 9th
ers. There should be political parties,
for various reasons, one being that
one party might watch the other. In
this connection he believed that there
are now more republicans watching
the democratic party than there is
any real need of being.
The address closed with reference
to the lowering of the American flag
and the raising of the Cuban flag at
Havana when that island was given its
freedom, the significance of that act
being pointed out and a fervent APP
peal made to always uphold the stand
ard of American citizenship that was
involved in the liberating of the Gu
ban people, during which he said that
the president who carried out our
pledges to the people of the island
will be remembered long after the
charge up San Juan hill is forgotten.
II. j. HamIIn Heard.
Yesterday afternoon Attorney Gen
eral H. J. Hamlin. of Illinois. was the
speaker He devoted himself to a mis-
cellaneous discussion of existing polit-
zeal problems. treating them from the
republican standpoint, including a
brief historical sketch of that party
and the measures it has advocated,
with discussion of its attitude on
existing questions.
Chautauqua a Success.
During the course of last evening s
program S. w Odell, who has pre-
sided at the sessions, announced that
the chautauqua had been a financial
success and its permanency is assur-
ed He also called attention to the
fact that there will be benefit con
cert and entertainment for the Dun
bar handbell ringers and male quar-
tet this evening. and next Wednesday
evening there will be a joint debate
between Senators TilIman. of South
Carolina, and Burton, of Kansas