Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-18
BRYAN MAKES
 FIRST SPEECH.
Pleads For Support by La-
 boring ker.
ALSO ASKS FARMERS AID.

Democratic Candidates Issue Appeal to
 Asriculturists For Contributions to
 Party's Campaign Fund -"citizens
 Who Ask From the Government
 Nothing but Protection to Their
 Rights" Should Follow Example of
 Iowa Farmer Contributor, Say Nom-
 inees.
 Lincoln, Neb, July 1S.-William J. Bryan in his first speech of the cam- paign uttered plea for support froD the laboring masses. To 100 members of the Lincoln Central Labor union he laid stress upon the labor blanks in the Denver platform, which he urged had been framed wholly in the inter- est of the wage earners. He pointed out particularly the anti-injunction, antitrust, trial by jury and secretary of labor blanks and argued that for these alone Bryan and Kern ought to get the votes of the workingmen.
 Il have for many years believed that
 
 known as wage earners ought to be represented in the councils of the chief executive" said Mir. Bryan.
 Following his declaration to the Bal timore Sun that be had not discussed the Brownsville affair or the question of the appointment of negroes to of- flee, Mir. Bryan announced that he did not wish to be misunderstood. He said be did not mean to convey the i'm pression that he had never talked about the Brownsville case in any manner, but that he had not discussed 1t as an issue in the present campaign. While he had not read the evidence bearing on that subject, he recalled an editorial. written by him two years ago, in which he made the frank as- sertion that. if the facts were as stat ed. President Roosevelt was fully jus tified in his course.
 Message to Agriculturists. ..
 In formal message to the farmers of the United States Mir. Bryan and Mir Kern ask financial aid for their campaign for the presidency and vice presidency. The statement reads:
 The first contribution made to the Dem- ocratic campaign fund this year. so far as We know. was made by an Iowa farm CT. Just before the Denver convention met this man, who modestly prefers not to have his name mentioned. journeyed more than 100 miles to Lincoln with his contribution of sl0O, which he left with MT Bryan to be given to the committee when organized for the campaign
 This farmer was born in Sweden and for some time after he was naturalized was a member of the Republican party. But he was a student of public questions and in the course of time became a Dem ocrat. To manifest his deep interest in the success of the party and in the tri- umph of Democratic principles he made this free will offering to the campaign fund.
 It is very appropriate that this first should come from that great body of our population known as agri- culturists. The farmer has nothing to gain by privilege and favoritism His hope Is in the application of the doctrine of equal rights to all and special priv lleges to none" He has been the victim of all special legislation and has suffered from control of politics by the great pred atory corporations. Now that the Demo- cratic party has announced it's determina- ton not to accept contributions from cor porations and not to accept excessive con- tributions even from individuals and to publish all contributions when over a req sonable minimum. it ought to be able to | secure a sufficient sum from the citizens | who ask from the government nothing ! but protection to their rights and consid- | sration for the general welfare. ! There are hundreds of thousands of | farmers who are abundantly able to con- | ribute to the campaign fund. There are | thousands who could give sl00 apiece | without sacrificing and still more who | could give s2S or sl0 or 6.
 Our fight Is a fight for the whole peo- ,l.. Our aim is equal and exact justice l O all. Our purpose is to restore the gov- 'rnment to the hands of freely chosen i of the voters How many armers will join in furnishing the fund to present the issues?