The Glenwood post., 1904-04-30
BRYAN'S SPEECH
HE OBJECTS TO JUDGE PARKER
Former Presidential Candidate An
nounces His Personal views.-He
Hires His Own HoIl and Intro
duceS Himself

JUICES 1lWoeU
Chicago. April 24.-William j. Bryan
addressed large audience last night
In the Armory of the Second infantry.
at the corner of Curtis street and
Washington boulevard. The place was
packed to its utmost capacity. and a
large number of people were unable to
get through the doors.
Mr.. Bryan had said he would not
take sides with any particular candi-
date for the honor of carrying the ban
ner of Democracy in the coming bat
tie of national ballots, but he did not
say he would not take sides against n
particular candidate and did not de-
viate from his expressed purpose. He
did not take sides with anyone, but he
most decidedly took sides against Judge
Parker and his supporters. His speech
was, in part as follows:
"As It is somewhat unusual for po-
litical speech to be made as this one is
tonight. let me preface my remarks
with an explanation. l have hired this
hall and l introduce myself because 1
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 Dem
ocratic nomination is necessarily be
tween Judge Parker and Mr.. Hearst,
and that every Democrat must be eth
er for one or the other, such position
is illogical and without foundation.
When. some two years ago, | be-
came satisfied that ex-senator David B.
Hill was planning to be candidate.
! pointed out the objections to his can
didacy. When the Cleveland boom was
launched l pointed out the objections
to his candidacy. And now that Mr..
Parker seems to be the leading candi-
date (though not the only candidate)
among the re-organizers, l desire to
present some reasons why he cannot be
considered as an available candidate
for a Democratic nomination, and l
find these reasons not in his person
atty, but in his position upon public
questions. For year he has been
urged to speak out and declare him
self upon the important issues OF the
coming compaign. but he has remained
silent. If this silence meant that no
body knew his views, those who have
oSCh ioydl W lIe party III ltithl yeSlID
would stand upon an equal footing
with those who have deserted: but it
is evident now that, while to the pub
lie generally his views are unknown.
they are well known to those who arc
urging his nomination.
Whatever doubt may have existed
on this subject heretofore, has been
dispelled by the platform adopted by
the New York state convention; and.
taking this platform as a test, l am
sanguine enough to believe that l can
prove to every unbiased mind that
Judge Parker is not a fit man to be
nominated by the Democratic party
or by any other party that stands for
honesty and fair dealing in politics"
Mr.. Bryan went on to review that
New York platform plank by plank.
He said the platform failed to propose
any definite plan for dealing with the
trust question. There was not in the
platform single word relating to tho
question of Imperialism. He said that
both the Chicago and Kansas City
platforms declared in favor of arbitra-
ton, but the New York platform not
only fails to refer to the arbitration
plan Of these platforms, but 1t fails to
write new plank concerning this sub
iect. The laboring men are also try
ing to secure an eght-hour day, but the
New York platform is silent on this
subject. The laboring men are trying
to secure the abolition OF government
by injunction. Both the Chicago and
Kansas City platforms contained
planks on this subject. but the New
York platform lodges this as it does all
other vital questions.
ts,
tirely. No reference is made by it to
bimetallism at any period, not even to
internal bimetallism, to which Mr.. Hill
seemed to be so much attached in the
Chicago convention No reference In
made to the measure now before Con-
gress to melt up nearly 100000, 900 legal
tender silver dollars into subsidiary
coin that is only limited legal tender.
Nothing is said about the asset cur
rency which is part of the scheme OF
the financiers.
1.-THE platform ignores the income
tax; it fails to indorse the election OF
senators by direct vote. and also omits
the plank of the Kansas City platform
denouncing corporate domination in
politics.
THE New York platform is dishon-
est platform, fit only for dishonest
party. No one but an artful dodger
would stand upon it. The submission
of such platform to the voters OF
state is an insult to their intelligence,
for it is intended to deceive them. and
an elaborate attempt to deceive-es-
pecially so clumsy an attempt as this
platform isis a reflection upon the
brains OF those to whom it is submit
ted.
This platform proves that the oppo-
sition to the Kansas City platform Is
not opposition to silver, but opposition
to every needed reform and opposition
to all that the masses desire.
Il had expected that a platform pre-
pared by Mr.. Hill for Judge Parker
would be evasive and lacking in frank
ness, but did not conceive that any
body of men calling themselves Demo
Gratis would present such platform a.
q recommendation OF a candidate"