The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-29
COL. BRYAN
ADDRESSED A LARGE AUDI.
ENCE.
ON THE MORAL ISSUE
MANY Ministers Listened
to Him.

Jennings Bryan addressed a large au-
dience in Madison Square Garden to-
night on "the moral issue" In his
audience we're included many New
York city ministers, all of whom had
been personally invited by the distin-
guished Nebraskan to hear his views,
and he denounced corruption in high
places and the use OF money to influ
ence the banot in no uncertain terms
Among other things Mr.. Bryan said:
THE trouble with our government to-
day is that 1t is too much influenced
in its operation by men whose only
loyalty is loyalty to the money bags.
Who will say that this Is or can Oe a
noble loyalty? And yet in this great
commercial centre-in the very city of
New York-this worship of the money
bags has been carried as far as it has
anywhere in this country How many
prominent men have you in this city,
either in the Democratic party or the
Republican party who are brave enough
to defy the influence of the money
bags, or place restrictions upon it.
Occasionally a voice is raised
against some particular manifestation
of commercialism, some new evidence
of the degradation that it has wrought;
but why are your leaders in religion,
in business and in politics, not grap-
pling with the vicious principle that is
responsible for the present demoraliza-
ton of political life-namely the theory
that government property can be used
for bringing pecuniary advantage to
those who control. Will 1t pay? has
been substituted for Is 1t right and as
a consequence our legislative assem-
blies-city. state and national-are be-
coming auction rooms in which the
government is knocked down to the
highest bidder
"Is it strange that two senators have
been indicted for selling their political
influence? Is II strange that govern
ment officials and members Of congress
have been interesting themselves in
government contracts? Is it strange
that Doodle investigations are bringing
to light wholesale corruption in state
and municipal government? Is it
strange that those who use the gov
ernment as business asset employ a
part of their ill-gotten gains to pur-
chase further legislation for urther i'm
munity?
rs it strange that many obscure
voters use their suffrage, the only poll
teal asset they have, as source of
pecuniary profit when they see more
prominent citizens using the govern
ment for private gain?
81 have asked the preachers to come
here tonight, not that I am presump-
tuous enough to teach the preachers
morality, but | want to call their at
tention to the corruption in politics and
j want them to warn their congrega-
tiOns Of the decentralization in politics
and the degradation of the moral sense
which is now going on" (Grcat ap-
plausc)
He declared that the Kansas City
platform should be reaffirmed. He de-
Tended the money plank and especially
is to 1. He said that many New
Workers did not even know what 16
to ] meant
He declared the money question was
not dead, saying: You complain of
my fifty cent dollar. You have a dol
lar that has not cent behind it, You
say you do not need more money and
won, have silver and you say you must
arrange for the banks to arrange
money on assets.
II the Kansas City platform was good
in 1900 It is good now, he declared.
He dehed those who opposed reafirm-
ing the money plank in 1t to produce
a better plan. Here he scored one of
his most telling points.
"Mr. Mckinley declared that Grover
Cleveland had sought to make money
scarcer, and therefore dearer. A grav-
er crime could not be charged against
one man by another. He charged that
Cleveland tried to make money master
and all else servant. 1t was for that
reason that ! tried to rescue the Dem
ocratic party from the money power.
I've never secretod what | did and I'll
do 1t again II live"
At this many in the audience rose
and waved their hats. The cheering
lasted a full minute.
Mr.. Bryan left no political issue un-
touched Imperialism, Panama, the la
bor and tariff questions were all fully
treated. He did not dodge the ques-
tion of reaflrming plank by plank ev-
cry feature Of the last platform, declar-
ing:
When the next convention comes
to write a,platform they will find the
last one asmodel of clearness and con-
tiscness. hope that all the state con-
ven.lons will instruct their delegates
to vote for It's reafilrmation. He
closed by euggcsting this prayer: 20
Ird, help US TO keep our faith in the
VISION OF what Is right"
!, A. the end of his speech half the au-
dence made q rush 10 get to Mr.. Bryan
and shake his hand. They pressed
about him until the cruah uas main