Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-25
AD|SHON[S1 PLATFORM
w. j. Bryan Makes a Scathing
Criticism of Parker and
New York Platform
BOTH UNCERTAIN AND EvAslvE
Fit Only For Dishonest Party and No
One But an ArtfuI Dodser Would
Consent to Be Candidate Upon
Such Declaration of Principles Says
Bryan.

night In the arlnOry OF the Second llll.
nois infantry. The place was packed
to its utmost capacity and large mum.
Der of people We're unable to get thru
the doors:
The meeting was entirely an affair Of
Mr. Bryan's, he having rented the arm
cry and paid all the expenses of the
/ meeting. He was particular to have il
understood that his address was not III
favor of Or against any particular as
pirant for democratic nomination TO,
the presidency. His subject was New
York Platform" and he repeated sew
eral times during the course of his add
dress that he was discussing measures
only and not men.
/ In order that his address might not
have the appearance of being delivered
under any particular political intiuence,
or in the interest of any especial fac
ton, Mr.. Bryan was his own presiding
officer and introduced himself 10 his
| hearers
| He characterized the platform adopt
ed at the recent state convention in
New York as Ambiguous, uncertain,
evasive and dishonest" declaring that
1T would disgrace the democrats of the
nation to adopt such a platform and it
ought to defeat as an aspirant for a
democratic nomination any man who
would be willing to have it go forth
as a declaration of his views on public
questions"
MIR. Bryan said in part:
Mr.. Bryan's Speech.
CAS- it is somewhat unusual for a po-
litical speech to be made as this one is
tonight. let me preface my remarks
with an explanation. I have hired this
hall and introduce myself because
do not care 70 speak under the auspices
of any club or organization which is
committed to any particular aspirant
for office. My concern is not about the
name or the personality of the nominee
but about the principles for which the
democratic party is to stand. While
many of the papers seem ito assume
that the contest for the democratic
nomination is necessarily between
Judge Parker and Mr. Hearst and that
every democrat must either be for one
or the other, such Il position is illogi-
cal and without foundation. Those who
are classed as eorganizers-and by
that mean those who would carry the
party back to the position that it oc-
cupied under Mr.. Cleyelands admins
tration-are not entirely agreed among
themselves as to the proper candidate
upon whom to concentrate their votes,
and so those who are in sympathy with
the spirit of our recent platforms may
differ as to the relative availability of
those who represent the progressive
element of the party. My own position
is one of neutrality. ! regard as avail
able all candidates who are in favor of
making the democratic party an honest
ernest and courageous exponent Of the
rights and interests of the masses and
/ regard as unavailable all who are in
sympathy with. or obligated to. the
great corporations that today domi
nate the policy of the republican party
and seek, thru the reorganizers to DOM
mate the policy of the democratic par
ty.
what are the issues before the coun-
try? The trust question is certainly an
issue. and yet there is nothing IN the
New York platform that gives any en-
to the opponents of the
trusts. There is not a word or syllable
that binds a person elected on such a
platform to do anything that the trusts
are unwilling to have done. The Kan
Sas City platform Stated the party's POI
sition on the trust question. but the
New York platform falls not only 70 en-
dorse the las, national platform, but
also fails to propose any definite or
positive plan of relief.
Imperialism is an issue. Our gov
is now administering a col
onial policy according to the political
employed by George III a
century and quarter ago, ana yet
there is not in this platform single |
word relating to the question of i'm
perialism, not a plank that defines the
party's position on that subject, not "A
protest against the surrender of the
doctrines of self government. The |
Kansas City platform stated the party's |
opposition to a colonial policy. but the |
New York platform not only fails TO
the Kansas City platform, but
fails to take any position at all on this |
important question.
The labor question is an issue. The |
men have been before the |
of congress endeayorng to
secure three important measures. One |
s the arbitration of differences be-
.ween corporations engaged in inter
state commerce. and their employees.
Both the Chicago and Kansas City |
platform declared In favor of arbitra-
ion, but the New York platform not
,nly fails to refer to the arbitration
plan of these platforms, but it fails
o write a new plank concerning this
subject.
No Issue on Tariff.
"On the tariff question no issue is
oined 1t was reasonable to suppose
hat on this question, at least, some
Judge Parker seem to be as much
lfraid of the tariff question as of other
sSueS.
'sThe money question is ignored en-
irely. No reference is made to b.-
neta1ism at any ratio--not even the
nterna tional bimetallism, to which Mr.
Hill seemed to be SD much attached in
he Chicago convention. No refer
nee is made to the measure now
'efore congress to melt nearly 100000
90 legal tender silver dollars into sub
idary coin that is only limited legal
ender. Nothing is said about the as
ct currency which is a part Of the
eheme of the financiers. Nothing is
aid about the Aldrich bill which pro-
'oses to substitute the banks into OPP