New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-11
BRYAN GROWS OPTIMISTIC
mo Reason for Pessimism," He
Tells Twilight Club at Dinner.
ONE PROPHECY IN POLITICS
Then Preachment of Progress in
Every Line Points to a New
and Higher Era.

| Colonel william Jennings Bryan chose
| comprehensive subject for his address de-
| livered last night before two hundred MEM
| bers and guests of the Twilight Club at a
! dinner in his honor held at the National
| Arts club. in East 10Th street. He spoke
| on The Intellectual Governmental and
Moral Progress Of the World Within the
| Last Few Years" His message was one
Of unqualified optimism regarding the
future Of this country. as we'll as that Of
foreign lands He confined himself to
discussion of democracy i'm the broader
sense. without drawing party lines. The
one political prophecy he made was that
the coming special session Of congress
would vote favorably in both houses on
the resolution to amend the Constitution
50 as TO provide for the election Of SEN
ators by direct vote 81 the people.
There is no reason for pessimism. and
every reason for optimism. said Colonel
BRYAN. provided our optimism is of an
intelligent kind. The first thought 7 want
TO leave with YOU IS that the world is NOV
ing forward intellectually. and optmists
can find a truth in that. for the world Is
growing better"
Colonel Bryan reviewed the great strides
in education which had been made within
the last few years in most OF the countries
Of the world and said that the educational
movement IN this country had been greater
than anywhere else.
"Anothe; comparatively recent form or
advancement particularly noticeable in
our country" he said. rs that We are get
ting 10 have a better understanding Of
apnlica ion n
the public welfare. mean by popular
government q government resting on the
consent of the governed. where the people
have the real power: and in proportion as
they get taste Of popular government
you find the people demanding better ed
ucation for their children
There have been some great victories
for democracy, i'm its largest sense. in
Russia, China, Persia. Turkey England.
and in our own country within the last
five years. There has been tremendous
impulse during that time for popular gov
eminent in this country"
Mr. BRYAN discussed the agitation in
Congress for the direct election of SEN
ators and prophesied the Senate would ap-
prove the measure. which had already passed
the House. at the coming special session.
He outlined the movement in the states
which had led up to the adoption of tho
initiative referendum and recall, and said
he believed that as many states would
adopt these measures of popular govern
ment in the next two years as had adopted
them during the last ten years
II believe the moral progress of the world
is more pronounced to-day than either the
intellectual or the governmental" continued
Mr. Bryan This is the most important
force of tho three My hope for tho future
OF this country lies in the belief that we
are entering upon a new cram epoch
% the spread Of higher ethical and altruis-
tic ideas Fifteen years ago the majority
of the people who were talking about re-
form were those who were suffering, but to-
day the conditions are different. for many
persons who are not in want are studying
these questions"
Colonel Charles ". Fuller was toastmas-
ter. and introduced Colonel Bryan as still
one of the best known men in America.
Among the other speakers were the Rev.
Warren W. Giles and Miss Jessica Finch,
head Of the Finch Socialistc School.
Congressman steven Ayres, of the
Bronx; Justice Minturn Of Jersey City;
Charles Ingersol. the Single Taxer; Charles
Austin Bates, solomon Feldman, the social
list; the Rev Henry Frank, Edward j.
Wheeler and Colonel Jacob s. CoXey, Il
"Coxey Army" fame, were among those
nresent