, . flff -
6
IF
dividual should bo tho Incarnation of a prin
ciple.' Mr. Bryan is tho Incarnation of a groat
popular principle tho principle embodied In
that groat speech at Chicago, which lighted a'
flro In this country that, by God's grace, I trust
shall novor bo put out.
"No moro gotlst could do what Mr. Bryan
has dono. Tho pronoun of tho first person
will not furnish a lasting foundation for a groat
reputation. If Mr. Ul'yan has been self-asser-tlvo,
his self-assortlon Instead of Implying
egotism Indicates self-absorption In a great
work. Tho 'great' man who treats his greatness
as If It wore a private possession, Is speedily,
by a chango of fortune, disillusioned, and his
grandloso schemes como to naught. Mr. Bryan
Is not an actor seeking applause, but a social
onglncor, Intent on developing power for a par
ticular purpose. Such a man, without being an
egotist, must not bo too modest to lead or to
keop his followers apprised of his whereabouts,
and this not for the satisfaction of personal
vanity, but to accomplish results. And results
of tho most satisfactory kind Mr. Bryan has
accomplished. In a time of perplexity, the na
tion has found in him an inteprotor; and it has
accopted his Intoprotatlon. Mr. Bryan, though
still in tho primo of life, may bo said to have
wrought moro for tho good of his country and
the people, than any man of his generation, and
wo aro hero on this anniversary of his birth to
congratulate not only him but his state and na
tion, and to say:
How happis ho, born or taught,
Who sorvoth not another's will;
Whose armor Is his honest thought,
And simplo truth, his utmost skill."
GOVERNOR DtJNNE'S SPEECH
Governor Dunno of Illinois spoke as follows:
"I como in rosponso to your courteous Invita
tion to participate with you in doing honor to
tho groat leader of progrcssivo democracy on
tho fifty-third occasion of his birth. Wo in Illi
nois feel that no honor done to Secretary of
Stato Bryan in tho stato of Nebraska or in any
othor stato would bo appropriate and completely
rounded out without tho participation therein of
some representation from tho stato of his birth.
Indeed, although In common with you, wo aro
proud of tho splendid and unparalloled achieve
ments of this groat man, still there lingers deep
down in tho hoarts of the men of Illinois some
thing akin to dissatisfaction that ho ever should
havo loft tho state of his birth, the state of his
education, the stato that furnished him the
ideal partner of his joys and sorrows, of his
disappointments and successes, and the state
within whoso borders he first received his
nomlnatloh for tho presidency of the United
States.
"It is tho only episode in his whole admirable
caroer to which we tako exception. We are
proud of our runaway boy but naturally can not
forgot his abandonment of his mother state.
Why ho should have left his nourishing mother
and consented to his adoption by even tho
generous state of Nebraska, we, in Illinois can
not understand. There is just one justification
V";8 reprehensible conduct In this behalf.
Although born on Illinois soil and educated in
the schools and colleges of Illinois, we must ad
mit that during the whole period of his early
life he was compelled to live under standpat re
publican rule This 1s tho only excuse that he
can give for leaving our great stato, and takinc
up his homo with you. wmnfa
t TA?d.et at the Umo ho dId so, my friends
it looked to me as though he jumped out of the
?mPaS lDt0 e fire' for if l recall aright!
until ho began his great struggle for the pro
gressive princip es in this state, tho state of
thin? B5T? h1S bTle,Ssly republican, and I
S?, ,h0, hademained upon tho fertile soil
of Illinois for a few years longer ho mlKlt VZ
succeeded in changing the politics of our state
for within a few years after his departure from
Illinois wo succeeded for the first time almJ SS
war of the rebellion in electing a Semocra c
governor, and if w0 had had the assistance of
his eloquent tongue, and wonderful brat? and
pure morality, we could havo hoi, hJt .
Illinois in the democrat column from SiV
of the election of Altgeld untff tho d?v ? 7
democratic triumph In Illtnita laslkvoUer0
"But his great sorvicos to proKroaaivn inm
racy ana to tho people of this cofntry hat con"
donod his oarly indiscretion in leaving imnou"
Stiff oVrtUVaht0o Tags? tl
you in extending to him tho EEktlwLj'S
The Commoner.
a grateful peoplo that ho has so successfully
earned. h
"Great crises produco great men. As I look
back over the history of America I find that
thero wero three great crises in American life,
all of them, it is true, political, but distinguish
able. The first was purely political, tho second
was socially political, and tho third economically
political.
