Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-16
WILLIAM ]. BRYAN
DEFINES The ISSUES
His Fight in Full Blast Following
Speech at Chicago Jackson
Day Banquet.
STICKS TO 1896 PLATFORM.
Praises Roosevelt for Adhering Il
What He Calls Tenets of the
Democratic Party.

William ]. Bryan spoke at the Jack
son day banquet in Chicago. The Ne
braskan praised President Roosevelt
cratic platform by indorsing many of
the principles of the Bryan party, and
political wise ones have since declared
this looks as if the Democratic stand
ard bearer were outlining his campaign
with the idea that his opponent will be
a candidate who will not reflect the
Roosevelt policies.
Mr.. Bryan reaffirmed allegiance to
the platform of 1885, pointing out how
Democracy had grown stronger in the
advocacy of the principles enrnciated
then. He did not refer to 16 to !, but
declared that the Democrats at that
time advocated ''quantative currency"
and then added: 1.-THE men who de-
spised the '50-cent dollar IN 1896 are
now hungering and thirsting for the
dollar without any cents in it,
The Nebraskan at the outset of his
remarks signified his willingness to lead
the Democracy again when he said:
l shall ask no editor of subsidized
press whether | shall ever be candidate
or not. | shall ask no trust magnate
whether he prefers some other candi-
date. There is only one body to which
l shall submit the question, and that is
that great body of voters in the Demo-
cratic party, and these voters know bet
ter than any Self-styled or constituted
leaders what they want done by the Dem
ocratic party.
Taking up the platform adopted at
the Chicago convention in 1896, when
he was first nominated for President,
Mr.. Bryan said:
Did we not denounce the trusts in '96
and is not our position stronger to-day
than it was then? Did we not demand
regulation of the railroads then and is
not our position stronger to-day than 1t
was eleven years ago? Did we not de-
mand tariff reform then and has not the
sentiment continued stronger now than
then? Did we not demand arbitration
between labor and capital? Who denies
that our position on that subject is not
stronger now than it was eleven years
ago?
Did we not then denounce government
by injunction as an attempt to destroy
the laboring mans right to trial by jury?
Who denies our position is stronger upon
that subject to-day than it was then?
A Republican President has Endorsed
our platform on the railroad question. A
Republican President has accepted our
platform on the trust question. A Re-
publican President has Endorsed our con-
tention on the subject of arbitration, and
a Republican President has said in his
last message that if things get much
worse he will have to indorse our position
on government by injunction.
Our position on Imperialism is strong
er now than it was seven years ago, when
it was announced. | repeat that there
is not one single Democratic doctrine
that is not stronger now than it was then.
l will go further than that. There is
not one single Republican doctrine that
is as strong now as it was then.
Are you surprised that l am happy?
Who has more reason to rejoice than |
have? Some Democrats have criticised
me because | have praised the President
where he has done things Democratic
What else could | do? 1t was only JUS
tice to praise him when he took his place
upon a Democratic platform and to an
nounce to him that he couldn't drive me
off of the Democratic platform by get
ting ON it.