Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-02

believed that free coinage Of silver by the
United States independently and alone
would, under proper conditions, restore BIZ
metailism, could not bring myself to in
trust SO delicate and important an under
taxing to men Of Bryan's inexperience or
associations, and would suffer forever the
alleged evils Of "a gold standard before l
an attack on our highest court and to a
subverslon Of our form of government by
ioad1ns IT down with ungovernmental func-
ticns. Before such a spectacle how would
the shades Of Jefferson, jackson and TIL
zen snudder and shrink.
No Claim ON Democrats.
while, as I have said, Mr.. Bryan boldly
processes to stand on every one of the
strange planks of the Chicago platform, he
adroitly attempts to divert democratic at
tent1on from the revolutionary spirit which
pervades most Of that document by confin-
ing the larger part of his public utterances
70 what he calls bmetallism; and he evil
uently hopes by magnifying the import
ance OF this financial issue and distorting
It's phases. SO that 1t will appear to be the
movement Of the masses against the class
e. 10 make democrats forget their dislike
OF the plainly undemCcratic features Of the
platform and to persuade them that after
on only an economic issue is involved and
tnis should not Justify a breaking of party
ues. But that kind Of tactics should de-
y
arguments for free silver are fallacious and
uenlagoslc but we oppose his candidacy
Eot chiefly because he favors free coinage.
put because his advocacy of that policy is
gut feature of his support of set of
doctrines which we have been taught to
regard as the very opposite of democratic
anu the support of which demonstrates the
uhntness of Bryan and his associates for
positions of public trust. Let not this fact
escape democratic attention. Every appeal
IN the name of party regularity to sup
port the Bryan ticket is an appeal to sup
port the governmental ownership of rail-
reads and telegraphs to attack the indie
pendence of the federal judiciary, Ito abol-
ISM the merit system as a test of fitness for
pubic office, to refuse to uphold the ma
1onal credit by the issue Of bonds when
necessary. to scale down the public debt by
reputation, to invite not only the evils
wren would follow silver standard but
tnose which would follow Tired .ema BILE pa
per money, for even purely fiat money
seems to be re commended in this Chicago
platform. The men who represent such
consiomeration OF poor principles and radi-
cal notions are not democrats. They have
no claim on democrats. and all over the
iand To-Day democrats are rising to over
throw these party letters which mean slav-
cry, and to stand between the people and
the certain injury which the pa:.y's rash
leaders would inflict upon the nation.
Ihe revolutionary spirit which forced
bfvans nomination is manifest in his
speeches now being delivered throughout
1
Madison Square Garden to advance the
cause or silver by close argument has in
drced him to abandon the weapons of the
loglcian and statesman and to employ the
afts OF the orator. From the rear end of
cars ne has been f1inging out social and
political firebrands among the people He
appears TO the base instincts of the ignor-
ant or to the misery of the distressed He
strives to array class against class. to in
cite employe against employer to stir I'D
deotor against creditor, to make this a
cchtest or the poor against the rich. May
God prevent this incendiary's work! In
thls broad land 1t has been our proud
bcast that the avenues of SUCCESS have
been open to all. The rich today were the.
poor OF yesterday. No families of inherited
wealth dominate our politics or our So
ciety. Before the law all men are equal
me same opportunities do not come to all
men; some succeed. many fail, but no bar
rier TO success or position Is created by
law. Industrial conditions may be affect
ed py unwise laws, and when this is dem
.hsIrated We attempt to change them
through the opportunity which every man
mas TO register his vote al the polls Blu,
thcugh some men succeed and many fail
Is the lot of life, and candidate for the
PRESIDENCY has ever dared before to use
Ills fact to arouse man against man and
l" kindie the fires of social discomfort and
disorder Proud as we have been Of Amer
lca material prosperity we have been
prouder still Of the self-reliant, nGepen-
dent and sensible spirit of her neonla
When foreign critics have told MS democ-
racy here would some day prove a failure,
tHat universal suffrage would lead to an
archy, that class feeling would be engen-
dered which would result in riot or in the
conhscation of property, We have laughed
ana have pointed to the sturdy American
ISM on our farms, to the influences Of our
PUBIC schools: to the respect for law and
o!der In our cities, to the examples of self
made men in every family, to the educat-
ing influences of our press, to the fullness
ana broadness OF our charities and more
he ~
pie. believe that we can still depend on
these. Bad as the times are stagnant as
II dustry is, distressed as many homes are
for lack of employment, the common sense
OF the American people will not be de-
ceived by appeals to passion, but will p,.-
ceive clearly what is the truth namely.
that present conditions are largely caused
not by the influences against which Mr.
Bryan in lurid words declaims, bu: bv fear
or the very remedies which he suggests
when this great shadow which he and his
associates have created passes off the sur
face OF the financial and Industrial world
then confidence will be restored money will
seek investment, factories will be reopened
and employment will be secure. There can
he no prosperity without confidence, and
Mr.. Bryan's plan skaters confidence and
ortends business failures and panic These
mean more men out of EMPLOYMENT more
homes without food and clothing, more
misery and distress.
European Capital.
Sneer az Mr. Bryan may at our de-
pendence upon foreign gold, the bare fact
remains that without 1t the building of our
great railroads, the opening Of our great
farm areas. the development OF our mines,
the building up Of our industries-with all
the stimulus Of prosperity which these
have given-would have been DELAYED many
years. Foreign gold-to Mr. Bryan's dis
torted vision and demagogic mind
species of yellow fever-what is it but cap
ital which gives work and wages to our
citizens, adds to the product of our fac
tories. makes necessities out of the former
luxuries OF life, increases the comforts and
conveniences Of living, adds to our coun-
try's wealth and prosperity, until finally
we will be rich enough and prosperous
enough to send part Of our capital to other
less fortunate or advanced nations and per
form the same good mission, selfish though
1t be, for other people Who would reject
1t because 1t comes, as some of it probably
does. from the drones of Europe? What
better use can the accumulated wealth of
England's aristocracy be put to than to
build up American industries
THE withdrawal of European capital
would still further depress values and en-
courage panic. So large a proportion OF
our business is done on credit and credit
Is such a slender support, that when credit
Is attacked 1t matters not how much money
there may be In the country, 1t will avail
nothing to prevent the contraction IF loo INC