"Tho first arose out of tho feeling of three
men that taxation without representation was
contrary to all principles of just government and
that all governments should bo founded upon
tho consent of tho governed. This feeling in
tho first crisis brought on the revolutionary
war during which tho best blood of patriots was
expended In overturning tyranny and in tho
creation of a new-born republic. This crisis pro
duced great men, notably two, tho one tho
statesman, Thomas Jefferson, and the other a
patriot and a sold'er, and as tho outcome of this
crisis a new republic was founded, and the name
of George Washington has gone down in his
tory as tho ideal disinterested patriot.
"Tho second great crisis, arose in tho great
social conflict which resulted from tho determi
nation of men to hold other men in bondaero and '
to extend the jurisdiction of slavery through
out tho United States. This resulted In the war
of tho rebellion, in the expenditure of untold
blood and money, and in wiping from tho laws
of tho republic and from our Institutions tho
odious sv8tem of human slavery. This crisis
also produced great men, the one a soldier, the
adopted son of Illinois, U. S. Grant, tho other
the grent philanthropist and humanitarian, and
as tho result of tho great crisis the name of
Lincoln has gone down in history as the ideal
humanitarian and lover of human liberty.
"Tho third great crisis was twenty, years ago.
It was economic in its character. The almost
inconceivable wealth of tho country, owing to
the advance of modern science, began to be
developed to an enormous degree. Out of tho
mines and the forest and from the fertile lands
of tho country untold wealth was turned Into .
the channels of commerce. Crafty and far-seeing
men, seizing the production of this enormous
wealth, bpgan to devise schemes for its exclu
myo appropriation. They prevailed upon legis
latures to enact laws which would concentrate
tho wealth of tho country into the hands of,
tho few They enacted tariff laws which mad
the producers of this wealth practically free
from competition. They established lobbies in
congress and in legislatures and secured tho
placing of men upon the bench who would
construe these laws favorably to the few.
"Early in this procedure William J.' Bryan
hisGn,nHnB?al!' Wh0 Ptically commenced
l s P"tical life In your great state, foresaw
that tho struggle from that time on woxZ Z
between concentration and monopoly upon one
side and equality of opportunity upon the
win0thren,PlUt0C,racy a71d democracy, and
with all the ardor and strength of the nhvsical
mental and moral constitution with which he
was bo richly endowed by his Maker he allied
himself on the side of the common people This
fh nCri8l8and 8truggle la8ted K lo Jger '
than tho other great crises that I have men
tioned. Tho revolutionary war was dosed ?n
seven years, the war of the rebellion was over
in five years, but the struggle between plutoc
racy and democracy, between monopoly and
lioUaye7rP19r2nityieXtended fr0m
uio year iai2. In every one of these hnttino
between these contending forces WHlliS J
Brya was easily the greatest leader oaff the
generals upon the democratic side.
"It necessitated ten different battles minv
of them within his own party, the deraoemtic
party, because the forces of privilege and
monopoly had done their work in his own party
In every national convention from 1896 to 1912"
anflcdnth0 forces of Progressive democracy
ipon tho floors, and in the campaigns that fnl
wff rya? ? th0 ereat loader undo ? whose"
wdr8hiPn th0 demcratic masses went fonh to
battle. Ten of those, battles were fought iS
his own party and Bryan and his followers can
out victorious in every ono of those I battfes
"At times tho issue was doubtful If not dea
perato. but under his gallant leadership
mnTn?1?"!! ?arty In a11 lt8 natJoal conventions
maintained its stand for popular rights Tm
eternal credit ho succeeded In writinn : in
thSVf 'I8 Platf0rm8 the ng"ng declaSraUon
that priyato monopoly was intolerable and in
defensible This alone, if ho had done notbln
else, would Jiavo marked his place among tha
&?f3T f AmricaB American history5 n!
deed, if I wore Bryan, I would be content to havo
VOLUME 13, NUMBER
Inscribed upon my tombstone after I had passed
away the words, 'He was tho author of the
declaration that private monopoly is intolerable
and indefensible.'
