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Staying in the early 20th Century today. Here is an address by the legendary William Jennings Bryan, who may probably be best known for his role in the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925; teaching Evolution in public Schools. Bryan died within hours of the trials end. Although Bryan came to epitomize the Liberal Wing of the Democratic Party, he was a staunch prohibitionist and staunchly anti-Darwin, whose theory of Evolution was the basis for the famous trial. He unsuccessfully ran for President in 1896, 1900 and 1908 and was appointed Secretary of State in the Wilson Administration in 1913.

Here is the last portion of his address to the 1908 Democratic Convention, recorded several days later, on July 21, 1908 for posterity and also to be used for the Bryan campaign.

Later known as the "Ideal Republic" Address, here is the transcript of that speech since, being recorded in 1908, is a little hard to decipher in places:

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This weekend, twenty-five years ago, it was all about The Persian Gulf and the U.S. decision to re-flag Kuwaiti Oil Tankers within the next ten days. Amid reports that Iran was mining the Gulf and the U.S. was inching closer to a shooting war. With the Iraqi bombing of the USS Stark, which claimed 37 crewmen, it would seem a showdown was inevitable.

Despite all that, there was no concrete Policy in place, with reference to our position on The Persian Gulf. This episode of Face The Nation was titled "Persian Gulf Policy: A Sea Of Confusion", and it reflected just how off the charts we were in handling crises overseas.

Joining Moderator Leslie Stahl were Under-Secretary of State Michael Armacost and Chairman of The House Armed Services Committe, Les Aspin, discussing what was becoming a fractured and and confusing policy and whether or not the re-flagging of Kuwaiti ships should be postponed.

Here is that broadcast. You get to decide.

Amid fears the Republican Party of 1964 was taking a sharp turn to the right, with the rise in popularity of Barry Goldwater, and all indications pointing to his nomination as the Republican Presidential candidate, much attention was being paid on that election year to the outcome of the Republican Governor's Conference, being held in Cleveland Ohio in June, 1964.

And it was the current state of the Republican Party in 1964 that was the topic of conversation on this episode of Meet The Press, first aired on June 7, 1964.

Interviewed were the Chairman of the Conference, Kansas Governor John Anderson and Host of the Conference, Ohio Governor James Rhodes. A number of subjects were discussed - where candidate William Scranton figured in this picture, the Rockefeller wing of the Party - how other Governor's were feeling about the current climate.

Interesting sets of questions and interesting answers, as was always the case in this early incarnation of Meet The Press.

Here is that entire program.

Struggles all over, this 12th day of April in 1973. The U.S. lodged a formal protest over PLO radio broadcasts "Hate America" propaganda, whipping up anti-American demonstrations and violence. More fighting in Beirut as the PLO held a funeral for four guerrillas, gunned down by Israeli Commandos.

President Nixon consults with Gen. Alexander Haig over the worsening situation in Cambodia.

On Capitol Hill - the house struggles with rising consumer prices. Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee Wilbur Mills calls for a roll back to the Phase One spending freeze.

A Federal judge ruled the dismantling of OEO was illegal and further layoffs and firings were put on hold.

Watergate was busily bubbling along. Dr. Armand Hammer's Occidental Petroleum signed an $8 Billion contract with the Soviet Union for Chemical supplies. The Senate votes unanimously for the Vietnam War Memorial. Nixon asks Congress to establish a minimum Unemployment compensation.

And two planes, one a military trainer and the other carrying NASA scientists collided and crashed just outside San Francisco, with 16 confirmed dead as of air-time.

And so it went, this April 12, 1973 as told by NBC Nightly News.

A day full of strikes and strife.

April 9th 1947 began on an optimistic note as far as the striking Telephone Operators was concerned. A settlement was pending, but it still didn't mean a return to work, not for at least another 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Coal Miners were gearing up and Mine owners were blaming John L. Lewis for the trouble, saying he would not allow miners back to work until all mines in the country passed safety checks.

In London, the Big Four Conference was being sped up with regards to settling the border question between Poland and Germany, with the Polish frontier under revision. Also in London was former vice-President Henry Wallace, on his way to a number of conferences. He held a press conference where he called for an American move to the Soviet Union as a way of avoiding World War 3. He also advocated a complete revision in Foreign Policy and a curb on Imperialist intentions on the parts of both the West and the Soviet Union.

In Greece, the Army was preparing a sweep of rebel positions. Some 160,000 troops were involved.

David Lilienthal was confirmed as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, ending an 11 week debate over the appointment.

President Truman was taking a wait-and-see approach with the Republican Majority 80th Congress.

Services for Henry Ford were slated for the following day (April 10th). And Frank Sinatra had a date in Court in Los Angeles over an alleged fist fight between him and an over-zealous reporter.

And that's how this day rolled - that, and a lot more via two broadcasts for this April 9th, 1947. The first from the NBC News Roundup and the second from NBC News Of The World Night Edition.