Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
BRYAN AND DREAMS
HE REPLIES TO BEVEHIDGE AND
OTHERS AT LINCOLN.

LINCOLN, Neb., November 3-In a speech
replete with wit and sarcasm Mr. Bryan re-
piled tonight before an audience of 5000 peo-
pie to the recent charge of Senator Beveridge,
Speaker Cannon and Governors Cummins
and Hanley that he Is a dreamer, while
Roosevelt Is q doer. He said when one said
1t he took 1t as compliment though in
tended as criticism. When two repeated
1t he began to sit up and take notice. Had
but one made it he might have denied IT..
but when four charged him with it he could
make no defense, but merely plead justifca-
tion. In part he said:
II have been so busy with politics that
have neglected this branch of Htera ture,
but when I found I must defend myself 1
began to look it up John Boyle OReilly
said that the dreamer lives forever. while
the toiler dies today I have always
high opinion of that poet, but l have
never before esteemed him at his full
worth. But since ] am now the conserva-
tive leader of the country l am too con-
sentative to build up an argument upon the
insubstantal basis of a poets license. So l
shall turn to the Bible. There found that
Joseph was a dreamer. His brothers plot
ted to kill him, but compromised on sending
him down to Egypt in retirement. But the
Bible says they afterward came down to
get corn of him.
He said that Jefferson was also called
a dreamer, but they had Beveridge in
those days; his name was Hamilton. and
one of his ideas was that Presidents
should be elected for life.
Il do not like the plan Of electing Pres
idents for. life" said Mr.. Bryan. "Roose-
welt is only year and half older, and
he Is in perfect health. What chance
| would a man of my age have to be Presi-
dent. If such a plan were in vogue you
| never would have had Roosevelt. Grover
Cleveland still lives, my friend"
Dreams of Democrats.
Mr. Bryan proceeded to describe the
dreams of the democratic party, some Of
which had come true by enactment
| into law, others by adoption by the re-
publican party. He described in turn
| election Of senators by direct vote, tariff
reform, arbitration, trust regulation and
enlargement of powers of interstate
commerce commission as democratic
dreams coming true.
The republican party. he said, has been
| in power ten years, and yet no principle
| of it was as strong decade ago, while the
| party was as badly divided now as was the
democracy then. He illustrated this d.
vision by referring to Beveridge as a man
going about ringing a bell and warning
people of danger to come, while Fairbanks
| followed, 'chloroform in hand, saying,
| Sleep on, sleep on" He wanted to know
If there was no lesson for the republican
party in these triumphs OF democracy
deals.
President Has Done Well.
"The President" he continued, 'has done
| well, considering his environment, and he
| has had the worse environment any good
man ever had. There has been no element
Of his popularity that has not been derived
| from his advocacy Of some democratic
principle, and 1t Is compliment to have
| the President prefer our platform to his
| own. Why, my friends, 1 have never felt
| better, happier in my life. 1 feel just like
| the youth who had Just discovered after a
| years counting that his girl loved him as
| we'll as he did her. He went out into the
| night and looking up to the stars, said
| oh Lord! I hain't got nothin' again no.
| body
| LAS for myself. I have been buried many
| times, and the republicans who have fol-
| lowed me to my grave have not all worn
| the solemn face that BELTS such occasions.
| Many of them wonder why am still alive;
| why do not stay under the sod. Let me
| tell you. 1t is not because of any ability
| possess, nothing in my personality, but
you can't kill me because you can't kill
| the faith and the things 1 stand for"
| He characterized La Toilette as the BRAY
est republican of modern times, and said
reform in republican ranks came slowly
| because it's leaders were dominated by cor.
| porate influence. And that's no dream, he
| said.