The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-05-28
DEFENDS PLATFORM or 1896
Declares That Democrats Are Offering
the Real Reform for the People
Arraigns Republican On
Many Counts
(From Saturdays Daily.)

this morning, and with crowd OF over
1900 people packed into the Opera
House, the foremost Democrat Of the ma
tion today told the people his charges
against the Republican party and pointed
out the remedies being offered by Demo
Gratis. The speech made by Mr.. Bryan
was one Of the best political speeches
ever made in Kenosha and while some
were disappointed in the fact that it
contained none of the splendid flights of
oratory for which the Colonel is noted,
it was one Of those hard hitting political
sallies which brought facts home, and
notwithstanding the absence Of orator.
cal effects was speech which repeatedly
set the great gathering cheering, and
showed that Bryan had strong follow
ing in this section of the state.
The day was great field day for
Democracy. While Mr.. Bryan did not
reach the opera house until after nine
0 clock, the band was playing at seven,
and by eight the opera house was well
filed. Mayor Rose came with a delega-
tion from Milwaukee; Former Postmast
er Clarence Snyder was at the head ola
large delegation from Racine, and there
was a great outpouring of the people
from the county. It looked as if all
loyal Democrats were there and some
of them whose loyalty had been ques-
toned in the past few years Of party
strife were back in the harness cheering
as Justify as the newer leaders Of the
party.
In honor of the distinguished. guest
the Opera House had been beautifully
arranged. The stage was draped with
flags and decorated with palms and
flowers.
Mr.. Bryan arrived in company with
the members of the committee compos-
ed Of Mayor M. J. Scholey, Calvin
Stewart, Attorney John c. Slater and
others, and he was greeted with great
cheering as he made his way to the
theatre where the great crowd was in
waiting. On the platform were a great
company of Democrats including Mayor
Rose Of Milwaukee, State Secretary H.
H. Manson of the Democratic commit
tee, Col. Caruth, City Attorney Slater
and many other leading Democrats. No
time was lost in preliminaries and after
the great crowd had given welcome
of cheers to Mr.. Bryan he was intro
duced by Mr.. Slater who declared that
| it was his "honor and esteemed pleas
ure to present to the people Of Keno
sha Our Peerless Leader, the Ideal
American, the great Commoner and the
man of the people, William Jennings
Bryan"
Mr.. Bryan started well for he had
joke as a starter. lit is an old saying
said the speaker, "That everything
comes to him that waits" Then Mr..
Bryan hesitated and the crowd though
he referred to the presidency 81 am
here" he concluded, and the people
saw the joke and cheered. Then he
launched into his political speech He
declared that the government of this
great country was like corporation in
which the people were the stockholders
and the officeholders, the directors and
that the time was approaching for the
great meeting of the stockholders for
the election Of a new board of directors.
He made local hit when he declared
that he was pleased to congratulate the
people of at least two cities in Wiscon-
sin on the fact that they had elected
Democratic head executives and his
statement was received with cheers
while Mayor Rose and Mayor Scholey
acknowledged the plaudits Of the peo-
pie. Mr.. Bryan said that the coming
election was the most important in the
history of the nation and that it was the
time when United Democracy rent by
honest differences of opinion in 1896
had been united to face a Republican
party rent in twain because the leaders
OF the party had failed to carry out the
party pledges to the people.
lie spoke Of the money question and
then launched into a defense Of the
democratic platform of 1896. He claimed
that no political platform ever written
in any country had been SO vindicated by
circumstances. Sat that time, said
MI. Bryan, some people claimed that
the platform would ruin the country, a
few admitted that it was good while
others said that it was dangerous, but
! tell you now that the platform of 1896
has been indicated by events, more
than any platform ever made by a poll
teal party IN this country. The Demo
Gratis foresaW the dangers to tie Re
public and proposed the remedy and the
policies which we proposed at that time
are today more popular with the Re-
publicans than they were with the Dem
ocrats twelve years ago. 80 He declared
that the money question had been set
tied exactly along the lines laid down
by the platform of 1896. Wit was not
a question of the metal, ',ssshe declared,
"but Of getting more money in circu-
lation and this question isrno longer in
lpolitics. It has be6n settled Inv cir