The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-21
M. Bryan and Party Arrive in
Birmingham To-day
LITTLE CHANGE IN SPEECH
Travels Have Convinced Him That the
independence of the Philippines
Would Be Desirable
and Wise.

Atlanta. September 2o.-For one hour
and fifteen minutes this afternoon, Will
liam, ]. Bryan addressed an audience of
about 1000 people gathered at the skating
rink of the Ponce De Leon park. His
reception was cordial and hearty, but It
was not wildly enthusiastic, nor more
than usually demonstrative
In his address Mr.. Bryan used few ar
guments and touched upon few subjects
not discussed before during his tour of
the south. Secretary shaws speeches and
the tariff question, President Roosevelts ;
borrowings from the democratic platform,
socialism and the independence of the
Philippines were the topics he considered.
He reused and kept his audience in splen-
did humor by several stories illustrative
of his arguments.
Mr. and Mrs Bryan arrived at 5 o'clock
this morning but were allowed to rest in
their car until 7:SO, when they were es-
corted to the Piedmont hotel. Breakfast,
and Mr.. Bryans private correspondence
attended to, private interview with Hoke
Smith, Georgia's next governor preceded
a general reception to the public, which
was attended by about 1900 citizens of At
lanta and other Georgia citizens.
Address Is Principal Event.
The principal event of the day was the
address by Mr.. Bryan and this evening a
democratic dollar dinner" attended by
400 citizens, closed a busy day. Mrs.
Bryan was the guest of the society ladies'
of Atlanta at several functions more or
less formal. The party boarded the car
at midnight. leaving for Birmingham,
where Mr.. Bryan will speak tofnorrew,
going thence to Jackson, Miss. Mr. Brvan
began his address this afternocu r
an introduction by President Lamaee :,
of the Young Mems Demoegatf ~, +, !.
and by Judge Reuben 4Arit,is IS 49,
whom referred to Mr.. Bryan as the next
President.
He wished he could enter into the ap-
probation of prophecies with which he
had been introduced, but the experience
of past years, he said. took something
of the warmth of such appreciation
Prophecy, he declared, Is half wish and
half environment. He was not sure but
that he would be happier as a private Cit
izen than as holder of office, but he
did not purpose to await election to do his
best for democracy
Georgia Brand Pure and Sure.
Georgia democracy, he declared, was so
pure and SO sure that he felt 1t almost
wasting time to try to strengthen 1t.
Democracy is having rapid growth, even
republicans appreciate this and find 1t
not only respectable but popular He
took up Secretary Shaws recent southern
speeches on the tariff question and dis
eussed them among lines familiar in re-
cent addresses. He reviewed the last ten
years of republican administration, de-
clarng them to have been of unparalleled
prosperity The bounty of God had
brought circumstances, for which repub-
licanism had claimed the credit. Presi-
dent Roosevelt 1.-THE most conspicuous
reformer but not the most advanced of
his party" had done several good things.
but his inspiration, he declared, came
from that source ''of all good things, the
much depised democratic platform Mr.
Bryan outlined and discussed at some
length the things for which he asserted
President Roosevelt had drawn his In
spiration from democratic principles. His
attack on trusts, undertaken but not car
ried far enough, the settling of a great
strike, the passage of the railroad rate
law by democratic aid In the Congress,
were the things for which he claimed
democratic inspiration
independence of Philippines.
The independence Of the Philippines,
Mr.. Bryan, said had been impressed on
him by his recent travels. as most de-
srable and wise. The fitness of the
islanders for self-government had al
ready been indicated and needed only
the opportunity to have full demonstra-
ton. I'm my travels he concluded, Il
have found the whole world friendly
to the United States, because our phil
anthropy has overfowed all its waste
places l have come back more convinced
than ever that the mission of this cour
try is to make its flag not feared, but
loved by all nations We have the most
beautiful flag in, the world and | want to
see II unfurled In the highest place. BY
its side | want to see the flag of that
party which stands for equal rights to all
men, with special privileges for none. "
Repeats Ownership Utterances.
At the dinner tonight Mr.. Bryan took
I'D the question Of government ownership
of railroads He said he desired not TO be
misunderstood on the proposition. lie
declared that he had been brought to
consider the corruption by railroad cor
porations and he came ultimately 10 the
conclusion that the only way to preserve
the peoples rights is to commit the
roads to government ownership and con-
troll.
II discovered" he said, that Congress
has been corrupted by the railroads not
by the use of money but by the promise
of the support of the candidacy of the
members by the roads.
The dual ownership of railroads he con-
sidered trunk lines owned by the federal
government, and local roads by the state,
as the only solution by which centrallza-
ton could be avoided. This plan protects
state government and makes for the bull
warks of the states. He declared he Is
more afraid of the railroad employe in
politics than the government employe. He
quoted President Roosevelt as saying that
II we do not have government control of
roads. we will have the government con-
trolled by the railroads. The only way to
prevent the domination by the corporation
in politics is for the government to con-
troll 1t absolutely. Mr.. Bryan did not
complete his address until after mid
night.
Among the other speakers during the
evening were Gov. j. M. Terrell. John
Temple Graves OF Atlanta and Pleasant
Stovall of Savannah.