Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-01-25
MIR. BRYAN'S ADDRESS
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES THE WASH
iNGTON LEGISLATURE.

his Words ShOw Fairness and Respect in Dis
cussins the Opinions Of Those Who Differ
With Him-The President Endorsed in Mat
tiers That He Believed We're for the Public
Welfare - Touches Upon Public Ownership
Of Railroads, Corporation Control and Kin.
dred Topics.
On Friday, the 18th, packed audi.
ence was present in the galleries when
the great commoner, by invitation ad-
dressed the Legislature in joint con.
vention at the Statehouse. He was
accompanied by Gov. Mead and the
joint committee OF the Legislature.
His address occupied over an hour in
delivery, and every word received the
most marked attention. The address
is here given fn full. An informal re-
ception was held after vote of thanks
had been extended him. The speech
was as follows:
Members of the Senate and House OF
Representatives, and Ladies and Gen.
tlsmen l desire, in the first place,
to acknowledge my Indebtedness to the
members of the Legislature for this
very much appreciated compliment
which they pay me for inviting me to
speak in this chamber, and this honor
Is more appreciated because it comes
from those who do not agree with me
on all political questions. / am very
glad to be in this country, and we can
recognize the right of people to opin-
ions; that We can respect opinions
even when We do not agree with them
and have had much in my career to
teach me charity of opinion and liber.
slity in the confederation of political
opponents, for while I have passed
through some bitter campaigns, I have
much more that can remember with
credit than that now recall with sor-
row pain.
In fact l am in politics much as am
in religion. l am 80 mixed in religion
that l cannot place much emphasis
upon church creeds even If wanted
to, for my father was . Baptist and
when was born my mother was q
Methodist, although she joined church
OF my father, l joined the Presbyterian
church and after went to the college
l took ny letter to the Presbyterian
church. because there was no other
church there. When I married.. my
wife was Methodist and joined the
Presbyter church with me, and now
We both attend the Methodist church.
One daughter attends the Epiecopalian
church, two children belong to the
Methodist church, 90 am mixed on
| creeds, but remember when l was q
young man bearing . southern Metho-
dist preacher cay that the ideal of
churches could be illustrated by story
which he told, and he told of a mill
to which many people brought wheat.
He said some brought over the hill and
some along the river route, but when
they reached the mill the miller did
not ask them what way they came by,
but whether the wheat was good. And
l think Of it great many times, and
have found it applicable in politics
as we'll.
Wnen I first went to Washington 40
. member of Congress I had an idea
that all virtues were condensed in the
Democratic party and that ell vice
and wrong could be found in the other
party. but after had been iu Congress
awhile ! found that there were bad
Democrats and good Republicans. and
il made me q little more charitable in
my opinions, and when 1 became .
candidate for the high Office some OF
the Democrats left me and some of the
Republicans came to, me, and after
careful consideration l made up my
mind would rather look Republican
in the face than q Democrat in the
back. (Applause.)
GREAT POLITICAL PARTIES.
And l have found that among mem.
bers of parties you will find the same
distinctions that you will find between
parties. That 10 every country you
will find parties where they have any.
thing like an expression OF public
opinion, and in all those parties one
will be going toward the people and
the other you will find going away
from them-will be obstructiug the
progress toward reform. You will 6ud
in every party the same distinctions,
though not 20 aggravated as where
they are found within different parties.
In every party you will find some
more advanced than others. These
persons who are considering remedial
Legislation. Now. the two great par.
ties in this country are the Republi.
can party, which is in power in the
nation, and tho Democratic party,
which by all considerations ought to
be in power. <Laughter.)
You VII! Ind that among the Re.
puh!icsns :here are reform Republi.
cans and there are conservative Re.
publicans; that in the Democratic
party there will be radical Democrats
and conservative Democrats, and
sometimes it is hard on election day,
to draw tho line exactly between the
conservative Democrats and the radi.
cal Republicans. They sometimes gel
90 close together that the line 10 dim
But you will find these differences.
When 1 was in Japan I found thai
they had what they called "Coreau
Lions" that were before the doors ol
the temples, one on each side. Now,
these Corean Lions were rather inter
esting figures; they do not look fero-
cious like the British lion; they were
rather comical looking. But what
struck me was that one had bis mouth
open and the other had his mouth
shut. and We were told that they rep
resented an idea, and that WAS the
eternal conflict between the positive
and the negative-one said 'yes'-the
other said no. and you will find that
il is the eternal conflict between the
positive and the negative.
| CONFLICTING ELEMENTS NECESSARY.
A man asserts something. and The
Ainaid man aaxa 60 No I do not think II