Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-16
MR.. BRYAN's SPEECH
Commoner Says He Will Support
Woodrow Wilson

4 st. Louis, June 16-Answering
cheers and continued demands that
he make an address, former Secre-
tary of State Bryan went on the plat.
form last night. He was introduced
by Senator James.
| Reviewing the struggles of the
Democratic party, Mr.. Bryan said;
"After sixteen years of waiting our
party entered the White House, and
fortunately we won the Senate and
the House at the same time. Cur
party became responsible for ia,
tional affairs, and now we come,
after three years of labor. to make
our plans for the future, Ind to sub
NIT to the American people he claim
of our party to continued confidence.
"Whatever differences of opinion
may exist, or may have existed, as
to particular measures or particu-
lar acts, we are here to begin the fight
of 1916, united party in every State
in the Union, ready for battle.
"Today those who stand for the
Democratic party are able to go be-
fore this nation, and not only give a
reason for the faith that is in them
but give a defense of the administra-
tion's claims to the confidence of the
people.
"You may take all the administra-
tions, from the beginning of our his
tory as a republic to the beginning of
the present one, and you will not find
as many laws written upon the sta
tute books of great Importance to
the people as you will find written
in the last three years by Woodrow
Wilson, d Democratic President.
In closing Mr.. Bryan said:
"My friends, believe that there is
now before this country an oppor
! tunity such as no other country has
ever had since the beginning of time.
Il believe that God, in His providence,
has reserved for the United States
the honor and the task of lifting the
moral code that governs individuals
up to the level of nations and making
it part of the code Of all nations.
There is picture which has at
tracted attention wherever it has
been seer-the picture of Christ be-
fore PLATE. Plate represented the
power of the Roman government, and
back of him were the legionS of
Rome. Before PLATE helpless, unarm-
ed, stood the Apostle of Love. For his
triumph, they nailed Him to the tree
and those who stood around Knocked
and jeered and said, He is dead!' But
that, instead Of being the end, was
only the beginning.
'In a few centuries the power Of
Caesar was gone and his legions for
gotten. The power of Cfaist, how
ever, increased until hundreds, yes
thousands of millions of people, have
taken His name with reverence upon
their lips; millions have been ready
to die rather than surrender the faith
that He put into their hearts. He
has become the great factor of all
history, the flowing figure Of all time
"Today Christ and Plate again
stand face to face, and Force and
Love are again striving for mastery
and dominion. The old World repre-
sented Force. 1t built its hope of
peace on fear and threats of violence.
Each nation attempted to torrorize
other nations into peace, and in their
efforts they engendered hatrcds that
Nended in war.
"If the nations now at war had
spent one-tenth as much trying to cul-
tlvate friendship as they have spent
in trying to cultivate hatred, there
would be no war in Europe today.
"And, my friends, if this is to be
the task of this nation, what party is
more fit to perform the task than the
party that breaches the brotherhood
of man as next in Importance to the
| fatherhood of God?
81, as d lover of my country, want
my country to win this greatest Of
all prizes. AS a Democrat. | want
my party to have the honor that shall
come with the accomplishment and
fulfillment of such task, and | stand
with the Democrats Of the nation to
give to Woodrow Wilson an oppor-
tunity to he that man."