The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-03
SENATOR NAT BRYAN
IS SURE ''H0T-STUFF."
Boiling With Indignation He
LambaStS "GuardianS
of Liberty"

U. S. Senator arrived in Palatka last
Saturday, and in the evening address,
ed crowd at the corner of Lemon
and Third streets.
Chief Livingston made no attempt
to stop him.
1t was band night, and the concert
had just closed. Mr.. J. N. Blackwell
arose from a dry-goods box and in
stentorian tones called upon the peo-
lie to halt; then he introduced Sena-
tor Bryan.
Senator Bryan delivered "hot"
talk. He defended the original res
olutions of the State Executive Com
mittee, and lambasted the organiza
ton toward whose members those res
olutions were aimed.
He told of the reason for abolish
ing the conventions in 1900, stating
they did not give the people a chance
to see and know candidates. Speak
ing of the much discussed sections
four and five Senator Bryan said they
were new provisions but were taken
out of the primary law of 1907. He
said, 81 have been accused of domin-
ating the state executive committee
on the adoption of the resolutions on
the qualifications of voters. l did
not. In drafting the new law | re-
ouired men to swear to their party
affiliation. 1t can do no harm to
keep republican from voting in a
democratic primary or vice versa. II
man swears he is democrat and
understands what he says, then sec
tions two, three, four and five are
unnecessary"
He laid bare what he said were the
real purposes of the organizations,
saying it was not, as some people be-
lieved, formed in order to keep down
any particular religious sect, but the
sole and only purpose was to make
money for the men at the head. He
quoted figures that showed the fool
ishness of people believing that any
particular sect could overthrow the
government and constitution of the
Estate or of America. There are but
four per cent. of Catholics in the
state, he said, and it is folly to sup
pose they can dominate.
"The reason for this society, gen
tlemen. is that the leaders may get
money and secure political power.
People have unthinkingly joined these
societies, thinking it patriotic and |
ask such men to get out of it. They
have been deceived by the meanest
set of scoundrels that ever undertook
to take away the liberties Of the peo-
pie. | owe a debt to the whole peo-
pie of Florida I can't pay, [ have
tried to show my appreciation by talk
ing pride in the state. l can still
be true to the people and want the
members of this society to think
whether OF not they should come out
of it and vote as they please. For
the leaders | have different feeling.
Are we so stupid that we have to have
a representative come down here
from New York to tell us what to do,
or non-descript from Pennsylvania p?
| say the object of the leaders is to
attack any church if there is money
in it for them"
Senator Bryan then produced what
he said purported to be the constitu-
ton of the Guardians of Liberty
which was procured by Mr.. Stur-
kie of Pasco county who has been
much abused by this society. This
was analyzed by the speaker in 4
few words. One of the oaths of the
body is that no member shall dis
close any information about another
member.
This means. gentlemen, that even
in crime they would have to withhold
mans name," he said.
"The whole political power may be
exercised by three men. Section 2,
Article l of the constitution sets forth
that the national committee consists
of five officers. The national court
reserves the despotic power to pass
on all questions of policy and dis
pute that may arise between the state
and local courts.
"Section 2, article relates to the
support of candidate for public Of
flee. In the state and national courts,
five constitute a quorum, and the
thing is arranged so that the national
body can control state courts, the
state, the local courts and so on
down the line, so that the whole pow
er lies in the hands of three men, con-
stituting a majority in the national
court. The czar of Russia has no
such power, and here is where it is
going to break down. When any
five men undertake to have the men,
bers of the local court vote for some
one that they don't want, then 1t Will
break down. The penalty for not
complying with the wishes of the su-
periors is expulsion. General Miles
and two colleagues at so Wall street,
cannot tell US what to do in Florida,
and | think the democratic party OF
this state should send word to Gen
eral Miles that we can get along
without his help"
The senator continued, "For near
" three years I have been subject to
abuse and anonymous letters in re-
gard to the appointment of Postmas-
ter Dignan at Jacksonville, because
he is a Catholic. I am responsible
for that appointment and am wiling
to pay the penalty for it. He was
annointed as my personal and politi-
cal friend, and I never thought OF his
religion. He was for thirty years IN
the city and I gave him my endorse,
ment freely. Some people opposed
on the ground of religion. | wouldn't
mi