Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 10, 1908)
3tw" " "",' P'JIWJ The Commoner. 12 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 2 "S I. J. DUNN'S SPEECH NOMINATING MR. BRYAN ... i it. 1 .1 ..1 I tlinnn nnnvtnflnnfl llnrttl ofllOrfl Tint. IflS til O TTinSf. mnrOCinTI tl f tll Mr. I. J. Dunn, assistant city ai tornoy of Omaha, wlio placed Mr. Bryan In nomination at Denver, spoko as follows: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of tho Convention: Crises arise In the life of nations which ondangor their institutions and, at times, imperii tho advance of civilization. Every peo ple that has loft its impress upon history has faced such crises. In most instances, whore grave clangors havo threatened tho safoty of tho state, somo great character, somo master mind has boon found, produced as it were by the conditions themselves, with capacity to direct aright tho onorgles of tho people. This was true of tho ancient world; it has boon true of tho modern world; it is true of this republic. Wo havo such a crisis to mset to day. Tho favor-seeking corporations havo gradually strengthened their hold upon tho government until they now menace popular institutions. Tho question is, whether this gov ornmont shall bo restored to the con trol of tho peoplo and bo admlnls- rnroiV In llin Inrnrnnt of all. or whoth- or it shall remain an instrument in tho hands of tho fow for levying tribute upon all tho rest. In his special message to congress la'st winter, President Itoosovolt de clared, substantially, that certain wealthy mon who havo become enor mously rich by oppressing the wage earner, defrauding tho publio and practicing all forms of iniquity, havo banded together, and by the unlim ited use of money, endeavor to se curo freedom from restraint and to overthrow and discredit aij who hon estly administer tho law. That the methods -by which these mon havo acquired thoir great for tunes can only be justified by a sys tem of morality that would permit every form of criminality, every form of violence, corruption and fraud. For many years, and especially during the last twelve years, these very men havo bnon in control of tho republican party: they have financed overy campaign of that party for a quarter of a century. These exploiters of tho people, whom tho president has so scathing ly denounced, havo given their en thusiastic support to tho republican candidates and policies. They laid their hands upon the trust funds of insurance companies and other cor porations and turned the plunder over to tho republican committee. Tho money thus filched from the in nocent and helpless, to purchase re publican victory, has not been repaid. And where do we find these men today? Where are tho "swollen for tunes" of which wo havo heard so much? Just whore we would ex pect to find them supporting the republican ticket and furnishing the sinews of war for the republican com mittee as usual. The platform adnnrort w , in convention show3 what tho republi can party in truth represents. In framing tho platform, every genuine reform which the president has ad vocated, was scorned and repudiated. The Wisconsin delegation asked that one or two reform planks bo placed In tho platform, and for its pains was denounced as democratic. The con vention by a vote of eight to ono rl.llQ(Lt0 aPPrve those policies which the president for four years has been urging upon his party. The mask of hypocrisy has been torn from the face of those who pretend to favor the reforms advocated by the president, and it is now apparent why the "system" admires Taft and hates tho senator from Wisconsin When compelled to chooso botwooii an appeal to tho conscience of tl o nation In defonso cf its platform and oTw1Mnfnj nr tlm nnp hnnd. and tho millions that the special inter ests may bo depended upon to con tribute, on tho other, that conven tion rejected the peoplo and contin ued its alliance with Mammon. If tho charges made by tho presi dent aro true and they aro true wo aro indeed faco to face with a situation as grave as any in our his tory. How shall it bo met? The good sense, patriotism and united action of the people alone can rem edy present evils. To wage a successful fight wo must havo a leader. The republi can party, dominated by the. seekers of special privileges, can not furnish him. Republicans who really desire reform aro powerless; the efforts of tho president havo been futile. The democratic party must fur nish tho leader which present condi tions demand, and ho must bo a man known to be free from the influences that control the republican party. Ho must be a man of superior intel lect, sound judgment, positive con victions and moral courage ono who will meet the forces of plutoc racy with tho naked Bword of truth one who knows no surrender. He must have a genius for state-craft; he must be a man of wide experi ence In public affairs; he must have ability to formulate policies and courage to defend them. But abovo all, ho must have faith in the people. He must not only believe in the right of the people to govern, but in their capacity to' do so. And he must be a man whom the people know and trust. The democratic party has many distinguished men who might be chosen as our standard boarer; but It has one man who, above all others, possesses the necessary qualifications and is eminently fitted for this lead ership. He is a man whpse nomination will leave no doubt as to where our party stands on every nublic nuentinn. win. genius for statecraft Is shown by the constructive work he has done In proposing reforms, and by the alillty With which he has fortified his posi tion. But wo may go farther. A few months since, he vialtad tho principal nations of .the world. He camo in contact with the leading minds of Christendom, and thn wnriri abroad recognized his greatness and paid him that tribute justly duo to men of high attainments. In the most distinguished peace convention that has assembled in re cent years, he proposed a plan which, if adopted, would prov- more effec tive than any arbitration treaty that has yet been mad. nnd iw Mo in fluence ho secured its approval by the representatives of tho twenty-six leading nations there assembled. Is he thoroughly Informed regard ing the issues .of this campaign? Read his speeches and his writings, wmuu ior nearly twenty years have SGS a part of tho Political literature of the nation. Is ho sincere, brave and determined? Even his political opponents now admit that he Is. I havo had a close, personal and political acquaintance with this man whoso name Nebraska presents, since he entered political i::e. I can testi fy from observation ns tn Mc, u cal conduct boforo he was known to fame. Ho was honest, bravo and unyielding them; he Is honest, brave and unyielding now. Honesty is inherent in him. He was an honest lawyer before he en tered politics. Ho was honest in his