Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-04-28
WILLIAM J. BRYAN
ON DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM OF
NEW YORK STATE.
Gives Reasons for Opposing Candidacy Of
Parker.-The Platform Ignores Issues aad
Is Dishonest. Wants Democracy to
Win on Principles. Not for Offices.

Win on Principles. Not for Offices.
At a meeting in Chicago last Satur-
night, Hon. VIM. J. Bryan spoke on the
New York platform, before large au-
dience. He said in part:
"When some two years ago l beca me
satisfied that ex-senator David B. Hill
was planning to be candidate, l
pointed out the objections to his candi-
dacy. When the Cleveland boom was
launched, pointed out the objections
to his candidacy, and now that Mr..
Parker seems to be the leading candi.
date (though not the only eandidate)
among the reorganizers, l desire to pre-.
sent some reasons why he cannot be
considered as an available candidate for
democratic nomination, and l 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 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 with those who deserted.
but it is evident now that while to the
public generally his views are unknown,
they are we'll known to those who are
urging his nomination. Whatever doubt
may have existed on this subject here
tofore has been dispelled by the plat.
form adopted by the New York state
convention. and taking this platform as
text, am sanguine enough to believe
that can prove to every unbiased mind
that Judge Parker is not fit man to be
nominated either by the democratic
party or by any other party that stands
for honesty or fair dealing in politics.
81 cannot hope to convince those who
favor deception and fraud in politics,
but l am satisfied that we now have
evidence sufficient to convict Judge
Parker of absolute unfitnesss for the
nomination. If he did not know of the
platform in advance, if he did not him.
self dictate it or agree to it, he has
allowed it to go out as his utterance, for
the convention was dominated by his
friends and adopted resolution pre-
senting him as the candidate OF the
party of the state.
con the tariff question no issue is
Joined. MIR. Hill and Mr.. Parker seem
to be as much afraid OF the tariff ques.
ton as OF other issues.
"The money question is ignored en-
tirely. No reference is made TO BIZ
metallism at any ratio-not even to in.
ternational bimetallism, to which Mr..
Hill seemed to be 80 attached in the
Chicago convention. No reference is
made to the measure now before con-
gr sss to melt up nearly 100000, 900 legal
tender silver dollars into subsidiary coin
that is only a limited legal tender.
Nothing is said about the asset currency
which is part Of the scheme Of the
financiers. Nothing is said about the
Aldrich bill which purposes to subsidize
the banks into opposition to tax reduc.
ton by loaning them the surplus money
in the treasury. There is no condemna
ton of the corruption that such sys.
tenn would lead to. The platform does
not antagonize the proposition now be
fore congress to give the national banks
unlimited control over the volume o
paper money. In other words. there il
is not a line in the platform that i!
written in behalf of the people; not {
line that will excite criticism in Wal
; street.
, "The platform ignores the income tax
it fails to indorse the election OF senators
by direct vote and also omits the planl
of the Kansas City platform denouncint
corporate domination in politics.
''The New York platform is dishon
est platform, fit only for dishonest
| party. No one but an artful dodge
' would stand upon it. The submission
VI cuCl a p1otAOiH w tuO NOCCio VI
, state is an insult TO their intelligence
q. for it is intended to deceive them, and (
Y deliberate attempt to deceive-especiall.
so clumsy an attempt as this platform
. is a reflection upon the brains of thos
/. to whom it is submitted. This platform
(. proves that the opposition to the Kansa
City platform is not opposition to silver
but opposition to every needed reform
and opposition to all that the masse
> desire.
:. 81 had expected that platform pre-
pared by Mr. Hill for Judge Parke
!, would be evasive and lacking in frank
ness, but I did not conceive that an
. body of men calling themselves demo
Gratis would present such platform a
recommendation OF a candidate. ]