The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-17
A CAMPAIGN OF PERFIDY.

The San Francisco Examiners New York
annex, the Journal, is making desperate
effort to swallow the Democratic pill pre-
pared by Altgeld's convention, but "our
fears do make us traitors it might saw
The Journal likes Bryan as the animal
trainer likes a tiger that is fresh from the
jungle, and, like the trainer. it wishes It's
animal possessed more docility of char
acter. The Journal has hoped, however,
that Bryan will develop into something
better than the Chicago platform provides
for, and that when he comes to realize
how shallow draughts intoxicate the
brain" he will drink largely from the
spring of common-sense, and finally be-
come a sober, reasonable and safe man for
White House purposes. Still the sus-
picion of the trainer abides with the
Journal. 1t does not propose 10 trust the
animal too far. 1t proposes to have a
lasso ready to pull him of if be should
think himself again in the jungle and
whatsoever came in sight his legitimate
meat
In introducing the question of Bryan's
candidacy, a candidacy which it will
support, the New York Journal, says
the Chicago platform involves con-
fusion, distress, and, as regarding existing
contracts, partial reputation. Never
theless, it will help bring confusion, dis
! tress and reputation upon the country.
Confusion. distress and reputation of
all that is honest and Just and
true are the fundamental principles
of the government of sheoI. So,
then. it is "better to reign in hell than
serve in heaven" politically speaking. Is
that the idea the Journal wishes to con-
vey? If not, why does the Journal advo-
cate the election of a candidate for Presi-
dent OF the United States whom it an
nounces editorially to be the champion of
confusion, distress, and, as regarding ex-
is ting contracts, partial reputation ?"
| But the Journal does not mean that
there shall be confusion, distress and re-
| pudlation as the outcome of Bryan's cleo
ton, and to avoid such calamity it pro-
poses to conduct the Democratic side of
the National campaign on lines of perfidy,
| falsehood and hypocrisy and thus fool
Bryan and those who may honestly sup
| port him on principle. The Journals
scheme involves several contingencies, and
cunningly, though most deceitfully, pro-
vides for them all, including Bryan's
treachery to the friends who com passed
his nomination and to the declaration of
principles which he is pledged to put into
practical operation.
To bring about a happy culmina-
ton OF its plans, the Journal urges
upon Democrats everywhere to ''vote
for sound money Congressman and the
National ticket" That is 20 say, vote
for Bryan for President and anti-Bryan
candidates for Congress. The idea is, of
course, to tie Bryan's hands with q hostile
Congress. 1.-THE election of free silver
President" says the Journal, would not
necessarily mean the free coinage of sii-
yer, for sail such a President could do
would be to sign bill passed by both
houses of Congress-" Certainly il the
Journal can manage to elect Democratic
Congress that would refuse to pass any
bill that Bryan might want passed he
would be very securely bottled up, and
SO would his platform with its various Sec