The Commoner.
'APRIL 16, 1910
Mr. Bryan in Bolivia
While at La Paz, the seat of government of
Bolivia, Mr. Bryan delivered an address under
the auspices of the American Institute, a school
established by Americans, but aided by an an
nual appropriation from the Bolivian govern
ment. The meeting was held in the hall of tho
national assembly and. Senor Bustamonte, min
ister of foreign relations, presided. President
Villazon, members of his cabinet and tho diplo
matic representatives were present. Minister
Bustamonte delivered tho speech of introduc
tion. Mr. Bryan's address is given below:
Mr. Chairman, Your Excellency, Ladies and
Gentlemen: I appreciate the honor done mo by
the minister of foreign relations and I recog
nize that the welcome accorded me is intended
as proof of the cordial good will which the peo
ple of Bolivia entertain for the people of my
country. I can assure you that this friendship
is fully reciprocated, and I venture to predict
that the cordial relations existing between the
two nations will become more intimate as the
Panama canal, when completed, enables us to
become better acquainted with each other. Al
low me to acknowledge also my indebtedness
to his excellency, President Villazon and other
officials of the government, the department and
the city for courtesies extended to us upon our.
arrival and during our stay. I esteem it a great
privilege to visit this zenith republic which is
working out its destiny among the clouds. The
mountains have ever been the Home of liberty
our strength comes from the hills. Tho rocks
have been tower and fortress to the free, and
a barrier in the path of those who have meas
ured right by might. The Cordilleras, too, havo
so hedged about their treasures that only the
brave have dared to claim them. Luxury and
idleness do hot thrive above the timber line
and it Is luxury and idleness that corrupt and
enervate. Permit me to express the hope that
Bolivia will tu.n her unique position to ad
vantage and set an example In industry, intel
ligence, patriotism and lofty purpose.
I thank the American Institute for the invi
tation extended to speak under its auspices. I
am sure our people appreciate the compliment
paid to our educational system by the Bolivian
government wien it assists in the support of
this school. You will not accuse me of boast
ing when I say that the compliment Is deserved.
Our educators have developed a system which
is designed to bring instruction within the reach
of all and which contemplates a course of study
extending from the kindergarten to theuniver
elty. I congratulate the American Institute
iipon the success already achieved and bespeak
ifor it increasing encouragement; and I beg its
teachers to remember that the reputation of the
United States as well as their own reputation
Is at stake.
On such an occasion as this and in the pres
ence of this distinguished audience I can think
)f no better subject for our consideration, than
this: "What are the Signs of the Times?" The
Reformer Is apt to become impatient. Seeing
evils clearly himself, he wonders why others
do not see them. He can not understand why
&ny one can be indifferent when he is afire with
Earnestness. But let not the heart become faint
jpr the arm grow weary, for God is on His throne
fcnd the world moves forward! '
There are everywhere signs of intellectual
progress. There is not a civilized or even seml
fcivilized nation on the earth that is not now
fiwakening to theJmportance of the school. In
(Japan but .few could read and write fifty years
go; now they claim that 90 per cent of the
arising generation can read the history which
their nation is writing. China, the sleeping
jgiant of the Orient, is rousing from lier couch.
One viceroy boasts that he has established four
Lousand schools in five years; thousands of
Jhinese students are thronging the colleges of
Japan and the Chinese government has just
Sent some fifty young men to American colleges.
in Russhi the percentage of the literate has
jjloubled in a generation; in India', in Turkey
nd in Egypt the schools are Increasing in num
ber and in attendance. In Europe as well as
in Asia, public instruction is receiving more and
Jmore attention school terms are being length
ened, courses of study are being improved and
the cost of education to the pupil is being de
creased. This same progress is noticeable Jn
jthe western hemisphere, south of the Isthmuf
its well as north. This means much. It mean?
a larger conception of life, a clearer recognition
of tho claims of society upon us and a broader
foundation for the government.
