The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-10-06
THE MOST IGNORANT OF CAN
DIDATES.

When we look back over the past one
hundred years OF American history. and
mark the contests for the presidency,
It is impossible to discern in all the
list Of candidates. successful or unsuc-
cessful, anyone as inexperienced. unin-
formed and shallow as William J..
Bryan.
From the beginning parties have, as
rule, put forward their wisest and
best statesmen. and the federalists who
were defeated by the triumphant re-
publican party founded by Jefferson
were Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Ru-
fus King and De Witt Clinton. men
still renowned in our history for their
services to the republic.
In later times the defeated whig can
didates were Henry Clay, Daniel Web
ster, Hugh L. White and General Scott,
while the defeated democratic candi-
dates were Lewis Cass, Stephen A.
Douglas, General Mcclellan, HOratio
Seymour. Samuel ]. Tilden and General
Hancock. These names are historic,
and are now the pride of every patriot.
But it may be said that Bryan is as
well known as Polk and Pierce and
Hayes were when they ran,
Certainly he is not. All these candi-
dates had already served with distinc-
tion in public life. Polk had been
fourteen years member Of congress,
twice speaker Of the house and once
governor Of Tennessee. As early as 1910
he was spoken Of as a vice-presidential
candidate. Pierce had been senator
from New Hampshire and was widely
known among public men, while Hayes
had served with distinction in the war,
was twice elected to congress, and
thrice governor of Ohio.
Even Mr.. Cleveland had won national
renown for courage and intellectual
power while governor of New York be-
fore he became a presidential candi-
date.
But Bryan is not only inexperienced
in public affairs. He is the shallowest
of thinkers and the most inconsequent
of reasoners. Since his nomination he
has delivered something like two hun
dred speeches, and there is not in one
of them a thought that rises above the
capacity Of a well-informed schoolboy.
He seldom addresses the reason of his
audiences, but always the emotions,
and whenever he attempts the former,
as in his Madison Square Garden
speech of acceptance, it proves an utter
failure.
He is an emotional declaimer, for
ever stirring the passions Of men, rous- :
ing the feelings of hatred and revenge, Z
Of the poor against the rich. He makes .
bold and oracular assertions, but he
never proves them. nor does he try to
convince the mind.
Nothing better illustrates the utter
recklessness of his methods than his
mention of the name Of Henry Ward
Beecher in his Brooklyn speech. He
knew nothing about Mr.. Beecher's
opinions or utterances, but he asso-
ciated his name with Brooklyn and as
sumed that Mr.. Beecher would talk as
he did. Mr.. Beecher was no such shall
low person, and what he actually did
say scattered to the winds every utter
ance on the money question that Bry-
an ever made. A more fatal witness
was never called, as Mr., Depew so g,
exposed.
With the same reckless ignorance he
has cited Abraham Lincoln, twisting
the quotation out of its context in order
to suit his purpose. Everywhere we
find. in whatever he has said this same a
and misapplication of what n
others have said or done, and no conclu- I
sion can be drawn other than he is \
dishonest or impenetrably ig- n
r
In either case he is no fit candidate
'or the presidency of the United States.