The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-18
OPENS CAMPAIGN.
w. j. Bryan Makes His First
Political Speech
Since His Nomination for the
Presidency at Denver.
TELLS LABOR UNION
That He Is Glad They Got What
They Wanted.
GOmpers Denies That He Sent
Cable to Hearst.

Following his declaration to the Balti-
moro sun that he had not discussed
the brownsville affair or the question
OF the appointment cf negroes to office
Mr. Bryan announces that he did not
wish 10 ne misunderstood. He said ne
olo not mean to convey the impression
tnat re lad never talked about the
BROWNSVILLE le case in any manner bIs
tnat ne had not discussed it as an is
sue IN the present campaign, while so
far as he has read the evidence bearins,
on that subject, he recalled an editor
| ial written by him two years ago IN
Wnlcn ne made the frank assertion
that If the facts were as stated Presi-
dent Roosevelt was fully justified in
his course
Last night Mr.. Bryan went to Lin
coin to attend Masonic meeting ana
two hours afterward received at his
home large delegation from the local
central labo~ union
The chairman of the delegation pre-
sented Mr.. Bryan with resolutions ex-
pressing their confidence in him and
pledging their support of his candidacy
for president.
While this feature was purely local.
the resolutions afforded Mr. Bryan an
opportunity to make his first real po-
htlcal speech since his nomination. He
emphasized his qualification that tSe
great labor leaders have been so well
satisfied with the work of the resolu-
tions committee of the recent Denver
| convention.
Mr.. Bryan said:
Gentlemen Of the Central Labor Un-
| ion:-I am very grateful to you for this
generous expression of confidence and
| this pledge of your support. The reso-
! luton is the more pleasing to me be-
| cause 1t comes from you, among whom
| l have lived for now a little more than
! 20 years. Among the testimonials that
! have been given by neighbors and
/ friends, there is none that 1 prize more
highly than this voluntary proffer of
| your support. this expression of your
confidence and of your good will
TT is true that our Platform. endorses
! a number of remedial measures and I
am in hearty sympathy with the plat
| form endorsements. There is not a line
in that platforms declaration in favor
| of the laboring men that does not have
my cordial approval.
This is not the time or the place to
elaborate upon those planks. There is
| one plank there that 1 was very anxi-
| GUS to have in the platform: it was in
| the platform of eight years ago; The
plank that proposes new cabinet po-
| sition, a department Of labor with 4
secretary at it's head. 1 have for many
years believed that the great body of
| our population known as wage-earners
ought to be represented in the counSelS
| of the chief executive. I have long b.
lieved that you ought to have a repre-
sentative of the toilers in the shops
| and factories; a representative at the
presidents table, sharing in his delib-
! erations, and speaking forth there on
those questions in which labor has an
.Special interest. And l am yery much
gratified that that plank is there, and
that the party has made this promise,
| if entrusted with power, to give to labor
| that high honor to which it as enti-
| tied
TO thnt ie,x
tant that we should have an amend
| ment to the antitrust law, that will
draw distinction between those who
associate themselves together for mu-
tual benefit-a line between those and
those who associate themselves to-
gether in an industrial corporation for
the purpose of monopolizing some ar
ticle of commerce. There is a dis
tinction so broad between these two
classes of organizations that it seems
| to me every one ought to be able to
| see it, and that distinction ought to be
drawn by law. I am glad that it is in
the platform.
The Injunction Plank.
81 am glad that there is a provision
in there in regard to trial by jury in
cases of indirect contempt. 1t is now
something like thirteen years ago, I
| believe, since I first had occasion to
discuss that subject. 1t was after I
went out of congress and before 1 was
nominated for the presidency for the
1 first time. A bill was before the SEN
| ate, and as 1 recollect the history of
| it, it was about like this: 1t was re-
| ported back from the committee of
the senate and in the form in which
it was reported. the judge could per-
NIT a jury trial When l read that re-
port / at once criticised it and said
that the bill should not provide merely
that the judge might permit jury.
/ but a jury should be demanded as a
matter of right by the accused, and
my recollection is that Senator Allen
of this state, introduced an amend
ment to that effect and it was adopt
ed and that it went through the sem
ate by SO unanimous vote that no one
called for the roll 1t is now more
| than twelve years since that time, and
yet the influences which have been
| opposed to this legislation have been
so strong that up to this time that
meas sure of justice has been defeated.
| am very glad that in our platform
4 there is a provision demanding a trial
by Jury in cases of indirect contempt.
81 am glad too, that We are able to
agree upon an injunction plank that
was satisfactory to the leaders of the
| la boring men and the members of the
resolutions committee am much
| gratified and 1 think the form in
which the party's position Is stated
upon that subject ought to be salts
factory to all You will find that this
is no attempt to interfere with the le
gitimate use of the writ of injunction
| where there is real. occasion for it.
but that this writ shall not be issued
| in labor disputes under circumstances
that would not justify its use were
there no labor disputes ought to be
satisfactory to all. In other words.
that it shall not be issued merely for
the purpose of giving to one party of
a labor dispute an advantage over the
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