Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-11-19
LARGE NUMBERS TURN OUT TO
HEAR WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.


ity that is now manifested by the de-
positors throughout the country is with
out justification. Our banks are moi
bad. The conditions today are the re-
verse of what they were 1898. Then we
had an era of falling prices and notes
that were good when they were made
had become bad because the owners
had lost their property. Today prices
are rising, land instead of growing
poorer has grown richer, and the gov
ernment of our banks has grown better
instead of worse. | attribute this in.
crease partly to good crops and partly
to larger volume of money.
"But to whatever cause you attribute
it, that was the condition, and there is
no reason today to doubt the solvency
of these banks. What is the trouble to.
day? 1t is a question of Wall street
pervading this country. For the reason
that l have named. They have for for
ty-seven years, with the federal affairs
in their hands, failed to furnish the nee
essary relief measures. We have tried
to secure protection of the masses with
law, but we have found these same men
| opposed to every question.
Thirteen or fourteen years ago in
troduced bill in the house providing
a guarantee fund to protect depositors.
1t provided for small tax to be levied
upon banks deposits in proportion to
| the deposits. And that that tax should
continue until there was raised guar
antee fund large enough to give assur-
/ ance that every depOsitor would be
paid in full. And then that tax should
cease and should not be reimposed un-
til the sum fell below the limit
"Today, while business is paralyzed.
republican leaders have no plan for re-
storing prosperity in this country.
They have stood on street corners for
years and they say that prosperity must
come when republicans were in power,
| and that panics must always come in
democratic administrations. We point
ed out that the panic of 1878 came
thirteen years after they came into
| power and nearly twelve years before
the democrats have had a chance to do
anything
"What are they talking. about now?
Well, the president, through his post
master general, has proposed, or is GO
ing to propose. what is known as a
postal savings bank. My friends, the
postal savings bank would not have
been necessary but for the fact that our
| finances have been run in such a way
that the people felt insecure. 1t was
their failure to make banks secure that
drove the people co favor the postal
savings bank. The postal savings bank
will help. 1t will help the small depos-
itor. But according to the proposed
plan they limit the deposit in the saw
ings bank $3.50 year for any one per-
son. Thus great part of our business
community cannot take advantage of
the postal savings bank, and they have
no plan for making our other banks
more secure. believe, my friends, the
time is here when the democratic party
that never criticises a wrong unless it
has remedy, should step forward and
demand that the people of this country
shall be secured in their deposits, so
that instead of drawing money out they
will put their money in the banks, and
thus restore confidence"
Mr.. Bryan said that asset currency,
instead of relieving the situation, would
have tendency to increase the liabili-
ties of the banks without increasing the
assets, thus aggravating the condition.
Mr.. Bryan's remedy lay in the thought
of Thomas Jefferson Equal rights to
all; special privileges to none."
"But, my friends, it all comes down
to this: Are we going to have the bus
mess of this country done on an honest
basis, or are we going to be turned over
to the bulls and bears of Wall street,
and make the people of this nation bear
the sins of all the gamblers and the
spectators who attempt to distribute
the prosperity of this countryg
"The democratic party says that the
time is coming when this business
should be made so honest that you
won't be afraid of investigations.
If the PILOT devoted its entire space
to Mr.. Bryan's speech at the banquet,
it could not do justice to it. 1t was
discussion of the burning, vital ues-
tions of the hour, by Americas great
est statesman, and the hour and half
passed away all tod quickly for those
at the banquet board
Mr.. Bryan was followed by John
Aylward, democratic nominee for
governor of Wisconsin at the last cleo
ton. He secuted the idea of his max
ing speech or trying to under the cir
cumssances, but he did in a way pledge
the support of Wisconsin democracy to
MIR. Bryan in the following language,
which was received with prolonged ap-
piause and cheering, viz
There is great man in this nation,
whom all democrats demand shall be
their standard bearer in the coming
presidential campaign. That man is
William Jennings Bryan. Wisconsin
pledges him her support as its candi-
date for the democratic nomination,
and | know in doing so it but echoes
the sentiment of the democrats of the
nation"
In the evening MIR. Bryan delivered
his famous lecture, the -rrince of
Peace" to one of the largest audiences
ever seen in the opera house. Charles
Z. Turner, introduced the speaker as
the highest type of American manhood.
| To those who had never heard Mr..
Bryan on topics other than politics, it
was 3 revelation.
Mr.. Bryan emulated as far IS it is posi-
/ bile for humanity tn do sn the Perfacf