A second Indication of progress is notlceablo
in the spread of the democratic idea of govern
ment. This Is a natural result of educational
growth; tho dlvlno right of kings is a doctrine
that does not germinate in the soil of universal
education; and popular government, in turn, is
the sure forerunner of tho public school. The
struggle between aristocracy and democracy is
world-wide and perpetual. Henry Clay, one of
the greatest of our statesmen, In defending tho
right of tho South American republics to Inde
pendence said that it was the theory of kings
that men are incapable of self government and
then he added that it would bo a reflection on
God and His work to say that ho created mon
incapable of self government and left them to
bo tho victimd of kings and emperors. Clay was
right. No logical defense can be made of ar
bitrary power, and tho excuse given for it, name
ly that those who exercise it have superior rights,
will never be accepted unless those who claim
the superior rights havo tho physical force to
compel acceptance. There are but two theories
of government, and no new theory will ever bo
advanced. It has been true in the past; it is
true today; it always will bo true that govern
ments rest either upon force or upon the con
sent of the governed.
Tho doctrine that the government belongs to
the people, to be administered by thom in their
own Interest Is the growing doctrine. After a
long struggle tho lords and princes compelled
the king to permit them to share his authority,
and now the people are forcing the aristocracy
to permit a further division of authority. In
every country in the world this contest is being
waged. If time permitted I might bring illus
trations from all the nations, for everywhere
the government Is becoming more responsive
to the will of the people. This does not mean
that tho government will bo perfect; it simply
means that It will reflect the virtue, intelligence
and patriotism 'of the people.
But there Is still another sign of progress
there is a moral awakening, and it is entirely
natural that the doctrine of brotherhood should
grow with education and popular government.
The enlightened mind can not fail to recognize
the indissoluble tie that binds each human be
ing to every other human being. This doctrine
of brotherhood is translated Into every day
language in the commandment, "Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself." It Is impossible to
over-estimate the results of this moral awaken
. "ing. It will regenerate tho individual and teach
him that it Is dishonest to draw from society
more than he earns, and that he can not earn
more than fairly measures the value of the ser
vice that he renders to society. It will reform
business and put exchanges upon an equitable
basis. It will purify politics and teach tho
statesman that his place In history will be deter
mined by what he does for the people rather
than by what the people do for him. It will
regulate international relations and substitute
arbitration for force in the settlement of dis
putes. Wo must not be discouraged because these
good things do not come altogether and Imme
diately; it is enough to know that they are
coming and that It is within our power to hasten
their coming. The chief object of the American
Institute is to help those who attend it, in order
that they may help others; to enlarge their ca
pacity for service, in order that they may bear
heavier burdens and make a larger contribu
tion to their country's welfare. Who will calcu
late the influence which these young men can
exert for good? To man alone has God given
the power to choose between measureless suc
cess and immeasurable woe.
May each of these students so live as to de
serve the love and confidence of his fellows, and
may it be said of each, when he dies: Tho night
is darker because his light has gone out; the
world is not so warm because his heart has
grown cold in death.
IN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
The Buenos Ayres Standard prints the fol
lowing: Prince George's hall was crowded last
night with onp of the most representative au
diences eyer seen in a Buenos Ayres building
to hear the celebrated American orator, Mr.
William Jennings Bryan lecture on the subject
of "The Prince of Peace."
The lecture was timed to commence at 8:30
p. m., but long before eight o'clock a very large
?rowd numbering at least 500 people had col
lected fn front of the gate of the building in
order to get early and good seats. By misman
agement tho doors woro not oponod until a
policeman rung tho bell and Informed the au
thorities of tho Y. M. C. A., under whoso aus
pices tho lecture was being glvon, that tho crowd
woro forming a serious obstruction to traffic in
tho streets, and that tho doors must bo opened
forthwith.
A big outburst of cheering announced tho
advent of tho lecturer. Ho mado his way to
tho platform, accompanied by tho following gen
tlemen: The Hon, Charles II. Shorrill, A. C.
Itoss, C. B., Dr. Montes do Oca, J. C. Zlmrner
mann, Dr. P. P. Moreno, Dr. A. Alvarez, J. N.
