The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-08

for me to do so in order to prevent
such a circumstance, l shall not shirk
my duty"
Mr.. Bryan's address last night was
n Of the greatest expositions Of
democratic principles that has ever
been listened to in Fargo. He was
bitter in his d"enunciation Of Col.
Theodore Roosevelt, sharply warned
against the third term idea, and came
out in the open for Sen. Robert NJ.
LaFollette for the progressive republic
car candidate. AS a humorist and a
wit, Mr.. Bryan is universally &C
knowledged to be clever and even
the Roosevelt supporters, as we'll as
the Taft sympathizers, who were In
the audience greatly enjoyed his little
rapier thrusts that he prodded into
each of these two national leaders.
Mr.. Bryan prefixed all his bitter doses
with a sugar-coated pill which put
the audience in a good humor and
everyone good-naturedly enjoyed the
eloquent address he gave.
introduced by HiIdreth.
The was introduced to his
vast audience by Col. NJ. A. Hildreth
OF Fargo who said he was "the great
est orator in the world" which re-
mark was greeted with tremendous
applause and one in which everyone
present could concur regardless of his
political affiliations.
He has never been false to any
statement he has ever made" said
Colonel Hildreth. and he has made
a place for himself in the homes and
in the hearts of a free and mighty
people"
Mr.. Bryan began his address with
a review of the worlds democratic
tendencies, diIating upon what the
monied powers were doing in this
country and then citing the history
that has been made by the common
people of the nations of Russia, Persia,
Turkey, China and even Great Britain.
He came down to brass tacks" just
one hour after he had finished his in
PRODUCTION. He then launched into
some of the reforms which the demo-
cratic party had urged.
Beginning with the question of the
election Of United States senators by
direct vote Of the people, which is the
gateway to other reforms" he said,
Il think both houses Of congress will
agree to a resolution to that effect be-
fore the close OF the present congress.
in 1899 a democratic congress pass
ed a resolution calling for that meas
ure. Three democratic national plat
forms have adopted that reform, but
/ suppose If there r any populists in
the house they will remind me that IN
the national platform of that party the
election Of senators by direct vote was
a plank four years before the DEM
ocratS advocated 1t.
Nov just to keep the populists from
getting a little swell headed, / want to
say that ] found out recently that the
prohibitionists adopted it in their ma
tional platform twelve a before the
populists, way back in 1872. And what
is more humiliating than aver I re-
Gently found that the idea had first
been started by a republican presi-
dent who recommended it In a message
to congress for passage. Now isn't
that humiliating that it should be
traced clear back to the republican
party after all?
But ! took some satisfaction when
L realized that the republicans so
heartily disapproved of such a meas
ure that they tried to impeach the
man who advocated it. 1t was poor
old Andrew Johnson who barely es-
capped with his life"
Mr.. Bryan then pointed out the
number of reforms for which his party
was responsible, including the Austria
liam ballot system and the doing away
with the boss as the only political
Ponfor La xarna boartU I'm hfa nrofsa
for Tom u. Johnson, but his old an
tagonism for Grover Cleveland was
apparent when he failed to give the
deceased president any credit for
either the Australian ballot and civil
service reforms, which the sage OF
Princeton conceived.
Mr.. Bryan told a great many things
about some of the prominent workers
OF the day and what is being done by