The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-25
PARKER WON'T DO
w. j. Bryan Discusses the New
York Candidate.
Makes Speech to Packed House
in Chicago.
WAS THE WHOLE SHOW
Hired the Hall and introduced
Himself to Audience.
Neutral as TO Candidats if Prin-
cipIes Are Right.
WAS THE WHOLE SHOW

Chicago. April 25.-The armory. of the
Second infantry at Curtis street and
Washington boulevard was crowded
Saturday night to hear William J.
Bryan Of Nebraska A large number
Of people We're unable to get through
the doors.
The meeting was entirely an affair
Of Mr.. Bryan's. The Nebraskan rent
ed the armOry and paid all expenses of
the meeting. He was particular to
have it understood that his address
was not in favor of or against any
particular aspirant for the Democratic
nomination for president. His subject
was the New York Platform" and ne
repeated several times during the
course of his address that he was dis
cussing measures only and not men.
In order that his address might not
have the appearance of being deliver
ed under any particular political in
uuence, or in the interest of any espe-
cta1 faction, Mr.. Bryan was his own
presiding officer and introduced him
self to 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
who would be willing to have it go
forth as a declaration of his views on
public questions"
Mr.. Bryan said:
las it is somewhat unusual for a
political speech to be made as this one
is tonight, let me preface my remarks
with an explanation. 1 have hired
this hall and I introduce myself be-
cause I do not care to 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
to assume that the contest for the
Democratic nomination is necessarily
between Judge Parker and Mr.. Hearst,
and that every Democrat must be
either for one or the other, such
position is illogical and without fOun-
dalton. Those who are claSSed as re-
organizers-and by that 1 mean those
who would carry the party back to the
position it occupied under Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration-are not entirely
agreed among themselves as to the
proper candidate upon whom to con-
centrate 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 rep
resent the progressive element of the
party.
MY own position is one of neutraIi-
ty. I regard as available all candidates
who are in favor of making the Dem
ocratic party an honest, earnest and
courageous exponent of the rights and
interests of the masses, and regard
as unavailable all who are insympathy
with. or obligated to, the great cor
porations that today dominate the
policy of the Republican party and
seek. through the reOrganizers, to dom
mate the policy of the democratic
party. I have no favorites among those
on our side and no special antagonism
to those who represent the reorganlz-
ers. I believe that the line should be
men, and that men should only be con-
sidered as they may be able to advance
or retard the cause of Democracy
"I have come to Chicago because
from this point 1 can reach large
number of voters in the Mississippi
valley and I have expressed desire
to have the ministers attend because
they can and should exert an influ-
ence in behalf of honesty and fairness
in politics. When, some two years
ago, I became satisfied that ex-senator
David B. Hill was planning to De
candidate, I pointed out the objections
to his candidacy. When the Cleveland
boom was launched, 1 pointed out the
objections to his candidacy, and now
that Mr.. Parker seems to be the lead
ing candidate tthOugh not the only
candidate) among the reOrganizers,
desire to present some reasons why he
cannot be considered as an available
candidate for the Democratic nominal
ton, and I find these reasons not in
his personality, but in his position
upon public questions
For year he has been urged to
speak out and declare himself upon
the important issues of the coming
campaign. but he has remained silent.
If 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
xrr111 In a tad h11f
is evident now that while to the pub
lie generally his views are unknown,
they are we'll known to those who are
urging his nomination. Whatever
doubt may have existed on this sub
1ect therefore, has been dispelled by
the platform adopted by the New
York state convention, and taking this
platform as a text I am sanguine
enough to believe that I can prove to