The San Francisco call., 1908-08-22
BRYAN'S FIRST
GUN IS TRAINED
AGAINST TARIFF
Democrat Opens Campaign in
Iowa With Attack on
Revision" Idea
Says the Republican Party Is
Obligated to Protected
Interests
BOurbons Alone to Be Trusted
With Work of EquaIizing
Burden of Taxes

DES MONIES, Aug. 21.-Compar-
ing the attitude of the two dominant
parties on the tariff question, William
]. Bryan, the democratic candidate for
the presidency, at the baseball park
in this city tonight, before a vast
audience, fred the first, gun of the
campaign.
While he was speaking the tempo
rary platform, on which were seated
several hundred people, collapsed. No
body was hurt and there was no panic,
but Mr.. Bryan was interrupted for
FIVE minutes while arrangements were
made for him TO continue speaking
from the grandstand where he fn-
ished his address. He attacked the re-
publican tariff revision and asked IL
the democratic party was not justified
when it included in it's platform the
declaration that the people cannot safe
ly intrust the execution of this impor-
tant work TO party which is so
deeply obligated to the highly pro-
y
The whole aim Of our party" he
said in summarizing, lis to secure JUS
tice in taxation. We believe that each
individual should contribute to the
support of the government in proporJ
tion to the benefits which he receives
under the protecting government. We
believe that revenue tariff, approached
gradually, according to the plan laid
down in our platform, will equalize the
burdens of taxation. II the republican
party is to have the support of the
people who find a pecuniary profit in
the exercise of the taxing power, as
private asset in their business, we
ought to have the support of that large
majority of the people who produce the
nations wealth in time of peace, pro-
tect the nations flag in time of war
and ask for nothing from the govern
ment but even handed Justice
Mr.. Bryan, accompanied by Mayor
Frank w. Brown of Lincoln, Private
Secretary Robert F. Rose and several
correspondents, arrived at $3.50 o'clock
4 this morning, two hours later than the
schedule called for. At the station to
meet him were Mayor A. ]. Mathis of
Des Moines, Mayor Sears of Sioux City,
Jerry Sullivan, National Committeeman
Wade, Fred E. White, democratic can
didate for governor, and many other
prominent Iowa democrats.
AFTER lu1CneOn Bryan rested IOr
several hours, and tonight, escorted
| by the Young Mems Bryan club and
many prominent democrats, he pro-
! ceeded to the baseball park, where he
received an ovation before commencing
his remarks. Upon the conclusion of
his tariff speech he addressed an over
| flow crowd in the Auditorium. His
| speech in part was as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: In my notification speech /
stated that as the campaign progressed
l would discuss the question Shall the
! People Ruler as 1t applies to the va
rious issues involved in this campaign.
begin with the tariff question, be-
cause 1t is the most lasting of our
economic questions and the--one upon
which the leading parties have most
! frequently opposed each other
Secretary Taft refers to his subject
briefiy-but as I shall quote such
passages from his speech as are per-
tinent to this discussion it is not neces-
Sary to read his remarks in full.
1t will be noticed that the republican
party has abandoned the earlier argu-
ments advanced in support of a high
industries" that must be tenderly cared
/ for until they can stand upon their
feet; there is no suggestion that the
bont the Roe These eatcs
phrases have had their day-they are
worn out and cast aside. The republican
I leaders are, no longer arrogant ana
insolent; they can not longer defy tariff
reform. Their plan now is to seem to
yield without really yielding.
| submit that the democratic plat
form accurately described the repub-
lican position when it refers to the be-
! lated promise made by the republican
leaders as "a tardy recognition of the
righteousness of the democratic posi-
tion on this question" If former re-
publican promises had been fulfilled 1t
might not have been necessary to thus
CT f~oT1 of nor a M 10 n &c
1 The use of the words Immediately
| after the inauguration" is evidence
that the republican leaders are com
scious that the patience of the public
has been strained to the point of
breaking, and 1t is almost pathetic to
note the solicitude which they now feel
full neglect, might have been done at
any time during the last 10 years
Are we not justified in saying that
the people can not safely fntrust
the execution of this important work
1 to party which is so deeply obligated
to the highly protected interests as is
ing process has become familiar to the
American people. Pressure has been
brought to bear upon the protected in
terests every four years-and to a less
extent in the congressional campaigns
between presidential elections-t0 com
pei contributions to the campaign fund
in return for former favors and in an
ticipation of favors yet to come. It is
difficult to overestimate the corruptfne
influences introduced into the political
life of the nation by this partnership
between the government and the IA
vored industries. Every man engaged
in a protected industry has been an
preached with the proposition that II
is dollars in his pocket to maintain the
system, while those who could not pos
sibly trace any tangible benefits tc
themselves have been beguiled wifi
the assurance that 1t was all a matte,
of public spirit, and that they ought ia
support the system out of patriotic love
of country The recent republican plat.
form is a bugle call to every Beneficiary
of special privilege to enlist again un.
der the republican banner. and wher
the election is over and the republican
committee publishes the list of con.
tributors-too late to make the inforlna-
ton valuabIe-it will be found thai