Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-07-18
HON. v. ]. BRYAN SPEAKS
AGAINST PREPAREDNESS

p. 2 I
Much water has passed under the
bridge since Mr.. Bryan's speech
which protested against the cruel
fixion OF humanity upon cross OF
gold, but Mr.. Bryan's hold upon pub
|lic attention has increased with the
years. Part Of Mr.. Bryan's strength
lies in his peerless oratory, part in
his mental ability, but most of it is
an unconscious tribute to the Amer
lean peoples appreciation of sterl-
ing character. In the stress Of pub
| lie life, in the frenzy OF national de-
bate, in the tremendous clash of Gin
lterests' brought about by the play OF
Mr.. Bryan's oratory on vital public
tissues nobody has ever "got any
thing on Mr.. Bryan. He is clean
las dogs tooth, straight as a string
believes and breaches and practices
the ten commandments. and seeks to
Hay th4-observance of the decalog up
on the conscience Of public life.
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Mr.. Bryan's platform mastery ap-
ipeared in his first sentences. He be-
gan low, went slow, mounted. high
Ter and then took fire. He has conf
dence, and he inspires it in his audi
ence. In an easy conversational
baritone. voice he began his speech.
He did nothing to attract or to hold
his audience. for the people hung up.
on his every word. His speech was
loratory at its best, one man reason.
ling with multitude, laying his will
upon the audience like potent
spell.
With much that Mr.. Bryan said
1.-THE FreemanTribune is in accord
but from much more we are Obliged
to dissent. There is another side te
all the questions discussed by Mr.
Bryan. and it is held by men of un.
limpeachable Christian patriotism
and Of proven statesmanship. From
his point Of view Mr.. Bryan was fair
But TO be perfectly fair on the vexet
questions growing out Of the Euro
pean war, the Chautauqua manage
ment should have arranged to have
Theodore Roosevelt, or some othel
liable exponent OF American patrio
Itism, speak at the big tent. Their
1.-THE cheers and enthusiasm would b.
]at-spots. exactly, opposite to 1wher'
they appeared upon this occasion
and for the most. part it would b
the same people who would do th'
cheering. Mr.. Bryan's arguments
are able but specious. He CAREFUL!
Excludes from consideration tn
world-facts which weigh against hi
contention. With rare rhctorica
skill he glides over the dimcult spots
Often. in the matter Of both fact ant
argument. Mr.. Bryan is skating OF
thin ice, but he is SO master of tn,
situation that the average audienc,
does not know It.
/ It is difficult in q paragraph, t.
loutline Mr.. Bryan's argumen
against preparedness. His. theme
was Lessons Growing out of tn.
European War" and he painted thu
horrors Of the biggest OF all war
with master brush. He tells thu
audience that the United States sui
Tiers more than all other neutrals
After the war international Law
Ishould. be rewritten. Now it SEEM
to be framed in the interest of bel
.|ligerents, but it must be changed s,
as to serve the nations who in tim
lof war remain at peace. Both side
Iof the European war have injured
us, and neither side wished to do III
harm. 1t is not q war of race. re
]ligion, or of dynasty. Seeking thu
cause of the war, Mr.. Bryan right!
finds It to be the false phi1osoph!
that might makes right. The mora
rules which govern private life mus
be applied to International affairs
Naboth's vinyard was used to unfol'
j the moral atrocity of coveting an
others territory, and while Mr.. Bry
an spoke the audience was thinking
|of Belgium and Serbia.
Mr.. Bryan says that the American
people are a unit in wishing to keel
out Of war but acknowledges tina
they are much divided upon tn
method of procedure. Some are TO
preparedness and some are pacifists
and Mr.. Bryan throws his weigh
against the former. He thinks tina
preparedness leads to war. If tn
country were attacked, he think
that it should fight to defend itself
but he negfects to tell the audienc,
how nation can fight when it il
not prepared. Neither navy no
an army can be created overnight. a
the experience Of the sa1lies clearl.
shows.
The jingoes of the country Mr.
Bryan lists as, To the manufactur
ers of munitions, (2.) the profession
al soldiers and co. big employers O
labor, who wish professional arm,
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