political methods before his states manship was recognized by the na tion; and ho has beon honest throughout his nolitifini nnrnai. cHls convictions have beon his po- , viAsuwwioiQ nas impressed flinan nnnvlo.Honfl nnon others, not by dictation, but by arguments ad dressed to the judgment and the con science. Believing In the ultimate triumph of the right, he has never examined questions from the standpoint of ex pediency. He has never inquired whether a political principle was pop ular; it has been sufficient for him to believe that it was right. Ho has been a consistent champion of tho reserved rlchts of the states. Ho favored the election of senators by direct vote before the house of representatives ever acted favorably unon tho subiect. He chamnioned tariff reform when the west was tho hot-bed of protection. He favored an income tax before the income tax law was written. He attacked the trusts when republican leaders were denying that any trusts existed. He advocated railroad reg ulation before the crusade against rebates and discrimination began. He has always been the friend of labor, and was among the first to urge conciliation between labor and capital. He began to oppose govern ment by injunction more than a de cade ago. He announced his opposi tion to imperialism before any other man of prominence had expressed himself on the subject, and without waiting to see whether it would be popular. When a Wall Street panic burst up on us a few months ago, he promptly proposed as a remedy, the guarantee of bank deposits, and so popular has this plan become that It is today a national issue and supported by the masses of the people. Ho has long advocated legislation which will se cure publicity as to campaign con tributions. He believes in peace in universal Christian peace. He believes the destiny of nations should be deter mined not by wars, but by applying the principles of justice and hu manity. Though these principles have met with uncompromlBlntr onnositlon from the special Interests, he has re mained true to the cause of the peo ple. With clear vision and with un faltering trust, seeing and knowing the truth, he has never lost faith In Its final victory. Through years of unparalleled po litical warfare his loyalty to his Ideals and to his fellow men has been abundantly shown. His refusal to surrender his convictions, though subjected to abuse, denunciation and vindictive opposition such as few public men in all history have been compelled to withstand, is ample proof of his superb courage: His career proves that successful leadership is determined by the suc cess or failure of great principles .utm- man Dy election to high office, we have met to plan the campaign ana to commission the commander under whom the masses will enlist, we are not here In response to the voice of expediency; neither pollti- vx uuos nor corporate masters sent us here. Wo are here at the sum mons of the rank and file 'of that po litical organization which is the spe cial defender of the rights of the common people. We are hero representing all that is best in the traditions of our party wo feel again the spirit that animated the democracy in tho days of Jeffer son and Jackson. The voters havo spoken, and we assemble to givo expression of their will. Their voice for the third time calls Nebraska's favorite son to be the standard bearer of his party in this gigantic contest. Since time began no grander trib ute was over paid to any. man by a ireu people. as tho most representative citizen of the nation, tho peer of any livine man. 6 Friends and foes have learned that he was shaped in that heroic mold in which tho world's great pat riots, statesmen and leaders havo beon cast. First nominated when ten years younger than any other presidential candidate ever chosen by a prominent party; living in a state five hundred miles farther west than that in which any president has ever lived, ho has grown in the affections of tho people as the years have passed. apeaiang and writing freely on all subjects, his heart has had no secrets and his friends have increased in numbers and in confidence. Without an organization to urgo his claims; without a campaign fund to circulate l'terature in his behalf; without patr. nage to bribe a singlo voter; without a predatory corpora tion to coerce its employes into his support; without a subsidized news paper to influence tho public mind; he has won a signal victory at tho primaries and has become the free choice of the militant democracy of the nation. Forming in one unbroken phalanx, extending from Massachusetts to California, and from Michigan to the everglades, the yeomanry of tho party have volunteered their ser vices to make him the party candi date; and they will not lay down their arms until they have made him the nation's chief executive. Nebraska's democracy which saw in him, when a young man, tho signs of promise, places in nomination as the standard bearer of our party tho man who, in the thrilling days of '9G and 1900, bore the battle-scarred banner of democracy with fame as unsullied and fidelity as spotless as the crusaders of old. Nebraska pre sents his name because Nebraska claims his dwelling place, and proud ly enrolls him among her citizens; but his home is in the, hearts of the people. I obey the command of my state and the mandate of the democracy of the nation, when I offer the name of America's great commoner, Nebras ka's gifted and incomparable son, William Jennings Bryan. IN A DIFFERENT WAY Now they say Taft intends to en force the Roosevelt policies, but in a different manner. That is, he will use smokeless powder and the new style of noiseless gun. This Involves confession, of course, that all the panic and business depression was caused by the explosive methods of the owner of the republican party. But then what policies are to be en forced by Taft, should he win? Such laws as democrats demanded from 1896 down and helped republicans onant. -wlllftli fnnnHtnt thn onlV I tangible policies, must be enforced ny Tart because his oath of oince would require It, though a man of his adjusting disposition might try to suspend some statutes unduly oppressing- contributors. He can not enforce those marvelous Roosevelt policies which congress would not permit to be enacted into law. The more you study the subject the less you find in the Roosevelt policy chat ter. Pittsburg Post. USE ALLEN'S FOOT-EASE. A powder to bo shalcon Into tho shoes. If you havo tired, aching foot, try Allon's Foot-Easo. It rests tho loot and makes now or Ujjht shoes easy. Cures aching', swollen, sweating feet Rellovcs corns and bunions of all pain and gives rest nmj comfort. Try it to-dny. Rpid by all Druggists and Dimu oiuruH. -mc mou'g accuiit Hiy bu tuto. For rKHE trial package also Frwi sample of tho FOOT-EASK rtnnitnrv OUN-PAI. a He is recognized today 'i".i AtTLifif p.pMiSTisD. e ,.A..k?L