Drysdale, Dr. J. A. BIbllonI, F. C. Cook, B. A.
Shuman, Dr. J. V. Gonzales, Dr. E. Frors, R. W.
Huntington, L. A. Huorgo, Dr. J. J. Kyle, James
Cegg, C. D. Hurrey, Dr. V. F. Lopez, II. II.
Loveday, II. R. Storor, II. Wilson, Dr.
Zeballos, Dr. J. R. Uriburu, I. Orzall, Dr. S. G.
O'Farrell, S. PI. Pearson, E. Nelson, W. Field,
E. T. Mulhall, Dr. L. A. Mulcahy, Dr. N. Pinero,
A. M. Wilson, Dr. A. T. Uriburu, Dr. M. Quin
tana, E. II. Beach, Dr. F. VIvanco, II. E. Ewlng,
Dr. II. Pueyrredon, R. M. Bartleman and R. W.
Gllff. ,
As soon as tho cheering had subsided tho
chairman, Mr. Zimmerman, advanced to tho
edge of tho platform and addressed tho audience
in tho following words:
"Ladles and gentlemen, wo havo groat pleas
ure this evening In welcoming to our midst Mr.
William Jennings Bryan, who has kindly con
sented to give his celebrated lecturo this ovon
ing, his subject being 'The Prince of Peace.' It
is a matter of very great satisfaction to mo and
to my fellow directors of tho Young Men's
Christian Association, under whoso auspices this
lecture Is being given, that wo aro able to pre
sent to you tonight a gentleman of tho world
famed oratorical powers of Mr. Bryan. With
these few words I now call upon our minister,
the Hon. Mr. Shorrill, to Introduce him to you."
Tho Hon Charles H. Sherrlll then addressed
tho audience as follows:
"It was with great pleasure that I accepted
tho invitation to present to this meeting my dis
tinguished fellow countryman, Colonel William
Jennings Bryan. We who aro living and working
in this sturdy and progressive Argentine Re
public aro fully allvo to its present strength
and the certainty of Its splendid future. Wo
see on every side those steadily growing cur
rents of business 'which unite to make tho over
increasing stream of its commercial greatness.
Knowing these things so well It Is with especial
pleasure that wo welcome here one who, like
tho honored guest of the evening will spread
abroad in our dear fatherland far to the north
the fame of Argentina and the wonderful story
of what is being done for this fortunate land
by the rare combination of nation-building ele
ments, fertile soil, excellent immigration and a
temperate climate. I have today received a let
ter from Senator Root, than whom Argentina
has no stauncher friend abroad, in which he
says: 'Of course, tho Argentine has a tremen
dous future. She has Immense potential wealth
and has already shown that she has the energy
and self restraint necessary to utilize that
wealth tho energy which develops and self-restraint
which maintains a stable government and
which alone can give a sense of security to cap
ital, he never allows to escape him any oppor
tunity to give voice to these sentiments thus
giving a living example of tho result upon a
distinguished statesman of a visit to this coun
try. Colonel Bryan Is sure to be another great
missionary In the cause of a better understand
ing between Argentina and the United States.
(Applause.) Better understandings between na
tions Is the surest and quickest road to interna
tional peace, and, for the reason that Colonel
Bryan's Journey in South America will prove a
great factor in the world crusade for better
understandings and therefore universal peace,
It seems to me that he has been particularly
happy in the selection of his subject tonight
speaking as he does upon tho great Prince of
that peace. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to
you Colonel William Jennings Bryan. -(Applause.)
The Hfin. William Jennings Bryan then
stepped to the front of tho platform, and after
waiting a moment until the outburst of applause
had in a measure subsided, and after a flash
light photograph had been taken of the group
on the platform, commenced the recital of his
lecture.
Throughout tho lecture Mr. Bryan spoke in
a clear ringing voice which could be heard
throughout the - whole of the building. He
speaks in an easy position, and it can be seen
at once that he is a born orator. His flights of
elocution are delivered with the greatest ap
parent ease, and he never once faltered for a
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