Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-08-20
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, PoPULIsT.
Stewart Bears Testimony to the Nominee
Radical Principles.

Radical Principles.
If additional evidence were needed
that William J. Bryan il q Populist 1t
may be found in the declaration of the
Populists themselves their allies and
abettors in the two conventions which
met at st. Louis last week and indorsed
Mr.. Bryan. In the silver convention
William Nj. Stewart, Republican Unit
cd States senator from Nevada, bore
testimony to Mr.. Bryan's principles in
these words:
1 know william ]. Bryan. He believes
what we believe He Is as true to his prin.
Democrat In good and regular standing
having said time and again that II the DEM
ocratlc party adopted gold platform he
would not support Ii.
In the same convention Judge Scott
of Nebraska. in the course of fervid
speech, invoked the Almighty to send
pestilence and disease, war and famine
upon the nation rather than subject MS
to four more years of oppression under
Grover Cleveland"
He then called for three cheers for
Bryan, which were heartily given, show
ing the estimation in which a Democrat
ic President was held by a gathering
which indorsed the Nebraska candidate.
So much for the silver convention.
In the Populist gathering the testimony
to Mr.. Bryan's populistic orthodoxy was
even stronger.
Judge Green of Nebraska, an intimate
friend and associate of Mr.. Bryan. in
answer to question from Texas dele
know him personally. He is my friend,
and l say to you he is as true Populist
as You or L."
AS Judge Green Is, according to his
own statement, Populist of thirty
years standing, more convincing could
hardly be asked for.
But the proof accumulates.: James B.
Weaver of Iowa, twice the candidate of
the Populists for the presidency of the
United States, in nominating Mr.. Bryan
said:
place In nomination for the presidency
of the United States a distinguished gentle
man. who. let IT be remembered, has al
ready been three times indorsed by the
Populist party of his own state-once for
representative In Congress. once for United
States senator and only last week for the
presidency.
The inference in the last clause that
the Coliseum convention was Populls,lc
gathering is both plain and sincere. But
of that later on. .tsf 80,
The best evidence, however. of mans
faith-political or otherwise-is TO DC
found in his own words. On the 4tn OF
November, 1893, at Lincoln, Neb., Mr..
Bryan, in addressing a Democratic state
convention which had voted down free
silver resolution by two-thirds major
ity, made this declarations:
If the Democratic party. after you go
home. indorses your action and TINS De
comes your sentiment, / want to promise
you that VIII go out and serve my coun-
try and my God under some other name,
IL i go alone.
Divested of the hyperbole. which is
Mr.. Bryan's favorite rhetorical figure;
this declaration meant that he would
desert the Democratic party and become
Populist.
Does anyone doubt that he has full
filed his declaration?
Mr.. Bryan is the nominee of three ma
tional conventions. Two of these were
openly and avowedly Populistic. The
third-the one which met in Chicago
was Populist in everything but name.
and that name was stolen from party
with which it had no sympathy.
That it was Populst convention was
proved by the fact that it nominated
Mr.. Bryan. That gentleman could not
have accepted the Democratic platform
of 1892 or of any previous year. He
could not have faced Democratic con-
vention with his record behind him.
Nor, on the other hand. could the Chi
cago convention have nominated Demo-
crat. The feeble attempts that were
made to do so showed the estimate in
which Democrats were held by the con-
vention. Teller. the Republican, was
accorded consideration and might have
been nominated. but Democrats of life
long standing were either contemptuousiy
thrust aside or not mentioned at all.
1t was Populist convention. The
two st. Louis assemblages which have
adjourned after indorsing Mr.. Bryan
were also Populist conventions. He
has had the Endorsement of no one but
Populists for the last three years. He
is claimed by the Popuists. He is ey-
plotted as a POpulist. He admits that
he is Populist. He is Populist.
Is any further argument necessary p
From the Chicago Chronicle Dem.).