The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1916-05-31
w. J. Bryan
Speaks Tn
Bristol.
Pictures preparedness" In
Most Hideous Phase Of It's
Significance. Number Of
Big Stone CAPTAINS Go
Over To Hear Ad-
dress.


ing the following clipping from
Fridays Bristol Herald Courier
in regard to Col. Bryan's speech,
which will be, we think, Of
much interest TO our readers.
"That thcAmcrlcun people, the
common masses, are in danger
Of being subjected To a burden
some tax extending over gen
erations, and all that millions
aires in this country may have
chance to pile up more money
at the expense of the sweat and
blood of the toiling millions,
who may also be subjected to
sanguinary war in order to
carry out the program in all Of
its horrors, was IN Substance,
tho picture drawn by the Hon.
William Jennings Bryan in his
peace talk before a large audi
oncein the y, NJ. G. a. audi
torium here on Thursday after
ternoon
Introduced by Judge John
w. Price, Mr.. Bryan declared
that the propaganda OF The in
forests was to stir up the war
spirit, get the Nation into war
along with Nations OF Europe.
and thus force sentiment suf
liciGnt to bring about appropriu-
tiOns amounting to untold mil
lions i'm order that armor, muui-
ton and other war material
plants might profit, He de-
clared that the jiugoists who
are loudest in their demands for
such Il situation never take up
arms, but cry aloud for war as
the aids of the millionaires
WHO are to profit from such a
condition, while the honest
boys of the Nation are driven to
war like so many cattle to the
slaughter.
Ills address was Il denuncia
ton of war rs wrong in prin
cipal, and plea for peaceful
methods III settling all disputes
arising among Nations. He
declared that this could be nc
cumplished in all cases, but for
tile selfish motives to be sub
served, and that when tile com
mon people once saw The situu-
ton in its real light, Il change
IN condition would naturally
follow.
There Ia no occasion for
alarm about war with any Ma.
ton, lie insisted, declaring that
as matters stand today our peo-
ple have no cause nor any de-
sire TO go to war with any Ma.
ton There is, he declared, no
cnuse for alarm along this line.
Our only fear of danger, in the
distinguished statesman sopin-
ION, was that our people might
by reason of lingo agitation,
aided by subsidized press, sub
lact us 10 the false philosophy
advocated by some that TO be
prepared is the only means OF
preventing war.
Mr. Bryan declared there
was never a bigger piece of
sophistry. lie illustrated it by
an example of individuals liv-
lng IN Il community where they
mad enjoyed peace and good
VIII towards each other for
years. Finally certain neigh
beers would talk to one of the
men and tell him lie had certain
rights that ought to be protect
ed against his neighbour. lie
would immediately arm HIM
sell, then announce his prepar-
edness to defend his own rights
against his neighbor. The
neighbor would in turn arm
himself, and the talk of oppos-
ing rights would continue until
IL ended iii Il tragedy. The
same he declared to be true of
Nations among whom the idea
OF preparedness is agitated.
preparation of this nature in
Varlably brings on war, he de
clared.
lie urged that the military
spirit be kept in a state of sub.
lection and that all men talk
peace as the most potent factor
~ the world. When the false
doctrine of preparedness is rel
esated to the rear, as Mr.. Bryan
views 1t, there will be an op-