Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-10
The Campaign of Education.

IL may be recalled by lc" ""O 49,
curious concerning ancient history that
in the dim past Of two months ago. wneh
the Democratic National Convention dld
its fell work of pronouncing against tho
single gold standard and nominating Mr.
Bryan. the world was promised grand
spectacle OF an American campaign con-
Quoted without excitement or rancor' Il
campaign which should be distinguished
above all other campaigns for it's calm
appeals 10 reason, its persuasive Ut
banity and impressive polteness. II
was 10 be a campaign OF education pre-
eminently. The masses were 10 De gen
Iy led out OF their errors by their pet
tiers. and by their betters marshaled 10
the polls cured Of all injurious hallucl-
nations. The announcement was maze
that 50 preposterOus was the proposal
OF free-siver coinage az 10 10 that II
had but TO be placed under the nsht or
examination for a few days In order that
II should appear In all IL natlVe aosuI-
d,ty TO the meanest intelligence.
The progress Of this campaign OF calm
reasoning and good manners Is interest
ing TO observe. Alr Bryan is man or
UlAlAf4tfn IfAFUllAl AAtiAfANrNf "'sHN
ability. Yet. not since Lincoln ran has
a presidential candidate been so angrily
reviled. According 10 the picturing OF
the superior gentlemen OF the gold falth.
who were TO WOO the masses from their
ignorant illusions, he Is a wild-eyed as
turber. at best a fanatic, at worst a
scoundrel; and his followers are Socla-
lists. Anarchists. blackguards. and BAN
ditti. the sayages Of the cities and the
riIraff Of the rura. regions, all eager 10
march 20 the ballot-boX against whatever
is established, I'm the hope Of loot. The
canvass on the Republican side, in brief,
has degeuerated into a frenzy, partly
real, partly simulated. The plan or cam
paign. particularly on the Atlantic sea-
board. has become an ignoble attempt
10 dispose Of Bryan by raising con-
certed boot. In answer TO the simple,
direct, argumentative, and even-tem-
pared speeches Of the Democratic Presl-
Dental nominee. there are heard and seen
only spoken and printed whoops and in
suits II is n Comanche sort Of cam
paigning that recalls the '6js. when IL
meant business and social disabilities 20
be a Democrat And while the yelling
goes on, Mr.. Hanna attends strictly 10
business.
The wealth Of the country is against
Bryan and the Democracy in this bat
tie. undoubtedly, and 1t is freely claimed
that the conservatism and respectability
Of the Union are against him, too.
II this be true, We are learning In a
rather alarming way what TO expect Of
wealth, conversatism, and respectability
when they take 10 politics for the
instruction Of the masses. The resem-
blance Of these methods 10 riotous
street-car strike is so great as to cause
the prospect Of the clubbing which No
vember has in store 10 be contemplated
with pleasure.
There s. dauger-yery serious danger
I'm this sort OF campaigning 1t is an
offensive challenge of the right OF the
people Of the United States 10 seek by
peaceable means 10 bring about
changes in the policies OF their gov
eminent. What after ALL is II that
has thrown the plutocracy and all its
dependents into this fury? Merely a
proposal 10 restore the old coinage sys-
TEN Of the United States-to abandon
the disastrous experiment OF mono
metallism. and get back 10 the tradi-
tional and solid-ground Of bimetallism.
The change is sought in a perfectly
constitutional and orderly way. II is
a subject peculiarly fitted for discus
sion, and IS not 10 be clarified by call
ing names and roaring. The danger
lies IN branding ms Anarchists and So
clalsts all citizens who happen TO diff
fer from the very wealthy I'm their view
OF what is good for the country I'm a
province naturally so little stimulating
TO passion as the finances. What lam
guage will be left the privileged 10 en-
ploy when some question arises which
has in IT the FIRE 10 heat the blood Of
the Grulging multitude 10 the boiling
point? Who then will heed the cry Of
Wolff" from the frightened few
There are only buckram Socialists and
Anarchists now. but campaign like
this one, when the very rich band
themselves together and deliberately
invite by their solidarity and insolence
the hostility Of the poor. is marvellously
well calculated TO create real Socialists
and Anarchists. The rich are not wise
either for their present or future inte-
rest, and the campaign Of the Republic
cans IS a campaign OF fools-ior the
American masses have sense.