Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-05


simply seeker of votes. l do not
care to take that position inc
danger OF Bryan is in his sincere belief
in ruinous, inlpracticable policies. he
seems to believe in free trace, that I'M
Loverisller Of the masses; he seemed TO
think once that Roosevelt wanted to
be king, and that. if we had to have
king. it would better be Bryan
daughter and applausc).
You might as well arm an anarchist
with torch and boom and start him
down Broadway, and then try to rea-
son with him that his boom might cX-
plode and kill someone, as to try to
reason with Bryan that his policies
are ruIn"us. lie is a great orator.
great lee turcr, a great man, and he is
the gretest living authority--on
events that never happened.
The issues in this campaign are not
Democracy against Repuhlicanisn. but
Bryanism against Republicanisn, and
l shall discuss Rryan'S ideas with due
regard To him as an individual. In
the IA years since he became proIn1-
Ecnt in national affairs he has not adj
vocattd a single idea that has not been
repudiated by the people, by his party
or by himself If there is any Demo-
crat in Maine who can point out one,
he can give me piece OF Information
for which | have been seeking for
many days.
In 1892 Bryan advanced his first
paramount issue He was not can
didate for the presidency then, but
leader of the POpulists. He made an
appeal for free trade, and denounced
the Republican policy of protection.
declaring that in a few years more 1T
would reduce us to a nation of SerfS
ruled by a few manufacturing barons.
Here the speaker repeated Blaine'S
prophecy. made prior to 1892. of dis
tress that would fall upon the country
when the principle of protection should
he abandoned, and then went on to
summarize the effects of the Wilson
tariff continuing:
III IS the same situation now Bryan
assures you that if elected he will use
his influence for revision Of the tar
if, not on the principle of protection
hut Tor revenue Cnly-frec trade. In
the days of distress brought on by the
Wilson bill. we had Cuxey'S army-a
vast horde of wandering, idle men
my town. They were not hobos-they
were American farmers and working
men, travelling i'll search of the pros
rerity that has been promised to them
by the Wilson bills supporters, by the
SURPRISING cloquence of the gentleman
from Nebraska, who makes the same
promise now. 1t reminds me of the
story of q man who was knocked down
4 n l.,
both legs and an arm broken The
motoriSt, after he has passed, turned
and yelled at his victim:
Look out. there
For Gods sake" replied the vic
tim. family, you're not coming back
again. are YOU
There seems today to be a fear on
the part Of the victims of the Wilson
automobile that it may come back
again.
'CoXeys army went to WASHINGTON,
many Of them. and all they had to say
TO them there was Keep off the grass
well, that was Bryan's first para
mount issue. A few days ago he said
that the Republican party was not the
TREND of the workingman, but that it
was the party of wealth Well Re
publican party does believe in wealth
1t does not believe that the condition
nf the people generally can he i'm
proved by destroying wealth 1t was
born with the special mission to look
out 10. the welfare OF the masses. 1t
broke the shackles Of millions of
slaves; it protected the workncmen of
this country from the impovershing
competition of Europe; it enacted the
Chinese exclusion law; and the en-
nlovers' liability law. ard tho child
labor law: it abolished the contract
labor system. created the labor bureau
enacted the pure food law. All these
and more. Point out to me a single
act in behalf of labor that was not
done by the Republican party,
'BryanS third paramount issue was
the double standard of coinage He
said, If protection has slain its thou
sands. the gold standard has slain its
tors of thousands This was in 1896
What do you think would have been
the result if Bryan's currency ideas
had prevailed?
In 1900 the paramount issue was i'm
rerialism. Bryan says we don't want
any colonies. We agree with him in
that, He says we don't want any
dependent peoples. We agree with
him in that, He says that we should
turn the Filipinos loose to work out
their own salvation. we agree with
him in that-but when? Turn them
adrift now. helpless. to again become,
as they had been for centuries. the vic
TINS of oppression and spoilation?'
Here Senator Borah reviewed Judge
Tafts achievements in behalf of order
and progress in the Philippines. saying
that he had there planted the primary
principles of American government. |
50 that in time as an Independent peo-
PIE. they may be able to properly con
duct their own affairs. To-day they |
are better off. for Judge Taft's efforts |
and are making good progress, and |
when the Republican party deems the
time ripe to let them 60. they will be
we'll able to look out for themselves" |
The speaker declared that Judge
Taft's achievements in the Philippines
would stand as lasting monument to
his devotion to the cause of humanity
and his eminent craftsmanship.
I'm 1904 RrV1n