The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-08-01
UP TODATB POLITICS

Mrs. Annie L. Diggs of Kansas sat
for several hours one afternoon AT the
populist convention in a continuous de-
bate. Before her were three listeners,
one a man somewhat old-fashioned,
who seemed surprised. sometimes
pleased and sometimes scared at hear
ing 80 much speaking from a woman's
tongue. The second was Bryan man,
who reinforced Mrs. Diggs opinions
with brief little orations of his own,
while the third man, a California dele
gate. was unconvinced. Mrs. Diggs
kept her place however, In the argu-
ment, sweeping her closed fan In the
air before her opponents nose, ana
finally, when all these failed. appeal
ing to religion.
II believe" she said, shutting her
eyes very tightly. as she does when
much in earnest, that Mr.. Bryan Is
man raised up from the people for this
very purpose by the hand OF Almighty
God"
..Pshaw," said the California dele
gate. do you remember the infiders
prayer-'Oh. God. why hast Thou made
us and then forgot us? Bosh! 1 don't
believe in this God business.
Mrs Djggs was rather staggered, but
she began again:
.'Oh. the hand Of Providence was In
all that Chicago convention. We didn't
know il would turn out 50, but the
Lord overruled so that the man should
be selected who was the only man that
has suddenly fallen"
II don't believe In the crisis busi-
ness ether" grunted the unconvinced
man. You've been raking up crisis
every four years ever since L was a
boy" And when night fell on the de-
bate he rose still unconvinced-
-
The true quality of Mr.. Bryan as an
orator has become a burning question
with the democratic leaders. 1t
is conceded that he must go on the
stump. The curiosity Is great to hear
him. and he must indulge a feeling
so complimentary to him. And his
tour win probably be an extended one.
To honor one section at the expense of
another would not be good politics.
Here, now. will be the test Of the man.
How will he stand 1t? He stampeded
a convention. Can he stampede the
country? A new speech will not be ex-
pected of him at every point, but can
he make at any point speech that
will approach in effectiveness the one
with which he secured his nomina-
ton? The democrats are anxious
about this. They realize thatthe Chi
cago speech was made under excep-
tioral circumstances. The hall was
packed i'm his favor, opinion was made
up, Mr.. Bryan was not called upon to
argue anything or to prove anything.
Ringing assertion was all that the
silver men desired, and II was all that
they got. He had only to unbridle his
fancy and his vocabulary. He did that.
and more. But, as the presidential
candidate OF his party, he rests under
a different and q much heavier re-
spcnsibility Instead of unbridling his
fancy he must ride ii with curb.
Every word he uses must be weighed.
He must argue his points and attempt
at least to prove them. The question,
therefore, arises. what effect on him
as a speaker will this sort of restraint
produce. VIII it retard or increase his
capacity as a spellbinder? The Chi
cago deliverance, or the fame OF II, will
constantly confrona him. His success
or failure will be measured by his APP
proach % that. II he fails as an orator
he will fail completely. for his only
standing in the campaign will be that
OF an orator. with one tremendous win
ming to his credit
The contest between Mr.. Arthur Sew
all OF Maine and Mr.. Thomas E. Watson
Of Georgia Is going to be worth watch
ing Considering the difficulty that
viii be met in fixing up matters in the
electoral college it may be found ex-
pedient for one or the other of the gen.
tlemen to withdraw" and the attitude
of at least one Of them on this point
may be gained from Mr.. Watson's lat
est Interview. He said:
Il will accept the nomination II
Mr.. Sewall is truly a patriot he Will
withdraw Petty selfishness must not
hamper great measures.
The public now waits to hear what is
Mr.. Sewalrs idea Of the necessities OF
The situation. Possibly the Maine can
didate has a different view as to who
ought to do the Withdrawing.
william V. Allen Is q prompt person.
Hardly had the populist' convention
adjourned when he called his stenog-
rapher to him and began work upon