The Portland daily press., 1896-11-09
CONTINUING THE STRUGGLE.

OF course MIR. Bryan proposes to con-
tinue the struggle for free silver Politi-
cal leaders who are beaten, as soon Eas
they begin to recover from the dazed
condition into which they are thrown
bJ their defeat, always Issue an address
to their constituents, announcing that the
struggle has just begun, that nothing is
settled until it is settled right, and that
the agitation is to continue until victory
perohes upon their banners. 1t relieves
their feelings good deal so to do. Mr..
Bryan has followed the usual practice.
But it is much easier to proclaim that
the struggle Is to be continued than TO
continue it. There comss time when
slla mass of mankind arrive at the con-
ci~al1n that a struggle is hopeless and
tiat Z thing tosdo is to discontinue it;
anu we imagine that that time has now
arrived in regard to the silver business.
10 continue tile struggle Bryan :aust
have a party behind him, aud where is
he going to get it? Are the Democrats
of the South going to array themselves
again beneath n banner inscribed with
free silver after their recent experienced
Are they going again to summon Bryan
and Altgeld AMI. .Tillman to the leadership
after they have been led by them to over
whelming defeatp The South has 10
special interest in silver. 1t is not a
land of silver mines, and Furthermore
the Populists who are the original free
silver advocates and with whom Bryan
was allied more closely than with the
Democrats before the Chicago conven-
tion, are exceedingly hateful to the Demo-
Gratis Of that section. There has been
abundant evidence all through the cam.
paign that the silver plan k of the Chica-
go platform was distasteful to a good
many of the intelligent GLASSES OF the
South, and that they supported 1t with
great reluctance. Without the support
Of the Democrats of the South it will
party again in free silver movement.
if for no other reason, because without
it there will he no hope whatever of suo-
cess But the Northern Democrats will
have even less disposition than the South
ern Democrats to follow the free silver
herasy further. They have already seen
their party rent in twain by it and
brought to the verge of destruction. A
continuance of tho struggle they wall
know means it's complete destruction as
an independent organization through
its absoption by the Republicans and
Populists.
Bryan may appeal to the Populists,
but the moment he does that he alienatas
the Democracy of every Southern state,
whose support is absolutely necessary in
order to carry on an agitation which can
be seriously called continuing the strug-
gle. Of course Mr.. Bryan may pranoe
around the country delivering lectures
on free silver, if he can find any body who
is willing to pay his bills, but the chan
ces of his being able to do any thing that
struggle are very small, and SO, we
imagine, they will appear to him when
he comes to look the field over carefully
and call for allies. An issue which has
met overwhelming defeat at the polls,
is hard to ressurrect even when there is
solid and compact party behind it, but
when, as in this case, largo part
of the party which supported it did
SO only in perfunctory way and are
glad to have it buried, it is practically
impossible unless circumstances great
ly favor. We admit that ii the business
depression of the past four years should
continue, renewal Of the silver agita-
tion might be possible. But if the re-
vivala which has set in goes on, Mr..
Bryan might as well try to revive the
greenback question as the silver ques-
tion. Issues and questions are really the
result Of conditions. No man creates
them or can create them, and no man
can keep them alive when the conditions
which 5reathed into them the breath of
life have ceased to exist.