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Show H THE CLAMOR FOR BRYAN. H This mid-summer, off-year clamor H among Democrats for William J. Bryan H Is superficial. It cannot bo denied that H thorc is a strong rovlval of Bryan sentiment; neither can It bo denied M that, Bryan still stands first among all M Americans In the estimation of many M In all parte of the country. But the M claim that tho course of events has m vindicated tho Democratic leader and M that a majority of tho voters of tho M country havo swung over to his teach- m lngs is a claim that needs verification. H What arc tho facts? H In 1890, ten years ago, Mr. Bryan M as Iho Democratic candidate for tho M presidency, appealed to tho country M on the silver issuo of tho free and un- M limited coinage of silver at a ratio with M gold of 10 to 1. Thero wero other is- M sues of coin-so, but every other Issuo M was swept Into tho background as so M much junk and tho decision at tho bal M lot box was rendered on tho silver is- M Is there any ovidenco to show that fl tho American voters havo reversed their judgment on that question? fl Mr. Bryan now argues thnt tho dlscov-M dlscov-M cry of gold in tho Klondiko and the M greatly increased output of gold In fl Africa havo done part of tho work H that freo silver coinage would havo M dono; but bo that as It may, tho fact m still remains that tho American peoplo H are satisfied with tho outcomo of 1890 M and havo not been converted to Mr. M Bryan's way of thinking on tho money M question. H Apply tho test of 1900. In tho campaign of 1900 Mr. Bryan M did what ho could to rolcgato tho sll-M sll-M vor Issuo to tho background. As far M as It was in his power to do so ho di-M di-M rocted tho light against tho policy of 1 the Republican administration In tho H Philippines and against tho trusts. M Have wo any ovidenco to show that W tho American peoplo havo como to Mr. Bryan's way of thinking on the H Philippine question? Tho policy in-M in-M niiguratcd by President McKlnley In the islands Is still In forco. It is In M forco over the vigorous and prolonged H protest of Mr. Bryan. It Is in direct H opposition to tho policy ho advocated H . on Iho stump nntl through tho press H In 1900. 1) tho question wore submit- ted to a vote today does any sano man suppose that tho decision of tho Amer-B Amer-B lean peoplo would bo against tho pol-H pol-H Icy of President McKinloy and Presi- dent Roosevelt nnd In favor of tho m policy of iIr. Bryan? M This leaves tho trust question. H Concede for tho snko of argument that radical reform' is needed along H this lino. Concede that tho policy of H President Roosevelt in his effort to curb the trust has not been radical H enough to suit tho country. Conccdo H that the most practical way to strlko H tho trusts Is through tho protective H tariff. And after conceding all this H where does Mr. Bryan get tho right to H peso ns tho leader of tho opposition to trusts? In 189G ho practically ignored Hf tho question. In 1900 ho shoved It to B ono side to make room for tho Phil-H Phil-H ipplno question. All tho time tho trusts H wero at work and tho question of their H curtailment was a crying ono. H In 189G Mr. Bryan smothered tho H ciy of tariff reform In nn effort to round up "tho Freo Sliver Republicans nnd tho Populists. In 1900 ho smoth-H smoth-H ered tho cry of tariff reform to catch H Now England Republicans like Sena-H Sena-H tor Hoar who talked Democratic and H voted Republican on tho Philippine question. And now after Mr. Bryan's H' pet issues of freo silver and Prlllp-H Prlllp-H plno emancipation havo been relegated H to tho scrap pllo, ho is forced to como H right back to tho position hold by Gro-H Gro-H ver Cleveland twenty years ago curb H the trust b;f reducing tho protectlvo I Even if it is admitted that the cor- H po'ratlon money used against Mr. Bry- ft H i an in 1890 nnd 1900, money contributed by great corporations somo of which draw direct benefit from tho federal government, does that place Mr. Bryan in a higher class as a presidential possibility pos-sibility than Alton B. Parker? Tho light that Mr. Parker mado against this evil is still fresh in the minds of many. In fact tho sensation of tho last presidential campaign was tho charge mado by tho Democratic candidate candid-ate in tho closing days of tho campaign. cam-paign. Bryan In his palmiest days novcr centered cen-tered public attention on any ono issue is-sue as Mr. Parker did on this when ho openly charged Mr. Cortelyou, a member of tho president's cabinet, with collecting funds from corporations to securo tho election of President Roosevelt. Even on the issue of tariff, trusts and corruption Mr. Bryan must take a back seat in favor of others. The Democratic national convention to nominate a candidate for tho presidency pres-idency is still two years in tho future. History is often mado in less than t. year. There Is a state election In New York In tho meantime. Suppose there should bo an upheaval in the Empire state! Supposo some man of the cal lber of Tildon or Cleveland should be forced to tho front and elected governor govern-or of New York. That would bo a man for tho next Democratic national convention con-vention to coujuro with, and If that canvontlon did not proceed to conjure with him then thero is no benefit to bo derived from tho reading of history. Thero Is no good reason why any Democrat or any other Bryan supporter support-er should consider tho matter of nominations nom-inations completely closed just yet so far as tho next Democratic national convention is concerned. n |