Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-10-12
MIR. BRYAN IN RICHMOND.

w lillhul JcuhihBo J"
Richmond Yesterday aud WAS escorted to
the fair grounds By reception commit
tee of $50 citizsns headed bys band.
He was introduced to the vast crowd IS
sembIed on the grounds by Ex-Governor
Montague and spoke for more than an
hour. :.
Former-Gov. Montague, in his To-
PRODUCTION of Mr.. Bryan sail: mo ex-
bibition Of mans industrial achieve
ment is wholly unrelated TO mans po-
Ideal achievement. So today We can
turn quite naturally from the man and
his cattle to the man aud his govern
ment: from the mans industrial life to
mans political life. The cattle in yon-
der stalls are as ignorant OF forms and
administrations of government as the
cattle Of thousands of years ago; but
man from age to age has steadily in
creased in knowledge and interest in
political affairs, struggling all the while
10 make government subordinate to man
and not man subordinate to government.
The establishment OF government To-
stitutions upon this principle has made
this northern hemisphere the hope
of the earth. Great groups OF men
under the forms of parties have
come 10 vie with each other IN
the maintenance and promotion OF
out political institutions. Among these
parties is the one under whose auspices
the address Of the day is to be mSde; a
par;y old in honorat l. service 10 the peo-
pie of the republic; party born for the
average man, and which will endure
only SO long as it safeguards his liberty
and interest. Victories many this party
has enjoyed defeats many it has suffered,
and after long separation from power it
will soon again come to challenge the
Judgment of the nation upon the sound
ness of its creed and its ability Of per-
formance
After the EXC overnor had set forth
the principles for which the democratic
party contend. he closed as follows;
"Devoted to his country and its in
stitutions, in which the principles l
have sketched must find expression,
standing for the promotion of the pros
perily, intelligence and virtue of all the
people, loved by millions at home ard
respected by thousands abroad, is the
gentleman whose address this multitude
now awaits, and whom | now present in
the person of the great American COM
moner, William j. Bryan"
Mr.. Bryan took for his subject "The
Average Man." saying that he wanted
10 show how numerous and how import
ant the average man is in politics aud
affairs of the nation. He contrssted the
average man Of America and OF other
lands which he had visited. He said
taat in this country the average man Is
the important man, and he is above any
other average man in lhe world. "Here
we have the common people, and they
are the people The common peopls is
not term of reproacb, but should be
great compliment.
"For The common people and the
common people only plead for mankind
and the brotherhood of man.
1.-THE common people are those who
produce the nations wealth in time o.
peace and fight The nations battles in
time OF war;
He included 10 his list Of &c
people" tie farmerp, The artist
teachers, the physicians, the
and the lawyers.
He said he would put in
psp rmen-not all o! them,
would not be safe for the Conn., r.
pie to have them. He said that some
OF the great metropolitan newspaper;
hire brilliant writers who chloroform the
public while the proprietors pick The
pockets of the people. He then went Or
to include the ministers and the railroad
meu and any one who wants to come TO-
| to the class.
He would take in even the small
bankers, "although in 1896 | found
that some of them separated themselves
from the common people,
He declared that the common people
and the average man believe 10 peopl5''
government, and, therefore, in a demo
cratic government He pointed out the
difference between the policies of Hsmil'
ton and of Jefferson, and exhorted bis
hearers to the Jeffersonisn plan of gov
eminent. He favored frequent elections
of public officials.
Mr.. Bryan then touched upon The
question ola third term for the presidency
referring to the deep-seaIed prejudice in
tuis country agaus. the third term.
president Roosevelt recognized this, "
be said, "When he made his declaration
on the night Of his election. If | hsd
slid what the President has said would
not believe 10 the pro,eslati0ns Of friend
ship of any man who should say that
would change my mind"
Some applause greeted this sentiment.
He said that all over this world there
are two parties the democratic party
and the aristocratic party. The demo
cratic party is the growing party, and
the aristocratic party is the dying party.
His whole address was al appeal tt
The common people and the principle;
of democracy as against plutocrscy.
He made an impassioned protes
against the tendency toward centralized
government and for the preservation Of
the rights of the States.
Mr.. Bryan told his friends here thai
he was not yet ready 20 make announce
ment of his candidacy for the presi
dency, but he made 1t clear to them tha