"H wrote 'Tho Prince of Peace' and 'The
Price of a Soul.' In the other five battles, how
ever, he was not so successful. Chosen on
three different occasions to lead his fellow
countrymen, he was overwhelmed by the powers
of plutocracy and privilege, and yet he kept un
the fight; yet he kept the faith. Four times his
party went down to defeat, but the Indomitable
spirit of Bryan survived and he persisted and
labored and fought, and in the final struggle in
1912, under the leadership of another great
man and statesman and scholar and patriot
with Bryan as the chief marshal of the day, the
forces of plutocracy went down to defeat.'
"The great issue of this crisis was between
plutocracy and democracy, between monopoly
and equal opportunity, and was decided in favor
of. the people. This crisis produced two great
men, Wilson and Bryan, and as the result
thereof, the name of Bryan will go down in his
tory as the greatest statesman and friend of the
people that has appeared upon the pages of
American history in the last century.
"I am here with you to do honor to the great
men who made HWilson and democratic success
possible. Were there no Bryan during all of
the period between 189G and 1912 there would
have been no Wilson today. With tlje people
of Nebraska, I uncover and do honor to trio
native son of Illinois and the adopted son of
Nebraska, Secretary of State William J. Bryan."
MR. BRYAN'S ADDRESS
The Lincoln Journal's report of Mr. Bryan's
address at the birthday banquet follows:
Mr. Bryan was called at the end of the toast
list. While admitting that he appreciated the
kind words of the men who had just spoken be
fore him, Mr. Bryan denied that he was the man
who had brought about the final triumph of
democracy.
"They forget that there aro six million voters
who deserve the credit,'-' he said. "1 am only
ono of tho multitude."
Mr. Bryan devoted the fore part of his ad
dress to compliments to his associates on the
toast list his remarks during that part being
largely of a humorous nature. He declared
that he was unable to make a real speech, as
he was too greatly overcome with joy and grati
tude to do anything but give a few Teminiscences
?,efb?ltle8 of tllG Past- He said in "part:
Neighbors and friends, I am not sure that
1 ought to have come to Nebraska at this time.
1 am sure that I would not have come had I
known before how busy 1 was to be at this time,
i was going to ask some of the cabinet members
to accompany me to Lincoln, but when I found
now busy they wore in Washington was
ashamed to ask them.
VJ,'X a2glad ,t0 b wIth yu to bo cheered by
Whnf Je?KthQ Aspiration of your presence.
Wv deSfltful time we have had! I am go
omnV? Set Edgar Howard appointed to the
h? tastmaster of the administration. Wo
rnaflP9 TlaUreates; wb not toastmaster leau
llnrf LI iam UPe, J feel very fateful to my
mleht w,t8 Wh ha7 come eofar that they
ror?nLtIeak brea? with us ner tonight. It is
adlo irnoH c1' Xf ?"? the Kan8as legislature has
Sv n??2 t.hat the dlstinguished chief execu
tor u- t w fiate iould oome- " is fortunate
that !? ?ni thero. V a dea"ock in Illinois so
missed for nnS feltJlis Psence would not be
Sanod iw fJilQl Wo are glad that Iowa has
be a private Jld bave lon& sin ased t0
words of TSa CltIzen- T aPPreciate the kind
Ms meeting inreati eVaDgeli8t who tui'ned aside
I apOTeoifi rder t0 take part ln thls affair'
by the dGmoSet5rery generous welcome extended
iZtintoTi!hlQ f pv.ernor of thIs statG J was
last fa if the elect ns all over the country
tirnn onmn 5 Was glad t0 sPend part of my
tnTfighTDthlgIllng ln NeDra8ka! I am proud of
tb?ou!h hpH wTnor l8 makInS. When he is
state will tl) I16 nor the democrats of the
have mv nm ashamed &f his record. You all
"BuTwhn? le,cIatIon and my thanks,
and heaHnf ai? S0U thlnk of me' sittin "ere
me. DoS ?m", 9eBQ g00d tnings said about
these thinL Ak fr a mInute tDat I Relieve all
truths in nil Van fan honestly tell great un
sacrifice on mv he8e. battles tbere has been no
Posi on of i?i Pa,r ' Those wh0 stand in a
good win nl.?d0pflbip get tbe benGflts of the
People o ?hed ES?fsia'? Thes0' tbe Plaln
fights hLB, atG' co-iaborers ln all these
"tuts, nave given mo all that I have. And it
WfvJ
