The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-04-24
BY the Associated Press.

Chicago, April 23.-William j. Bry.
an addressed large audience tonight
at the armory of the Second infantry.
The meeting was entirely an affair Of
Bryan's, he having rented the armory
and paid all of the expenses of the
meeting. He was particular to have
it announced that his address was
not in favor of or against any partic,
uar aspirant for the Democratic nom.
nation for the presidency,
His subject was the New York
Platform and he repeated several
times during the course of his ad
dress that he was discussing meas
ures only, and not men In order that
his address might not have the ap
pearance of being delivered under
any particular political influence, Cr
in the interest of any especial faction
Bryan was his own presiding officer
and introduced himself to his hearers
He characterized the platform
adopted at the recent state cOnven
tion In New York, as Ambiguous, I'm
certain, eyasive and dishonest DE
claring 1t would disgrace the Demo
Gratis of the nation to adopt such Z
platform. and it ought to defeat as al
aspirant for the Democratic nomina
tion any man who would be willing It
have it go forth as a declaration 0
his views on public questions
His address was chiefly as follows
AS it Is somewhat unusual for
political speech to be made as thi
one is tonight let me preface my r,
marks with an explanation. | have
hired this hall and | introduce mysel
because do not care to speak undo
the auspices of any club or organza
tion, which is committed to any pan
ticular aspirant for office. My COO
cern is not about the name or the per
sonality of the nominee, but about th'
principles for which the Democrat,
party is to stand. While many OF th,
papers seem to assume that the con
test for the Democratic nomination
Is necessarily between Judge Parkel
aud MIR Hearst, and that every Dem
ocrat must either be for one or tht
other, such a position is illogical AM
without foundation. Those who are
classed as reorganizers-and by tina
! mean those who would carry tn,
party back to the position that it oc
cupisd under Mr. Cleveland's admin
istration-are not entirely agree
among themselves a. to the prope
candidate upon whom to concentrate
their votes, and so those who are II
sympathy with the spirit of our r,
cent platforms may differ as to tn
relative availability of those who rel
resent the progressive element of tbs
party. My own position Is one of neu
trality. report as available all can
dldates who are in favor of making
the Democratic party an honest, earn
est and courageous exponent of The
rights and interests of the masses and
| regard as unavailable all who are IL
sympathy with. or obligated to. the
great corporation that today dominate
the policy of he Republican party and
seek, through the reOrganizers, tt
dominate the policy of the Democrat
ic party | have no fayOrites among
those on our side and no special an
tagonism to those who represent the
reorganizers | believe that the line
should be drawn between principles
not between men. and that men
should only be considered as they
may be able to advance or retsrd the
progress of the Democracy.
When some two years ago ! be
came satisfied that ex-senator David
B. Hill was planning to be a candi
date | pointed out the objections n
his candidacy When the Cleveland
boom was launched pointed out the
objections to his candidacy. and now
that Mr.. Parker seems to be the lead.
ing candidate Though not the only
candidatel among the reorganiZers.
] desire to present some reasons why
he cannot be considered as an avail
able candidate for a Democratic nom.
inatioB, and ! find these reasons, not
in his personality. but in his position
upon public questions. For a year
he has been urged to speak out and
declare himself upon the important
issues of the coming campaign. but
he has remained silent II this
silence meant that nobody knew his
views, those who have been loyal to
the party in recent years would stand
upon an equal footing with those who