The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-18

| National Chairman That VIII Conn,
Against Him In st. Louis With His Pop
ulist Friends-He Also Said at One Time
That Stewart was the Breckenridge OF
the Senate.
Omaha, Neb., July 16.-"Taubeneck
has an immense amour of impudence, a
very small amount of ability, and so
long as he is Ia the head of the Populist
party that party's progress will be re-
tarded.''
This savage attack upon the chairman
of the Populist national committee was
made by William ]. Bryan, the present
Democratic candidate for the presidency
in his paper, the Omaha World-Herald,
little over a year ago. The whole edi-
toriaI If printed and circulated at St.
Louis, will not make the Democratic
candidate any more solid with the Pop
ulisrs whom he is now counting SO as
siduously.
1t was just after the convention Of
the Illinois Democrats, a year ago last
June, when Governor Altgeld, Buck
Hinrichsen and the other leaders got
together for the purpose of committing
the Democracy In Illinois to free silver.
During the progress of the convention
Chairman Taubeneck put In an appear
ance at Springfield, and protested Wig
orously against the Democrats stealing
the thunder of the Populists. He
claimed that free coinage of silver at
the ratio OF 16 to / was distinctively a
Populist measure, and that his party
had advocated in season and out of sea-
son. He said the Democrats should not
attempt to make it one Of their party
principles, but should leave it for the
Populists.
This stirred up Mr.. Bryan out IN his
Omaha home. and his paper, the World
Herald, Of which he is and then was the
editor-in-chief, jumped onto the unfor-
tunate Taubeneck with both feet.
In commencing on the action Of the
Populist chairman In the leading edi
torial printed in the issue of June 6,
1895, Editor Bryan, now candidate Bry-
an, said:
''Taubeneck has habit Of embarking
on novel missions. He has made more
noise in favor of reform and has in
jured reform movements more than any
other man in recent political history. He
himself upon gatherings where he is
not wanted, and the ridiculous purpose
which took him to Springfield is a fair
Illustration of his remarkable methods"
Possibly Mr.. Taubeneck may find 1t to
his interest to thrust himself upon
the gathering at st. Louis. and if his
memory is at all good he will be apt to
say few things to the delegates re-
gardine; the advisability of nominating
a man who but year ago was devot-
ing his time to lampooning the official
head of the PopuliSt party.
Editor Bryan year ago had no idea
he would be the Democratic candidate
for the presidency, and thus need the
services Of the national wing of the Pop
ulist party. His ambition had been
bounded by state lines, and while he
was ever ready to dicker with the Popu-
lists in Nebraska, he had not branched
out sufficiently to look with longing
eyes after the national organization. He
was stSl ostensibly a Democrat, and so,
in this editorial referred to, he took an
other swipe at the unfortunate Populist
leader:
''Taubeneck belongs to that class of
Populists who have greater interest in
supplying themselves with soft places
than they have in the principles ex-
pounded by their party"
Then later on in the same editorial
Editor Bryan said:
Some people have believed that there
Is something really bad about Tauben-
eek, but others more charitaby inclined
have thought he was simply an ass. But
whatever his proper designation may
be, 1t is true that he has done the party
great harm by his remarkable antics"
There will be fun at St. Louis when
and his friends circulate
these comments of the Democratic can
didate for the presidency, who now
wants the Popufist party to give him
the benefit Of an Endorsement without
which his own friends admit he cannot
possibly succeed
On the train from Chicago on Sunday
night there was a number Of delegates 10
the Chicago convention, who werewarm
friends and close political associates of
Mr.. Bryan. There were representatives
among them of the gold and silver fac
tons in Nebraska. In the usual open
of the smoking room they
all agreed that the candidates private
life was beyond reproach, but even his
best friends declared he would have
in explaining to old-line DEM
ocrats all over the country the peculiar
methods he has adopted regarding
fusion with the Populists or any one
else who could subserve his interests.
One of the delegates speaking from |
his intimate knowledge of Mr. Bryan, |
both as politician and editor. said |
frankly:
The hardest thing Bill Bryan will |
have TO contend with viii be the neces- |
80 l.. LII
4 good many principles in stock which |
It is just as well to keep in the back |
ground. but 1 am afraid he will never be !
able to do it. The indiscreetness Of |
some of his speeches and most OF his |
editorials is unfortunately a proof of |
the charge which wiz be made against |
aim. that he is entirely too young to be |
president OF the United Sta-es. and that |
ne lacks the necessary discretion TO I'll |
properly that great office.
This difficulty about keeping his |
mouth shut rs illustrated by the attack |
On Taubeneck, quoted above. but there |
are other things and other men whom |
the young editor-congreSsInan has
Jumped on in a purely political way.
The most picturesque figure at the |
81 Louis convention will beyond QueS
ton be Senator Stewart of Nevada. He /
has been silver man for so long he /
cannot tell when the disease first took |
hold OF hm- With his long white beard |
ana patriarchial appearance. added TO /
MS Well-known wealth and his willing /
ness 10 have his leg" properly pulled"
be has always been a tower OF strength
among the silver men. Dispatches from \
washington say that the Nevada Sem
ator has already committed himself TO
Bryan. but II that is the case he can \
hardly have been aware Of the fact tina:
his silver hairs did not spare him from a
aarSnnal afrack IN NE Omaha Wnrii |