Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-07-29
A Neighbor's Opinion Of Bryan.

After all it is the opinion of ones neigh
bors which counts for the most. Those
who see man frequently, have dealings
with him, know his goings out and COM
ings in, come the nearest to Judging what
the man really is. The following which
appeared in recent issue of the Boston
Herald, gives a neighbor's opinion of Mr..
Bryan.
The following letter has been received in
the east from Lincoln (Neb.) lawyer
who has much to do with the farm mort
gage business. 1t bears date of July II:
81 fully agree with you in your general
view Of the situation, that, for our country
to adopt the free coinage of silver, as con-
templated by the Chicago convention,
would, it seems to me, be calamity
There is one expression, however, in your
letter which leads me to think that you are
iaborlng under a misapprehension. That
is: While the farmers of the west are,
without doubt, honest in their belief that
changing from gold to silver basis will
bring the panacea to heal all their infirmi-
ties etc. etc. We think that the strength
OF the silver party in the west is vastly
overestimated. So far as our farmers are
concerned, although the great bulk of our
business is in farm mortgages and amounts
to several millions of dollars, we have
never yet had single farmer, either in his
correspondence or in his conversation at
the office, allude to free coinage at all, or
suggest that change in the currency
mi nh HQ ho
in the same line Of business, making loans
in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa,
when j. S. Weaver ran for congress in the
latter state, and wished to be president on
the greenback ticket. At that time, we
had from some farmer almost every day, a
long argument on greenbacks and every
one who became delinquent and was urged
to pay up, put the. lack of currency forth
as an excuse for the delay, and most of
them urged that if the greenback party
were in power their troubles would be at
an end. 1t seems to me that if the silver
sentiment in the prairie states was one
quarter as strong as most eastern people
seem to think it is, we would hear Of ii
from our borrowers, at least occasionally
"Mr. Bryan is expected home tonight,
duo OAOuoAhuo IL cilc SiuJ Will ouih OuO "
rejoice with him. who could not, under any
circumstances, be induced to vote tor hin
on the silver issue. He is clean, whole
some, companionahle sort Of fellow, and a;
a neighbor we like him. We do not think
he has any considerable ability as a lawyer
or otherwise, except as an orator. He
seems to have devoted his whole life ir
this particular direction and to have sue
ceeded in very marked degree. His
ability to capture popular audience, es.
pecially a political gathering, and to fire
| them with enthusiasm, without advancing
any argument at all, is something remark
able. However, the people of this state
have pretty nearly outgrown the fascination
OF his pleasing voice, graceful manners anC
well rounded, though frequently empty
sentences, and Notwithstanding that he il
at the head OF the silver ticket, we believe
that the silver sentiment in Nebraska
passed its high tide some time ago and ii
now on the wane. The administration
democrats are more bitter than the repub
licans against Bryan and his followers, ant
if they and the republicans will leave ou
of the controversy all personal matters ant
make the fight along the lines OF rationa
argument, we think Nebraska will still rol
up fair majority for Mckinley. Th'
continued favorable crop prospects arr
initiating against the populist sentiment.