The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-19

battle is the growing one and the
party of the aristocracy is the dying
party the world around"
He took for his text, five illustra-
tons of the triumph of the democrat
ic party in nations OF the world. By
the democratic party, he did not
mean, the modern democratic party
of the United States, but of the adj
vocates of democracy and popular
government Russia, for example,
was formerly a synonym for despot-
ism, while today the people are gain
| ing a hand in the government, and
education is compulsory, which is
the beginning of the end of the
despotism. Persia, Turkey, China
and all the backward nations are
quickly coming to the front under
democracy.
Within three years, democracy
has won two victories in Great Brit
ain. The first was in taxation, the
second when the Lords were COM
PEELED to surrender the vote power,
which had been challenged by the
house of commons.
This is what other countries are
doing, but the United States, as a
nation, is not standing still The
United States leads every other
country in progressing toward popu.
lar government.
The first great victory in this
country, was the reform that in.
wolves change in the election of
senator's In a short time, instead
of being the bulwark of predatory
wealth, the senate will be the PEG.
pies choice; instead of being a men
ace to free institutions, it is to be-
come the reward which people
bought. Massachusetts was the first
state to inaugurate this system, and
Minnesota comes a close second.
Mr.. Bryan then reviewed the great
struggle in this country and told of
the organization of this idea. Al
though it was carried out under the
rule of the democrats of the state,
it was placed in the platform of the
populists, but earlier than that the
prohibitionists had started it, and
before them the republicans.
Then came the changing of the
ballot law. Passing from the sys.
TEN where the bosses control, to the
primaries where the people speak,
he told of the suggestion of the presi.
Dental primary.
"If the president will be nominated
by the people in their homes and
not by the political bosses, there will
be no repetition of the work at the
two national conventions of this
summer" he said, for which he was
cheered again and again.
But there is movement to purify
politics also. Hereafter candidates,
running for office, must keep &C.
counts of their expenses, during the
campaign, the people have demanded
publicity as to the individual con-
tributions, and there is now a bill
providing for publicity of this ex-
pense and contributions before the
election. a ID, at.E... ....-t.. ~..- f.
But the people have gone farther
than this even. They now want a
law to compel the president to tell
the people on whose recommends
tons he appoints the various judges.
The president, in other words, can
not go back in his dark room and
develop judicial negatives; he must
come out in the front. .,-r
And now, the newspapers must
tell the reader who owns the news
papers and tell whether articles
about politicians and candidates for
office are paid articles. a And finally
we will get an income tax to the
constitution. Thus, the present is
verify period of progress.
The Unfinished Task.
He spoke of what Abraham Lin
coin on the field of Gettysburg, call
ed the unfinished task, to which
those present should consecrate
themselves. This task is still I'M
finished and our coming here will
not result in the things that are
meant for us, unless we put our.
selves to the task" he said.
| His closing remarks were taken
up with a plea for a continuation
iof the progress in morals, intelli-
gence, and science of government,
and what was necessary to advance
the world step along these lines.
At the conclusion of his address,
Mr.. Bryan was loudly applauded, and
many came up to the stage to shake
hands with him.