The farmer and mechanic., 1906-09-04
Folk and Johnson Deliver
Speeches.
WORDS THAT BURN
,ii..ouri.s Reform Governor and
CIcycIand's Progressive Mayor in
Accord With the Spirit Of the
Occaeion-BrNan Intro
duccd to Audience.
duccd to Audience.

address, Of William J. Bryan in Mad
-ison square Garden tonight, Cover
nor Folk, of Missouri. and Mayor
Tom l.. Johnson, Of Cleveland, were
introduced to the audience, and both
spoke briefly. Governor FOLK spoke
as follows:
What we say here may count for lit
tie; our words may be only passing
moment. and soon forgotten. but those
ideals that bring US here when those
present at this assembly shall nave
passed away. We come not OF our
selves alone to welcome home the dis
tinguished American in whose Iohof
We gather, but to voice the love ana
faith of millions in the great leader
who has again set foot upon his native
Iand-miIlions who love him because
his hands are clean. his heart IS pure
and his soul has not been touched nor
tainted with the scars or unearncd
gold. Nor in him alone do we place
our trust, nor in aught that IS human,
but rather in those eternal truths
which he has loved and served 50 Well
We are on the threshold of the
greatest political awakening this nation
has ever known. 1t marks the begin
ming Of a new age. The next few years
will be distinguished as the time IL
which industrial problems are solved.
the reign OF the special privilege
brought to an end, ana the doctrine OF
equal rights fixed in national policies
and in the conscience of mankind.
things are not tolerated for moment
EoW that not long ago were submitted
to in silence. Only Il few years past,
bribery was considered merely con-
ventional. Legislative halls were made
dcns Of thieves, and the touch of the
Enclean dollar OF privilege was oVci
all. Dishonesty in public life was
either unnoticed or regarded with de
spair. Then d dormant public con
science was aroused to the necessity
of stamping out the Offense that
strikes at tho heart of free govern
ment, and of making the government
representative in fact as we'll as in
name.
1He energies Of this public con
science have been extended from the
domain of the public wrong g-dOer to
that of the private WrOng-doer, and
arc probing into the workings Of raS-
Gals of every kind. The insurance in
VeStigatOns have sent forth their mes
&agos, the rebate revelations have been
seen and heard, and innumerablc
grand juries have held up graft and
fraud to the public view. The curtains
EnVc been drawn aside. and revealed
to the startled gaze Of the people the
anarch Of corruption and greed in
their bacchanal of avarice.
Spirit OF PatriotisIn
HIS DIV NikclilnS IIldL IdS resulted
from the revelations Of wrongs, is the
spirit of true patriotism. This word
has almost ceased to have meaning,
and VAS often used as Synonymous
With war. We are now learning that
there may be as much patriotism in
giving ones time to the bctterment of
civic conditions and in getting good
men into office. as in bearing ones
breast to the bullets of a public enemy
in time of war. The highest patriot
iS 1triI, tiCtyo Of, h.,
people are commencing to appreciate
the fact that the government of CITY.
State. and Nation belongs to them and
That they can take the government into
their own hands Whenever they wish.
No government was ever better than
The people made it, or worse than
they suffered it to become. The public
life of nation is but reflection of its
private life" This government is no
better than any other. except as the
virtue and patriotism of the people
make 1t so. The people are begin
ming to understand that Wncn they un-
dertOok to be th2ir own kings, they
assumed the responsibilities as we'll as
the privileges of sovereignty. This
awakening will go on for while re-
FERNS sometimes die, revolutions never
80 backward. and this is revolution
mat IS being wrought in the hearts Of
men.
This movement against wrongs is
not q crusade against wealth. Wealth
IN itself is a blessing: the abuse Of
wealth is Il curse. Wealth gained by
honest industry is commendable The
poverty of Incidence is contemptfbIe.
rms government does not rest upOn
lhe IDLE rich nor the idle poor. but
upon the industry and patriotism of
inc middle classes. There can be no
oDJecton to honest riches, but there is
oDJcctl0n to the crimes and privileges
out of which tainted riches grow.
mere IS no disposition to iniurc cor
I,orat1ons that obey the law. but the
demand Is that corporations, even the
greatest. obey the law just like anyone
Fi#" special interests should be made
- respect the law regulating their con-
quot, as they ask others to respect the
Ia" protecting their property. The
IeSd l% not so much. for new laws as
I" enforce those laws we have. There
has been too much of making of laws
10 please all of the people and too lit
tie OF enforcement of those laws to
lease special interests
AssaiIins Abuses.
ne re9enerated conscience of the
people has been assGiling these ahuses
one by one and has now commenced
I" attack the deeper evil of nriviIepa
tE2ft IS privilege which is exercised
o'ther against the law. or one which,
the law itself may give no one
ever hea*d of a legislator being bribeo
!" give equal rights to all the people,
Is alWaVS for the purpose of OBJ
tuning privileges for the few. Graft
cannot be fully done away with until
Sf"cIal privileges are exterrninated and
ne doctrine of equal rights becomes
tne standard for governmental action.
- matters not whether this privilege
I've IN the form of a tariff so arranged
aI to foster monopoly or a trust to
control the price of the necessities of
NE, Or rebates to favored shipDers
40 protection tor monopoly is the bat
tie cry of the new born patriotism
IS MONOPOLY is founded on privilege
without privilege monopoly must fail.
The platform of privileges for the few
- opposed by the platform of privi-
legeS for none. The doctrine of pro
lection for monopoly as against the
people. IS opposed by the doctrine of