The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1906-10-10

PEN AND SPEECH
Are Bryan's Income. He De-
clareS-Tip to News
paper Men.

DdnQutltu Dy several Ol lne itduiliB
newspaper men of the metropolis.
At the banquet Bryan made q great
speech-one of the greatest he has
ever made. II was reported quite
fully by the New York Times, to
which this newspaper is indebted for
the following extracts:
Il have two thoughts tonight that
| want to give the newspaper men
here" said Mr.. Bryan. The news
paper man ought to be glad he lives
in the United States, which is the
greatest country for him as il is for
a man in any other walk of life The
American newspaper has a greater OPP
portunity than is given to it in any
other country. England has free
speech, but also caste. and II Is hard
to appreciate this difference here,
where the newspaper man can defend
man. no matter who his father was.
IF the newspaper man has o great
opportunity here. he has also a great
responsibility. His opportunity is
measured exactly in relation to his
responsibility. We are all idealists.
though we may scott at ideals, and
yet | venture the prediction that there
is not one person here who would sell
his ideals for all the money in the
world. The danger is, however, that
we may sacrifice them without know
ing that we are selling them.
.:frAe- problem before. us ss' -te'- stop
in the editorial rooms the selling of
consciences for salary. No newspa-
per can be run without brains. and
brains there must be in the editorial
rooms Men in this country who have
grown rich by predatory means can
not write editorials. There is one
way to stop all unlawful accumula-
tions of wealth and that is to refuse
to write one word that We can't put
our consciences into.
III a corporation starts to rob a
city or a State, it must have its at
torney in the shape of a newspaper.
1t can't accomplish its ends through
the stockholders, for they have not
usually the sense to write editorials.
ut is because there is not the NOR
al sense behind the editorial that
you'll often find the man winning
whom every newspaper is fighting.
II he goes before the people and con-
vinces them of his honesty. he can't
be beaten by hired editorials, and ne
will be elected in spite of them.
IL ask you what is there in my life
that would make me the enemy Of
honest accumulation OF wealth?
MY father was a farmer. He work.
ed for his own education. and was
graduated when he was twenty-seven.
when he died he left 900 acres of
land to be divided among his chill
dren. ! began life on a little money
that borrowed to build the house
into which l took my bride. I paid
that off. and lived in hired house
when | went out to Nebraska.
Fortune has smiled ON me-" said
Mr.. Bryan earnestly, lifting his head
and talking with some emotion. II
can make my living easily. There is
not a millionaire in this country who
has surer foundation for his income.
can travel around the world with
my family and come back to my home
with more money than l had when
left it
Tell us how?" some one asked.
with my pen and my speech. >"
Numbered Mr.. BRYAN, land there's
not a dollar of it all that has a sim
gle stain upon it.
when die / will have enough to
leave my children. 1t may not be
large, measured by the present stand
ards, but 1t is as much as l want to
leave to them, and my living does not
depend upon my ever holding office
But / want to leave them a govern
ment that will protect them in their
life and property and in the pursuit
of happiness. When / went back to
my native city some years ago they
said to me, If you're as good a man
as your father was you are all right.
l would rather have that said TO Inc
than have all the money of Rookie
Teller and Morgan.
"For myself. refuse to accept The
criminal statute as my definition of
morality. Any man who gets proper
ty or money without giving its equiv
alent gets 1t dishonesty. / believe in
giving to each individual the reward
commensurate with what he gives to
society, and l would protect the man
who earns 81 900 day and gives its
proper equivalent to the world in Just
as great measure ;ts ] woulo protect
the man who earns a dollar a day."
Mr.. Bryan concluded his address by
saying he was presuming to speak
to men who nodded public opinion
and COULD keep him on the farm for
ever or send him 20 the highest pin
nacle Of fame, and yet he had a mes
sage that he wanted to convey to them
and when he thought thing ought
to be said. he generally said it,