The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-19
NO CHANGE
 IN HIS VIEWS Bryan Spes,.s < at Lincoln X4uet. | "MOR ISSUE" THEME
Declares Bimetallism Should e. 31 Not Be Abandoned.
To Win Success, He Says, the Party Should Show That It is De-
 serving of success-7oo at "Dollar Dinner"

come fl, William J. Bryan on his return from Europe, taking the form Of 'doi- lar dinner" was held tonight, ana was attended by nearly 700 Democrats, made
 up principally of men in full sympathy and accord with Mir. Bryans present policies. It was intended as testi- monial of regard and sympathy with MT. Rryan's political ideas and to mark his entry into active participation of the pre- convention campaign. MT. Bryan was given a most enthusiastic greeting. His speech was sound in every plank. and must be reiterated, together with his oe- mand that the nominees of the St Louis convention be in accord with that plat form. bringing out the demonstration Of the, evening.
 Mir. Bryan, who was the last speaker. was introduced by tl.e toastmaster as | 'Monsigneur Bryan, a distinguished for. eign envoy. who had come to study po- litical methods in the western world" Mir Bryan spoke on "the moral issue" | in part, as follows:
 No Time for Compromise. Instead of talking of concessions and
 compromises, 1t is time for honest and aggressive action. We are confront
 ed with condition that may alarm the | thoughtful and patriotic We find cor ruption everywhere. Voters are bought at so much per head, representatives in | our city governments are profting by | their positions and even federal officials
 are selling their influence. What Is the cause? The commercial spirit that puts a price on everything and resolves every l question into 'Will 1t pay? This com | mercialism has given popularity to that
 theory of government which permits the | granting of privileges to a favored few
 and defends the theory by an attempt to
 show that the money thus given direct | ly finds its way indirectly back into the pockets of the taxpayers. '''' we see this theory in operation on every side. The protective tariff schedules illustrate 1t; our dnapcial aYs-
 tenn rests upon 1t: the trusts hide Nthem- selves ,bEHfnHfit and fmpaFalists are sub
 stituting this theory for the constitution. ! Is 1t strange that money is used to carry elections? If party makes certain classes rich by law. will it not naturally
 turn to those classes for contributions
 during the campaign? If Congress votes
 millions of dollars annually to traifr | barons, money magnates and monopolists
 is 1t not natural that aldermen should traffic in the small legislation of a City
 Council, and If ofdcials high and low use
 the government as if it were a private
 asset, is it surprising that many indi-
 viduals who are without offlcial position, | political influence they have-the ballot?
 There is but one remedy-an appeal to the
 moral sense of the country and awaken
 ing of public conscience.
 StraighforwardnesS Desired. And how can this appeal be made? Not | by showing a greater desire for the spells | of office than for reforms. but by turning
 deaf ear to the contemptible cry of
 anything to win and by announcing an
 honest and straightforward position on
 every public question.
 Shall we accept imperialism as an ac- complished fact in order to appease those
 who are willing to endorse government
 without the consent of the governed?
 There can be no thought of sucha sur
 render. for who would trust us to deal
 with other questions if we prove false to
 the fundamental principles of self-govern-
 ment?
 Shall we change our position on the
 trust question in order to secure the sup
 port of the trust magnates? Not for a
 moment can we think of it. Their oppo-
 sition Is proof of our party's fidelity; their
 support would cast suspicion upon us.
 Shall We change our position in the
 tariff in order to win over Democrats who
 are enjoying the benefits of protection?
 An Absurb Suggestion. "It is absurd to suggest 1t. for the same vicious principle runs through all of the abuses from which the people suffer. And
 so with the party's position on the labor question. The election of Senators by the people. on watered stock. control of cor porations and on the other Issues, the
 Kansas City platform is sound in every plank and the first act of the next Dem- | ocratic Convention should be to reafirm
 1t in it's entirety. and its next act should
 be the adoption of new blanks in harmony
 with 1t and covering such new questions as demand consideration.
 Then the convention should elect candi- dates who believe in the platform-Dem- ocrats whose Democracy will not be an is-
 sue in the campaign and whose fidelity to Democratic principles will not be doubted at the election. And then the committee should say that 1t will neithe: ask nor receive contributions from those
 who are entrenched behind the bulwarks
 which we are attacking. And then let us
 defend our position, not on the low ground
 of dollars and cents. but by showing
 how Republican policies violate moral principles and invite the punishment that
 sooner or later overtakes the wrongdoer
 twill such a course insure victory?
 The best that our party can do is to de-
 serve victory and an appeal to the con- science of the American people is sure to
 win ultimate and offers the best promise of immediate success"
 1000, 900 ACRES SOID.